Asia Laos New rules for intellectual property protection wereintroduced, allowing businesses to protect industrial designs internationally through a single application under the Hague System; It simplifies registration and administrative procedures, reducing costs
Europe Belgium Brussels announced a €6,3 million budget to renovate the Jewish Museum and Forest Abbey; the works at Forest Abbey aim to renew and strengthen its role as a cultural centre by uniting several cultural institutions
America Costa Rica Costa Rica has reported its first case of screwworm infection in the Altamira de Pavones area, triggering investigations and the implementation of an action protocol by the Ministry of Health and SENASA to address and contain potential outbreaks
America Colombia President Gustavo Petro has announced the suspension of arms purchases from Israel, condemning the deaths in Gaza as "genocide" after Palestinians allegedly claimed Israeli soldiers shot people seeking food
Africa Comoros A drinking water supply project was initiated for the Itsahidi municipality, the second phase of which, estimated to last between 8 and 12 months, will involve supply works at 6 locations in the region
America Chile A foundation in Chile, dedicated to locating children adopted irregularly and taken abroad during the dictatorship of Pinochet, has initiated a new search campaign using AI to reunite families affected by forced adoptions during the regime
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines The Archery Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines kicked off the 2024 archery season with the first classification tournament last weekend with a total of 19 archers all vying for first place in their respective categories
Asia Thailand The President of the Thailand Stock Exchange, Pichai Chunhavajira, has announced plans to intensify the crackdown on illegal short selling as shares continue to perform negatively
Europe Montenegro The number of vehicles registered for the first time in Montenegro increased by 43% to 31.238 in 2023; in the fourth quarter of last year alone, the number of first-time vehicle registrations increased by 28% year-on-year
Africa Togo Lomé hosted a meeting to advance its goal of strengthening its methane reduction policy: the country would like to reduce its emissions by 30% by 2030
Oceania Nauru The governments of Nauru and the Marshall Islands have signed a memorandum of understanding on air services that facilitates negotiations for the operation of Nauru Airlines on the Majuro-Honolulu route
Africa Mauritius The Centre Communautaire Village 25 and the Bibliothèque du Nord, on the of remote island of Agalega laying 1.100 km north of the main island, were opened with the aim of promoting social commitment, local talent and a reading culture
Europe Netherlands Twice the median income is no longer enough to afford an average home in the Netherlands, according to calculations by the data company Calcassa
America Brazil A new study from local scientists shows a drastic decline in the diversity of fireflies in Brazil and other bioluminescent beetles, specifically in areas affected by habitat loss and pesticide use over 30 years