America Dominican Republic Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights warned that positive examples of press freedom are rare; remarks were made during the 81st General Assembly of the Inter-American Press Association in Punta Cana
America Colombia Driven by a growing tech sector and strong digital marketing demand, Colombia has seen companies embrace AI-generated virtual influencers to enhance brand engagement, following global trends like digital model cloning
Asia Laos In the village of Ban Nam Deua, a Swiss-backed initiative is helping residents secure legal land rights; Through training, mapping and community engagement, the project empowers villagers to manage their land sustainably and avoid disputes or exploitation
America Costa Rica A 41% funding cut has severely affected Costa Rica’s ability to support over 222.000 asylum seekers, mainly Nicaraguan, delaying essential services and putting its longstanding refugee protection system at serious risk
Asia Bhutan Desi High School has launched a five-year forest restoration project with WWF-Bhutan and the Thimphu Forest Division; Students will restore and manage two hectares of degraded forest near the school, planting native trees and ensuring long-term care
Africa Benin American filmmaker Spike Lee and wife, producer and author Tonya Lewis Lee, have been appointed ambassadors for African-Americans in the US; their role aims to strengthen ties, promote cultural tourism and support reconnection of diaspora to their roots
Europe Russia Despite its 8,8 magnitude, damage caused by the earthquake that struck the Kamchatka peninsula on 30 July was relatively minor; lack of devastation and fatalities was attributed by Kremlin spokesperson to high-quality construction and local preparedness
America Honduras Thousands of opposition supporters have marched in Honduras to demand clean and transparent presidential elections in November, voicing concerns over potential fraud and calling for electoral safeguards months ahead of the vote
Asia Indonesia “Beyond Unsettled Past,” now open at Erasmus Huis in Jakarta, revisits Dutch colonial legacy through works by six contemporary artists; art, archives, storytelling explore how colonial time still influences culture and its relevance to today’s Indonesia
America Ecuador Professionals and startups in Ecuador have embraced 3D printing to produce custom goods, medical tools, and industrial parts, promoting accessible manufacturing despite high costs of fiber and limited national adoption data
Asia Israel Yinon Levi, a sanctioned settler who allegedly shot dead prominent Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen near Umm al Kheir, West Bank, was given 4 days of house arrest by Jerusalem Court; he was driving 'recklessly' a heavy construction vehicle through Umm
Africa Cape Verde The Catholic Church in Cape Verde will begin work to translate the Bible into Kriolu by 2033; the project will be preceded by a national debate on the language variant to be adopted and will involve specialists
America Bolivia Pro-Morales leader Ruth Nina has been detained over incitement, amid rising tensions, as supporters protest the exclusion of Evo Morales, the country’s first Indigenous president and a key leftist figure, from the upcoming August 17 elections
Africa Nigeria The Yelwata axis of the Benue–Nasarawa highway was blocked as Internally Displaced Persons staged a protest demanding immediate return to their ancestral homes; protesters, victims of attacks by suspected herdsmen, were chanting “We want to go back home”.