America Canada Canada Strong Fund, the first ever national sovereign wealth fund will be launched with an initial endowment of $25-billion (€15,5 billion); PM says the investment will ensure all Canadians reap the rewards of government support for major new projects
Europe Greece In Q1 of the year in Athens, more violations of the rules on the placement of tables in public places were recorded, according to data from the Municipality, with a 54% increase in orders for the removal of irregular tables compared to 2023
Africa Ghana The Savings Lives Entity, a project of UNDP and other agencies, was launched to tackle the proliferation of small arms in Ghana
Oceania Australia Over 25.000 images taken by divers, tour operators and pleasure boats during the annual Great Barrier Reef Census in Australia, now in its fourth year, are being analysed
Asia Thailand Thailand has been named best country to visit in 2024 according to the ranking by CEOWORLD magazine in an extensive survey of over 295.000 users
Asia Lebanon The country has moved towards accepting the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to prosecute violations committed on Lebanese territory since October, in what Human Rights Watch called a "fundamental step" towards justice for war crimes
Africa Botswana Herds of endangered hippos, stuck in the mud of dried-up ponds, risk death in drought-stricken Botswana, conservation authorities made known, while at local level are calling for hippos to be relocated to reserves to protect villagers
Africa Egypt Egypt and Italy will collaborate to establish a centre for artificial intelligence in Cairo, with the aim of promoting the development and use of Ai throughout Africa; the agreement was signed in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital
Europe Bulgaria Bulgaria's long-awaited entry into the Eurozone may be delayed, as the country is unlikely to meet the inflation criterion required for the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2025
America Barbados The Rotary Club of Barbados has announced the recipients of its annual Pride of Workmanship awards for individuals and organisations in the public and private sectors that exemplify excellence in their fields and provide valuable services to the community
Asia Afghanistan Recent rains and floods have destroyed nearly 70 schools and madrasas in Uruzgan province, Afghanistan, and lack of sufficient funds is hampering repair work
Asia Brunei 959 people were granted citizenship of Brunei Darussalam at a ceremony held at the Bridex Conference Hall, including children of Bruneian citizens, including adopted children, and wives of Bruneian citizens
America Bahamas Although a new bill allows Bahamas Power and Light to set its own tariffs, the Minister of Energy and Transport has assured it won't result in 'unnecessary and extreme costs' for citizens, and will instead seek to provide relief for the most vulnerable
Africa Djibouti The shipwreck of a boat with migrants off the coast of Djibouti claimed at least 16 lives; in 2023, over 700 people died along the eastern route considered by the UN agency to be 'one of the most dangerous and complex migration routes in the world'