The News You Missed in 2021, From Every Country in the World (Part 1)

Lehan Edirisinghe and Elle Trump December 29, 2021

Watch Facts Elle's

Key takeaways

- A UN investigation raised the possibility that a military drone autonomously hunted and attacked targets in Libya. The weapon reportedly operated without a data connection, although investigators stopped short of confirming autonomous operation or establishing whether anyone was killed or injured.

“did not require data connectivity.”

- Vanuatu's citizenship-for-sale program had become a major source of government revenue and a potential international security vulnerability. Approximately 2,000 people, including politicians, businesspeople and criminals, obtained citizenship for $130,000, generating nearly 42% of government revenue in 2020 while offering visa-free access to the UK and EU.

“Because for $130,000, they can.”

- Kiribati had already purchased foreign territory as a potential refuge from rising sea levels. Six years earlier, it bought 8.5 square miles of land in Fiji and subsequently enlisted China to develop farms there, addressing the immediate food-security needs of a country that imports all its food.

“an actual overseas climate refuge in the first place.”

- Australia proposed paying East Timor to store Australian carbon emissions in its nearly depleted Bayu-Undan oil field. Supporters saw an economic opportunity for East Timor, while critics argued that the arrangement would transfer the environmental responsibility of a wealthy polluter to a poorer country.

“simply shifting climate change responsibility from a rich country to a poor one.”

- Guinea experienced an Ebola outbreak apparently originating from a survivor of the epidemic that ended in 2016. Researchers suspected that the virus had persisted in the survivor for five years before triggering a new outbreak involving more than 20 probable cases, considerably extending the known potential duration of viral persistence.

“for a full five years”

- Tonga's methamphetamine epidemic had become a major national health crisis. Meth accounted for 60% of admissions to mental-health wards and was filling prisons, as drugs previously passing through Tonga on their way from Asia to Australia and New Zealand increasingly remained in the country.

“the drugs are increasingly stopping instead of passing through.”

- A Dutch court finally ordered Royal Dutch Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary to compensate communities affected by pipeline pollution. The ruling followed 15 years of environmental damage and 13 years of litigation involving Goi and Oruma, and additionally required Shell to install pipeline warning systems, although compensation remained undetermined.

- Togo developed a digital pandemic-relief distribution system that bypassed unreliable conventional government records. Officials used voter registration to verify applicants and distributed payments through SMS, demonstrating how existing electoral infrastructure could be repurposed to deliver financial assistance when census and tax databases were inadequate.

All points

102 gathered points · 5969 words

  • The 2021 news cycle was largely a continuation of 2020. Pandemic coverage shifted from fear of the virus to uncertainty about vaccines and distribution; paper shortages became supply-chain chaos; and police violence, racial injustice and protests moved from the streets into courtrooms. Major headlines continued to crowd out smaller stories.
  • The series deliberately focused on overlooked stories from 196 countries and territories. Rather than covering major international headlines, it selected one story per country, emphasizing ordinary people's experiences. Climate change and coups were two dominant recurring themes.
  • The Human Development Index determined the presentation order. Countries were arranged from lowest to highest HDI rather than by population. The UN index combines life expectancy, education and gross national income per capita to assess human development. Seven countries lacked sufficient statistics for an HDI score, so they were presented first.

  • The episode covered the first 98 entries of a planned 196-story series. The remaining 98 were scheduled for a second installment on Friday.

  • North Korea reopened direct communications with South Korea. The two countries restored their leadership hotline between Seoul and Pyongyang. The communications channel had existed in some form since the 1970s but had been severed twice in the preceding two years, following the failed Trump–North Korea summit and joint US–South Korean military exercises.

  • Monaco's Venturi announced an emissions-free Antarctic exploration vehicle. The Formula E team and automotive company planned to deploy its electric vehicle, named Antarctica, to transport scientists conducting climate research. It had already undergone testing at French ski resorts, with preparation focused on Antarctic conditions.
  • Nauru renewed its offshore asylum-processing agreement with Australia. The arrangement allows Australia to process asylum seekers on the Pacific island rather than within its own territory. Although the agreement maintains Nauru's relationship with an important regional power, it also continues the country's involvement in a system criticized by the UN for prolonged detention, poor living conditions and reported abuse.
  • San Marino won its first Olympic medal. Women's trap shooter Alessandra Perilli earned bronze at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. With approximately 33,000 residents, San Marino became the least populous country or territory ever to win an Olympic medal, surpassing Bermuda's previous record of approximately 70,000.
  • Somalia reopened its National Theatre after 30 years. The venue, closed in 1991 at the beginning of the civil war, had subsequently been used as a headquarters by warlords and bombed by anti-entertainment jihadists. Its reopening featured two short films by a Somali director and took place under heavy security, representing a small cultural revival amid continuing instability.
  • Tuvalu used an underwater speech at COP26 to highlight its existential climate threat. Its foreign minister addressed the climate summit standing knee-deep in water, drawing attention to a country whose highest land reaches only about 15 feet above sea level. Tuvalu also sought international recognition that it could retain its maritime zones and statehood even if rising seas eventually forced its population to relocate.
  • The Vatican distributed 15,000 ice creams to prisoners during an Italian heatwave. The donation came during a summer of record temperatures across the Italian peninsula. The Vatican's charity office had also provided free pandemic testing and vaccines and organized pizza outings for homeless residents.
  • Niger completed its first peaceful democratic transfer of power. President Mahamadou Issoufou stepped down after serving the two terms permitted by the constitution, and Mohamed Bazoum succeeded him. Allegations of electoral fraud, protests, violence and an attempted coup threatened the transition, but it succeeded, marking the first peaceful democratic handover since Niger gained independence in 1960.
  • The Central African Republic's prime minister announced his government's resignation through Twitter. Firmin Ngrebada and his administration stepped down amid criticism of their inability to establish peace between ethnic groups, their controversial relationship with Russia and deteriorating relations with France, which had withdrawn its military assistance.
  • FIFA suspended and subsequently reinstated Chad's football association. FIFA cited government interference in the association's authority and training facilities under the country's military council. Although the suspension was eventually lifted, Chad had already been disqualified from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
  • South Sudan launched its first domestically owned mobile network. Digitel began operating in Juba as the country marked its tenth anniversary of independence. The South Sudanese-owned company planned to introduce competitive 4G services in the capital and eventually extend mobile connectivity to remote communities.
  • Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed agreements to strengthen cross-border cooperation. Their presidents agreed to promote trade, combat rebel activity and construct a bridge across the Ruzizi River. Railway expansion and electrification along the border were also included, with both governments describing the relationship as a historic brotherhood.
  • Mali's Halima Cissé gave birth to nine babies. The 25-year-old was sent to a specialist in Morocco in March 2021 expecting seven children. Doctors discovered two additional babies, and all nine were reportedly born healthy. The birth established a record for the most babies delivered at once.
  • Sierra Leone's capital appointed an official specifically responsible for extreme heat. Freetown created the position to develop a comprehensive heat strategy, educate residents and protect vulnerable populations from increasingly dangerous heatwaves. It was the first such appointment in Africa and the third worldwide, following Miami and Athens.
  • Burkina Faso's strongman competitor Iron Biby became a national hero after setting a world record. He lifted 504 pounds over his head in a log-lifting competition in Glasgow, Scotland. Large crowds welcomed him home at the airport, and he dedicated his achievement to Burkina Faso as a message of hope.
  • Mozambique's elephants are increasingly being born without tusks because of decades of poaching. During the country's civil war, approximately 90% of its elephants were killed for ivory. Tuskless animals consequently had a greater chance of surviving and passing on their genes. With poaching declining and conservation improving, researchers expected tusks to become more common again.
  • More than 300 Eritreans born during Italian colonial rule demanded recognition of their Italian citizenship rights. Their claims rely on paternal Italian ancestry. Racial laws during Italy's fascist period, modern immigration rules, missing documentation and restrictions on movement under Eritrea's dictatorship have prevented many people from establishing their eligibility. The number potentially affected is estimated to reach thousands.
  • A tree-sculpting project brought unexpected beauty to Yemen's war-damaged city of Marib. Trees and bushes were shaped into figures, animals and decorative forms along city streets. The project began in 2016 in a strategically important city that remains one of the Yemeni government's last major strongholds, providing residents with a small respite from the civil war.
  • Guinea experienced a possible Ebola resurgence linked to a survivor of the 2014–2016 West African outbreak. The 2021 outbreak involved more than 20 probable cases. Scientists already knew that Ebola could occasionally remain transmissible for up to 500 days after infection, but the discovery of the virus in a survivor approximately five years later was an unexpected development.
  • A teenage motorcycle-taxi driver in Liberia returned $50,000 he found on the roadside. Emmanuel Tuloe discovered the cash inside a plastic bag and returned the entire amount to the businesswoman who had lost it. His honesty earned widespread public praise and an opportunity to meet Liberia's president, whom he hoped to ask about educational opportunities for himself and other young people.
  • Researchers began attaching GPS tracking devices to male green sea turtles off Guinea-Bissau. The project aims to understand the endangered turtles' migration and feeding patterns. Its significance extends beyond conservation: researchers gained the cooperation of traditionally protective island communities by respecting their sacred environment and incorporating their local knowledge into the research.
  • Belgium announced its first systematic government-led plan to return African artifacts acquired illegitimately during colonial rule. Most of the objects concerned came from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The announcement followed growing international pressure, including activism associated with the Black Lives Matter movement.
  • Malawians protested against some of the world's most expensive mobile-data prices. One gigabyte cost nearly $28, making Malawi the third-most expensive country among UN-recognized countries. Regulators acknowledged that excessive prices could obstruct social and economic development.
  • WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom described a systematic blockade of Ethiopia's Tigray region. In November, he warned that people were dying because supplies could not reach them and that Tigrayans were being arrested in large numbers. Although Tedros came from Tigray, he avoided directly assigning blame for the civil war because he was attempting to maintain a neutral position.
  • The Gambia secured an important ruling in its international genocide case against Myanmar. Acting on behalf of the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority, The Gambia filed proceedings in 2019 with backing from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In September 2021, a judge ordered Facebook to disclose account records relating to the persecution, recognizing the potential importance of social media evidence in investigating the 2017 genocide.
  • Sudan's military coup interrupted the country's transition toward democracy. Following Omar al-Bashir's removal in 2019, Sudan had been moving toward civilian government until the military seized power in October 2021. Thousands protested in Khartoum, and the United States suspended a $700 million aid package intended to support the transition. The US and UN subsequently pressured military leaders to release detained politicians and restore civilian government.
  • Haiti's democratic crisis deepened after its fourth postponement of general elections. The country was already dealing with a deadly earthquake, the assassination of its president and widespread gang violence. The prime minister dissolved the council responsible for organizing elections and promised to appoint a replacement without providing a timetable, leaving the political situation unresolved.
  • Approximately 130 young Afghan female footballers and their families escaped Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and reached London. They fled Kabul as the Taliban advanced, spent time in Portugal and Pakistan, and eventually arrived on a chartered flight. NGOs and philanthropists helped organize the evacuation, including the chairman of Leeds United, whose club planned to accommodate the girls in its youth football ranks.
  • Senegalese astronomer Maram Kaire received an unusual international recognition when an asteroid was named after him. The International Astronomical Union renamed asteroid 35462 as MaramKaire. Kaire directs Africaspace and helped establish the African Astronomical Society. The recognition highlighted both his scientific contributions and Senegal's ambitions in astronomy.
  • Togo developed an unusually efficient digital system for distributing pandemic relief. Officials lacked reliable census information and faced problems with tax records, so they used voter registration to verify applicants. Payments were then distributed through SMS, creating a system the narrator considered more effective than the comparable US approach.
  • Political instability in Ethiopia disrupted Djibouti's economy through a major railway connection. In July, protesters blocked the rail line linking landlocked Ethiopia to the sea following a state-led attack. Djibouti's port handles approximately 90% of Ethiopian goods, making the connection economically vital. Although the closure was temporary, instability was estimated to have cost Djibouti $1.7 billion in lost commerce.
  • Lesotho's Afriski Mountain Resort adapted to a 90% collapse in visitors caused by South African border closures. Rather than close, the resort offered discounted rates and incentives to attract local visitors, some of whom had never skied before. It also undertook renovation projects to keep its local workforce employed.
  • Scientists discovered two exceptionally small chameleons in northern Madagascar. Measuring approximately 29 millimeters from head to tail, the animals were identified as the smallest of the planet's approximately 11,500 reptile species. Their future remains uncertain because habitat destruction is threatening Madagascar's biodiversity.
  • Petra Diamonds agreed to pay £4.3 million to 71 Tanzanian claimants over alleged abuses at its mining operations. The claimants accused the British diamond producer of violence, including beatings, stabbings and unlawful detention. Petra made no admission of liability but promised to finance community projects and introduce measures intended to prevent future incidents.
  • The European Commission proposed requiring GPS information to establish the origin of imported cocoa products. Companies importing cocoa into the EU would have to demonstrate that their products were not associated with illegal deforestation. The proposal could help Ivory Coast, one of the world's major cocoa producers, tackle illegal cultivation and protect the approximately 15% of its original biodiverse forest that remains.
  • A Dutch court ordered Royal Dutch Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary to compensate communities affected by oil pollution. The case concerned pipeline contamination of farmland in Goi and Oruma, which occurred approximately 15 years earlier. After 13 years of legal proceedings, the court ruled that Shell must pay compensation, with the amount still to be determined, and install pipeline warning systems to help prevent future disasters.
  • Rwanda sentenced YouTube journalist Dieudonne Niyonsenga to seven years in prison. His channel, Ishema TV, had accumulated more than 15 million views while covering subjects including human rights abuses. He was convicted of forgery, humiliating state officials and two other charges. He was the second YouTube critic to be arrested amid increasing restrictions on public criticism of President Paul Kagame's government.
  • Uganda arrested six protesters opposing a major oil pipeline project. The proposed 900-mile pipeline crosses environmentally sensitive areas, beginning in Murchison National Park and running near Lake Victoria. Activists and international NGOs raised concerns about inadequate land compensation and environmental damage. The project had backing from Uganda, Tanzania and companies from France and China, leaving opponents with limited influence.
  • Benin significantly expanded legal access to abortion. Previously permitted only in restricted circumstances involving life-threatening pregnancies, rape or incest, abortion became legal for a broader range of reasons during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women's rights activists welcomed the legislation, which made Benin the most progressive country in West Africa on the issue.
  • Mauritania launched a $317 million fundraising effort to improve access to water. With approximately 90% of its territory covered by the Sahara and only one permanent river, the country faces severe supply problems. The proposed project would provide water to approximately 500,000 people in the south, using financing from several Arab countries to serve urban and rural communities and support agricultural development.
  • Comoros qualified for its first major African Cup of Nations tournament. The national football team drew against World Cup qualifiers Egypt and remained unbeaten throughout its qualifying group stage. The achievement was especially significant for a country of fewer than one million people whose national team had only been established in 2006.
  • A Papua New Guinean man discovered a message in a bottle that had traveled approximately 1,500 miles. Steven Amos found the bottle while collecting plastic waste on an island beach. An American sailor had thrown it overboard two years earlier. The discovery provided a personal connection across the Pacific while occurring in a country struggling with substantial plastic pollution.
  • Pakistan briefly charged an eight-year-old Hindu boy with blasphemy. The child had urinated in the library of an Islamic school, prompting police to arrest him and a mob to vandalize a Hindu temple. The state eventually dropped the charges, punished the officers responsible for arresting him and arranged compensation for repairs to the temple.
  • Cameroon sentenced two transgender women to five years in prison following their arrest at a restaurant. They had been having dinner when authorities arrested them on allegations of homosexuality. One was an activist for transgender rights. The case illustrated the dangers facing LGBTQ people in a region where at least 30 African countries criminalize homosexuality, with particular concern about the women's safety in a male-dominated prison system.
  • Women associated with ISIS at Syria's Al-Hawl camp were entering online marriages with men outside the camp. The arrangements offered women and children a source of income and a possible route toward eventual repatriation. The camp housed nearly 60,000 people amid severe living conditions and extremist influences. Some jihadist men reportedly considered supporting these women an honor, although the marriages generally remained virtual rather than developing into physical relationships.
  • A Solomon Islands resident discovered more than 100 unexploded World War II bombs while digging a septic-system installation. The discovery illustrated the lasting consequences of the extensive Pacific fighting during the war, when thousands of bombs were dropped and ammunition stores were established across the islands. A specialist team successfully removed the explosives.
  • Zimbabwe prepared to launch its first satellite, ZIMSAT-1. Scheduled for February, the satellite was intended to collect information about land cover and drought conditions and support amateur radio communications. Zimbabwe's space program had developed rapidly in the three years since its establishment. The wider African satellite fleet had reached 44 spacecraft as more countries recognized the strategic value of space investment.
  • The Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo sought UNESCO recognition for rumba as intangible cultural heritage. The dance originated in 19th-century Cuba through a combination of African rhythms associated with enslaved people and Spanish musical influences. It subsequently became culturally important in both Congos, including through the independence-era song "Independence Cha Cha," which celebrated the freedom of the Belgian Congo.
  • An Angolan diamond mine was linked to a catastrophic toxic spill affecting communities across the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Waste entered the Kasai River and subsequently the Congo River, where heavy metals were detected. The narrator reported that more than one million people became ill, 12 died and fish and wildlife were devastated. The mine, Angola's largest and partly owned by a Russian company, acknowledged a leak but claimed it involved only sand and mud and denied responsibility for the wider disaster.
  • Myanmar released American journalist Danny Fenster shortly after sentencing him to 11 years in prison. Fenster faced charges including incitement of violence and visa violations, which he said were unfounded. He was the first foreign journalist convicted by Myanmar's military authorities after their February coup and crackdown on independent media. Publications had lost licenses and broadcasters had been banned. Negotiations involving a former US ambassador to the UN helped secure his release.
  • Zambia's conservationists opposed a proposed 17,500-acre agricultural development threatening a major fruit-bat habitat. Approximately 10 million fruit bats gather in a concentrated swamp area and play an important ecological role by distributing seeds across the continent during migration. A proposed wheat, soybean and corn farm near the national park could destroy critical habitat and threaten the bat population.
  • Guinea's military leader Mamady Doumbouya was sworn in following a September coup. His forces overthrew President Alpha Conde, citing continued corruption. The takeover represented the fourth coup in the West African region within a year. A regional economic organization responded by imposing economic sanctions and travel restrictions on the new junta.
  • Cambodia's prime minister intervened to reunite a pet lion with its owner. The animal, named Hima, had been seized after TikTok videos showed it living in an affluent Phnom Penh neighborhood, which authorities considered inappropriate. Subsequent videos demonstrated the relationship between the owner and the lion, prompting public calls for reunification. The prime minister eventually announced that they would be reunited.
  • Kenya completed its first comprehensive national wildlife census. Researchers used aircraft, drones, helicopters, boats and four-wheel-drive vehicles to count more than 30 species across nearly 60% of the country. The results established a baseline for future conservation work. Approximately 36,280 elephants appeared to be increasing in number, while the country's 897 black rhinos were classified as critically endangered.
  • Nepal banned three Indian climbers from returning to Mount Everest for six years over an allegedly fabricated 2016 summit. The climbers had submitted photographs as evidence, but Nepalese authorities suspected the images had been manipulated. Investigators also questioned whether the men had sufficient oxygen to complete the climb. The penalties prevented them from attempting another summit during the ban.
  • East Timor considered allowing Australia to store captured carbon dioxide in a depleted offshore oil field. Australia proposed capturing its own industrial carbon emissions and paying to store them in the Bayu-Undan field, which was expected to run out of oil within a few years. East Timor was simultaneously exploring ecotourism and offshore drilling to diversify its economy. Supporters presented carbon storage as an environmental opportunity, while critics argued it would allow a wealthy country to transfer responsibility for its pollution to a poorer neighbor.
  • Vanuatu's citizenship-by-investment program attracted approximately 2,000 new applicants, including politicians, businesspeople and criminals. For $130,000, applicants could obtain citizenship and visa-free access to the UK and European Union. The legal passport scheme generated almost 42% of government revenue in 2020, but its popularity raised concerns about money laundering and the possibility of international criminals exploiting the program.
  • Twitter hired its first employees in Africa, choosing Ghana as its base. The company announced plans to fill 11 positions and eventually open an office once pandemic restrictions and remote-working arrangements permitted. Ghana's protections for freedom of speech and online expression were cited as important reasons for the choice.
  • Pro-democracy protests challenged King Mswati III's absolute rule in Eswatini. After more than 35 years on the throne, the king faced growing public anger over his lavish lifestyle while approximately 60% of the country's 1.1 million residents lived in poverty. Months of demonstrations resulted in numerous deaths and injuries. Neighboring countries, particularly South Africa, became involved in efforts to navigate the political crisis.
  • Laos recorded Asia's largest single drug seizure after intercepting an enormous methamphetamine shipment. Police discovered 55 million methamphetamine tablets and more than 1.5 tons of crystal meth concealed in beer crates inside a truck. The seizure occurred in the Golden Triangle, where Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet. Unrest in Myanmar's Shan region and China's crackdown on drug trafficking had encouraged smugglers to explore alternative routes.
  • Nicole Yamase became the first citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia to reach Challenger Deep. The 29-year-old completed a ten-hour expedition to approximately 36,000 feet, or 11,000 meters, below the surface of the Mariana Trench, which lies within her country's territorial waters. She also became the third woman and second-youngest person ever to reach the deepest part of the ocean. Yamase was a PhD student studying the effects of climate change on microalgae.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe announced plans for a commercial Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion project. The country entered a public-private partnership to develop floating platforms that generate electricity using the temperature difference between warm surface water and cold deep-ocean water. The project was described as the first commercial undertaking of its kind.
  • Kiribati's earlier purchase of land in Fiji became an important example of climate adaptation. Six years before the episode, Kiribati bought approximately 8.5 square miles of Fijian land to provide a potential refuge for residents displaced by rising sea levels. The government subsequently enlisted China to develop agricultural facilities there, intending to produce food for Kiribati, which currently imports all its food. Critics described China's involvement as a potential land grab, while supporters saw it as a sustainability initiative. The underlying significance was that an island country was already establishing a physical climate refuge abroad.
  • Bangladesh's garment workers received renewed international safety protections through an agreement signed by approximately 200 fashion companies. The legally binding accord included independent factory inspections, financial contributions for safety training and factory improvements. It replaced an earlier agreement introduced after the 2013 factory disaster that killed approximately 1,100 people. Human rights organizations welcomed the continuation of protections in one of the world's largest garment-producing countries.
  • Honduras' economy was projected to grow by nearly 9% in 2021, substantially above earlier forecasts. Previous estimates had placed growth between 2% and 5%. Increased retail and manufacturing activity contributed to the improvement, while supply-chain disruptions raised coffee prices, benefiting Honduras as a major coffee exporter.
  • Several Indian states proposed introducing two-child policies and sterilization incentives to restrict population growth. Uttar Pradesh, with approximately 240 million residents, was among the states considering restrictions that would deny government benefits, subsidies and public employment to people with more than two children. The proposal also offered incentives for sterilization. The narrator noted that 12 states had already adopted similar measures.
  • Germany agreed to provide Namibia with €1.1 billion over 30 years in response to atrocities committed during German colonial rule. German forces had killed and tortured indigenous people and forced tens of thousands into the desert to die. Angela Merkel's government described the financial package as reconciliation funding intended to heal historical wounds but stopped short of formally recognizing it as reparations.
  • Satellite imagery revealed new Chinese settlements inside disputed Bhutanese territory. Multiple villages had appeared within an approximately 60-square-mile area claimed by Bhutan. The territory had previously been the subject of tensions between India and China over road construction. India supported Bhutan's territorial claims because of their shared concerns about Chinese expansion.
  • Nicaragua established a space ministry despite severe domestic problems. President Daniel Ortega created the National Ministry for Extraterrestrial Space Affairs, the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, with the stated ambition of developing a space agency capable of reaching distant parts of the universe. Critics described the initiative as a vanity project because the country was experiencing significant social and economic hardship and the proposed program had not progressed beyond its announcement.
  • Guatemala became the world's sixth-largest palm-oil producer, but expansion threatened indigenous land rights. Growing plantation operations led companies to take over indigenous territories. Indigenous communities, representing approximately 40% of Guatemala's 17 million residents, responded in some cases by forcibly returning to their traditional lands.
  • Cape Verde recorded a dramatic increase in sea-turtle nesting, alongside a serious climate-related reproductive imbalance. Nest numbers reached approximately 200,000, twenty times the estimated level in 2015. However, because turtle sex is determined by the temperature of the sand in which eggs develop, warming beaches meant that approximately 84% of hatchlings were female. Despite the population increase, the species remained endangered.
  • Tajikistan remained heavily dependent on Russia through migrant labor and remittances. By September 2021, more than 1.6 million Tajiks had left to work in Russia. They sent billions of dollars back home. Remittances had accounted for more than one-quarter of Tajikistan's GDP in 2019, making overseas employment a central component of the country's economy.
  • El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. The government introduced the Chivo digital wallet and gave residents $30 worth of Bitcoin to encourage adoption. The International Monetary Fund expressed concern about cryptocurrency volatility and financial risks, while supporters viewed the move as an opportunity to modernize the country's financial system.
  • Iraq captured ISIS finance minister Sami Jassem al-Ajuz alive. His arrest was considered a significant intelligence opportunity because investigators could potentially obtain information about the organization's finances and internal operations. Although ISIS had largely disappeared from daily international headlines, the group continued to maintain active sleeper cells across the Middle East.
  • Two Guyanese residents sued their government over oil exploration licenses. They argued that approving offshore oil development violated the state's responsibility to protect future generations' right to a healthy environment. The case challenged ExxonMobil's plans for a potentially enormous offshore extraction site estimated to contain eight billion gallons of oil, which could become the company's largest extraction operation.
  • Moroccan archaeologists discovered stone tools approximately 1.3 million years old. The artifacts came from a site associated with Homo erectus and nearly doubled the previously established timeline for the beginning of stone-tool production in North Africa. The discovery also highlighted the much older history of human ancestors, whose earliest traces extend back more than four million years.
  • Kyrgyzstan elected populist politician Sadyr Japarov in a snap election with relatively low participation. Just over one-third of the population voted. Japarov had previously been convicted of kidnapping. His country occupies a strategic position between China, which has invested in its infrastructure, and Russia, with which it maintains significant historical and political ties. He promised to remain allied with both despite the difficulty of balancing their interests amid domestic political instability.
  • New research suggested Gabon's forest-elephant population was substantially larger than previously estimated. Earlier estimates placed the population at approximately 50,000, but a new study suggested it was closer to 95,000. Strict anti-poaching rules and protected conservation areas were credited with helping the species survive.
  • Vietnam's pandemic-related labor shortage disrupted international manufacturing supply chains. Lockdowns and difficult factory conditions prompted millions of workers to leave cities and return to their rural homes. Manufacturers struggled to persuade them to return, affecting production of internationally traded goods, including athleisure clothing and coffee.
  • An American man received a six-year prison sentence for organizing an international baby-trafficking operation involving Marshallese women. He paid approximately $10,000 to pregnant women from the Marshall Islands to travel to the United States and arranged for their newborns to be adopted by American couples for approximately $40,000. Authorities estimated that around 70 adoptions took place. The operation exploited the Compact of Free Association, which allowed Marshallese citizens to travel or move to the United States without ordinary immigration restrictions. The defendant was also ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution.
  • Polish researchers discovered a pregnant Egyptian mummy, overturning its original identification as a male priest. Further investigation revealed a small femur believed to belong to a fetus approximately 25–30 weeks old. Researchers described the finding as unique and important because comparatively little Egyptological research had focused on women.
  • Ben & Jerry's announced it would stop selling ice cream in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. The company framed the decision as a response to the Israeli settlements, which are not recognized as legal under international law. Israeli officials criticized the decision as a capitulation to antisemitism. The company clarified that its products would remain available within internationally recognized Israeli territory, meaning the commercial withdrawal was limited to the occupied territories.
  • South Africa faced increasing illegal harvesting of rare succulents for overseas collectors. The country contains approximately one-third of the world's succulent species. Poachers particularly targeted Conophytum, a genus containing more than 100 species, many endangered. The plants were being sold into growing markets in South Korea and China, where their low-maintenance characteristics had made them fashionable.
  • Colombia offered temporary legal status to more than 1.7 million Venezuelan migrants. Approximately one-third of the people fleeing Venezuela's economic collapse had moved into neighboring Colombia. The new arrangement allowed eligible migrants to work legally for up to ten years, giving them greater security and a chance to rebuild their lives.
  • Turkmenistan established a national holiday celebrating its traditional Alabai dog breed. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow had previously erected a gilded statue of the breed and expanded the celebrations with a competition for the country's best dog and a medal for its top border-guard dog. The Alabai holiday was paired with recognition of the Akhal-Teke horse, another important symbol of national heritage and traditional herding culture.
  • Samoa experienced a prolonged constitutional crisis before Fiame Naomi Mata'afa became its first female prime minister. Mata'afa won the election but her predecessor, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, refused to recognize her victory and remained in office for several months. After a series of legal battles and appeals, she finally assumed power in July 2021, ending the dispute after more than two decades of rule by her predecessor.
  • Belize secured 367 square miles of rainforest against future deforestation. A coalition of conservation organizations worked together to preserve approximately 950 square kilometers of land. The protected area forms part of a larger ecological region extending across Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. Its preservation was intended to protect a major biodiversity hotspot, roughly comparable in size to Florida, permanently.
  • The Philippines began preparing for a crowded presidential succession after Rodrigo Duterte became constitutionally ineligible for another term. Potential candidates included his daughter Sara Duterte, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr., former actor and Manila mayor Francisco Domagoso, and retired boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. The upcoming election campaign was expected to include highly theatrical public appearances, with candidates being judged partly on their singing and dancing.
  • Indonesia's president personally pitched Elon Musk on using Biak Island as a spacecraft launch location. Joko Widodo presented the island, approximately 70 miles south of the Equator, as a potential launch site as part of his plans to modernize Indonesia. Indigenous residents opposed the proposal because of the potential displacement it could cause. Musk had not publicly responded to the proposal.
  • Bolivia's capital recorded an ultraviolet radiation index of 21, exceeding the scale's usual maximum of 20. La Paz sits approximately 11,800 feet above sea level. Low cloud cover, attributed partly to climate change, combined with a heatwave to produce extraordinary UV exposure. The WHO classifies an index of 11 as extreme, with skin potentially burning after ten minutes; at 21, residents were advised to remain indoors.
  • Uzbekistani gymnast Oksana Chusovitina completed her eighth Olympic appearance at age 46. Her career included an Olympic silver medal in vault in 2008 and 11 medals across 17 world championships. After competing in Tokyo, she announced her retirement, intending to spend more time with her Olympic-wrestler husband and their 22-year-old son.
  • A UN-commissioned investigation raised the possibility that an autonomous military drone had attacked fighters during Libya's civil war. The report described a weapons system that allegedly pursued and attacked militia fighters without requiring a data connection. However, it stopped short of explicitly confirming that the drone operated autonomously and did not establish whether anyone had been killed or injured.
  • Tonga faced a serious methamphetamine epidemic despite largely avoiding the global pandemic. Methamphetamine use had become widespread among the country's approximately 100,000 residents. The king appealed to parliament for help because drugs accounted for approximately 60% of admissions to mental health wards and were filling local prisons. Tonga had long served as a transit point for drugs traveling from Asia to New Zealand and Australia, but increasingly the drugs were remaining in the country.
  • The Paraná River reached its lowest level in more than 70 years. The river runs through Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil and was approximately 10.5 feet, or three meters, below normal. Scientists blamed Amazon deforestation for reducing rainfall, including the moisture generated by the forest itself. The decline threatened communities and businesses in more than 60 towns along the river.
  • Two men received 15-year prison sentences for plotting to overthrow Jordan's King Abdullah. They were aides to the king's half-brother, who had been removed from the line of succession in 2004. The alleged plan involved using civilian supporters to remove Abdullah from power. The narrator also reported allegations that the Trump administration might unknowingly have supported all three men because it viewed Abdullah as an obstacle to an Israeli–Palestinian peace agreement. This alleged American involvement was presented as speculation rather than an established finding.
  • The United Kingdom faced criticism over the high cost of deportation flights to Jamaica. One recent Airbus A350-900, with capacity for 350 passengers, carried only four deportees. The resulting cost was estimated at approximately £50,000, or $66,000, per person. The expense raised questions about whether the program was financially viable, while supporters argued that deporting convicted criminals remained important.
  • Botswana discovered two exceptionally large diamonds within weeks of each other. One weighed 1,174 carats and the other 1,098 carats. Both were approximately the size of a person's hand and came from one of the world's leading diamond-producing countries. Their discovery provided positive news for Botswana's economy and the international diamond market as it attempted to recover from the pandemic.
  • Archaeologists used magnetic-field technology to map the ancient Mongolian capital of Karakorum. The city was established by Genghis Kahn in the 1200s as the capital of the Mongol Empire. Researchers used magnetic measurements to establish its layout and structural composition, discovering that it occupied only about 40% of its potential capacity. The evidence suggested that laborers and craftspeople lived in the city while much of the population maintained a more nomadic lifestyle.