Europe Montenegro Montenegro will be first country to join the European Union under the new safeguards designed to ensure all new members uphold agreed democratic standards, preventing backsliding on the bloc’s values
Africa Nigeria The Nigeria Immigration Service has doubled the cost of acquiring the Nigerian international passport from N50.000 to N100.000, slightly under €56, for a 32-page passport with 5-year validity; new tariffs will be effective starting 1 September 2025
Asia Cyprus Website mindsincyprus.com has been launched with the aim of persuading Cypriots living abroad to return to the island; authorities say return and reintegration of talents is an integral part of broader plan for the development and future of the homeland
America Paraguay Efforts to preserve Guaraní in Paraguay have intensified as its oral use among younger generations declines; government has kept its official status to protect cultural identity, mandating bilingual education and supporting documentation of oral histories
Africa Mozambique New restrictions on the foreign currency positions of commercial banks have been issued by Bank of Mozambique under a special regime set to last for one year; the move may further aggravate the country’s ongoing shortage of foreign exchange
America Nicaragua A law has been approved in Nicaragua that declares all territory within 15 km of its borders as state property, citing sovereignty and security, while critics have warned of threats to private land rights and local livelihoods
Oceania Tonga A 11-person team led by Tonga’s ex Foreign Minister Mrs Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, are in Georgetown, Guyana to observe regional elections set for 1/9; deployed by the Commonwealth SG, they will oversee opening, voting, closing, counting and results
Africa Chad Former PM and opposition leader Masra, one of President Itno,'s fiercest critics, was sentenced 20 years in jail for hate speech and for having incited a massacre due his role in riots in which 42 people, mostly women and children, were killed on 14 May
Oceania Nauru Nauru has transitioned to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia as banking provider and account holders are encouraged to make the switch to ensure relevant payments from government are smooth; Bendigo Bank had served the community for 10 years
Europe Spain Tomatina was celebrated in Buñol: a traditional event where people battle with over-ripe tomatoes on the last Wednesday of August; 20.000 registered participants have thrown at each other over 100 metric tons of tomatoes
Oceania Samoa Pre-polling stations have been opened for the elderly and the members of the disabled community, making sure they can exercise their right to vote ahead of the general election scheduled for tomorrow 29 August
Africa Niger In the Konni department, the fight against narcotics and the protection of youth has become a community goal; in this frame, the Konni Dep of National Police organized a public ceremony to show the impressive quantity of drugs seized in 3 local operations
Oceania Micronesia The East Micronesia Cable successfully landed in Kosrae State: the achievement is a historic milestone in FSM digital development, as all four states are now reached by submarine fiber optic cable
Asia Oman The shrimp fishing season 2025 will run from 1 September to 30 November; making the official announcement, MAFWR ministry stressed the importance of fishermen adhering to regulations, using only licensed gear locally known as al-ghadif