Asia Bahrain 128 competitors, 59 male and 69 female, took part in this year's Mutun competition; the event awards the three best in seven categories, each focusing on the memorization and comprehension of foundation texts related to Quranic sciences
Africa Egypt President Al-Sisi said the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at the first unit of the Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant marks “a new and bright chapter” in Egypt’s nuclear programme, underscoring the depth of Cairo’s strategic partnership with Moscow
Asia Armenia Actress Andrea Martin, beloved for SCTV and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, returns to the stage with play “Meet the Cartozians” acting as a mother from an Armenian family in 1925 and a modern-day Los Angeles resident in a reality show about family descendants
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Over 30 people died after a bridge at southern Kalando copper-cobalt mine collapsed due to overcrowding as unauthorised miners forced their way into the site; authorities have urged to take up the government's offer of alternative training in agribusiness
Asia East Timor Newest member of the ASEAN countries, East Timor will be ready to organise the regional bloc's annual meeting by 2029; to do so, Dili is accelerating its infrastructure development and intensifying efforts to attract more visitors
America Venezuela The first locally developed solar panel cleaning robot has been created in Venezuela using national labor and new technologies, marking a step toward innovation in renewable energy maintenance
America Guatemala The birth rate reached its lowest level in a decade in 2024, according to official data from the National Institute of Statistics: an absolute drop of 86.939 births shows a sustained decline reflecting changes in Guatemala's demographic structure
Africa South Sudan South Sudanese social media personality Akuach Wol was shot and injured on her way to work when unidentified gunmen opened fire on her vehicle in the capital Juba, her family said
America Suriname The Sloanea offshore gas discovery has been declared commercially viable in Suriname, marking a significant step forward in the country's efforts to expand its natural gas sector
Europe France President Macron has begun a five-day Africa tour with a push for what he calls "win-win" partnerships as France’s presence in the continent has become more fragile and complicated by local political stances
Europe Vatican City The Pontifical Swiss Guard has launched an internal review following a reported dispute at one of the service posts at the entrances to Vatican City, in which “elements interpreted as having antisemitic connotations” were allegedly observed
Europe Czech Republic On 17 November Czechia commemorated the Velvet Revolution of 1989, which led to the fall of the Communist regime, and the persecution of students under the Nazi occupation in 1939; thousands took to Wenceslas Square in Prague despite cold and rain
Europe Estonia Estonia and Russia have agreed on 2026 fishing quotas for Lakes Peipus, Pihkva and Lämmijärv; Estonia's quota for next year will be 300 tonnes less than in 2025 but perch quota can be changed if spring test fishing shows stocks larger than expected
Europe Montenegro The Pljevlja Coal Mine is launching the production of personal protective equipment as part of the Just Transition and Business Transformation Plan; the new facility will employ 20 workers, with theoretical and practical training begins this week