Europe Italy The value of "unobserved" economy has grown by €15,1 billion, marking a 7,5% increase on 2022 data, reaching €217 billion; the net value of illegal activities stands at just under €198 billion, up €14,9 billion on previous year, 9,2% of GPD in 2023
Europe Albania Bankers Petroleum, Albania’s largest oil producer, threatened to sue government in international arbitration courts, claiming its rights as foreign investor were violated; prosecutors allege it stole billions of euros in a massive corporate fraud
Asia Yemen Yemeni authorities have seized over 1,5 million Captagon pills in a major drug bust; the shipment, hidden on a refrigerated truck traveling from Houthi-controlled Sana’a to Saudi Arabia, reveals a shift in narcotics trafficking, from Syria to Yemen
Europe Sweden A month after a law came into effect making insulting a public official a criminal offense, over 170 police reports have been filed from police officers, security guards, public employees and 10 preliminary investigations are underway
Europe Luxembourg Luxembourg’s air traffic agency has signed a charter with national carrier Luxair aimed at reducing the number of night flights, committing to curbing noise pollution for local residents and promoting sustainable aviation practices
Europe Iceland Björg Eva Erlendsdóttir, MD of Icelandic Environment Association, says national energy company is setting a dangerous precedent by moving on with Hvammsvirkjun power plant project without necessary permits, nor community consensus
Oceania Fiji Enabling ePassport access through New Zealand’s SmartGate system, in line with the arrangement already in place with Australia, has been proposed: it would streamline travel for Fijian passport holders and support more efficient border control processes
Europe Poland Poland has become volleyball Nations League champions after winning 3-0 over Italy in Ningbo, China, Poland’s second NL title following their 2023 victory over the US; Poles didn't lose a single set during the finals three matches against Japan and Brazil
Europe Montenegro Parliament has postponed voting on two controversial bills, one limiting public protests and another expanding powers of national intelligence agency; critics came from citizens, civil society and the EU as new laws could undermine democratic standards
Africa Sao Tome and Principe A project to promote good nutrition practices in communities using a multisectoral approach has been completed, introducing healthy eating habits in 21 primary schools and 7 health centers and innovative techniques to strengthen agricultural value chains
Europe Romania Via Transilvanica, the long-distance trail that crosses Romania, will apply to be the first accredited long-distance route in the country after government issued the methodological norms regulating the hiking trails of national interest
Africa South Africa The family of late music producer and entrepreneur DJ Sumbody has come out against recent media reports claiming he was killed in a crossfire related to drug dealings; in a joint statement, Sefoka family and Be A Sumbody Foundation condemned the claims
America Saint Lucia The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court ruled that St. Lucia’s laws on “buggery” and “gross indecency”, a law that made gay sex illegal, were unconstitutional; the colonial-era law hadn't been enforced recently, but still caused fear and discrimination
Africa Zambia Copperbelt Province authorities assured residents of Chingola District that, despite recent riots, the government and law enforcement agencies are committed to maintaining peace, order and a safe environment for investment