Europe Iceland With the highest show up ever recorded in Reykjavik, 52,8% of 225.031 of Icelanders voted against the government's proposal to resume talks on joining the EU after 13 years; Around 12.600 votes separated the figure from the 47,2% who voted in favor
Asia Sri Lanka The Finance Ministry confirmed there is a small shortage of four essential goods - milk powder, LP gas, wheat flour and cement - and assured that at the moment sufficient stocks of all other items are on hand
Oceania Micronesia Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Advanced Technologies, visited the country's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, looking at investment opportunities including the technology, renewable energy, transport and tourism sectors
Africa Seychelles Programmes on 'Byenveni Kreoflix', the country's first Creole entertainment streaming service, are also available through a monthly subscription; programmes are mainly in Creole with elements of English and French
Africa Rwanda The Senate has resolved to make an in-depth analysis of the issues in drying and storage initiatives with the aim of ensuring proper management and value addition to agricultural products
Europe Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been confirmed as President of the Republic for another 5 years, with 2/3 of the Federal Assembly having chosen him; while declaring himself 'super partes', he stressed that he will stand by those who fight for democracy
Africa Mali If a resolutive decision is not taken to end the dispute between Orange-Mali and Moov Africa Mali (Sotelma/Malitel) by today, the Synergy of workers of the two companies will use its right to strike from 21 to 25 February
Europe Romania Romanian startup XVision plans to take its AI-based X-ray analysis software to Western Europe and beyond after attracting €1m in a new seed funding round
Oceania Tuvalu Through a partnership with Australia, a two-storey, 12-classroom block was added to Nauti Primary School, the largest institution in the capital where 45% of the total primary school students are enrolled, making it more resilient to climate disasters
Africa Liberia Liberia was founded in 1822, in Monrovia; today a US presidential delegation will participate in the country's bicentennial celebrations
Europe Estonia The EU Environmental Council suspended permissions for logging at Natura 2000 forest habitat sites for 28 months; the infringement procedure was started as the Commission claims Estonia doesn't sufficiently assess habitat impacts when allowing logging
Asia Cambodia The Tourism Commercial Capacity Building Programme has been launched: among other things, it will support the development of ecotourism in Kampong Speu province and of smart tourism solutions to encourage urban tourism in Phnom Penh
Africa Ivory Coast The ICC has rejected a claim for compensation from former political leader Blé Goudé: finally acquitted of crimes against humanity in March 2021, he was asking the court for nearly €820.000 in damages for his eight years in The Hague
Asia Turkey Turkish zoologist Pedram Türkoğlu made an appeal for the protection of whale species seen in Turkish waters, underlining that especially the population of the cachalot and minke whales have entered the 'endangered species' category