Africa Ethiopia Drivers in Ethiopia face a fuel crisis due to disruptions from the Iran war driving a booming black market; Diesel prices reach 300–500 birr (5-9 $) per liter with illegal resale networks and long queues straining transport and businesses
Europe Denmark €20M in aid for Denmark for better pig welfare have been approved by the EU Commission; the program aims to support farmers to implement preventive measures that reduce the risk of tail-biting
Europe Russia Most of Russia is set to experience prolonged periods of 'high' and 'extreme' fire danger this year, according to forecasts by the State Hydrometeorological Centre based on climate and weather data
Asia Turkey 2.500 new taxi licenses have been approved by the Transport Coordination Centre of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to alleviate the chronic shortage after years of delays; they can only be booked via a digital App and drivers can't choose passengers
America Trinidad and Tobago Christopher Columbus and other colonial-era figures were scrutinised in a lengthy debate in a small auditorium in Port of Spain, after the government asked residents if they wanted statues, signs and monuments related to the colonial period removed
Oceania New Zealand The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission has launched an Infrastructure Priorities Programme to address and solve problems such as leaky water pipes, congested roads, schools and hospitals
America Guatemala Despite an ongoing dispute where Guatemala claims about 11.000 square kilometers of Belizean land, Guatemala's President Bernardo Arévalo and Belize's Prime Minister John Briceño met to strengthen cooperation on issues like migration and tourism
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The Order of Nurses of Portugal will provide technical support to the recently created branch in Sao Tomé and train nurses in the archipelago
America Nicaragua The government ordered the closure of another 1.500 NGOs, including religious and social organizations, marking the largest single-day shutdown since 2018 and bringing the total closures to over 5.200 since the 2018 protests
Africa Zambia Concerns are growing for elevated aflatoxin levels detected in maize grain, animal feed and mealie meal; aflatoxins, caused by fungi, can contaminate many crops in stressful conditions and at high levels pose significant health risks to humans and animals
America Guyana Domestic egg production is being increased to reduce reliance on imports; Guyana’s hatching egg production program, launched in 2023, has already yielded 94.000 eggs this year, significantly increasing from 27.000 eggs produced last year
America Suriname The Hague Court of Appeal has upheld the seizure of 19.5 million euros from a cash shipment from Suriname, rejecting the Central Bank of Suriname's complaint for immunity from criminal seizure, as the money belongs to commercial banks, not the state
Africa Uganda Flutterwave, a payment technology company, received its Payment Systems Operator's licence from the Bank of Uganda
Europe Monaco The Monaco Bus Company announced a significant achievement for 2023: over seven million trips taken on its network; the milestone marks a return to pre-pandemic levels and reflects a growing commitment to soft mobility within the Principality