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 Italy The oldest copy of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures, dating back to 1224, is on display in Rome's Museo di Roma until 6 January 2025 to mark the 800th anniversary of the composition, with 93 books and works from the Library in Assisi
Europe Albania The country has the highest corruption rates, the highest pressure of officials to accept bribes and the highest victimisation of citizens by corruption within the Western Balkans
America Honduras Honduras has extended the partial state of emergency, initially implemented in December 2022 to reduce criminal violence, for another 45 days, as the country continues to face high homicide rates, with over 3.600 murders reported from January
Africa South Africa One of the continent's most distinctive experiences, the safari, has become accessible in South Africa via the famous Uber platform at a flat rate of $200 departing from Cape Town to the Eagle Private Game Reserve
America El Salvador The IMF has urged El Salvador to reduce its reliance on Bitcoin and strengthen its regulation of digital assets, warning of financial stability risks, although President Bukele remains committed to Bitcoin's long-term economic benefits
Asia Azerbaijan A special network of universities on climate change will be established by November 2024, said Azerbaijani Member of Parliament
Asia Kazakhstan The production of a carbon-silicon nanocomposite derived from rice husks was started; the first production phase aims to produce 1.500 tonnes of this multifunctional material per year
Europe Moldova 20 school minibuses were donated from Romania to schools in Moldovan districts, part of a larger effort to ensure every child has access to quality education
Europe Bulgaria An underwater training at 1.000m, with a water temperature of 1°C, was conducted by the Bulgarian military at the Iskar dam focusing on reconnaissance, setting up and passing water fences
Asia Bhutan The country will need $26 billion to build hydropower plants to meet domestic demand by 2040; it is estimated that domestic energy demand will increase to 4.000 megawatts by 2040 from the current requirement of 1.000 megawatts
America Bolivia Bolivia has advanced in preserving underwater heritage with recent archaeological research in Lake Titicaca, revealing prehispanic boats and other cultural artifacts, underscoring the need for protection against both climate change and human activity
Africa Equatorial Guinea The fifteen pre-selected projects of the Total Energies Startupper competition were presented; the contest is organised every two years to support young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35
Africa Sierra Leone 21% of teenage girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have already had pregnancies, and 30% of young women get married before the age of 18, while 9% of young girls have even married before the age of 15, according to ActionAid