Africa Seychelles Parents whose autistic children didn't meet medical assessment criteria for support in November 2024 - June 2026 will now be eligible for assistance under the Children Neurodivergent Disorder Needs Scheme CNDNS, introduced by government in July 2026
Asia Lebanon The hit Israeli series Fauda topped Netflix's viewing charts in Lebanon, where much of the plot of the fourth season took place
Asia Israel Israelis will be able to obtain citizenship in Germany and Austria upon family heritage evidence, as new laws have been passed in those countries that simplify the conditions for obtaining citizenship and passports for victims of Nazi persecution
America Chile The government has extended its state of emergency in the Viña del Mar area for another month as over 300 households still remain affected from the wildfires, providing them with further humanitarian and financial aid
Africa Algeria The country is 'ready to win' the African Nations Championship, the biennial men's football tournament it hosts until 31/01; diplomatic crisis between Algiers and Rabat over Western Sahara has led to the exclusion of Morocco, the defending champion
Asia Japan The country will consider downgrading COVID-19 to the same category as seasonal influenza and then review the related measures in spring this year
Asia Turkey One of Turkey's leading mobility apps has announced a decision to implement a plan to build specific parking spaces for scooters in coordination with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
Asia Philippines The price of onions has risen so much that they now cost more than chicken or beef, becoming a luxury item for Filipinos; the country's authorities have also seized illegal onion shipments, such as those from China
Europe Latvia This year the country plans to train 2.000 soldiers at different levels of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, doubling the 2022 figure
Europe Liechtenstein Four mountaineers from the Liechtenstein Alpine Club (LAV) participated in the World Cup and European Championships at the same time, with the team achieving success in its first international outing this season
Africa Malawi The country has reportedly run out of cholera vaccine stocks during the worst outbreak in decades
Africa Togo Committed to reducing the trafficking of counterfeit medicines, Togo volunteered in 2022 to launch a pilot project to develop and implement a national plan to combat QIFM, it signed the Medicrime convention
Asia India Inequality is growing in Indian society according to latest Oxfam report: in 2021, 1% of the Indian population owned 40% of the country's wealth and the number of billionaires rose from 142 to 166 in 2022
Africa Tanzania Tanzania's opposition Chadema party held its first mass rally since a ban imposed by former president John Magafuli was lifted