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
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 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
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 Poland The EU executive will unlock a total €137 billion in recovery and cohesion funds for Poland, which had been frozen due to concerns about the rule of law
Asia Philippines The 4th Philippine International Dive Expo, to be held at the World Trade Centre in Pasay City, is aimed at facilitating new partnerships for the development of the country's diving industry
Asia Palestine Calligrapher and photojournalist Bilal Khaled left a 'message to the world' through a large mural he painted on a building in Rafah, entitled 'Buried Dreams'; since 7 October, over 12.400 Palestinian children are estimated to have been killed in strikes
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
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 Serbia Dozens of schools, kindergartens and student dormitories have acquired video surveillance with facial recognition and detection capabilities; although its is not legally regulated it also covers streets, markets, municipal buildings and public enterprises
Africa South Sudan A third group of teachers and school leaders will be sent to China for training under the second phase of the China-supported Education Technical Cooperation Project
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
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
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