Oceania Nauru Nauru embraces a name change, and the beginning of renewed national pride, as the President decided to get back to traditional name Naoero for the country without holding a referendum
Asia Japan Rising temperatures, heavy rainfall, flooding and demographics are eroding a centuries-old culture surrounding wasabi cultivation, making its rhizomes - already considered the hardest plant to grow in the world - more susceptible to mildew
America Guyana The country has 85% of its land covered by forests, being the second country with the most wildlife coverage; the president proposed to officially protect it at the International Energy Conference in Georgetown last week in exchange for carbon credit
America Haiti International donors pledged $600 million, more than the UN initially expected, to help rebuild Haiti's deep south; with the government, they want to ensure that lessons are learned from past mistakes, like uncoordinated management of aid after 2010 quake
Europe Montenegro At a time of deep polarisation, authorities have been urged to tackle online extremism in the country's new counter-terrorism strategy, which is to focus more on young people and the dangers of online extremist content, according to civil society groups
Europe Ireland Lawmakers could soon start voting remotely in a select number of situations, including potential future pandemics, according to a debated bill that would amend the Irish constitution
Africa Sudan More than 100 Sudanese detainees, including high-profile politicians, are on hunger strike to protest on their unjustified and illegal detention and are considered part of the protest movement against the 25 October coup
Africa Tunisia The secretary general of Tunisia's national order of doctors said that over 970 doctors left the country in 2021 to work abroad, a sharp increase from 570 in 2018
Asia Syria For survivors of torture and sexual abuse in Bashar Assad's prisons, the conviction of former Syrian intelligence officer Anwar Raslan last month for crimes against humanity and the ongoing trial of Dr Alaa Mousa represent a major breakthrough
Europe Lithuania The emergency alarm system will be upgraded with new sirens; installed in municipalities over the next two years, it will be capable of warning at least 75% of people living in areas within the impact zone of the Belarusian nuclear power plant
Asia Yemen The UN Special Envoy to Yemen said that consultations would begin this week with all Yemeni parties - the government, Houthi rebels, civil society, political parties and experts - to find an inclusive political solution to the unending civil conflict
Asia Vietnam Human Rights Watch accused authorities of harassing and detaining more than 170 activists over the past two decades in a newly released report; the group called for an end to the "systematic restriction" of activists' freedom of movement
America Uruguay As an attempt to reignite tourism, the government has temporarily suspended sales taxes for all hotels
America Paraguay Tired of vaccines and mandates, a couple of Covid-19 denialists have started a community free of all vaccines and regulations; called Paraíso Verde, it lays 20km south of Caazapá and today almost 1.000 people reside there