Africa Ethiopia Drivers in Ethiopia face a fuel crisis due to disruptions from the Iran war driving a booming black market; Diesel prices reach 300–500 birr (5-9 $) per liter with illegal resale networks and long queues straining transport and businesses
Oceania Solomon Islands The country emphasised the urgent need to strengthen global partnerships and increase climate finance to address the unique challenges of small island developing states
Europe France For the 2024 Olympic Games, France, the host country, has banned Muslim women from wearing the sports hijab or any other form of religious headgear when competing for France
Africa Mali The socio-political situation is relatively tense, with the risk of social unrest in a context of shrinking democratic space and an economic and energy crisis, the latest UNICEF report on the humanitarian situation in the country states
Europe Lithuania The Seimas, the Lithuanian Parliament, will not vote on the civil unions bill on 18 July, the last day of the spring session, thus postponing the vote until after the summer
Africa Guinea The 'Nour Al-Saudia' volunteer programme was launched in the prefecture of Dubréka by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre to combat blindness and pathogens
Asia Mongolia After Mongolia's Olympic uniforms, designed by up-and-coming Mongolian fashion brand Michel&Amazonka, were revealed online, netizens praised the country for releasing such beautiful outfits for its athletes, considering them a mix of beauty and tradition
Oceania Fiji A green cane incentive programme was launched to revolutionise sugarcane cultivation practices nationwide in collaboration between the Ministry of the Sugar Industry and the Sugarcane Growers Fund
Europe Estonia Over the next two years, the Ministry of the Interior will test a new 'Taskusireen' system (Pocket Siren) that sends threat notifications to smartphones; it can send messages when mobile connections are down and even when the phone is in silent mode
Oceania Vanuatu Tomorrow Friday 19 July 2024, in Port Vila, the United States of America will open its embassy
Asia Kyrgyzstan The ban on increasing fees for fee-based services in higher education institutions has been lifted by the President
Africa Guinea-Bissau The National Convergence for Freedom and Development opposes the presidential decree setting early legislative elections for 24 November 2024, as the dissolution of parliament took place outside the constitutional framework
Asia Myanmar The first group of refugees from Myanmar living in Thailand and eligible for a new resettlement programme left Bangkok for the US last week; some 90.000 refugees now live in nine closed camps inside Thailand
Asia East Timor About to join the regional powerhouse of South-East Asia in 2025, the country wants its Portuguese-speaking allies to benefit as well