Africa Comoros Tayar, the first Comorian ride-hailing app, has been launched with support of Comorian Association of ICT and its incubator Comor'Lab; relying on geolocation, it is designed to enhance road safety and has an alert system connected to emergency services
Oceania Papua New Guinea A mission is underway to rescue an Australian professor and three local researchers held hostage by an armed group in Papua New Guinea; he was captured while he was on a field study trip in the remote highlands at an unspecified date
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina One of the greatest obstacles to the exercise of the journalistic profession is represented by the so-called SLAPP, specious lawsuits that seek to silence or limit the work of journalists and activists fighting for civil rights
Asia Laos FAO, through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases, started two-week training courses on animal quarantine management in Sing district, border area with China, to accelerate safer livestock trade and improve exports
Europe Liechtenstein An ancient custom is being practised in all communities this weekend: the fire of sparks, which is supposed to drive out winter
America Ecuador Cocaine bricks mixed with gravel and cement for building houses have so far helped get rid of approximately 61% of the drugs confiscated in recent years, an innovative method implemented by Ecuador to use its tons of confiscated vegetal material
Oceania Tuvalu Project Digital Nation is underway and involves digitising Tuvalu's islets, species, traditional songs, recipes, language and it is thought the government may enter the metaverse and be administered virtually
Africa Rwanda The Tour du Rwanda, considered Africa's most important cycling race, has begun its 2023 edition and will take place in different parts of the country until 26 February
Asia Maldives The new academic year 2023-2024 will start on 6 August, according to the calendar published by the Ministry of Education; the second school term will begin on 7 January and end on 13 June 2024
Africa Tanzania Zanzibar has banned exports of all food products as an immediate measure to curb shortages and rising prices, instructing traders to release food products they have stored in warehouses promising a decrease in prices
Asia Singapore Singapore and India launched a real-time link to facilitate cross-border funds transfers between bank accounts or e-wallets, using mobile phones by linking Singapore's PayNow service to India's unified payment interface
Asia Japan Famous Japanese manga and anime creator Leiji Matsumoto, whose real name was Akira Matsumoto, has died at the age of 85; Matsumoto was known for his epic science fiction sagas, including Galaxy Express 999, Queen Emeraldas and Space Battleship Yamato
Europe Latvia Following decisions made by State Medicines Agency, government owns a total of €30.000 in compensation costs for four people in connection with severe and moderate damage to health caused by adverse reactions to Covid-19 vaccine
Asia Georgia Despite his poor health, former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili remains in prison; the legal battle for the release of Georgia's third president now continues at the European Court of Human Rights