Oceania Marshall Islands The fish aggregation devices FADs that fishing boats use to make catches easier, lately equipped with satellite communications gear to pinpoint location, are now being built by drug cartels that wrap packs of cocaine and radio transponders to trace troves
America Barbados Much-awaited 13th Barbados Food and Rum Festival 2024 will open later this week; taking place from 24 to 27 October, it promises an expanded lineup that highlights the island’s rich gastronomic heritage and its status as the birthplace of rum
Africa Malawi The President of India Droupadi Murmu spoke at the India-Malawi Business Meet in Lilongwe addressing government officials, representatives of trade associations, investors as well as small and medium-sized enterprises
Asia Georgia 26,7% of the 576.400 young people aged 15 to 29 are unemployed, according to data from the National Statistics Service
Europe Greece Piraeus dockers prevented a truck from North Macedonia carrying ammunition destined for Israel from entering the port, saying they would not allow the port to become a transit point for weapons of war
Europe Bulgaria In the first half of the year, Sofia recorded a 12% increase in tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year; the number of registered overnight stays also increased by 10%, with almost 60% of foreign visitors
Europe Croatia The mayor of Zagreb unveiled plans to invest in five new road routes, marking the city's first major road and tram projects in 20 years; Zagreb has seen a significant increase in car use, with 34% more vehicles than 10 years ago
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Mandombe writing, a unique style of writing taught by the Kimbanguist church, is gaining popularity; church leaders claim it has the potential to stimulate the creativity, spirituality and academic skills of all Africans
Europe Finland The Ministry of the Environment covered up a report discussing the negative effects of wind farms on the golden eagle, which showed some of the wind farms built on golden eagle home areas should not have been built
Asia Saudi Arabia The National Reef Foundation has launched an initiative to empower rural women by building their skills in managing small and medium-sized enterprises and improving product quality to meet local market demand
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina Direct damage from the drought in Semberija amounts to BAM 12 million (€6 million), while indirect damage is estimated at around BAM 30 million; despite this, a state of natural disaster has not been declared and the autumn sowing season is approaching
Asia Nepal Nima Rinji, an 18-year-old Nepalese climber, has written mountaineering history by becoming the youngest climber in the world to join the coveted eight-thousand-meter club, summiting all 14 of the highest mountains above 8.000 metres
Africa Senegal One of the goals of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's government is to see illiteracy eradicated before the end of his term in 2029 and at the same time promote national languages
Asia Malaysia Sarawak, Borneo, will launch a digital residency program with special advantages to attract digital nomads; this initiative aims to enhance the digital ecosystem and make local basic economy less dependent on tourism flows