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
America Chile A new national survey shows Chileans overwhelmingly favor stricter immigration policies, with 96% of respondents supporting tighter controls, attributing immigration to economic strain and cultural challenges
Oceania Micronesia A new community-led project aims to protect the turtles and increase local farming output by completely eliminating invasive pests, like lizards and pigs, from the island of Loosiep, a crucial refuge for endangered green sea turtles Chelonia mydas
America Trinidad and Tobago Shell TT employees distributed to local farmers and gardeners the first batch of 1.100 pounds of compost produced with “Platform to Plant” initiative that transforms food waste from its Poinsettia offshore platform into compost
Asia Singapore The Early Childhood Development Agency will work with five key operators to open almost 40.000 new nursery and kindergarten places in Singapore from 2025 to 2029
Europe Serbia At least 12 people were reported dead and others injured after part of the recently-renovated main railway station in the city of Novi Sad in northern Serbia collapsed
Europe Vatican City The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors released its first report; after 10 years of extensive research across five continents, it identifies progress in best practices and steps to be take, calls for more transparency and rigorous response
Asia Malaysia Universiti Malaysia Sabah has launched the Center for Blue Economy and Maritime Security Research; on Borneo Island, bordering South China Sea, it focuses on sustainable use of ocean resources to support economic growth, jobs, and ecosystem health
Asia Singapore Forty-two “mini-hotels” have been installed across 7 underwater locations in Singapore to study lesser-known reef creatures; the ARMS, Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures, mimic natural reef habitats, attracting marine life for research purposes
Europe Switzerland The UBS CFA indicator, which summarises expectations of financial analysts and economists regarding the economy over the next six months, remains negative for the fifth month in a row, despite a figure slightly better than expected in the October report
Asia Taiwan 22 unmanned aerial vehicle accidents have been recorded in one year by the Taiwanese Army, highlighting a shortage of qualified personnel behind most accidents
Asia South Korea For the first time since 2017 South Korea did not experience a typhoon landfall this summer, while powerful storms hit the country in the past two years; experts explain it was due to a North Pacific high pressure system that caused extreme heat in August
America Saint Kitts and Nevis Clearing of lands for the construction of new smart homes has begun, marking the first step forward in the government's mission to provide affordable, high-quality, climate-resilient housing