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
Africa Seychelles Study on a new cryptic species of the sucker-tailed gecko, endemic to the country and discovered on Felicite Island, is contributing to the basic understanding of Seychelles' biodiversity
America El Salvador The ‘Guarantee Programme’ grants small companies the possibility to ask for loans with low guarantees in order to boost their business; the progran has been started by the ational Commission for Micro and Small Businesses and the Development Bank
Asia East Timor IMF staff completed the 2022 Article IV mission to East Timor; based on the preliminary findings, staff will prepare a report to be submitted to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Taiwan is expected to donate US$52,000 to the country to purchase new monitoring equipment for La Soufriere volcano
Asia Syria The country, now in its 11th year of war, was designated earlier in June as one of the world’s 20 “Hunger Hotspots” by FAO and the WFP; now opposition-held Idlib residents fear that Russia’s veto at the UN could close their only aid border crossing
America Suriname The country has partnered with the Netherlands on drug control: the newly drafted protocol sets aside new funding for authorities to battle drug smuggling
Asia Yemen The UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg denounces the Iran-backed Houthis for rejecting proposals to end the siege of Taiz and threatening to undermine the UN-brokered truce
America United States The Supreme Court - not elected by the voters - delivered two highly controversial decisions in less than a week; the rulings have made the Court’s popularity sink to 20% and many have commented that they show the distance between politics and real life
Europe San Marino At the Oran 2022 Mediterranean Games a gold, a silver and a bronze medal from boules for the Republic
Oceania Solomon Islands IMF conducted a virtual mission to Solomon Islands to discuss recent economic developments and policy plans; the final statement forecasts -4,5% GDP in 2022 but economic recovery is starting and a GDP rebound is expected in 2023
Oceania Fiji Fiji's National Provident Fund announced a 6% interest rate to be credited to the accounts of its members, some 392.175, today; the increase in the interest rate is the result of rising yields on their investments in government bonds
Oceania Samoa The Samoa National Provident Fund Board of Directors have announced an 8,2% dividend for its contributors, and for the first time ever, the full dividend will be paid out
Asia Palestine Tamam Abou Hamidan, 34, who left Gaza in 2014 when her family emigrated to Sweden, has now been appointed Major of the town of Olofstrom