Asia Taiwan Rising memory chip prices have pushed Taiwanese industry players’ 6-months revenue beyond 2025 full-year totals; Analysts said prices are expected to continue rising in Q3 as supply remains tight, forecasting further growth for memory-related companies
Africa Lesotho The government has launched the Lesotho Public Sector Foundations for Service Delivery Project, an initiative to overhaul the country's public service sector by enhancing digital infrastructure and better financial management
Asia Pakistan Sindh province - over 55 million people - has adopted a new 10-point grading system for matriculation and intermediate exams; the reform aims to alleviate the pressure on students striving for high marks and promote a more balanced educational environment
Europe Italy The court of Rome did not validate the detention of first 12 migrants brought by an Italian ship from the Mediterranean Sea to the immigration centre built in Albania with a billion euros investment; the cost of military ship journey wasn't made public
Africa Liberia Rural women leaders in Liberia have launched an action against drug abuse with the specific aim of engaging ghettos and those selling drugs in communities
America United States TikTok could be banned in the US starting January 2025 unless ByteDance sells it; although mother companies insist they are independent of the Chinese government, deep concerns persist about its ties to the Chinese state
Europe North Macedonia Discussions about potential constitutional changes are ongoing; former foreign minister Bujar Osmani has stated the need for a vote on the issue, warning that a lack of action could lead to a renewed focus on issues of 'identity, language and history'
America Brazil In Brazil’s recent municipal elections, a record 256 Indigenous candidates won positions as mayors, vice mayors, and councilors, marking an 8% increase, with Indigenous votes rising as other demographics saw declines
Africa Gambia The 81st regular session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights officially opened in Banjul with representatives of member states, civil society organisations and human rights advocates
America Panama Due to severe drought, vessel transit through the Panama Canal dropped by 29% in 2024, as reduced rainfall lowered water levels in the canal’s artificial lakes, cutting daily ship passages from 38 to 22
Asia Oman A workshop was organised by Unicef and the Ministry of Information to offer journalists and media the specific means to report about children in a sensitive, rights-based manner; Oman's Police, religious and education sectors were involved
Asia Brunei The Muara Port Expansion Project, a key initiative to upgrade Brunei's primary port, was the focus of a stakeholder engagement session hosted by the Muara Port Company
Africa Algeria The Algerian National Agency for the Development of Hydrocarbon Resources has announced the launch of an international tender for upstream oil and gas projects, called 'Algeria Bid Round 2024'
Asia Azerbaijan Azerbaijan is ranked 'Not Free' in the 'Internet Freedom 2024' report published by Freedom House, a human rights organisation; with a score of 34, it down 3 points from the previous edition