Asia Philippines An Air Quality Index has been issued amid temporary haze from Indonesian forest fires; The Health Department advised residents to wear masks, limit outdoor activities, and remain indoor if possible
America Venezuela The Central Bank of Venezuela has announced the integration of Russia's Mir payment system as part of its search for financial alternatives, which is expected to facilitate smooth communication to streamline transactions in bolivars and rubles
Africa Mozambique Airlink has announced that from January 2024 it will increase flight services between Johannesburg and Vilanculos, Mozambique, after receiving increased demand for direct services to this particular region
Africa South Sudan A new multi-year resilience programme aimed at enrolling about 135.000 children in schools in 14 counties has been launched by the government, in partnership with global charity Save the Children
America Saint Kitts and Nevis The St. Kitts Music Festival is cannabis-friendly, with Marsha Henderson, Minister of Tourism of St. Kitts and Nevis, extending an 'official' invitation to bring your own pre-rolled cannabis for personal use and come to the Music Festival
Europe Norway Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum made it clear that he will not follow the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, which warn against the consumption of meat and alcohol
Asia Philippines A lawmaker urged local government units to 'go the extra mile' with public telecommunications entities (PTEs) to sign up the 10 million outstanding subscriber identity forms, one month before the 25 July deadline
Asia Oman Some truck drivers still violate the strict regulations prohibiting transit in rush-hour traffic, with consequent disruptions and safety problems
Europe North Macedonia The south-west of the country, especially the area around Ohrid, was hit by heavy rain and hailstorms the size of a walnut, which also caused flooding, severe damage to homes, vehicles and crops
Oceania Samoa 200 brochures (100 in Samoan and 100 in English) translated into Braille for disaster risk management were officially launched for the benefit of people with disabilities
America Saint Lucia A Consumer Protection Council was established and new procedures for consumers to appeal were explained
Africa Republic of the Congo Brazzaville's reforestation strategy has been approved by the municipal authorities and the World Resources Institute to intensify tree planting throughout the city to combat the effects of climate change
Asia Nepal The risk of devastating floods remains alarmingly high in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region, despite projections of an average/below-average monsoon for 2023, according to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
America Costa Rica Thousands of protesters took to the streets as the government announced the withholding of the agreed 1% increase in education spending; people are urging national dialogue to ensure quality public education for all