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
Africa eSwatini An inclusive financing model for SMEs was developed with the technical assistance of the Economic Commission for Africa to ease access to finance
Asia Bangladesh The country was unanimously elected as a member of the Food and Agriculture Organisation Council for the second consecutive term by the Asia Region for three years, from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2027
Africa Angola The National Bank of Angola, the country's central bank, has lowered the minimum capital required for setting up microfinance companies (from 5 to 25 million kwanze - about $6.000) and credit cooperatives (from 25 to 1 million kwanze)
Africa Namibia The sea lion hunting season has opened in Namibia; an estimated 86.000 fur seals will be slaughtered, despite a decline in demand for their fur and the growing opposition of environmentalists
Africa Zambia The Chamber of Mines has welcomed recent developments on the Konkola Copper Mines and Mopani Copper Mines investment roadmaps announced by the government
Oceania Nauru The government has initiated a programme of alternative routes to assist employees who will be affected by the recession of the Regional Processing Centre sites on the island
Asia Philippines The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, more popularly known as Manila Cathedral, has extended until today the Papal Visit Memorabilia Exhibit to give more Catholics a chance to visit the display
Asia Armenia 199.000 tourists visited Armenia in June 2023, by far the best figure compared to previous years, according to statistical data published by the Tourism Committee
America Bahamas Bahamasair's charter flights will reach Barbados via Fort Lauderdale beginning in mid-July, as confirmed by Director of Aviation and Deputy General Manager of Tourism, Kenneth Romer
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The African Development Bank plans to increase its financial aid to the country to over €55 million over the next three years to support macroeconomic stabilisation reforms, increase revenues, and ensure energy transition
Asia Bahrain Children who turn six in the same calendar year will be unconditionally admitted to the first grade of all public schools from September, in a decision that lightens the age rules in force
Africa Lesotho More than 20.000 children aged between 9 and 59 months have been vaccinated against measles and rubella in the country during Africa Vaccination Week in April
Asia Afghanistan The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed for the first time that British special forces are at the centre of a war crimes investigation in Afghanistan