Asia Vietnam Technology will help authorities locate and repatriate the remains of war martyrs, the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War; Deputy PM ordered the use of DNA testing, digital archives and mapping to identify remains and return them to families
Europe Croatia HaHaHouse was opened on Gajeva Street in Zagreb, on International Laughter Day, and is the first museum in the world dedicated exclusively to laughter; over 40 different installations and exhibitions combine humour, art and technology
America Saint Kitts and Nevis A new fleet of ambulances is on the way to St. Kitts and Nevis as the government continues to take extraordinary measures to improve healthcare; the five emergency medical transport vehicles are expected to arrive in the Federation in February 2025
Europe Finland Greenhouse gas emissions have diminished significantly in 2024 because of the decrease in the use of fossil fuels in energy production, lower transport emissions and the impact of less intensive deforestation according to Etla Economic Research
Africa Tunisia The 100-seat travelling cinema Cinématdour, run by a private cultural organisation, Agora, and a non-profit organisation, Focus Gabès, continues to tour the country, opening up to those who have no money to pay for a ticket or get to a cinema
Africa Benin A new attack attributed to jihadist groups in the north, near the border with Niger and Burkina Faso, resulted in the death of 28 soldiers; attacks have increased in the area in recent years, with 121 soldiers killed from 2021 to the end of 2024
Africa South Africa The South African Communist Party will participate in local elections as an independent formation; it is the first time in the history of democratic South Africa
Asia Palestine The number of victims of the war in the Gaza Strip as reported by Ministry of Health may be underestimated by at least 40%: the actual death toll may have already exceeded 70.000, according to analyses by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Africa Gabon Four political leaders opposed to the military's transitional management called for the publication of a clear timetable for elections scheduled by August 2025; "failure to publish it immediately will be considered a major obstacle to democratic process"
Africa Sudan There are 3,2 million children under 5 years of age who suffer from hunger in the country, of whom about 772.000 are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, said Eva Hinds, Unicef Sudan's Protection and Communications Officer
Europe Serbia Students and their supporters, including teachers' unions, blocked a major junction and part of the Belgrade-Zagreb motorway, as protests continue, sparked by the deaths caused by an infrastructure collapse at the Novi Sad railway station on 1 November
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The Basta Movement, one of the opposition parties in Sao Tome and Principe, called for the resignation of the government as a 'necessary and long overdue measure' and awaits a new prime minister 'who is up to the country's challenges'
Europe Italy The cathedral of Monreale, built in the 12th century under Norman rule, is now fully open after over one year of experts' restoration; it boasts Italy's largest Byzantine-style mosaics, second in the world only to those of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey
Africa Ghana Major General Anita Asmah has been appointed as Head of Mission and Force Commander for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force UNDOF, making her the first African woman to hold this position