America Venezuela Flight connections with the Dutch island of Aruba, less than 30km off Venezuela's coat, will be resumed for the first time since 2019; Maduro had suspended them after humanitarian aid was flown in, judging the move as international interference
Asia Maldives British Airways will be commencing scheduled flights to the Maldives for the first time this new year
Europe Croatia On 1 January 2023, Croatia becomes the 27th country in the Schengen area, the world's largest visa free zone, with customs and border controls abolished between Croatia and other Schengen member states for persons crossing by road, rail or water
Africa Ethiopia The maternal and infant mortality rate in Ethiopia has decreased over the last 30 years, revealed the Ethiopian public health institute, and in particular it has decreased in the period 2000-2019
Europe Portugal Portuguese doctors were paid less in real terms for their life-saving work in 2020 than in 2010, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission
Asia South Korea Use-by-date instead of sell-by-date, with milk as only exception, is among the changes expected for 2023 with an impact at daily life level; others include the adoption of global standards of age counting and the abolition of university admission fees
Europe Vatican City Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century and the first pope to resign from office in nearly 600 years, has died yesterday at the age of 95
Asia Tajikistan Tajikistan has adopted a grassland development programme for the period 2023-2027; approximately 3,8 million hectares of Tajikistan's 4,7 million hectares of agricultural land are grassland
Asia China State media said traveller’s Covid-19 testing requirements imposed around the world in response to a surging wave of infections in China and to the fact of no longer publishing daily data were “unfounded” and “discriminatory” to the point of "sabotage"
Europe Latvia The government formally decided to set up the Climate and Energy Ministry by reorganizing the Ministries of Economy and Environmental Protection and Regional Development; the new ministry will start work today January 1, 2023
Africa Comoros The country will assume the presidency of the African Union this year, the first time the island nation has been entrusted with this task
America Haiti MSF in Haiti is supporting the cholera vaccination campaign launched by the national health authorities in response to the resurgence of the disease, which has affected more than 15.000 people and caused more than 300 deaths since the end of September
Africa Seychelles A new club - Little Explorers Club - has been opened to help children connect with nature for inspiration, well-being and success, and to take action for its protection
America Honduras The 400-year-old church of St Francis of Assisi in Luquigüe, in the diocese of Yoro, as a valuable cultural and architectural heritage has been destined a donation by the Pope to begin restoration work