Oceania Marshall Islands The fish aggregation devices FADs that fishing boats use to make catches easier, lately equipped with satellite communications gear to pinpoint location, are now being built by drug cartels that wrap packs of cocaine and radio transponders to trace troves
Europe Greece Passenger traffic in the ports of Piraeus and Rafina increased by 10,63% and 11,33% respectively in the first 15 days of July compared to the same period last year
America Grenada The Government of Grenada has announced the release of $30 million in concessional financing from the World Bank Group as evidence of significant progress in the implementation of crucial reforms over the past 12 months
America Jamaica Funds have been allocated to purchase ventilators for the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, and a standard extended service warranty procedure to keep them running for three years will also be made available in the coming weeks
America Ecuador Agustín Intriago, the mayor of Manta, has been assassinated alongside a young athlete, Ariana Estefanía Chancay, causing shock and sorrow in the country and having civilians currently protest to advocate for greater safety
Asia Oman Survey of Arabian Myrrh Trees Phase II shows overgrazing (62%), insects (22%), drought (10%), unsustainable harvesting methods (6%) as the danger faced by the species that spreads on 92 sq km out of a 3048 sq km potential natural range
Africa Tanzania The main threats to chimpanzees in Tanzania are habitat loss and fragmentation, resulting in isolated populations and low genetic diversity, according to JGI's ongoing research on animals
Africa Madagascar The European Investment Bank will support two development projects worth €30 million, one of which involves the construction of mini solar parks in 120 villages on the island, the second relating to the agri-food industry
Oceania Samoa Thanks to Project Gateway, 18 inmates including 6 juveniles graduated after 10 weeks of participation in a training program on positive choices and the recovery process, according to a statement from the Samoa Police, Prisons and Corrections Services
America Bolivia The country has signed a defense agreement with Iran, raising concerns as it may include the delivery of Iranian drones to Bolivia; experts are currently warning of potential regional implications
Asia Kyrgyzstan The National Investment Agency and the Kyrgyz-American Association for the Development of Logistics Services have signed a memorandum of cooperation that envisages the creation of 5.000 jobs in the country
Asia Laos With 10.000 cases and six deaths already reported this year, the Lao Ministry of Health is actively tackling the dengue fever epidemic in the country with a mission to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds and raise awareness among the local population
America Argentina China has significantly expanded its investments in Argentina's lithium-rich regions to secure reserves, sparking environmental concerns and prompting warnings from the US about China's aggressive expansion in the lithium field
Europe Moldova More special equipment for state border control and surveillance has been donated to Moldova by the German Federal Police, including 30 radio stations and 58 portable thermal imaging cameras