America Grenada Toll-free 988 Suicide Hotline for Crisis Response has been launched to guarantee immediate support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress and other mental health crises; an awareness campaign will start soon
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
Africa Gambia The fight against corruption should be a top national priority, affirmed the Centre for Policy Research and Strategic Studies CepRass, warning that persistent graft threatens economic growth and public trust in institutions
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo A landslide struck a large coltan mining site in eastern North Kivu causing the collapse of several mines; at least 200 people died in the accident at the Rubaya mines, reported province governor appointed by the M23 that control the area