Asia Indonesia After a 7,7 magnitude earthquake hit Flores, the scientific community said consecutive major earthquakes, (like Venezuela, Colombia) are normal: global earthquake rates remain steady, averaging about 16 major earthquakes, magnitude 7 or higher, each year
Europe Spain An unusual collection of bison, wild bull, deer and rhinoceros craniums have been found in a cave near Madrid; researchers say they may have served ceremonial purposes and reveal Neanderthal rituals
Europe Sweden Stockholm police rejected, for the second time in a row, a request to burn a Koran outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm, as the protest could lead to an increased terrorist threat in Sweden
Asia Jordan The World Bank financed a USD23,6 million project to help 30.000 Jordanian farming families adopt climate-friendly and water-saving agricultural practices; 12.000 job opportunities are expected to be created, particularly for women and young people
Africa Ivory Coast The Ivorian government spokesman announced the construction of a biomass thermal power plant in Ayébo with an installed capacity of 2×23 Megawatts
Africa Chad Approximately 1,8 million children under five will be affected by acute malnutrition between October 2022 and September 2023, according to the latest Ipc analysis
Africa Gambia Controversy erupted after one of the contestants at the country's recent beauty contest showed up wearing the typical costume of the kankurang, an initiation rite considered a Unesco World Heritage Site, but linked to male circumcision ceremonies
America Brazil With an estimated 20.000 illegal miners, the country has undertaken a major operation to drive out such miners from indigenous land by burning their planes and seizing their boats, weapons and petrol
America Bahamas The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority URCA will undertake a review of its Consumer Protection Regulations this year to determine where the decade-old document is still ‘fit for purpose’
Europe Belgium The country has launched an emergency plan to combat drug trafficking, with the appointment of a national drugs commissioner and the doubling of the number of port police in Antwerp
Africa Tunisia The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, Irishwoman Esther Lynch, was declared persona non grata in Tunisia by President Kais Saied, who on Saturday gave her 24 hours to leave the country
Europe Bulgaria Having given up on its initial goal of joining the eurozone on 1 January 2024 because parliament failed to pass the necessary laws before being dissolved, Bulgaria is hoping for a maximum delay of six months
Africa Zambia Zambia is currently the only country in Africa where women can take two days of menstrual leave
Europe Albania There have been a total of three anti-government protests so far in the past week, with opposition and supporters calling for the prime minister's resignation and attempting to disrupt the parliamentary session