Europe Spain A massive counterfeit perfume factory has been dismantled; the plant produced tens of thousands of liters of counterfeit fragrances, imitations of around fifty luxury brands, to be marketed to the rest of Europe via France
Asia Nepal 366 gharials in rivers Rapti and Narayani have been recorded with a new survey, confirming a steady recovery of the endangered crocodile; a freshwater dolphin was also sighted, signaling improving river health and success of conservation efforts in Nepal
Africa Tanzania Serengeti is preparing to set a record by receiving over 600.000 tourists before June 2026, as latest figure from Park Management confirm 491.000 arrivals within mid-December; calving season will begin in February, with 500k newborn gnus expected
Asia Armenia Yerevan will begin construction of an animal shelter for stray dogs this year; following international best practices, the shelter will accommodate 300 dogs, featuring cages and open-air areas so that the animals can feel safe and secure
Europe Belgium The number of families waiting for social housing in Brussels Region has risen from 50.000 to over 59.000 in one year; waiting time for securing social housing in the capital ranges from nine to thirteen years, depending on the type of housing requested
Oceania Nauru ODA graduation to high-income country is postponed until 2027; previously set to 1 January 2026, the one-year deferral recognizes UN’s new MVI ranking Nauru as the most vulnerable in the Pacific, 5th globally, and that GDP figures don't reflect reality
Africa Ghana Nearly 3 million Ghanaians have used cryptocurrency as of end of 2025, prompting authorities to introduce phased licensing rules starting in 2026; a framework for safe cryptocurrency trading and Bitcoin adoption, formally legalised, will be set
Asia Brunei Within its pro-business initiative, the Brunei's Government has decided that fuel stations will be inspected twice a year starting 2026; the measure takes into consideration the industry's 6-years compliance and the rules of other ASEAN countries
Oceania Palau Scholarship awards from the Palau National Scholarship Board are set to increase by 26% in 2026 after Congress approved a major budget boost, bringing more financial relief for tuition, books and living expenses
Europe Luxembourg Despite concern pervading the business community in 2025, for reasons that include tariffs, increasing inflation, rising unemployment, higher pension contributions, warnings about profitability, sentiment for 2026 is resilient and even positive
Africa Guinea General Mamadi Doumbouya has been declared the winner of the presidential elections by the Electoral Commission after obtaining in the first round over 86% of the vote; the opposition questioned the turnout and fairness of the elections
Asia Vietnam All 361 houses damaged by natural disasters in Đà Nẵng have been completed repaired one month from the start of “Quang Trung Campaign"; among them, 144 houses were completely destroyed by floods and required full rebuilding
Europe Monaco Two ministerial decrees foster safety and order during the busiest nights of the festive season: limits on fireworks possession leave room only to official pyrotechnical shows and security obligations for nightlife venues are strengthened
America Nicaragua Despite monitoring and warnings from Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies for the current activity of the Masaya volcano, Tourism Institute celebrates the influx of visitors and continues to promote the site as a Christmas vacation destination