Africa Sierra Leone A ship departed from Freetown was intercepted and diverted to Canary Islands, in a crackdown on international drug trafficking; Spanish police found aboard 35-40 tonnes of cocaine in what has been called “record-breaking cocaine seizure in the Atlantic”
Asia South Korea 9.000 trainee doctors have tendered their resignations and over 8.000 are on strike to protest a government plan to expand the intake of medical students; South Korea that has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios for a major economy
Europe Andorra The municipality of Andorra la Vella has announced that it will no longer cover the absence of workers; until now it directly assumed the holiday supplement of up to 100% of the salary
Asia Vietnam The launch of Mr World Vietnam 2024 competition is planned for the first time in the form of a live TV programme; each episode presents a challenge corresponding to a typical competition criterion, such as physical challenge, modelling ability and talent
Europe Romania The ninth edition of the Odesa International Literature Festival has started in Bucharest; since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the event has been organised in cities in the Black Sea region in order not to cancel the event
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines As of 1 March 2024, the National Insurance Services will increase the amount of the minimum weekly pension; over 2.200 pensioners, 24% of the total, will benefit from higher payments
Africa Burkina Faso The 29th Pan-African Film and Television Festival in Ouagadougou will be held between 22 February and 1 March 2025 and will have the Republic of Chad as guest of honour, announced Burkina Faso's Deputy Minister of Communications and Culture
Europe Albania Painting in Darkness', a documentary on Lulzim Beqiri, a painter imprisoned during the communist regime because his art did not conform to the ideology of the ruling party, was screened for the first time in Tirana
America Bolivia Facing a severe shortage of US dollars, Bolivia has introduced measures to stimulate investment and exports, including reducing bureaucracy for exports, increasing grain production investment, and facilitating diesel imports
Europe Vatican City Meeting Italian seminarians, Pope Francis recently reminded that the Church is an 'open building site, constantly on the move, overcoming the temptation to preserve itself and its own interests'
Asia Singapore Singapore hotels and airlines report a surge of up to 30% in regional demand in anticipation of the arrival of American pop star Taylor Swift, who will stop in Singapore for six sold-out shows
America Chile Chile's Court has ordered the reopening of the investigation into the death of poet Pablo Neruda; the court aims to determine if Neruda, originally thought to have died of prostate cancer, was actually poisoned by a secret agent of the dictatorship
Asia United Arab Emirates Mini home farms have a huge impact on psychological well-being and family unity, health and organic farming experts said, urging Emirati residents to grow one in their own home
Europe Slovenia The public broadcaster RTV Slovenija recorded revenue of €139,7 million in 2023, while total expenditure reached €146,7 million, resulting in a deficit of almost €7 million