Asia China 10 United States-based companies have been added to China's export control list, government procurement barred from 50 US companies two weeks after the Pentagon blacklisted some of China’s best-known companies for alleged ties to the Chinese military
Africa Algeria The authorities ordered the closure for six months of Frantz-Fanon Editions, a publishing house located in Boumerdès, known for its progressive commitment and symbolic reference to the famous psychiatrist and anti-colonialist militant Frantz Fanon
Africa Ghana A new set of words, relating to cooking, dance, music, but also expressions of popular slang, from Ghana and Nigeria have made it into the latest edition of the Oxford Dictionary; one example is 'Ghanaian banku', a paste of fermented maize and cassava
Asia Afghanistan Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, asked the Court to issue arrest warrants for the leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hibatullah Akhundzada, and for Abdul Hakim Haqqani, head of the Afghan Supreme Court
Europe Switzerland Switzerland adopted new EU regulation to standardise the collection and transfer of passenger information that aims at enhancing the accuracy and precision of the data gathered and preventing illegal entry of air passengers into the Schengen area
Europe Russia Russian students celebrate a national Students’ Day on January 25; it is often referred to as Tatiana Day because it's the day of Saint Tatiana, the patron saint of students, in the Eastern Orthodox Church; the history of the feast goes back to 1755
Africa Zimbabwe Starting next week, the emergency air ambulance service will be extended to Victoria Falls, thanks to a government initiative resulting from an agreement with Russia to ensure fast and efficient access to medical care in a major tourist destination
Oceania Vanuatu The demolition and reconstruction of Malapoa College buildings, damaged in last month's earthquake, will cost over VT 2,4 billion (€ 18.813.000); severe damage was caused to 24 classrooms, 8 laboratories, two-storey dormitories and the dining hall
Europe Vatican City Cardinal Parolin, reaffirming that the presence of Christians in the Middle East is essential, held a meeting in Amman with papal representatives of ME nations, in which he called for a ceasefire “on every front”, and spoke to Lebanon's new president
Asia Yemen Yemen discussed with neighboring Sultanate of Oman ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the areas of agriculture, fisheries and water resources
Africa Tunisia The heart failure unit, electrophysiology unit, anaesthetists and cardiovascular surgeons at Rabta Hospital successfully performed an electroporation ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation, a world first in this field
Asia Pakistan The Reko Diq mine, located in Chagai, Balochistan, will begin gold and copper production by 2028 under Barrick Gold’s leadership; with major investments planned, the project aims to boost exports, though local refining capacity remains a challenge
Europe Norway The iconic old Tryvann transmission and observation tower in the hills above Oslo, closed and neglected for decades, has finally been sold by city officials to an investor who intends to renovate it and reopen it to the public
Asia Qatar The 4th edition of Katara Oud Festival kicked off, featuring a series of professional composers from around the world, an initiative to pay homage to musical heritage and promote the Oud as integral part of Arab identity