Asia Vietnam A nationwide online competition on the Constitution was launched through a dedicated digital platform, allowing citizens to test their knowledge online; the initiative is part of a broader government campaign to improve citizenship awareness
Europe Spain Workers in Spain will be granted up to four days of paid leave if they are unable to travel to work due to extreme weather conditions, in new 'climate leave' approved by the Council of Ministers
Europe Greece Athens has been awarded 'World's Leading Cultural City' for 2024 by the World Travel Awards, surpassing 14 cities including London, Paris and New York; Mayor Doukas emphasised commitment to initiatives to celebrate its historical and contemporary identity
Asia Oman The Duqm Special Economic Zone celebrated the inauguration of the fish canning and value-added products complex, operated by the International Seafood Company, a subsidiary of the Fisheries Development Oman
Oceania Australia New law to ban social media for children under 16 passed after days of heated debate; Australia set a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech
Africa Somalia The African Union's support and stabilisation mission in Somalia will have 5 years to complete its task, which includes strengthening the operational capabilities of the Somali national army and preparing local forces to manage security independently
America Paraguay President Santiago Peña confirmed his visit to Israel next week to formally open the Paraguayan Embassy in Jerusalem, reaffirming strong ties with Israel and Paraguay’s support for the country amid the ongoing conflict
Asia Nepal Microcredit loans have transformed rural entrepreneurship: returnee migrants are increasingly engaging in agribusiness and the average size of farm loans has risen from Rs1,5 to Rs5million (from 10.500 to 14.00 euros), enabling commercial-scale farming
America Bahamas The Inter-American Development Bank approved a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects of $100 million, with a first loan of $50 million, to upgrade potable water supply and sanitation services in the Family Islands and New Providence
Europe Malta WasteServ employees will benefit from annual salary increases of between €1.000 and 2.000 thanks to a collective agreement just signed between the company management and UHM Workers' Voice
Africa Morocco The safety and quality of imported red meat is being addressed through a new, strict regulatory framework overseen by the National Food Safety Office
Asia Philippines “Tabang Bicol, Tindog Oragon” or Help Bicol, Rise Strong program to aid typhoon-hit Bicol residents has been launched in southeastern Luzon; it provides $14,4 million in assistance, food packs, housing aid, crisis support for around 150.000 beneficiaries
Asia Bhutan To boost yak farming the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is implementing a number of initiatives, allocating $240.000 for breeding programs and a semen processing lab, and $180.000 for medicines to tackle climate-exacerbated diseases
Asia Vietnam In Quang Ngai, African swine fever outbreaks have disrupted pork supplies, a key ingredient for Tet, the celebrations for Lunar New Year; authorities are intensifying measures to control the disease and ensure enough pork is available for the holiday