Asia Sri Lanka An “Ehi Passiko” peace walk began in Dambulla, bringing together Buddhist monks and participants to promote peace and mindfulness; “Ehi Passiko,” meaning “come and see,” reflects a core Buddhist principle encouraging understanding through experience
Europe Slovakia The Regional Public Health Office reported an increase in the number of hepatitis A cases in the Bratislava region, with 24 cases reported in December
Europe Estonia Services accounted for 68% of Estonian GDP 15 years ago and this year they will reach 74,5%; the service sector of the economy is growing steadily, while the share of industrial activities is declining
Africa Eritrea Over 161.000 chickens will be distributed to poultry farmers across the country in an effort by the Ministry of Agriculture to improve food security and increase access to nutritious products
Africa Tanzania 17 training centres in Kiswahili abroad were opened to promote the global use of the language; in addition, the government built 30 training centres in the country
Europe Hungary 800 disadvantaged primary school children from Hungary and Hungarian communities from across the Carpathian Basin were hosted at the Parliament's Christmas party with the involvement of the International Child Safety Service
Asia Turkmenistan The Turkmenistan University of Sport has become a member of the International Association of Universities of Physical Education and Sport
America Haiti At least 207 people were killed by members of the Wharf Jeremie gang in the port district of Cite Soleil in Haiti earlier this month, the United Nations said in a report upwardly revising an initial toll
Asia Taiwan A large uncrewed aerial vehicle testing facility in Chiayi County will be set to help establish Taiwan's drone supply chain with a greater share of the global market; about 50 companies are already based in the drone R&D center
Oceania Tuvalu The long-term digitization project presented by PM Teo envisions moving government services and records to an online platform and preserving the cultural memory of Tuvalu "in a way that it can be treasured for years, regardless of the status of our land"
Europe Iceland The new Icelandic government that took office on Saturday has made it part of its programme to organise a referendum on EU membership by 2027, giving substance to a debate that is rather heated in the country
Africa Guinea-Bissau Guinean economist Carlos Lopes was named economist of the year by 'Financial Afrik' for his book on the trap of self-delusion and Africa's dependence on Europe
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The PM said he was concerned about the waterfront redevelopment work in the capital after identifying "many defects" that will require adjustments and additional funding that have not yet been secured
Oceania Tonga With a total budget of 19,6 million panga (7,5 million euros) over five years, the Tonga Australia Resilient Communities programme will fund community-led infrastructure projects, including cyclone shelters and water supply systems