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 Portugal The electoral campaign has begun ahead of the general elections to be held on 10 March, and among the issues already much discussed is the rise of Chega, an extreme right-wing party that according to the polls could get around 19% of the vote
Europe Russia Starting today 1 March, Russia will ban gasoline exports for six months: the government said the decision is taken to avoid a price increase linked to seasonal growth in domestic demand from consumers and farmers
America Dominican Republic The Association of Koreans in the Dominican Republic has announced the celebration of the second Korean Festival in the country, which will provide an opportunity to showcase its culture, for 2 March 2024
Europe Denmark The Danish police have concluded their investigation into the sabotage operation that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022: there are no elements necessary to initiate legal proceedings
Africa Benin The country pledged to provide 2.000 soldiers to the multinational force planned to bring stability to Haiti
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina Almost half of the children in Bosnia and Herzegovina live in poverty according to international standards, as 80% of the country's pensioners do
Africa Botswana Tumo Kgabeng, a 24-year-old from Gaborone, uses drones to monitor diseases, pests and soil quality and provides timely treatment recommendations
Europe Czech Republic The Czech Lower House approved a bill on same-sex marriages that would give same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual married couples, with the exception of the adoption of children
America Barbados The Caribbean Festival of Arts, promoting culture, diversity and creativity, will return to Barbados next year
Africa Angola The Angolan parliament wants to ban the mining of cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets, according to the report on the discussion of the bill
Africa Burundi Dozens of Burundian soldiers were reportedly arrested for refusing to be deployed in eastern Congo in the fight against the M23 rebel group advancing towards a major border town
Europe Belgium Chocolate giant Barry Callebaut has announced plans to cut hundreds of jobs at several sites, including the world's largest chocolate factory in Wieze, producing 270.000 tons a year
America Paraguay High temperatures in Paraguay negatively impacted egg production this season, leading to a surge in prices, also prompted by increased demand during this season, according to AVIPAR, the Paraguayan Poultry Association