Europe Sweden Several youths in Vallentuna were poisoned by isopropanol after drinking alcohol bought from a "vodkabil" that they got in touch with via Snapchat; according to Poison Information Centre the substance, used to clean electronics, is dangerous if ingested
Europe Russia Russia is not committing to a meeting between Ukrainian President Zelensky and President Putin, which US President Trump has encouraged as a next step toward ending the war; Foreign Minister Lavrov argued any meeting should be prepared “gradually”
Africa Cape Verde To activate crisis funds and urgent infrastructure repairs Cape Verde has declared a state of emergency on the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão, devastated by floods which killed at least nine people and forced 1.500 from their homes
America Grenada The Grenada Tourism Authority has announced the launch of a new international destination magazine in partnership with Greydoor Publishing; the publication will be a storytelling platform capturing the essence of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique
Europe Bulgaria Political chaos has created a media vacuum in which citizens are vulnerable to disinformation and Kremlin-led narratives proliferate; with highest rate of news avoidance and lowest media literacy in Europe, a better enforcement of existing rules is needed
America Suriname As school principals expressed their concern regarding current rules and guidelines, no longer reflect the reality of their schools, Ministry made changes to admission rules to grades 10 and 12, giving students in grade 9 and 11 one more chance for access
Asia Kuwait Online game Roblox will be soon blocked upon Ministerial decision, citing its potential dangers to children's behavior and mental health; similar bans are in place in Qatar, Oman, China, Turkey, Jordan, North Korea and Kuwait public called on authorities
Europe North Macedonia More inclusive websites will be developed at government level for people with visual impairments and hearing disabilities, but a lot of work remains to be done in North Macedonia for access to both physical and virtual sites
Africa Lesotho Two months into the national ban on imports of potatoes, cabbage and eggs introduced saying that local product is enough to meet the country’s demand, the Ministry could reopen to the import of potatoes and cabbage after reports of scarce local produce
Asia Laos Mimee Phommaly, a 27-year-old woman with a degree in agriculture, is transforming in Luang Prabang farming: her Khamphet Farm cultivates over 25 types of fruit, actively challenging gender stereotypes in farming and empowering community by providing jobs
America United States Over 6.000 international student visas have been revoked right before start of academic year because of overstay or violations of US law, the "vast majority" reportedly being assault, driving under the influence of drugs, burglary, "support for terrorism"
America Costa Rica A court in Costa Rica has blocked an increase in visitor quotas at Corcovado National Park, ruling the measure lacked scientific backing and violated environmental protections for one of the world's most biodiverse areas
Europe Spain Latest speed control campaign by the General Directorate of Traffic DGT took place from on 4-10 August: at 2.793 checkpoints, with 1.021.303 vehicles transiting, 68.662 drivers (6.7%) were reported for traveling at a speed exceeding the limit
Europe Ukraine Authorities have accused current and former Justice Ministry officials of embezzling Hr.10 million ($241,000) during a project to upgrade the ministry’s IT systems; the scheme was reportedly related to a procurement contract in 2021