Asia Malaysia The Gig Workers Bill 2025 was passed, extending labor protections to about 1,2 million gig economy workers; the law mandates written contracts and basic benefits, like insurance and leave, for drivers, freelancers and platform workers
Europe Latvia AirBaltic is forced to cancel 19 routes and reduce operations on other 21, for a total of 4.670 flights cancelled from all its bases for summer 2025, losing over 67.000 passengers, due to shortage of engines and maintenance service of its A220-300 planes
Africa Egypt Egypt's population grew by 1,4 million in 2024 to 107.205.591, an increase of 1,3%, according to data provided by the demographic watch of the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics
America Trinidad and Tobago MP Lisa Morris-Julian funeral, who served in the Ministry of Education since 2020 and perished in the fire of her house, was a celebration of gratitude across all political forces; she was buried in a casket with her son, hugging as they were found dead
Europe Montenegro Montenegro is holding three days of mourning after a gunman killed 12 people, including two children, in the city of Cetinje – the worst mass shooting in the country’s history; the perpetrator of the murders committed suicide
Africa Comoros More than 108.000 direct beneficiaries will benefit from the activities of the 'Agricultural Value Chain' project, launched in Idjinkudzi, Dimani region, to strengthen agricultural systems and climate-smart value chains
Africa Burundi The Independent National Electoral Commission rejected all the candidatures of the only opposition political coalition 'Burundi Bwa Bose' and the main opposition party CNL
Africa Ghana Ghana became the fifth African country to apply visa-free travel for all African passport holders, joining Rwanda, Seychelles, Gambia and Benin; the new policy follows the introduction of chip-embedded passports and is expected to take effect early 2025
Africa Mali Human Rights Watch report about the abuses against civilians committed across Mali in 2024 says civilians are increasingly the target of attacks by all parties to the conflict, with an increase of casualties, fatalities, displacements, loss of livelihoods
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Government called on global leaders to urgently negotiate peace, writing in quest for justice, security, prosperity for all humanity, grounded in the fundamental tenets of international law, precepts of the Charter of the UN and multilateral engagement
Europe Serbia Like their parents challenging Milosevic’s regime in the 1990s, university students have taken to the streets to change what they see as the corruption, secrecy and deception endemic in the Serbian government; younger pupils have now joined protests
America United States Bourbon Street in New Orleans reopened a day after an Army veteran drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers killing at least 14 people; investigators confirmed he was inspired by ISIS but acting alone and with no foreign powers involvement
Asia India The removal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste left in a factory in Bhopal, where the worst industrial disaster ever occurred in 1984, has been completed; the disaster had killed several thousand people and caused serious health problems for many more
Africa Botswana A total of 98 children were born on 1 January 2025, more than doubling last year's 46 children; the figure is seen as a good omen after President Duma Boko recently announced new programmes to encourage citizens to generate more children