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
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 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
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
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 Equatorial Guinea Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue ordered the house arrest of his brother and former deputy director of the national airline Ceiba intercontinental 'for the sale of the Atr-72-500 to the Spanish company Binter'
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
Africa Nigeria The upcoming presidential elections are approaching and several local celebrities have taken to the streets or social media to urge their fellow citizens to obtain their permanent voter cards in due time
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 Morocco Spanish travel and tourism magazine Viajar has named Morocco the 'best emerging sustainable destination for the year 2022-2023'