America Belize The Belize Senate unanimously approved an amendment to the Marriage Act raising the legal marriage age to 18, eliminating parental consent for minors, in a move hailed as a transformative human rights milestone to combat child marriage
Oceania Micronesia The FSM Ambassador to Switzerland presented his credentials to the Swiss President; the first bilateral accreditation to a country in Europe, the event was saluted as a milestone in international diplomacy and commitment to global cooperation
America Chile Hundreds gathered in Santiago's Plaza Baquedano to mark the fifth anniversary of Chile's "Estallido Social," the massive 2019 protests demanding social reforms
America Bolivia Bolivia is semi-paralyzed by road blockades led by supporters of Evo Morales, protesting for nine days against the judicial investigation into the former president for alleged abuse of a minor; the blockades have severed connections between major cities
Europe Vatican City Addressing the 79th UN General Assembly on conventional weapons, the Vatican's Permanent Observer reiterates the Holy See’s reprobation for record-high military spending and the plea for its reduction and against developing new deadly weapon technologies
America Costa Rica The poverty rate in Costa Rica has dropped to 18%—the lowest level since 2010—according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Census, from 21,8% in the previous year
Africa Algeria The country is gradually moving towards a digital payments system, with a 71% increase in digital financial transactions in the first quarter of 2024
America Belize The North American Taiwanese Medical Association NATMA, conducted a five-day medical mission in Belize, treating nearly 1.800 patients and performing 56 surgeries to support underprivileged communities
Europe Netherlands Half of Dutch Muslims have experienced discrimination at least once in the last year, a higher percentage than the EU average (38%)
America Argentina Hundreds of One Direction fans in Buenos Aires gathered outside the Casa Sur hotel in the Palermo district, where former band member Liam Payne was found dead after falling from the third floor
Africa Cameroon Over 50% of Internally Displaced Persons in the central region of Cameroon are unemployed, latest survey by the National Institute of Statistics, commissioned by IOM, shows
Africa Madagascar A significant revision of electricity prices charged by the Madagascan water and electricity company has passed at Government level, resulting in a 20% price increase for the first year, raising concerns among operators of the sector
Africa Libya The United Nations Support Mission in Libya welcomed the appointment of the Libyan Central Bank's Board of Directors, which is essential to ensure that the CBL operates with independence, integrity, transparency and accountability
Africa Zambia Zambia celebrated the 60th anniversary of its independence from Britain on 24 October 2024; President Hakainde Hichilema in his speech urged the nation to renew commitment to building a prosperous future