Asia Thailand Rubella has been eliminated in Thailand as a public health threat, achieving the WHO criteria for interruption of endemic transmission; imported cases is now the key concern, especially for infections during pregnancy
America Suriname Operation Goliath, a large-scale exercise by Suriname's National Army, started this week from Pikin Saron to Tibiti, aiming to improve preparedness and skills through realistic training scenarios involving the Army, Air Force, and Military Police Corps
Oceania Australia After pleading guilty and entering a plea bargain with the US, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a free man and has landed in Australia; Assange will not be allowed to return to the US unless he is granted permission
America Trinidad and Tobago A judge from Trinidad and Tobago has been selected for a vacancy in the Caribbean Court of Justice
Africa Zambia WWF Zambia called for the creation of a special fund dedicated to the development of forestry sector, suggesting to use the resources collected from the carbon tax to recapitalise the industry and ensure the viability of green economy plans
Africa Botswana Despite its central role in Botswana's economy, the mining sector has struggled to expand its employment base beyond 5% of the workforce
America Guyana Aiming for zero maternal deaths, Guyana conducted a workshop on obstetric emergencies with the support of WHO and Global Affairs Canada, enhancing healthcare workers' skills in managing postpartum hemorrhage, maternal sepsis, and hypertensive emergencies
America Honduras Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández has been sentenced to 45 years in prison in the US for drug trafficking, after a Manhattan court found him guilty of conspiring to import cocaine and possessing destructive devices
America Cuba Addressing the Council, Ambassador Quintanilla Román asked the UN Human Rights Council to remove him from the terrorism list, highlighting the negative effects of the designation on Cuba's economy and the welfare of its citizens
America Guatemala Hundreds of ex-paramilitaries who participated in Guatemala's civil war (1960-1996) blocked roads across the country demanding payment for their wartime services: they called for the disbursement of a monthly stipend approved by Congress in 2022
Africa Burundi To mark International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Bujumbura, drug users marched to the social reintegration centre for drug addicts located in Maramvya in the municipality of Mutimbuzi
Europe Belarus A security incident on the border with Ukraine - a quadricopter illegally crossed allegedly to gather information on border infrastructure - brought Belarusian border service and authorities to take measures to further strengthen the area
America Mexico Despite surviving the feared "Day Zero", Mexico City's reservoirs, especially those in the Cutzamala system, remain critically low, averaging 26,18% capacity prompting severe water flow reductions, despite the rain received from Tropical Storm Alberto
Asia Sri Lanka The new Electricity Act has received the approval of the Speaker of Parliament and is therefore in force: it provides for the establishment of the National Electricity Advisory Council and the appointment of the Sri Lanka Utilities Commission