Asia South Korea A South Korean container ship set sail for Europe via the Arctic's Northern Sea Route, testing the passage as a viable alternative to the Suez Canal, as shipping companies seek new trade corridors amid disruptions impacting global maritime routes
Africa Mali To modernize public administration and give Bamako a new look, successive Malian governments undertook the construction of state-of-the-art buildings to house directorates and services, eliminating costly leasing; many constructions are stalling
Africa Ivory Coast Evangelicals pastors are more and more involved in politics, town councillors, presidential candidates: Ivorian evangelicalism is putting down roots across parties, raising questions about balance between spiritual calling and electoral ambition
Africa Guinea-Bissau Writer, biologist and researcher Queita Embaló has published Kingdom of Gabú, his first literary work; dedicated to Mandinga Royalty, a political and historical formation in the region, it also explores aspects related to their legacies
Africa Lesotho The Lesotho Taekwondo Association has confirmed that taekwondo star, Michelle Tau, is no longer a Lesotho athlete after formally requesting to represent South Africa and subsequently being released by the association
Europe Kosovo The remains of 23 individuals have been found at three sites near northern Kosovo’s Zubin Potok in excavations that authorities believe are connected to victims who were forcibly disappeared during the 1998-99 war
Africa Ethiopia The Ethiopian Sugar Industry Group ESIG posted comprehensive losses of 5,4 billion Birr (€28 million) for 2024; while a number of its members are recovering, climate, government’s indecisiveness and financial pressure over suspended sugar projects persist
Europe Germany Repeated drought is reducing harvests, shrinking cattle and increasing expenses for farmers; experts say adapting to the changed summer conditions is essential, flanking farmers in exploring new water-management strategies and drought-resistant crops
Africa Gambia Safe, orderly, and regular labour migration is the focus of a two-day workshop focusing on improving labour market information systems, supporting ethical recruitment, and strengthening protection and reintegration services for migrant workers
America Ecuador 40.000 women entered the ‘Futuro Femenino’ higher education scholarship program, aiming to guarantee the right to quality higher education for women, specially prioritizing women with disabilities, victims of gender violence, people in limited resources
Asia Israel A man was shot dead at a Caesarea gas station was identified as the person described in Hebrew media as the head of Israel’s Caucasian Mafia; well known to police, he had been repeatedly arrested on suspicion of violent crimes but never convicted
Europe Liechtenstein The Royal House announced that the rules of succession will be changed so that a woman could in the future inherit the principality's throne
Europe Malta The Floriana Local Council will close its doors today in a symbolic protest over the locality's worsening depopulation crisis; the one-day shut down aims to raise public awareness after years of unsuccessful call on authorities to address the issue
Asia Kazakhstan A national credit rating agency will be established as part of a broader effort to develop Kazakhstan domestic capital market; its success will depend on the creation of a new regulator-approved rating system, the confidence of investors and risk pricing