Africa Zambia Rodney Sikumba, Minister of Tourism, has been recognised by Safari Club International as the 2026 International Legislator of the Year, a distinction highlighting his role in promoting sustainable-use conservation and wildlife policy on the global stage
Europe United Kingdom The number of flu cases in the UK reached a record high for this time of year: they rose by 55% last week, with an average of 2.660 patients per day ending up in hospital
Europe Albania Judges could raise their retirement age to 75 to help reduce the backlog of court cases; the proposal has been discussed by the parliament commission working on a series of technical amendments to justice reform laws, in the absence of opposition
Africa Gabon An intensive training in environmental and investigative journalism started in Libreville; organized by NGO WildAid with the Ministry of Communication, it aims to improve media coverage of nature conservation, environmental governance, eco-crimes
Europe Andorra "BULLYING PURSUIT", a video game born in Andorra to curb bullying, has been presented with David Aguilar aka "Hand Solo", experts and academics; it is meant to create links between players and raise awareness on the incidence of bullying at school
Europe Romania Two cases of leprosy, the first in Romania since 1981, have been confirmed and two suspected cases more are under investigation according to local press; all four individuals are women from Indonesia employed as masseuses at a spa salon in Cluj-Napoca
Europe Iceland Federation of fishers disagrees with new mackerel agreement that reduces Iceland’s share, pointing out that the agreement does not constitute a comprehensive coastal states agreement, as both Greenland and the European Union are excluded
America Guatemala Remittances from the US have boosted colorful housing and commerce in Guatemala, transforming towns like San Martín Sacatepéquez, with a 19,8% rise in 2025 possibly driven by migrant fears of Trump’s stricter deportation policies
Oceania Australia At least 15 people have been killed and 27 are in hospitals after a shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, the country’s worst in 30 years; attackers targeting Jewish Australians were “driven” by extreme ideology, but “weren’t part of a wider cell”
Africa Mauritius The World Sustainability Congress and the Africa Leadership Awards brought together professionals and leaders from several African countries to highlight those who have distinguished themselves through their achievements in complex and demanding contexts
America Cuba Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of Cuban general Raul Castro, has become a frequent visitor to Panama, using private planes for his travels; it has been confirmed that he has visited the country many times in recent years, at least ten in 2025
Europe San Marino Strategic Survey on Training and Employment Needs is a key tool for outlining San Marino's development strategies by providing an updated picture of the needs of the productive sector: Ministry of Labor urges businesses to participate
Europe Sweden The Administrative Court has stopped all planned licensed wolf hunting in 2026 in all five counties where hunting was supposed to begin on January 2; hunters associations oppose the decision and Minister for Rural Affairs doubts about its application
America Peru The presence of US military personnel has been authorized by Peru's authorities throughout 2026 for joint training exercises involving heavy weaponry, raising concerns amid a tense electoral year and growing social polarization