Africa Ethiopia Drivers in Ethiopia face a fuel crisis due to disruptions from the Iran war driving a booming black market; Diesel prices reach 300–500 birr (5-9 $) per liter with illegal resale networks and long queues straining transport and businesses
Asia Bahrain The Bank of Bahrain launched first bitcoin investment fund in the Gulf; the country had been proactive in establishing crypto banking regulations and confirms its attitude with the offer of a structured instrument to institutional investors
Asia Mongolia Youth chess team returned with three medals from the 2024 FIDE World Youth Chess Championship in Brazil: Margad Munkhpurev got silver in Girls' Blitz, Tenguundalai Ganbat bronze in U14 Boys' Blitz and gold in Solving, Urangoo Gurvanbaatar got Master Title
Africa South Africa The government blocked the sending of food and water supplies to a group of miners hiding inside an illegal gold mine to force them out and then arrest them; many are undocumented migrants, who also do not leave for fear of being deported from the country
Africa Libya The “She Leads” project to support entrepreneurship for women in the cities of Tripoli and Sabha were launched at an event in the Old City, Tripoli; it aims at training over 80 women to facilitate their entry into the labour market
Asia Philippines The Malabon-Navotas Waste Workers' Association is tackling flooding prevention by educating residents on proper waste disposal, clearing blocked drains and replanting mangroves to absorb waters - essential efforts in Malabon, a city steadily sinking
Asia Kuwait Despite ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking and addiction, a surge in consumption is prompting authorities to take new measures, including actions that involve communities, specially as there is a clear link with a surge in domestic violence
America Brazil The Pan American Health Organization has re-verified Brazil as measles-free, marking the Americas' return to endemic measles-free status; this follows Brazil’s intense efforts in vaccination, surveillance, and rapid response to cases
Asia Bangladesh Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and the Centre for Energy Research at the United International University set up the first solar energy laboratory with energy storage system facilities in Bangladesh at the UIU headquarters
Asia Afghanistan Within the next two months, 1.000 Afghan prisoners will be transferred to Afghanistan from Iran; the agreement for the transfer of prisoners between Iran and Afghanistan was established in 2006 and the Taliban have pledged to abide by it
Asia Malaysia In a recycling competition in Negeri Sembilan, students collected over 166 tons of recyclable items, raising about RM80,000 (around $16,800) to boost environmental awareness; the initiative saw increased participation, with top schools winning cash awards
Asia Kyrgyzstan Advertising is now not allowed in the country for a number of occult-mystical services; the list of these businesses has been approved the Council of Ministers
Europe Kosovo A new report by the Centre for Security Studies in Kosovo, produced in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, has warned of the threat of Russian disinformation aimed at portraying Kosovo as a failed state, questioning its independence
Europe Luxembourg The number of phishing attacks in the country has exploded in the past four years, increasing almost fifty-fold since 2020, said Justice Minister Elisabeth Margue