Europe Norway Following ongoing reduction of sealife in the Oslo Fjord, extensive bans on fishing in three key areas will come into force from January 1. Critics and fishing firms claim farming, development and other sources of pollution should be addressed first
Africa Seychelles A new campaign, 'Recounting Seychelles - Investing in a New Generation of Historians and Anthropologists' was officially launched by the Ministry of Education together with the Lazare Picault Prize
Europe Ireland The number of homeless people fell slightly in December, according to Department of Housing, following record figures in November when 14.864 people were hosted in emergency accommodation, of whom 4.510 children
Asia Kyrgyzstan Legalisation of right-hand drive cars will begin in Kyrgyzstan on 1 March 2025; there is currently a ban on the import of right-hand-drive cars into Kyrgyzstan, which is prohibited
Africa Tanzania The country will host the 19th African Cashew Alliance Forum from 18 to 22 November 2025, with the expected participation of over 500 participants from around the world
Europe Portugal Remote work contracts have surged by 30% in just one year, marking the fourth consecutive annual increase; thousands of permanent contracts specifically include telecommuting, reflecting the popularity of this work model even after the pandemic ended
Asia Tajikistan Drones have been introduced in locust control alongside traditional insecticide spraying methods, apparently marking a significant step forward
Asia Japan Tokyo registered a net influx of around 80.000 people in 2024, nearing the pre-pandemic 2019 level and highlighting the longstanding population concentration in the capital
Asia Cyprus A landmark building in Nicosia was demolished, sparking anger and sadness among locals and architecture enthusiasts; captured on video and shared on social media the demolition has drawn sharp criticism as many see it as a big loss for the city’s heritage
Africa Guinea Sleeping sickness, transmitted by the tsetse fly and representing for decades a major public health problem, has been eradicated in Guinea according to the Research Institute for Development
Africa Togo The country is preparing for the fourth demographic and health survey to be held this year, supervised by the National Institute of Statistics, to collect data on key health indicators
Europe Greece A bill proposed by the Ministry of Health aims to tighten regulations on the sale of tobacco and alcohol to minors; a key provision is that the supply of alcohol to minors will be changed from an administrative offence to a misdemeanour
Africa Ghana Despite significant progress in the use of clean fuels for cooking in the country, figures from the Ghana Statistical Service reveal that less than 1% of the poorest households have access to these safer and environmentally friendly energy sources
Asia Sri Lanka Members of the Association of Leasing and Debt Payers protested in front of police headquarters in Colombo, claiming that they authorised illegal seizures of vehicles, and urged the President to intervene