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
Asia Armenia Government is considering a large-scale demographic strategy 2024-2040, reducing population aging by 20% by 2040 compared to inertia-based forecast and promoting a balanced age distribution; planned investment is $6,5 billion, expected return $44 billion
Europe Albania Plans to close the existing port of Durres and develop a new one some 6 km further north have been derailed, as the tender process for the development of the first phase of the new port failed to attract bidders
America Barbados Barbados was rated most creative economy in the Caribbean, ranking 77th in the Global Innovation Index 2024; the country over-performed regional average indicators of institutions, human capital, research, business sophistication, knowledge and technology
Europe Estonia A draft law that provides a basis for limiting the possibility of citizens of countries considered high-risk to become Estonian e-residents has been prepared by the Ministry of the Interior
Asia Vietnam Hà Nội's local administration has launched a mass measles vaccination campaign, aiming to administer 70.000 doses to children and healthcare workers by November 15; The initiative seeks to achieve over 95% vaccination coverage for children aged 1-5
Asia North Korea All roads and railways connecting the country with South Korea will be blocked and border defences will be reinforced, due to repeated military exercises south of the border and the presence of US nuclear weapons in South Korea
Asia Afghanistan The 2024 Global Hunger Index report ranked Afghanistan 116th out of 127 countries, with a score of 30.8, whereas last year it was ranked 114th
Europe France French President Macron said that 'stopping arms exports' used by the Israeli army in Gaza and Lebanon is the only way to stop the war
Europe Russia Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, President Putin's main political opponent before his death in prison last February, had written in his memoir that he would "die in prison"
Asia Palestine As of 1 October, the World Food Programme, the UN agency that provides food assistance worldwide, had to stop sending food aid to the north of the Gaza Strip due to shelling by the Israeli army
Oceania Palau The Kensing II health ship was heartily welcomed; larger and better-equipped, it replaces the previous one in bringing healthcare to residents of Palau’s most remote islands
America Brazil Over 2.000 betting sites, including sponsors of major football clubs, have been shut down in the effort of enforcing new regulations combatting fraud, money laundering, and unresponsible gambling
Europe United Kingdom At least 40 more women have accused Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of Harrods department store and father of Dodi, who died in a car accident with Princess Diana Spencer in 1997, of rape and sexual abuse