Asia Vietnam A nationwide online competition on the Constitution was launched through a dedicated digital platform, allowing citizens to test their knowledge online; the initiative is part of a broader government campaign to improve citizenship awareness
Oceania New Zealand An estimated 42.000 people rallied outside the Parliament to protest against a bill that critics say would hurt the rights of Maori people and call for lawmakers to reject the Treaty Principles Bill, introduced earlier this month by ACT New Zealand party
America Haiti Threats and attacks by police forces directly aimed at staff have forced MSF to suspend all activities and medical services until further notice in Port-au-Prince, except for already hospitalised patients at their five medical facilities and maternal care
Oceania Solomon Islands Speaking at COP29, Minister Manemahaga underscored the vulnerability to climate change, saying the impacts are not abstract future threats but real stories of loss, displacement, erosion of culture and heritage
Oceania Nauru The country is expected to have the highest percentage of children under the age of 14 by 2030 in the Pacific, 37%, closely followed by Papua New Guinea with 36% and Samoa with 35%
Africa Ivory Coast The talking drum, known as Djidji Ayôkwé, will return to the country after 3 years of negotiations; 3,31 metres long and weighing 430 kg, it's one of the main works of Ivorian tradition and symbol of the struggle for the restitution of cultural heritage
America Saint Lucia A survey to assess the presence of bilharzia among primary school children aged 8 to 11 will be completed this month; the initiative aims to identify potential cases and contaminated water sources where host snails may carry the disease-causing parasites
Asia Bahrain In preparation for Bahrain’s hosting of major events, including Jewellery Arabia and Scent Arabia, the General Directorate of Traffic is intensifying efforts to manage the crowd of vehicles that flow along Bahrain Bay Road, where all events will coincide
Africa Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan was the first female African president to attend the G20 leaders' summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; it's also the first time a Tanzanian leader has joined the G20 since the group expanded from the G8 in 2009
Europe Estonia Starting next year, Tallinn will no longer allow advertising on the exteriors of buses, trams and trolley buses; there may only be a few exceptions, like the possibility of maintaining messages on the back of buses that encourage use of public transport
Asia Syria The city of Palmyra was bombed by Israel, most likely to hit positions of pro-Iranian militias in the area, reported the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an independent international organisation, among other sources
Africa Zambia Distribution of oral cholera vaccines will begin in a few days, targeting the 54 cholera hotspots identified in the country
Africa Ethiopia Over 43.000 runners took part in the 24th Great Ethiopian Run International 10km race, staged at its familiar venue of Meskel Square in Addis, a new record that surpassed last year's by almost 5.000 participants
Asia Bangladesh In his televised address on the occasion of the first 100 days of his government, Prime Minister Yunus asked the nation to be patient, as elections will be called once institutional and electoral reforms are completed