Africa Sierra Leone A ship departed from Freetown was intercepted and diverted to Canary Islands, in a crackdown on international drug trafficking; Spanish police found aboard 35-40 tonnes of cocaine in what has been called “record-breaking cocaine seizure in the Atlantic”
Oceania Fiji The term 'Micro' will be included, from 1 August, in the name of the Ministry that will be known as the 'Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications', given the growing importance of this category
Europe Germany Germany reached the NATO alliance target of spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defence for the first time since the early 1990s, at the end of the Cold War
America Bolivia This week Bolivia celebrated the Jisk’a Anata Carnival Parade in La Paz, marked by vibrant rhythms and inclusive participation, blending indigenous and contemporary dances, emphasizing unity, tradition, and water conservation
Africa Ghana Ghana's opposition presidential candidate, John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress, said he didn't agree with the proposal of anticipating the 2024 general elections to November, from the planned December date
Africa Cape Verde The beach of Ponta Preta will host the kitesurf world cup from 16 to 25 February, organized by the GKA Kitesurf World Cup Cabo Verde; some 85 sailors, including 15 Cape Verdeans, will compete in the event
Asia Cyprus The interior ministry is in the process of examining and evaluating the entire lifeguard system to ensure it is managed more efficiently; the announcement came just a day before the lifeguard’s plan to go on strike
America Brazil Brazilian police have seized former President Jair Bolsonaro's passport and accused him of manipulating a draft decree to overturn election results, allegedly pressuring military chiefs for a coup and plotting to jail a Supreme Court justice
Africa Libya Abdoulaye Bathily, UN Envoy to Libya, emphasised the possible role of the African Union in achieving national reconciliation based on lessons learnt from similar experiences in member states, according to the UN Support Mission in Libya
Europe Switzerland The man who took over 13 hostages on a Swiss regional train, before being shot dead by police, has been formally identified as a 32-years-old Iranian asylum seeker, who repeatedly tried to contact with a member of staff at an asylum centre
Asia India Thousands of farmers are protesting against Modi's government and the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party with riots in several cities, repressed with tear gas and water cannons; access points have been closed with barbed wire, spikes and concrete blocks
Europe Slovenia At the end of February, the country will expand neonatal screening tests to detect more than 45 different diseases, up from the current 20; the new programme is expected to be launched on Rare Disease Day, which falls on 29 February
Europe Latvia Electronic timetables at public transport stops in Rīga have had their day and no longer display information: the public transport company Rīgas Satiksme plans to replace these screens and install new ones throughout the city
Asia Malaysia Malaysia ranks eighth on the list of best places to retire according to International Living's Annual Global Retirement Index 2024, and is the only Asian country to make it into the top 10