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
Africa Botswana Diamond producers De Beers, Anglo American and Okavango diamond company, owned by the state of Botswana, have asked the Group of Seven to reconsider new bans on Russian diamonds, which are having and will have even more 'unintended consequences'
Africa Madagascar The country has found itself at the centre of a heated international debate for proposed amendments to the penal code presented by President Andry Rajoelina introducing chemical and surgical castration as punishment for individuals convicted of child rape
Africa Mali The foundation stone was laid for the Children's Home in Bamako, a project that will extend over 2 hectares and aims to 'create an environment conducive to the training, schooling and development' of orphaned children of the Armed Forces
Africa Somalia WHO launched a project to reduce child deaths related to pneumonia and diarrhoea, in collaboration with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre; it will equip 28 health facilities in 10 selected districts with solar-powered oxygen concentrators
Europe Liechtenstein Following the fire at the former Hotel Acker in Wildhaus, fire investigators from the St. Gallen Cantonal Police's Centre of Forensic Expertise launched an investigation and invited witnesses to come forward to provide new information
Asia Oman The WHO regional office has awarded Al Buraimi the prestigious status of 'Healthy City' in Eastern Mediterranean region; the award will enable the implementation of the 'Health for All' concept, improving equitable access to high quality health services
Europe Hungary Icon and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, who died in 2016 at 99, will be commemorated with a life-size statue by János Babusa in Budapest; born in Hungary, she made a career in the USA, winning a Golden Globe Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Asia Mongolia Mongolia is in talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch the first national telecommunications satellite, the latest move to improve connectivity and develop the 'national space economy'
Africa Morocco The 80 human footprints discovered in 2022 in Larache, south of Tangier, date from around 100.000 years ago; the footprints were dated by a study recently published in the journal Nature according to which they are Homo sapiens footprints
Africa Kenya Kenyan beekeepers are abandoning traditional honey harvesting to exploit the growing market for bee venom, a substance that is gaining popularity in alternative medicine, with the non-lethal extraction process revolutionising the industry
America Peru Ocho Sur, Peru-based palm oil producer supplying brands like Nestle, Kellogg's and Colgate, is allegedly linked to deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, operating on 130 square kilometers of deforested land, as environmental groups revealed
America Suriname The Lions Clubs in Suriname has launched a four-day eye screening project, calling for local participation on eye tests and providing glasses to the needy
Europe Malta The country will formally apply to join the OECD, Prime Minister Robert Abela told ambassadors, both increase the country's contribution to international politics, ant to help promote the interests of small states