Europe Austria Foodwatch Austria sparked discussions about the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to minors; according to the NGO, test buyers aged 8, 11, and 14 years received the new “Tropical Energy Refresher” at McDonald's without any age check or verbal warning
Asia Armenia The proposal on the start of visa liberalization for Armenian citizens has been approved by the ambassadors of EU Member States to Armenia
Asia Uzbekistan The Tax Commission has announced the launch of the artificial intelligence-based virtual assistant DavrOn, which provides essential information and personalised advice on tax and tax issues in Uzbek language, Russian and English 24 hours a day
America Bahamas Ahead of the passage of a package of cannabis bills in the House of Representatives, the Bahamas Christian Council had urged against them, saying it feared they would lead to an increase in marijuana abuse
America Trinidad and Tobago Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, and ANR Robinson International Airport, Tobago, are still operating despite the Microsoft service disruption that left several other airports stranded
America Venezuela Many Venezuelans are considering emigrating if President Nicolás Maduro wins the July 28 election, adding to the nearly eight million already abroad, amid escalating economic conflicts and political repression
Asia United Arab Emirates The validity period of Emirati passports has been extended from 5 to 10 years for citizens aged 21 years and older, the UAE Passport Authority officially announced
America Nicaragua The country has become a key gateway for migrants traveling to the US, leveraging visa exemptions for various nationalities and facilitating private charter flights, including from distant countries like India and Kazakhstan
Asia Lebanon Ali Jaafar Maatouk, also known as Habib Maatouk, a senior commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan force, has been targeted and killed by Israeli Defence Forces
Europe Norway Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz rejected the request of his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide to visit Tel Aviv in protest against Oslo’s recognition of the State of Palestine last May
America Paraguay Paraguay conducted its largest cocaine bust in history, seizing over four tons of cocaine hidden in a sugar shipment bound for Belgium, with a market value of approximately US$240 million
Africa Tunisia The secretary general of the Islamist party Ennahda and two party members were arrested, adding to the long list of party activists imprisoned and tried in various cases ranging from money laundering to criminal conspiracy
Asia Sri Lanka To apply for a Sri Lankan passport, prior online registration is required and is not possible without first setting a date and an appointment - the new rule has been announced by the Department of Immigration and Emigration
Oceania Australia The most popular dog names of 2024 have been announced: according to data from Scratch's 2024 Great Australian Dog Survey 'human' names are increasingly common