America Brazil The federal import tax on international purchases of up to US$ 50 made through e-commerce platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress has been erased; experts say it is a strategic move in view of October's upcoming general elections
Europe Belgium Shops in Belgium will soon be allowed to remain open until 21:00, and seven days a week; the measure is expected to be validated to relax businesses' opening hours and meet modern needs
Asia Mongolia The traditional long-distance horse race was held as part of the Naadam festival, showcasing the endurance of the Mongolian horse, a symbol of national pride; Riders, often children, covered vast steppe terrain, in a centuries-old nomadic heritage
Africa Lesotho Lipholo, the 51-year-old leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, has been taken into custody and charged with sedition; he appeared before the Maseru Magistrate Court where Magistrate Letsika and Crown Prosecutor Hlophe presented the charges against him
Europe Latvia The concert "Te–aust" closed this year's School Youth Song and Dance Festival: it presents works of contemporary composers who have chosen lines written by prominent poets and sequences of Latvian folk songs for their compositions
Africa Madagascar Lemurs are key players in the health and stability of Madagascar's ecosystems because they do the very important work of dispersing seeds, but they first need to be protected against human impact; as a recent article explains why taking action is urgent
Europe Lithuania A passenger boat service in the Neris River will be launched by the end of July in Vilnius and the first electric vessel of the fleet has been unveiled; for Mayor Valdas Benkunskas the new type of transport could fulfill the city's recreational potential
Africa Mozambique A health emergency is reported by NGO MSF in Cabo Delgado, incapable of guaranteeing response to local health needs: the destruction of 52 health units by cyclone Chido in Oct 2024 added to fragility of the system itself and jihadist insurgency since 2017
Asia Qatar 36.000 myna birds have been so far hunted under the National Project to Combat Myna Birds in Qatar, which has proven an effective measure to curb the spread of this invasive species that threatens the ecological balance
Africa Senegal Badara Gadiaga, star columnist of Jakaarlo Bi show on TFM, is investigated upon comments made on TV, deemed sensitive; held in custody at the Special Division of Cybercrime, he is accused of dissemination of false news and speech contrary to good morals
Africa Sierra Leone As APC and other opposition parties are preparing for their internal elections, Political Parties Regulation Commission, reportedly silent when ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party had, is allegedly threatening those posting campaign material
America Saint Kitts and Nevis A new amendment to the Housing and Social Development Levy Act ensures that those earning the national minimum wage or slightly above will no longer be subject to deductions, a step towards social equity Government says
Asia Israel Airstrikes were launched on a Defense Ministry compound and near the presidential palace in Damascus; the action followed clashes with over 500 casualties in the region of Sweida, the heartland of Syria's Druse minority, whom Israel pledged to protect
Asia Jordan Firefighting teams began returning home after completing a humanitarian mission in Syria, where they participated in efforts to extinguish wildfires that broke out across several areas of Latakia along the coast