America Costa Rica Water access became a hot topic after Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers said tariffs haven't been updated since 2018, foreseeing an abrupt increase; meanwhile, villages close to the capital recur to buying bottles to avoid contaminated, unhealthy water
Asia Afghanistan USAID announced a contract to sell 600 kg of Afghan saffron to Paris Exposition 2024, worth over $1million; Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that saffron cultivation has expanded to 26 provinces following ban on opium poppy cultivation
Africa Mali Return to school for the 2024-2025 school year took place yesterday, a month later than normal due to the severe floods that hit the country and the state of natural disaster; one week ago, 175 schools were still occupied by hundreds of families
Europe Belgium The Belgian potato will be the focus of the 12th edition of 'Potato Week', which will take place from 8 to 15 November, at the initiative of the Walloon Ministry of Agriculture
Oceania Australia Skyscanner's Travel Trends 2025 report shows that the most popular place Australians want to travel next year is Siem Reap in Cambodia, home to the famous Angkor Wat temple, with a +529% interest; up to now, Japan was the most desired country to visit
Asia Armenia Targeted grants for judicial reform and education will be provided in 2025 in the frame of EU's support program for Armenia, entitled 'Resilience and Development', with a budget of €270 million over four years
Europe Iceland Local goat breeders are trying to pursue the same selective breeding that is saving Icelandic sheep from scrapie, but without success; only about 2.000 Icelandic goats, vulnerable to the disease, are left
Africa Kenya The construction of the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway is set to begin with funding from the Chinese government; a controversial news that follows the cancellation of the bid awarded to a French consortium by former President Kenyatta
Asia Indonesia A female Sumatran elephant, a subspecies of the Asian elephant considered to be at serious risk of extinction, was born in the Buluh China Nature Park in north-west Sumatra; the WWF estimates that there are now only between 2.400 and 2.800 individuals
Africa Algeria Kamel Daoud won Prix Goncourt 2024, the most prestigious French literary award, becoming the first Algerian to win the prize; his novel 'Houris' is a gripping evocation of Algeria's 'black decade' (1992-2002)
Africa Comoros 25 migrants died as their boat capsized off the Comoros Islands after it was attacked by a group of traffickers; on board were at least 6 minors
Africa Nigeria The country is facing one of its worst food crises with more than 30 million people expected to be food insecure next year, an increase of one third compared to this year
Asia Brunei His Majesty the Sultan attended the 2024 Sarawak Regatta in Kuching, Malaysia; the traditional Waterfront Festival assigned the title of 'King of the River' to decorated wooden boats manned by 30 rowers
Africa Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa joined the voice of other countries urging the British government to apologise for the century of colonial rule (1890-1980), during which indigenous peoples were dispossessed of their land and subjected to gross abuses