America Panama A tanker paid a record $5,3 million for priority passage through the Panama Canal before the number of daily transits will be reduced due to the El Niño weather phenomenon; rainfall deficits and drought deplete water reserves needed to operate the canal
Africa Benin Every year the country loses about 30 metres of coastline to the ocean; the government has spent millions of dollars to protect coastal communities from marine erosion, but climate change and rising sea levels have exacerbated the region's vulnerability
Europe Romania Ahead of next year's elections, the government has increased taxes for businesses, notwithstanding calls for financial reform to cut state spending and refrain from raising public sector salaries
Asia Laos The Vientiane Capital Tourist Information Centre and Exhibition Hall of handicrafts and traditional products made under the 'One District One Product' initiative officially opened to the public
Europe Czech Republic It is no longer taboo to talk about the fact that organised crime is mainly behind human trafficking according to Pavla Novotná, Director of the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy at the Czech Ministry of the Interior
Africa Central African Republic Established in 2018 to investigate and prosecute serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed from 2003, the Special Criminal Court is now subject of controversy with victims believing it has not fully fulfilled its role
Europe Estonia The Estonian state is evaluating the capacities of European munitions manufacturers for its largest purchase to date amounting to €280 million; while production lines are currently on hold for up to two years, the state is hoping for faster delivery times
Africa South Africa The government has sent a formal request to the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by mid-December: South African presidency minister said 'the world cannot simply stand by and watch'
America Haiti The High Court in Nairobi has blocked the deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti on a 'Multinational Security Support' mission to build security conditions conducive to the holding of elections
Africa Guinea-Bissau The Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy coniders the issue of biodiversity conservation one of the country's priorities, since the national economy is largely based on the exploitation of fishery resources
Africa Zambia The third International Conference on Public Health in Africa 2023, which will attract over five thousand delegates from all over the world, is scheduled for 27-30 November 2023 in Lusaka, organised by the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
Europe Sweden To put an end to the 'recruitment of children and young people into criminal gangs', the government presented a series of measures, including examining the possibility for social services to use electronic surveillance as part of their toolkit
Africa Tunisia With Jonathan Lourimi running bobsleigh, the country will be represented for the first time at the Winter Youth Olympics, at the 2024 Gangwon Games in South Korea
Asia Kazakhstan The country's locomotive fleet of 1.880 units has a wear level of 52%; 133 new locomotives were purchased this year