Asia Tajikistan An amnesty law signed by President Rahmon to celebrate 35 years of independence will cover 18.038 convicted people, with full release for 11.305 people, reduced terms for 6.733; of 507 women, 248 will be released, of 134 minors, 99 will be freed
Asia Israel The Defence Minister and the War Cabinet Minister have openly opposed PM Netanyahu's decision to go along with National Security Minister's request to restrict Arab-Israeli worshippers on the Temple Mount during Ramadan
America Nicaragua The US restricted visas for over 100 Nicaraguan municipal officials, citing their role in President Daniel Ortega's government, condemning the alleged fraudulent 2021 reelection, and accusing the regime of a crackdown on opposition
Africa Benin Cotonou has awarded Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, a leading engineering construction company, a high-end contract for the rehabilitation of access roads and crossings in the commercial city
Asia Myanmar Five identity certificate issuing stations and three mobile units will be opened in the last week of February for Myanmar citizens arriving in Thailand without passports; many Myanmar citizens are leaving the country to evade military conscription
America Honduras Honduras has officially banned all operations related to cryptocurrencies, including those by banks, financial companies, and insurers, citing potential risks to supervised institutions and emphasizing the lack of regulation by the central bank
Asia Bhutan To improve network efficiency, Bhutan Telecom has been phasing out 3G networks since last year, in order to boost new technologies 4G and 5G
Europe Luxembourg The country will open two new embassies in Canada and Rwanda later this year, the government said, as it continues to expand its diplomatic presence
America El Salvador The World Travel and Tourism Council revealed that El Salvador is poised to experience the highest growth in international tourist arrivals in the first half of 2024 throughout Latin America, with a projected 157% increase attributed to citizen security
Europe Moldova Seventy Moldovan MPs voted on a bill to extend the list of banned firearms and ammunition
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Some 500.000 people have lost their homes after the country suffered its worst flooding in decades, whose torrential rains brought the Congo River to its highest level in 60 years
Africa Ethiopia An Ethiopian sacred tablet looted and taken away may be returned after being kept for years in Westminster Abbey, UK; in the past, the Abbey had taken a hard line - at one point even refusing to display it to visiting Ethiopian clergy
America Cuba The country is struggling to ensure sufficient milk for children, a minister said, in the latest shortage that puts a strain on a decades-old subsidy system created by Fidel Castro
Africa Burundi The government adopted a bill to abolish prison sentences for journalists who file ethical complaints, but recommends fines of between $350 and $523 for media workers who have violated journalistic ethics