Africa Cameroon In an unprecedented disruption to academic calendar, the Ministry ordered the immediate rescheduling of all remaining papers for the ongoing 2026 examination session after a severe security breach compromised confidential materials across digital networks
Europe Lithuania Lithuanian emigrants increasingly choose to return from abroad and settle in the country's less populated regions; the State Employment Service has created an interactive map with 50 indicators on housing, employment, education and other issues
Asia Bhutan Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter lit up Bhutan’s National Day, projecting dragons, tigers, prayer flags and more cultural symbols onto landmarks such as the Buddha Dordenma and Tiger’s Nest in a celebration of Bhutanese identity
Asia Maldives Amendments to the Tobacco Control Act, which prohibit the import, sale, free distribution and use of vaping devices and electronic cigarettes in the Maldives, came into force on 15 December; already nine persons have been sanctioned
Africa Malawi Malawi was chosen as host of the 2025 edition of the Africa Netball Championship during the Annual General Meeting of Africa Netball, held on the sidelines of this year's tournament in Swakopmund, Namibia
Europe Malta An estimated 30.000 full- and part-time workers will work in hotels, restaurants and catering facilities throughout the holiday period
Asia Kazakhstan Kazakhstani officials discussed the introduction of new digital technologies and artificial intelligence into everyday activities during a government meeting
Europe Latvia The 77th long-awaited annual publication 'Latvian Statistical Yearbook, 2024' is now available free of charge in digital format in Latvian and English, published by the Central Statistical Office
Asia Afghanistan According to the World Bank, the country is grappling with a severe food security crisis, with 11,6 million people - around 25% of the population - experiencing food insecurity
Oceania Samoa Samoa started celebrating Christmas 13 days before the day itself; in these 13 days, government ministries and other congregations are invited to sing Christmas carols in their own style which are aired on TV
Europe Kosovo Kosovo's electoral commission has banned the country's main Serbian party, Lista Serba, from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for next February
Africa Liberia Empowerment Squared, together with its local and international partners, officially launched the Liberia Learning Centre in Paynesville, a $2 million state-of-the-art facility
Africa Mauritius Deputy PM has hinted that negotiations with the UK over the Chagos Islands are being held up over the amount of money involved for the UK 99-year lease for Diego Garcia, home to a major UK-US military airbase as per the original October agreement
Asia Georgia The European Higher Education Quality Assurance Registry suspended the registration of the National Centre for Quality Improvement in Education of Georgia due to violations dating back to 2023