Asia Myanmar Construction of China–Myanmar railway, high-speed passenger and freight corridor linking Yunnan to Kyaukphyu deep-sea port on the Bay of Bengal, is being accelerated; the line will give China direct access to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Malacca Strait
America Saint Lucia Police have confirmed that United Workers Party candidate for Castries South was taken into custody and later released the same day on Election Day, 1st December, after officers acted on reports of alleged vote buying; $30.000 was recovered on his person
Africa South Africa Authorities must do more to tackle “xenophobic” protests that have been blocking access to hospitals to undocumented foreigners; members of group Operation Dudula have for months refused access to non-South Africans at clinics in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal
Asia Taiwan Taiwan and India pledged to build a resilient supply chain by combining Taiwan’s advanced technologies with India’s software talent and manufacturing incentives; the official talks aimed at efforts to diversify beyond vulnerable networks
Oceania Tonga The Tonga National University celebrated about 600 graduates yesterday, receiving high-level qualifications and certificates in tourism management, engineering, and nursing among other curricula
Asia Brunei 1.361 citizenship certificates have been granted this year thanks to an update of guidelines and eligibility that came into effect on 31 December 2024 and helped reduce the backlog in applications
Africa Benin During the ongoing first edition of the Cotonou Comedy Festival, Roukiata Ouédraogo - actress, novelist, and columnist - led a 2-day masterclass with a roundtable bringing together women artists, stakeholders and enthusiasts of public speaking
Europe Slovakia A Bratislava court has barred former Slovak National Theatre director Matej Drlička from making any public statements about Culture Minister Šimkovičová from 6 December, granting her request for an emergency injunction following a defamation complaint
Africa Seychelles On International Day of People with Disabilities, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family hosted a spa experience for citizens living with disabilities in Victoria under 2025 theme ‘Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress’
Asia Bangladesh Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has urged stakeholders to halt the clearing of mangrove forests to make way for shrimp farms, warning that the destruction of these vital ecosystems would undermine coastal protection
Europe Kosovo Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state has been officially recognized by Syria, the 120th country to do so; announcement was made in Riyadh during President Vjosa Osmani’s visit, one of the most significant moments in Kosovo’s diplomatic history
Asia Uzbekistan Tandoors used for baking samsa were demolished during air pollution raids in Shakhrikhan district of Andijan province; the district mayor’s office posted photo and video footages of demolishings but later deleted them
Europe Luxembourg Doctors’ and dentists’ association, pursuing its goal of higher remuneration for doctors has caused conflict with the government and hospitals, as the organization, newly named Médecins du sector hospitalier, says the billing system lacks transparency
Asia Saudi Arabia The Farasan Islands Reserve joined Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar), making it the first Saudi marine reserve to be officially registered under the Convention, a milestone in the Kingdom’s efforts to protect ecosystems