Asia Laos New rules for intellectual property protection wereintroduced, allowing businesses to protect industrial designs internationally through a single application under the Hague System; It simplifies registration and administrative procedures, reducing costs
America Dominica The Carnival Princess Pageant 2023 will return Sunday, 5 February with five girls from primary schools in the northeast and west of the island competing for the crown
Asia Bahrain Vehicles are piling up in garages as chips and spare parts shortage drags on; spiked by the pandemic, it has been fueled by a number of events that impacted on production areas ranging from draught to logistics crisis
Europe Romania The average age of the resident population has risen to 42,4 years, compared to 40,8 years ten years ago, according to the first results of the 2022 census
Africa Egypt Egypt's Supreme Council for Urban Planning and Development has approved the request submitted by the Sovereign Fund for Investment and Development to change the use of the Tahrir Square complex to be transformed into a hotel
Europe Serbia Over 120.000 migrants were registered in 2022 in reception centres for asylum seekers across the country; the average stay was 16 days and there are currently 3.000 people in Serbia
Africa Kenya In Nairobi, motorcyclists are going electric thanks to the increase in charging points across the capital; the combination of more charging stations and lower running costs are making it easier to move away from polluting petrol vehicles
Africa Rwanda Traditional songs, the tinkling of pots and pans, sand slipping as you dig, the voices of fishermen: these are just a few examples of the sounds that Rwandan musician Michael Makembe collected on a journey in search of traditions and music of his country
America Saint Lucia Piaye Secondary School has asked for community support for its newly-elected Parent-Teacher Association
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines United Labour Party of Sr. Vincent and the Grenadines has provided tablet computers to all primary, secondary and community college students in the country
Europe Spain The country has approved an increase in the US presence at the Rota naval base, with the deployment of two new destroyers to take place in 2024 and 2025; the government bypassed parliament to ensure its left-wing minority partner would not vote against it
Asia Singapore Digital health group WhiteCoat has opened its regional headquarters in Singapore, which will "serve as a hub to facilitate patient engagement and promote health literacy in its markets"
Asia Indonesia Several Indonesian residents have filed a legal complaint in a Swiss court against the world's leading cement producer, Holcim, which they claim is doing 'too little' to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
Oceania New Zealand Northland has lifted its state of emergency yesterday after the overnight storm did not prove as severe as feared