Asia China The domestic film industry ends 2025 with $7,3 billion of box-office revenue, +20% year-on-year, with 80% of the total ticket earnings generated by about 1,2 billion admissions to domestic films, according to major industry trackers Maoyan and Beacon
America Bahamas Assessments and cleanup were underway in areas of the southern and central Bahamas after Hurricane Melissa swept through the country, uprooting trees, tearing down utility poles and damaging some roofs; most residents were relieved they dodged the worst
Europe Vatican City Recalling the words of Pope Leo XIV during a video call with astronaut Buzz Aldrin earlier this year, the Holy See has taken a definite position on space-based weaponry saying it poses ‘genuine and grave’ threat
Africa Seychelles The UN office in Seychelles marked its 80th anniversary with a youth engagement event that brought together young entrepreneurs, environmental advocates, students, and change makers from the Seychelles National Youth Assembly
America Dominican Republic A large-scale humanitarian campaign to support families affected by Tropical Storm Melissa Fujian General Chamber of Commerce of China in the Dominican Republic, which includes distributing 23.000 food kits across the country
Asia Indonesia Danantara, Indonesia’s new state-backed fund, aims to turn the nation from a raw-material exporter into a high-tech producer by consolidating state assets and investing in innovation to build world competitive firms and cut reliance on foreign technology
Asia Qatar The National Archives of Qatar is taking part in the International Council on Archives Congress in Barcelona, Spain: institutions, specialists and experts from around the world will discuss the future of document preservation and digital archiving
Asia Pakistan Punjab’s government faces backlash for allegedly manipulating air quality data by shutting down monitors during peak smog hours in Lahore; Officials cite “technical issues,” but experts say it’s an attempt to mask severe pollution levels
Africa South Africa The University of Fort Hare council has urged higher education and training minister Buti Manamela not to proceed with appointing an independent assessor, saying the university is already taking steps to stabilise itself and address recent unrest
Europe Albania A group of IT experts proposed an AI ‘candidate’ for the upcoming Tirana mayoral election, she will be called called TirANA (Tirana Algorithmic Neural Assistant); Albania’s government had appointed an AI-generated digital assistant as a ‘minister’
Europe Slovenia Slovenian mountaineering is at the top of the sport as Aleš Česen won his third Golden Ice Axe for outstanding mountaineering achievements for conquering the 7.952 m Gasherbrum III, one of only six to have won three; Slovenian Marko Prezelj, has won four
America Peru Gen Z protesters in Peru have continued mobilizing despite a new president and a state of emergency, demanding a full political reset amid soaring crime, corruption scandals, and deadly repression by security forces
Asia Vietnam UNESCO adopted Vietnam’s proposal for the “International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development (2027–2036),” recognizing culture as a key pillar of sustainability and boosting Vietnam’s global role in cultural diplomacy and creative cooperation
Oceania Tuvalu Amnesty International's report Navigating Injustice warns that Pacific people, specially Tuvaluans, are being blocked from migrating to New Zealand due to discriminatory visa rules that are forcing families apart and increasing the risk of deportation