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
Europe Monaco Some 250 young coral colonies have emerged from summer spawning thank to the coral conservation biology programme developed by the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and the Observatoire Océanologique in Banyuls-sur-Mer
Asia Syria The draft general budget for 2025 presented this week, 28% higher than 2024, allocates 70% of resources for current spending and 30% for investment, but raises concerns regarding the budget’s failure to adequately address poverty and food insecurity
Africa South Africa The country has ordered Taiwan to move its embassy from Pretoria to Johannesburg by the end of the month, a final sign of strengthening relations with China
Africa Ethiopia A 46% increase in export revenue from coffee, tea and spices was recorded in the first quarter of the current fiscal year
Asia Jordan The army has called on Jordanian males aged 18-40 to rectify their status by obtaining a valid military service booklet to avoid travel delay, while males over 40 must ensure they hold a military subscription exemption that certifies they reached the age
Africa Benin During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held annually in October, doctors emphasised the "very important" role that religious leaders could play in "demystifying breast cancer"
America Nicaragua Over US$150 million will be allocated bu Nicaragua to build and upgrade around 500 sports facilities nationwide, with the goal of providing free training and resources for the next generation of athletes
Africa Mauritius A new variety of papaya, named Goldie, developed by the Agro-Food Research and Extension Institute, was presented by the Ministry of Agribusiness and Food Security at a sales exhibition at Réduit Agricultural Services
Africa Cape Verde Work on the Palliative Care Centre on the island of Fogo, which will provide a space for terminally ill patients, is in its final stages and should be completed soon, the Minister of Health announced on a visit to the facilities
Europe Netherlands Contraceptives will not be supplied free of charge for adult women; the Hague Court of Appeal had rejected the request and the Attorney General at the Supreme Court ruled that the decision can stand
Oceania Marshall Islands The long-awaited 'Enra' payment programme initiative, a cash contribution to elegible citizens, will probably take place next year and not in December as previously planned by the government
Asia Laos Luang Namtha will celebrate recognition as a national heritage site of Pha That Xieng Teung stupa’s, a buddhist place for meditation; the festival of cultural events, performances, markets will take place 9-15 November as part of the 2024 Visit Laos Year
America Panama Due to severe drought, vessel transit through the Panama Canal dropped by 29% in 2024, as reduced rainfall lowered water levels in the canal’s artificial lakes, cutting daily ship passages from 38 to 22