Asia Sri Lanka Unprecedented visitors' arrivals have been registered in 2026, marking a strong recovery in numbers; However, the tourism boom has not translated into higher earnings, as shorter stays and lower spending per visitor have led to declining dollar revenues
Oceania Tonga The Tongan Government is refusing to pay a USD$1 million ransom demanded by hackers who have seized control of the National Health Information System for nearly two weeks
Africa Djibouti Independence Day was celebrated on 27 June with a number of events throughout the country; President Guelleh called for full sovereignty and economic renewal invoking resilience and solidarity amid regional challenges and global unrest
Africa Ivory Coast As tensions rise ahead of October polls, with many fearing election violence as seen in 2011, thousands of supporters of banned opposition candidate Tidjane Thiam have marched on the offices of the Ivory Coast electoral commission
Asia Tajikistan The "Youth Against Drug Addiction, Vagrancy and Hooliganism" public awareness campaign has been held across Tajikistan; about 500 youths took part in the seminars and schools for at-risk youth have been involved
Oceania Marshall Islands The Micronesian Islands Forum will be hosted this week in Majuro, with leaders from Kiribati, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau; airline connectivity issues will be a focus
Africa Sudan An attack on al-Mujlad hospital in West Kordofan has killed more than 40 civilians according to WHO local office, which did not assign blame to Sudanese military or paramilitary RSF; Sudan's civil war has caused the world’s largest humanitarian crisis
Africa Republic of the Congo CapeNature's 2025 State of Conservation Report shows declining ecosystem health across the Western Cape province, from its mountain catchments to its embattled estuaries and river corridors with 350 ecosystem types classified as threatened
America Panama Panama has regained control of Bocas del Toro after violent protests over pension reforms led by banana workers resulted in one death, over 300 arrests, and major unrest, with officials linking the chaos to gang involvement and political agitation
Africa Zimbabwe 25 years after the land reform program that seized land from white Zimbabwean farmers provoking international uprising and internal chaos, some of them have accepted a compensation deal that many think unfair while other social groups find it too generous
America Paraguay Electronic cigarettes are now regulated with rules mirroring those for traditional tobacco, after a new bill was approved that limits nicotine to 2%, restricts sales to adults, and imposes advertising controls
Asia Vietnam The country is seeking to build up domestic supply chains upon pressure by the US, that urge Vietnam to reduce reliance on Chinese-made tech components in the devices assembled locally and exported to the US ahead of a 46% tariff deadline on 8 July
Africa Central African Republic At least 29 high school students have been killed and 250 injured in a stampede at a high school in Bangui as an electrical explosion triggered by returning power after a failure brought panic among the 5.000 students sitting their final exams
Africa Togo Security forces used tear gas to disperse protesters demanding leader Gnassingbe resignation: civil society groups and social media influencers had called for protests over changes to Togo’s constitution that could keep him in power indefinitely