Oceania Fiji Kava sector exports are estimated at over $190 million, from $4 in 2008 at the start of the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access PHAMA Program that radically transformed the crop from subsistence to Fiji's most valuable agricultural export
America Saint Lucia Uber launches in St Lucia following the official activation of its Uber Taxi service, giving residents and visitors access to app-based transportation provided exclusively by licensed local taxi drivers operating across the island
Europe Switzerland 63% of 405 food samples analyzed in a federal monitoring exercise contained pesticide residues, of which ten samples exceeded the legally permitted maximum limits, seven significantly; milk prices have been lowered since the beginning of February
Asia Kazakhstan 1.328 million vacancies were published in 2025, while job seekers uploaded 1.454 million profiles, with labour supply exceeding demand by 10%; 50% of vacancies were working-class jobs 75% skilled labor, nurses and medical assistants the most sought-after
Asia Sri Lanka World Wetlands Day was marked with a number of initiatives; Daily Mirror dedicated to the celebration a selection of pictures of the 372 hectares Bellanwila-Attidiya Wetland, a protected urban ecosystem thriving in biodiversity despite industrial waste
Europe Finland A major change to the way welfare regions receive state funding has been proposed; the draft legislation, to take effect at the beginning of 2027, would reduce allocations to large population centres and shift emphasis on assessed service needs
America Trinidad and Tobago Rapper Nicki Minaj, Trinidad and Tobago-born, publicly declared herself Donald Trump's "number one fan" during an appearance in Washington DC
Oceania New Zealand Rising harassment and intimidation of migrants and faith groups prompted protests across Auckland; organizers have been denied a permit to walk across the harbour bridge last month for safety reasons and the pressure placed on the bridge's infrastructure
Europe Romania Two of Romania’s three oil refineries will suspend operations this month: Petromidia will enter a scheduled overhaul, while Petrotel Lukoil will undergo maintenance amid a complicated context shaped by international sanctions imposed on Russia
Africa Morocco Singer Abdelhadi Belkhayat died at 85 years old in Rabat; Belkhayat was a legendary figure in Moroccan music and a beloved artist for many generations of listeners
Africa Namibia Namibia’s mining delivered mixed performance in 2025, reflecting divergent global commodity trends: uranium and gold supported export earnings, fiscal revenues and investment confidence, diamonds remained in line with weak global demand
Europe Vatican City Pope Leo XIV appealed for respect for ancient tradition of the Olympic truce, as the Milano-Cortina Winter Games get underway; at the Angelus Pope said the Olympics and Paralympics represent a message of fraternity and hope for a peaceful world
Asia Saudi Arabia Contracts with 1.800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector, out of a total of around 5.800 agencies worldwide, have been suspended and Ministry of Hajj and Umrah gave a 10-day deadline to align service with required standards
Europe Netherlands Dutch producer Roshwita Bacha, better known by her stage name Roselilah, won a Grammy for her collaboration with the American rapper Kendrick Lamar; the song “Luther,” which also features singer SZA, received the award for Record of the Year