Asia South Korea Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison, charged with leading an insurrection as he imposed martial law for a few tumultuous hours on 3 December 2024; some argue it is a sign of a healthy democracy
Africa Burkina Faso Military-led government has taken a step toward reinstating the death penalty, adopting a new penal code that once again allows capital punishment for crimes including treason, terrorism and espionage
Asia North Korea To expand crop variety and yield, North Korea’s top farming experts discussed boosting domestic harvests with leading Russian agricultural research hubs during a week-long visit to Russia, deepening food security links between the two countries
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines A High Surf Advisory has been issued, with breaking waves forecast to pose a threat to life and property within the surf zone; dangerous rip-currents will create unsafe conditions for small-craft operators, particularly on northern and eastern coastlines
Asia Turkmenistan The existence of the Turkestan long-eared bat has been confirmed in Turkmenistan for the first time since 1970; the dedicated expedition led by the Museum of Natural History of Berlin, Germany, visited possible bat habitats in the Karakum Desert
Africa Zimbabwe Tourists will have a smoother drive this festive season on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway, as multiple contractors working at the same time on different sections of the road are guaranteeing significant improvements
Oceania New Zealand Jono Ridler, in partnership with Live Ocean, will attempt a word record for 'unassisted staged swim' swimming from North Cape to Wellington to raise awareness for healthy oceans and call for an end to bottom trawling as part of Swim4theOcean initiative
Europe Slovenia Cyclist Tadej Pogačar won the men's Velo d'Or for the third time in his career after claiming a fourth Tour de France title this summer; he also received the Eddy Merckx award for the top classics rider winning three of the sport's five Monuments in 2025
Africa Tunisia Three prominent opposition figures and activists have been arrest in just over a week: Chaima Issa during a protest, Ayachi Hammami and Nejib Chebbi in a widening crackdown on opposition
America Trinidad and Tobago The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange has unveiled TOBI, a new AI-powered chatbot aimed at making stock market and depository information instantly accessible to investors, brokers, and the public
Europe Portugal Local businessman reportedly diverted tens of millions of euros from ‘golden visa' investors, selling apartments that didn't exist and promising sky-high return; among those defrauded is a company owned by Howard Lutnik, US secretary of state for commerce
Asia Syria Syrians have taken to the streets to celebrate the first anniversary of the removal of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad amid renewed optimism that conditions will continue to improve as the country recovers from the effects of nearly 14 years of war
Africa Uganda Electoral Commission staff organised a demonstration of how the Biometric Voter Verification kit will work in the 2026 general election; the event took place at Hotel Africana in Kampala
Africa South Sudan The right to adequate, nutritious food has been the focus of the East Africa Legislative Assembly, who called on partner States to legally recognize it, acting consequently; the motion has been promoted by South Sudanese lawmaker Woda Jeremiah