America Dominican Republic Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights warned that positive examples of press freedom are rare; remarks were made during the 81st General Assembly of the Inter-American Press Association in Punta Cana
America Barbados A major agreement to build a coconut processing plant was signed with India, part of Barbados' plan to industrialize and expand its agro-processing sector; Export Barbados said it will create full value chains for coconut products with Indian technology
Europe Albania Draft of a new Penal Code has sparked critics among politicians, legal community, civil society, international observers; critics say it contains authoritarian-style restrictions on free speech while reducing sentences for corruption for senior officials
Asia Kazakhstan A new nationwide coordination body has been set up to unite state agencies in the fight against drug addiction and drug-related crimes; it will focus on developing comprehensive prevention measures, improving treatment and rehabilitation programs
Europe Denmark Copenhagen Municipality will keep its job centres open as one of the pillars of its employment service, despite the national reform that removed the requirement, encouraging their closure
Europe Iceland A man involved in what is thought to be Iceland’s first bank robbery walked into a police station and confessed to the crime, police posted on Facebook; the robbery took place in 1975 and was relatively small in scale compared to later bank robberies
Africa Angola Old Cinema Miramar in Luanda is reportedly been sold to the Chinese without details of the deal that began in December 2013; it could be transformed into a residential space in support of the Chinese embassy
Europe Moldova The Leova–Bumbata border crossing is now working on a 24/7 schedule, letting travelers cross at any time, following agreement of border authorities of Moldova and Romania; Moldova has registered +45% foreign visitors arrivals in Jan-June 2025
America Saint Lucia To improve support for citizens during difficult times, the National Insurance Corporation is developing a plan for an unemployment insurance program that will provide temporary financial relief to people who become involuntarily unemployed
Oceania Fiji Movie 'Bati' was screened at Whanau Marama New Zealand International Film Festival: it is the first ever Fijian feature film selected for NZIFF, filmed in Suva and the highlands of Namosi, with a Fijian cast and crew
Asia Cyprus A Turkish Cypriot has been diagnosed with mad cow disease, prompting the north’s veterinarians’ association to demand urgent biosecurity measures, pointing out that in southern Cyprus, eradication and surveillance are implemented following EU regulations
Africa Central African Republic Officials report that Russia has called on the CAR to replace the private Wagner mercenary group with Moscow’s state-run Africa Corps, requesting payment for security services; government sees Wagner as more effective and prefers to pay with minerals
America Panama Imitation cheese products are available, particularly shredded mozzarella and Parmesan alternatives, cheaper than actual cheeses and with less nutritive value; President Mulino underlines the need of clear, explicit labels to protect consumers
Africa Kenya Interior Cabinet Secretary accused the BBC of basing parts of its Mai Mahiu child sex trafficking documentary on inaccurate accounts; women featured falsified their ages to fit the narrative and access sponsorship program allegedly dangled by the BBC crew