Asia Tajikistan An amnesty law signed by President Rahmon to celebrate 35 years of independence will cover 18.038 convicted people, with full release for 11.305 people, reduced terms for 6.733; of 507 women, 248 will be released, of 134 minors, 99 will be freed
America Costa Rica Costa Rica's tourism industry saw a 14,5% increase in visitors during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, with 1.532.443 tourists, reflecting a strong recovery and growth from the pandemic's impact
Africa Republic of the Congo UNICEF in the Republic of Congo announced the appointment of Professor Francine Ntoumi, President of the Congolese Foundation for Medical Research in the Republic of Congo, as National Ambassador
Asia Afghanistan Afghan passports rank the worst in the world in the latest ranking published by Henley Passport Index; based on the number of destinations their owners can access without a prior visa, Afghan passport gives access to 12% of countries globally, or 26
Europe Monaco The EU anti-corruption body GRECO has published a new report on the Principality of Monaco, calling for stricter measures and sanctions for high-ranking officials and transparency in the issuing of residence permits
Asia Kuwait The Cabinet called for a significant advancement of electronic systems and applications to improve efficiency and safeguard the nation's digital infrastructure
Europe Greece The authorities conducted over 4.500 inspections in the past three weeks based on citizen complaints about beach and shoreline zoning violations, imposing a total of €800.000 in fines
Africa Kenya To stop the spread of an invasive mosquito species that transmits malaria, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, in collaboration with Imperial College London, will introduce genetically modified mosquitoes
Europe Netherlands Zwolle will probably abandon its plan to ban advertisements for services using fossil fuels, such as long-distance air travel, combustion engine cars and cruise ships, as research has shown that a ban is 'legally impossible'
Europe Ireland Queen's University announced more funds to help Palestinian students with scholarships; the programme established in 2020 funds tuition fees and accommodation, but not visa or travel costs
Europe France The candidature of the French Alps, proposed as a preference vote by the International Olympic Committee in June to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2030, has been approved - subject to France providing financial guarantees
America Grenada Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl on 1 July, cocoa and nutmeg farmers in Grenada who registered for crop insurance will receive refunds for their losses
Africa Gambia The Gambian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament presented the national government's report on economic growth, youth development, climate resilience and macroeconomic convergence
Asia Nepal The Nepalese Army has so far opened 1.411 kilometres of tracks in different parts of the country