Asia Sri Lanka Digital marketplace LilyLanka has been launched to connect small and medium enterprises with customers; the platform includes products, online sales and delivery services and aims to digitalize local trade, expand market access and support SMEs recovery
Asia Afghanistan Doctors in Kabul advised that people use air-purifying masks when outdoors to avoid serious and harmful consequences of rising levels of air pollution, a recurrent issue in winter days
Europe Andorra 237.500 vehicles have entered Andorra during the Special Traffic period, running from 19 December to 6 January: 172.000 through the border with Spain and 65.500 from France, according to Andorran Mobility Department
Africa Gambia The Gambia Tobacco Industry Monitoring Team completed a capacity-building refreshment to strengthen surveillance and intelligence sharing of industry activities as the country intensifies safeguard of public health policies from industry interference
Africa Burkina Faso Amid heightened political tensions, authorities say they have thwarted a new coup attempt; the alleged plot was reportedly uncovered on 3 January before it would be carried out, according to official sources that disclosed the information
Africa Uganda Uganda has denied plans to shut down internet access during next week’s elections, dismissing news of a scheduled blackout as unfounded; concerns were raised by opposition candidate Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, who fears disruptions in the sharing of results
America Cuba Work in 2025 was characterized by precariousness, informality and loss of purchasing power according to ASIC, the Cuban Association of Construction Companies, in a labor framework that lacks both basic international standards and signs of improvement
Africa Morocco Tourism sector peaked in 2025 as Morocco welcomed 19,8 million tourists, +14% on 2024 according to official figures; tourism is worth around 7% of GDP, supports thousands of jobs, generates crucial income in foreign currency and contributes to stability
Africa Tunisia Former director of French NGO Terre d’Asile and several colleagues, imprisoned for over 20 months for “facilitating illegal entry and residence” of migrants, have been released; lawyers of the detainees argue they joined a government approved programme
Africa Angola Newly completed Wastewater Treatment Plant in Sumbe, Lunda-Sul province, benefits over 40.000 residents with 95 kilometers of distribution network, 4.289 household connections, and 63 public fountains
Asia India The 2nd world laboratory for testing and calibration of air pollution measuring equipment was inaugurated in India to curb dependance on foreign certification systems, promote environmental governance and foster local production of monitoring equipment
Europe Latvia The wedge clam, or Atlantic rangia has been named the mollusc of the year 2026; the choice of a non-native species aims to drawing attention to alien and invasive species in the Baltic Sea, according to the Latvian Malacological Society
America Antigua and Barbuda Following news articles about Antigua Airways, the airline’s MD issued a press statement clarifying that promoting Africa-Caribbean links responds to cultural ties and new economic needs, citing Nigeria, that has become a key business and trade partner
Africa Ethiopia Thousands of Orthodox Christians dressed in white celebrated Christmas Eve in Addis Ababa’s Meskel Square on 6 January with a candlelight ceremony followed by an all-night church service, as they follow the Julian calendar 13 days later than Gregorian one