America Cuba International investors can now build and fully own tourism facilities: to reverse the dramatic fall in tourism, authorities have eliminated the requirement for foreign groups to form a joint venture with the Cuban state to manage their tourism activities
Oceania Samoa The local journalists' association wrote to the Prime Minister to express its grievances over the restrictions imposed on the fourth sector at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Asia Pakistan Amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code that make necrophilia an official crime after years of a legislative vacuum on the subject have been approved unanimously by the Senate
America Saint Lucia Julien Alfred won the women's 100m title at the Wanda Diamond League final, after winning the gold medal at the Olympics against all odds
Europe Romania The Ivan Patzaichin Mila 23 Association, created in honour of four-time Romanian Olympic rowing gold medallist Ivan Patzaichin, recently launched a slow tourism initiative in the Danube Delta with the creation of 40 routes to encourage visits to the area
Asia East Timor Some 600.000 people crowded the same seaside park for Pope Francis' final mass 35 years after St John Paul II prayed during the nation's struggle for independence from Indonesia
Europe San Marino The San Marino Confederation of Labour has proposed a wealth tax on the incomes of millionaires, a solution that would ensure fairness and support for an increasingly costly welfare state due to an ageing population
Europe Andorra The government will contribute 5 million for the construction of affordable rental flats for the over-65s and will be the patron of the Laurus Foundation, which will manage the project
Africa Senegal The President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, officially dissolved, within the terms of the law, the National Assembly of Senegal, and at the same time announced parliamentary elections for 17 November
Europe Norway The number of Norwegians on sick leave has reached its highest level in 15 years, according to new data from state statistics office; politicians and other state officials complain about the resulting lack of productivity and costs to the welfare state
Africa Comoros The representative of the World Health Organisation has been elevated to the rank of Knight of the Order of the Green Crescent of the Comoros upon decision of the President Azali Assoumani
Africa Madagascar The state intends to disseminate hybrid rice technology on a large scale in order to increase agricultural yields by as much as threefold
America United States Three Southern California wildfires torched over 105.000 acres of scrub and forest ( 1/3 the size of Los Angeles), dozens of homes and a ski resort so fa, forcing thousands to evacuate; the Bridge Fire, the largest, destroyed 19.000 hectares in 48 hours
Asia Georgia The National Bank of Georgia decided to maintain the refinancing rate at 8%, applying a careful approach to keep inflation close to acceptable levels