Africa Somalia New EU VISA restrictions make it more difficult for Somalis to travel to the bloc; the recently approved measures intensify an ongoing dispute with Mogadishu over the return of Somalis living irregularly in the EU
Oceania Samoa Zheng Construction Co. Ltd was granted a contract for the construction of extensions to the Sataua and Satupaitea district hospitals in Savai'i and doctors' residences
Asia China All restrictions on foreign participation in the manufacturing sector will be lifted, highlighting China's growing confidence in the ongoing 'reform and opening-up' process, as stated during the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation
Africa Burkina Faso The Vice-President of the Transitional Legislative Assembly of Burkina Faso praised HM King Mohammed VI's proposal to launch an international initiative to promote the access of Sahel States to the Atlantic Ocean
Africa Eritrea Reporters Without Borders reported that Eritrea has detained journalists longer than any other country in the world and banned independent media for more than 20 years, at a meeting of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Asia Kyrgyzstan The flag of Kyrgyzstan will not be changed, as some asked, as the procedure would mean spending billions of som; PM Tazabek Ikramov had pointed out earlier this month that the money could be used to build hospitals and kindergartens instead
Oceania New Zealand Cranberries Westland, New Zealand's only commercial cranberry farm, has increased its harvest sixfold in the last six years and is planning to expand further into new territories and markets
Asia Cyprus A message from Cyprus’ law commissioner urging for unaccompanied minors to be kept in premises away from other children sparked a wave of ire on Wednesday, that also embroiled the country’s deputy welfare minister
America Uruguay Following several leaked recordings, Uruguay's Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo has resigned amid allegations of concealing information related to the issuance of an Uruguayan passport to alleged drug trafficker Sebastián Marset
Asia South Korea Recent reports of bedbug infestations in public spaces have raised alarms of an impending nationwide outbreak across South Korea, prompting the government to launch a multi-agency task force and pushed investors to buy stocks of pesticide manufacturers
Oceania Nauru Controversial former Nauru president Baron Waqa is set to become the next secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Palau president Surangel Whipps Jr has confirmed
Africa Malawi Leading financial services company Old Mutual Malawi Limited has been honoured by the Reserve Bank of Malawi as the best company offering financial education in Malawi
Africa Republic of the Congo On the occasion of the 37th National Tree Planting Day, instituted in 1986, 1.200 trees have been planted upon iniziative of President Denis Sassou N'Guesso in the village of Miaba, near Oyo, in the Cuvette department
Europe Switzerland Chairlifts, T-bar lifts and cable cars in Switzerland are being shut down for economic – and increasingly climate-related – reasons; according to a recent study by NGO Mountain Wilderness, 65 installations in Switzerland are now out of operation