Asia Laos About $12 million in digital taxes from global technology companies have been collected under new law: foreign providers of online services must register with Lao tax authorities regardless of whether they have a physical presence in the country
Asia Singapore The Singapore Tourism Development Fund will receive $300 million to be spent on a rejuvenation of existing tourism offerings, support for the training of tourism workers and intellectual development of local tourism businesses
Asia Uzbekistan A new project to support Uzbekistan's capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public and animal health threats was launched by USAID, in collaboration with FAO and the Veterinary and Livestock Development Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Europe North Macedonia FDI inflows to North Macedonia amounted to €616,7m in 2023, 17% less than the previous year, according to data from the central bank
Asia Syria The Islamic State has reportedly killed a number of Syrian government forces soldiers in the last 48 hours in central Syria, at a time when ISIS is escalating its attacks in the country
Europe San Marino The San Marino Aeroclub has announced an extraordinary event for Friday 8 March in which illusionist Gabriel and his daughter, Magica Gilly, will pay tribute to the 150th anniversary of Houdini's birth through a unique aerial experiment
Europe Vatican City The Vatican's Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life is promoting a social media campaign to help people rediscover the relevance of Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation for Youth and keep the World Youth Day experience alive
Asia Turkmenistan The 'Oguz Han' Science and Technology Centre will be opened by the Turkmenistan Academy of Sciences to develop products in the fields of innovative nanotechnology, biotechnology and information
Europe Monaco Monegasque Red Cross announced a record number of rescuers trained in Monaco last year: 700 volunteers
Asia Malaysia The country may resume the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 as the 10th anniversary of its disappearance approaches, the Minister of Transport said at a commemoration event
Europe Romania The country officially rejected the request submitted by Chinese telecommunications group Huawei for the use of its equipment in the 5G network in Romania
Africa Somalia WHO called for more funds to improve activities to contain the cholera epidemic in Somalia; according to the Somali Ministry of Health, 2.943 new cholera cases and 26 deaths have been reported in Somalia since January 2024
Oceania Vanuatu The Government of Vanuatu will pay VT 10.103.130 (€76.941)for damages suffered by Vanuatu Ferry Limited after it refused entry to Port Vila of one of its vessels and crew members under the State of Emergency Regulation Order 2020
Oceania Solomon Islands Pacific Tourism Organisation launched the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative and introduced the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Indicators Framework in the Solomon Islands