America Guatemala Indigenous communities in Guatemala are facing a high 18% illiteracy rate and have launched initiatives like floating schools—classrooms on boats reaching remote areas—but struggle as many children are pulled from school to work in agriculture
Africa Ethiopia Turkish President Erdoğan announced that Addis Ababa and Mogadishu had reached an agreement, mediated by Turkey, to end tensions over the issue of Ethiopia's access to the sea
Africa Botswana Only 28 women stood for Parliament out of 258 contestants, or 10,85%, and only three women won their seats, 4,92% of the 61 seats; on the other hand, women represent 54% of those eligible to vote
Europe Bulgaria In the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union the last vote took place for Bulgaria's full entry into the Schengen area; the vote established the abolition of land controls as of 1 January 2025
America Cuba The Museum of the Cuban Revolution, once the residence of the President of the Republic, is now 65 years old, having been established on 12 December 1959 by a decree of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces
Europe Austria The government has initiated an economic support programme for Syrian nationals in Austria who want to return to their country, which mainly consists in the delivery of 1000 euros in cash and practical advice and assistance
Asia Iran President Massoud Pezeshkian, who has a reformist orientation, is explicitly criticising a law that tightens controls and penalties for women who do not wear the veil properly, supported by parliament and the Guardian Council
Europe Ukraine Energy infrastructure has been attacked with missiles and drones, with Russia saying it considers them military targets; millions of civilians, who are left without electricity or heating, are however consequently affected
Africa Comoros A court in the Comoros released two women, aged 22 and 25, after convicting them of same-sex sexual activity; the two women had been arrested in June after attempting to enter into marriage with the assistance of an Islamic preacher
America Haiti American Airlines has announced that the suspension of daily flights between Miami and Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince will be indefinite; the airport has been reopened after about a month of inactivity
Oceania Samoa The Asian Development Bank signed a transaction advisory agreement with the Electric Power Corporation of Samoa to support the development of a solar photovoltaic plant and battery energy storage systems in Upolu and Savai'i
Africa Mozambique At least 110 people have died in post-election demonstrations in Mozambique since 21 October, and the current phase of protests, which began on 4 December, has already claimed 34 lives, according to a report by the NGO Plataforma Eleitoral Decide
Oceania Nauru A new agreement signed provides for Nauru and Australia to jointly accept any commitments from other countries in Nauru's security, banking and telecommunications sectors
Africa Sierra Leone An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone was rescued after three days at sea as the sole survivor of a shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa, found clinging to a pair of tyre tubes