Asia Myanmar Peace talks with several smaller ethnic armed organizations have been promoted by Myanmar’s military government as evidence of ongoing national reconciliation; Critics argue the discussions exclude many of the country’s most powerful resistance groups
Oceania Palau Palau citizens earning $15.000 or less in 2023 are set to receive a hefty sum with the Bureau of Revenue and Taxation disbursing the first round of tax refunds for wages and salaries under the Palau Goods and Services Tax
Africa Mozambique The Indian company Banaras Locomotive Works has confirmed the reception of an order from Mozambique for the manufacture and delivery of ten new Cape Gauge diesel locomotives
Oceania Papua New Guinea Stressing the central role of Papua New Guinea's ports in global connectivity and international trade, Australia reaffirmed its commitment to improving PNG's major ports to increase safety and compliance with global standards
Europe Montenegro 116 suicides were registered in 2023, reinforcing the worrying numbers; according to WHO data, the country leads in the last decade in terms of the number of registered suicides in relation to the number of inhabitants
Europe Poland Polish prosecutors are investigating TV commentators who joked that migrants should be sent to Auschwitz or tattooed or microchipped like dogs; several investors have withdrawn their commercials from the TV station
Africa Mauritania The IMF expects Mauritania's economic growth to almost triple in 2025, thanks to gas exports starting in the second half of this year: the 5,1% gross domestic product growth forecast for 2024 is expected to reach 14,3% in 2025
Africa Nigeria Stakeholders in Nigeria’s cocoa and chocolate industry are gearing up for the 2024 International Cocoa and Chocolate Forum to be held in Abuja and Lagos on 9 and 11 January 2024, respectively
America Panama The Panama Canal has imposed unprecedented restrictions on transits, driven by water shortages linked to the El Niño phenomenon; the canal’s reservoir system is significantly impacted, causing ripple effects across global shipping operations
America Uruguay Military officers who committed human rights abuses during Uruguay's dictatorship (1973-1985) could soon be allowed to serve out their sentences at home; new law passed by Senate, if approved by lower house, would grant house arrest to criminals over 65
Oceania Marshall Islands A $10,8 million grant agreement was reached between the US and RMI governments to fix the Majuro sewage outflow system
Asia Philippines Energy Regulatory Commission is encouraging households to use solar home systems to mitigate the impact of El Niño that may worsen in summer months, partnering with local government units to establish a one-stop shop to make it easier to obtain a permit
Asia Mongolia 5% of GDP of Mongolia will be spent for the education sector, with Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia set to finance 442 educational and science projects in 2024
America Canada The Belfry Theatre in Victoria, B.C., is cancelling The runner from its March festival “given the current conflict”; the play focuses on the moral dilemma of a volunteer of ZAKA, a group of mostly Orthodox Jewish men who provide emergency medical rescues