Oceania Australia Police in New South Wales rejected arming guards at Jewish events; The Australian Jewish Association told the antisemitism royal commission that private security guards at Jewish events should be armed, authorities fear that would further fracture society
Europe Poland Polish prosecutors are investigating TV commentators who joked that migrants should be sent to Auschwitz or tattooed or microchipped like dogs; several investors have withdrawn their commercials from the TV station
America Canada The Belfry Theatre in Victoria, B.C., is cancelling The runner from its March festival “given the current conflict”; the play focuses on the moral dilemma of a volunteer of ZAKA, a group of mostly Orthodox Jewish men who provide emergency medical rescues
Asia Jordan 18,5% of vehicles in Jordan are electric or hybrid and accounted for over 50% of car customs in the first ten months of 2023; with growing demand for electric cars, instructions for the management of consumed batteries and their trading have been issued
Europe Montenegro 116 suicides were registered in 2023, reinforcing the worrying numbers; according to WHO data, the country leads in the last decade in terms of the number of registered suicides in relation to the number of inhabitants
Oceania New Zealand The average price of a new uniform for the last year in Auckland was $468 (267€), including 2 shirts, 1 skirt or pair of trousers, 1 jumper and a jacket or blazer
Asia Singapore Singapore's average sea level could rise by up to 1,15 metres by 2100, exceeding previous estimates of a 1 metre rise; the study also predicts an average sea level rise of up to 2 metres by 2150, in a worst-case scenario
Africa Republic of the Congo A project to build a power plant in Pointe-Noire was discussed between the Minister of Hydrocarbons and the President and CEO of the Chinese group Yunnan Linkun Investment, which intends to finance it
Africa Mozambique The Indian company Banaras Locomotive Works has confirmed the reception of an order from Mozambique for the manufacture and delivery of ten new Cape Gauge diesel locomotives
Asia Philippines Energy Regulatory Commission is encouraging households to use solar home systems to mitigate the impact of El Niño that may worsen in summer months, partnering with local government units to establish a one-stop shop to make it easier to obtain a permit
Oceania Marshall Islands A $10,8 million grant agreement was reached between the US and RMI governments to fix the Majuro sewage outflow system
Africa Nigeria Stakeholders in Nigeria’s cocoa and chocolate industry are gearing up for the 2024 International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum to be held in Abuja and Lagos on 9 and 11 January 2024, respectively
America Panama The Panama Canal has imposed unprecedented restrictions on transits, driven by water shortages linked to the El Niño phenomenon; the canal’s reservoir system is significantly impacted, causing ripple effects across global shipping operations
America Paraguay The exports of pork and its derivatives from Paraguay increased by around 172,8% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to a report from the National Service of Quality and Animal Health