Africa Benin As part of the Vodun Days 2026 event in Ouidah, in Maro Square paintings of the Egungun are on display, depicting them dancing: the Vodun Days Artistic Direction has chosen to go beyond live performance adding an exhibition of paintings of the Egungun
Africa Burkina Faso Two journalists have been released after 14 months in detention; their arrest highlighted growing pressure on media since 2022. Burkina Faso fell 19 places in Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom index between 2024 and 2025.
America Panama The Panama Canal will launch its NetZero Slot initiative next week to reward Panama ships using low-carbon fuels and energy-efficient technologies, supporting global decarbonization efforts and aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050
America Mexico Universal Assistance has launched the “Cheque de Bienestar IA” in Mexico, an AI-powered health scan tool that allows travelers to assess their well-being via smartphone before or during a trip, aiming to promote preventive care while traveling
Asia Indonesia Free meals program is under more pressure: after several mass food poisoning incidents affecting over 1.000 students, NGOs and officials are calling for its suspension, citing poor oversight, unsafe kitchens, and rushed expansion
Europe France Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, 70, could be the first ex president to be jailed in France: found guilty of conspiracy for funding his 2007 campaign with money from the government of Muammar el-Qaddafi, court said no appeals could make him avoid prison
Asia Iran The National Polo Team, ranked among the world’s top six, was barred from competing in the Polo World Cup finals in Virgina, USA after American authorities refused to issue visas
Asia South Korea A nationwide ban on smartphones in elementary, middle, and high schools will start on 1 March 2026 to curb youth addiction and improve focus; it prohibits the use of phones in class, with exceptions for emergencies or approved educational purposes
Africa Djibouti A key speaker of Djibouti's President has resigned, citing regression in democracy and "nepotistic practices" according to local media
Asia Brunei Long queues formed outside the BIBD Kiulap Branch following the launch of the iPhone 17 Mobi Bundle by DST
Asia North Korea Six North Korean and Burmese targets have been sanctioned for facilitating arms trafficking; the US move is seeking to cut off a key network that generates revenue for Pyongyang and has enabled the Myanmar military’s lethal air strikes on civilians
Asia Yemen Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis took to the streets to express their support for the people of Gaza and the Palestinian resistance, according to local media. The march is a message to the international community about the urgent need to end oppression
America Paraguay Indigenous groups and sugarcane farmers blocked roads across Paraguay to demand land rights, an end to forced evictions, and the completion of key infrastructure projects like a cane milling plant in Guairá
America Guatemala Guatemala secured a legal victory after a US judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied Guatemalan children with active immigration cases