America Cuba International investors can now build and fully own tourism facilities: to reverse the dramatic fall in tourism, authorities have eliminated the requirement for foreign groups to form a joint venture with the Cuban state to manage their tourism activities
Africa Guinea-Bissau The Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy coniders the issue of biodiversity conservation one of the country's priorities, since the national economy is largely based on the exploitation of fishery resources
Asia Laos The Vientiane Capital Tourist Information Centre and Exhibition Hall of handicrafts and traditional products made under the 'One District One Product' initiative officially opened to the public
Asia Azerbaijan Chingiz Farzaliyev, Azerbaijani artist and professor, director of the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan, was awarded the 'Sharaf' Order for outstanding services to the development and promotion of Azerbaijan's fine arts
Asia Taiwan The Ministry of the Environment has announced the introduction on 1 April 2024 of a set of regulations requiring local mobile phone suppliers to set up recycling facilities and assist users in these practices
Europe Slovenia A bill banning flavourings in electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco has been adopted; smoking lounges will also be banned, though through a five-year transition period
Africa Algeria The country has appointed Abdelfetah Daghmoum as its new ambassador to Spain, after almost 20 months of diplomatic friction caused by Madrid's reversal of course on the Western Sahara issue
America Nicaragua Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, has won the 2023 Miss Universe contest, becoming the first ever Central American to win the title
Oceania Australia The Western Australian Department of Health has reinforced the requirement to wear a face mask in all public hospitals in the state in response to an increase in cases of COVID-19
Europe Serbia The old Sava bridge, iconic symbol of Belgrade, could be demolished in a plan by the Serbian authorities that has aroused strong opposition; refusal to fully disclose the agreement with a Chinese company to build another bridge has raised further doubts
Asia Cyprus The government is taking “steady steps” to modernise and strengthen the National Guard, Defence Minister has declared, stressing Cyprus’ defence forces are passing through a “particularly difficult period”
Oceania Tuvalu The Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the United Nations Human Rights Council reviewed the human rights situation of Tuvalu for the 4th time on Wednesday, 8 November 2023, at a meeting in Geneva, after December 2008, in April 2013 and in May 2018
Africa Tanzania The French oil company TotalEnergies would not respect the sanctity of hundreds of graves in a controversial project to build a heated pipeline from the oil fields of Uganda to a port in Tanzania, according to GreenFaith's complaint
Europe Latvia The European Court of Human Rights found no violation in Latvia's move to state language education; subjects taught in Latvian, the national language, have been increased in state schools, thus determining fewer lessons in Russian