Asia Bangladesh Recent studies demonstrated that microplastics are present in water, sediments, fish, salt, soft drinks, milk, edible oil and more products in Bangladesh, underscoring the growing concern that these pollutants are transferred to humans through food
Europe Belgium The European Parliament strongly condemned the conviction of Olivier Vandecasteele, the Belgian imprisoned in Iran since February 2022, and voted a motion for a resolution on the EU response to protests and executions
Africa Egypt The Egyptian Lawyers' Association has announced an "indefinite" strike to protest the jailing of six colleagues over a fight with clerks earlier this month
Africa Sierra Leone The just approved Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Act states that 30% of government and private sector jobs in the country will be reserved for women
Oceania New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, elected Prime Minister in 2017 at the age of 37 as the youngest female head of government in the world, announced she would leave office and Feb 7th would be her last day as prime minister after five and a half years
Asia Qatar The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will present its most famous opera, 'Scheherazade', evoking 1.001 symphonic tales, at 7.30 pm on Saturday at the Opera House in the Katara Cultural Village
Africa Sudan Sudanese protesters tried to march towards Parliament on Thursday, but were intercepted by security forces who fired tear gas and water cannons at the crowd
Africa Morocco Spanish travel and tourism magazine Viajar has named Morocco the 'best emerging sustainable destination for the year 2022-2023'
Europe Ukraine Nobel laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk declared that "stopping arming Ukraine is like leaving a woman alone in a lift with her rapist"
Europe Moldova The country has temporarily suspended the broadcasting licences of six TV channels for broadcasting 'incorrect information' about the country and Russia's war in Ukraine
Africa Chad Hundreds of Chadian protesters told of being severely mistreated while in Koro Toro prison, detained following mass protests against the military junta in October last year
Asia South Korea Hundreds of people had to be evacuated after a fire broke out in Guryong Village in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the only remaining slum area in Gangnam-gu
Asia Maldives The Bank of Maldives has reduced the interest rate for student loans to 5%, effective from 1 February
Europe Finland Government logging operations to clear forests in the Aalistunturi area continued on Wednesday after environmentalists clashed with police in protest