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
America El Salvador The Trump administration is negotiating a "Safe Third Country" agreement with El Salvador, potentially allowing the US to deport non-Salvadoran migrants there to seek asylum
America Suriname Suriname, with support from the Netherlands' Institute for Sound and Vision, is working to digitize its deteriorating audiovisual archives, safeguarding invaluable cultural heritage at risk due to tropical climate condition
Europe Moldova Moldovan Prosecutor General Ion Munteanu filed a notification with Constitutional Court asking it to verify the constitutionality of the appointment procedure of the Chief Prosecutor of the Autonomous Territorial Unit Gagauzia and subordinate prosecutors
Asia Palestine A ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from operating in Israeli territory has come into force, affecting the organisation's work in Gaza and the occupied West Bank
Europe North Macedonia North Macedonian social media users are calling for a boycott of local markets today 31 January 2025, in protest against rising prices; similar boycotts have been organized in Croatia
Africa Mozambique The country would need 12.000 primary and secondary teachers for the 2025 school year, said the government spokesman, for whom the teacher shortage 'represents a very serious challenge'
Africa Republic of the Congo Forestry Minister Rosalie Matondo criticised the 'lethargy' of the forestry administration, which managed to collect less than half of the taxes owed, blaming it for the low rate of duty and tax recovery
Africa Libya Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana has been appointed as UN Secretary-General António Guterres Special Representative for Libya and Head of the UNSMIL, with the UN remaining the main actor in the Libyan peace process
America Panama Panama is developing a master plan for a cross-border train connecting David to Costa Rica, focusing on passenger, cargo, and tourism benefits, with US firm AECOM conducting studies to finalize the route, costs, and environmental impact
Oceania Samoa Teachers gathered at the Ministry of Education and Culture for the annual teachers' conference; goal of the meeting is assess the available resources and organize work for 2025 with a feasible plan
America Costa Rica Restrictions have been tightened at Poás Volcano National Park due to heightened volcanic activity; safety measures include closing trails and ongoing monitoring by Costa Rica government agencies
Europe Austria According to data from Austrian Wine Marketing Board, the wine exports in 2024 are expected to decrease from the previous year's record figures; for the first 9 months of 2024, export sales registered -5,1% in value to €175,3 million
Africa Sierra Leone The country has been selected as a beneficiary of the Mission 300 initiative, a $50 billion programme that aims to electrify 300 million Africans by 2030 promoted by the African Development Bank, the World Bank Group and other global partners