Asia Oman Premarital medical screening will now be mandatory for couples to promote early detection of hereditary blood disorders and infectious diseases and providing couples with appropriate medical counselling before marriage
Africa Sudan The Central Bank of Sudan has directed the Bank of Khartoum to refund amounts deducted from customer accounts as fees for the Deposit Insurance Fund and ordered that the situation be rectified within 48 hours
Asia Taiwan Lawmaker Lee Chen-hsiu was sworn in despite not having begun the process to renounce her Chinese nationality; the formality is required by Nationality Act, which bars individuals holding dual nationality from serving as elected representatives
Asia Syria Women's Protection Unit, an all-female militia within the Syrian Democratic Forces, decided they will keep their armed presence despite the recent integration agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF
Europe Spain Telegram founder has strongly criticized Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for the "dangerous" new regulations on the digital environment; he warns they are a "red flag for freedom of expression and privacy" and could turn Spain into a "surveillance state"
Oceania Palau Legislator Marie A. Nabeyama was selected as Speaker of the 13th Legislature, becoming the first woman to hold the position in Koror State’s history
America Haiti Two Haitian athletes are competing in the Winter Olympics in Italy wearing highly symbolic uniforms by Stella Jean; athletes and officials say Haiti’s presence in the Games is a powerful message of resilience and visibility to residents and the Diaspora
America Saint Kitts and Nevis St Kitts Tourism Authority has met travel advisors, travel agents, operators and held marketing and outreach events to promote incoming tourism from Florida and Puerto Rico
Africa South Africa The news regarding 500 green anacondas actively living and breeding in Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve, widely posted on social media, is fake, Cape Town authorities said, adding that no state of emergency or restrictions are in place, urging not to share it
Africa Tunisia Revising a number of internal regulations to encourage students to better express themselves and develop their talents within the school environment has been stressed as a mean to prevent violence in a conference meeting on education held in Tunis
Africa Uganda Reports circulating on social media about an alleged outbreak of Nipah virus in Uganda have been denied by the DG of Health Services who said no cases have been recorded in the country; highly deadly, Nepal virus is endemic to Southern Asia
Europe Poland Polish free-ride skier Zuzanna Witych, 33, has made history winning gold at the first ever Freeride Championships held in Ordino Arcalís in the Andorran Pyrenees; an extreme form of skiing, it involves descending off-piste on wild mountain slopes
Europe North Macedonia A recently proposed government-backed legislation would drastically tighten restrictions on the use of tobacco and vapes, causing widespread discontent in citizens; as nearly half of adult population smokes, health officials say stricter rules are vital
Asia Tajikistan Preparations for a gradual shift to a 12-year general education system have started: activities incluse include developing new curricula, preparing schools, training for teachers, awareness campaigns with the goal of aligning with international standards