Africa Eritrea The Arbaete Asmara sub-zone has been declared free of female genital mutilation after authorities verification that followed years of local monitoring, community reporting systems and coordinated action by health workers and local administrations
Europe Portugal Aiming at offering a competitive rail transport alternative, the Council of Ministers approved works for the high-speed rail connection LAV Lisbon-Madrid, setting a goal of a 3 hours journey by 2034, and Porto-Lisbon in 1 hour 15 minutes
Asia Myanmar Severe water shortages due to prolonged drought, record heat and water-borne diseases have left at least 83 people dead and hundreds sick in some 50 villages in western Myanmar
Asia Bhutan World Aquatics has inaugurated the first high-altitude pool in Bhutan as part of the Pools for All initiative, launched in 2019; the newly opened pool stands at an altitude of 2400 metres, making it the highest pool in the world
Africa Morocco Morocco's anti-abortion laws and restrictions on access to reproductive health services force women and girls into dangerous situations, a new Amnesty International report reveals
Africa Comoros The cholera situation in Anjouan is normalising, said Dr Ibrahim Salim, director of the Hombo hospital as 72 hours have passed without any reported deaths; since mid-March, Anjouan remains the island most affected by the epidemic
Europe Czech Republic According to a recent NATO study, the Czech Republic is among the countries most targeted by Russian hybrid activities, along with Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Great Britain
America Costa Rica Costa Rica announced a ban on synthetic nicotine in vaping liquids and e-cigarettes, aiming to address health risks associated with their use, following reports of lung injuries and a surge in vaping-related hospitalizations
Europe Liechtenstein A friendly with Liechtenstein on 10 October, just confirmed by city officials, will be the first international football match played by Hong Kong in Europe
Africa Namibia The country called for greater international cooperation and partnerships to tackle illicit financial flows during the launch of a new initiative to strengthen financial integrity and support sustainable development
Asia Palestine Palestinians yesterday celebrated the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the 'catastrophe', when some 760.000 Arabs were driven from their homes following the birth of Israel in 1948
Asia South Korea NATO hosted military staff talks with Korea at HQ in Brussels, with discussions focusing on resilience building and future opportunities for cooperation; the previous military staff talks had taken place place in 2023 in Seoul
Europe Malta A project to extend the Patri Spiteri Donat garden in San Ġwann inaugurated by the government this week was criticised online for lack of greenery and the presence of concrete
Africa Republic of the Congo Terminalaux du Bassin du Congo organised a meeting on the topic 'Impact of climate change on occupational health and safety', in order to raise awareness among some 40 employees and sub-contractors