Far away? Stay local. Spotlighted here are some of the current events happening during the week of Feb. 2 to 8, 2014, along with links to local sources. All intended to bring you up to speed with the inside story.

Malawi: Liberia’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, visited Malawi from Feb. 1 to 3, 2014. The two countries signed an Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, reiterating their collaboration in agriculture, trade and health among other sectors. Read local at Maravii Express.

Sudan: Seven leaders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition, who were jailed for planning to overthrow President Salva Kiir, were released on Jan. 29. The leaders are to participate in the next round of dialogues concerning South Sudan’s national reconciliation, commencing Monday, Feb. 10. Read local at the Sudan Tribune.

Zimbabwe: Robert Martin Gumbura, founder of the Independent End Time Message Church, was sentenced to 40 years in jail for rape and possession of pornographic materials. Gumbura plans to appeal his conviction. Read local at Daily News.

Costa Rica: Luis Guillermo Solis, the center-left presidential candidate from the Citizen Action Party, finished first in the primary election on Feb. 2, winning over Johnny Araya from the ruling National Liberation Party. Solis’s victory took the country by surprise. A run-off election is to take place on April 6, 2014. Read local at The Tico Times.

Bermuda: Joanne MacPhee, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, was fired after yelling at a group of marching union workers. Read local at the Bermuda Sun.

Colombia: The Minister of Defense is currently investigating digital surveillance carried out by the military that targeted opposition politicians who attend the peace talks with the FARC group. Read local at Colombia Reports.

Hong Kong: A 900-kilogram bomb from World War II was found in a hotel construction site. More than 2,000 people were evacuated as specialists detonated the bomb. Read local at The Standard.

Indonesia: Schapelle Corby, an Australian woman convicted of drug trafficking, was granted parole on Friday, Feb. 7 after serving nine years in a Bali prison. Corby will remain in Bali on parole until 2017. The decision on her case aroused contentions among Indonesians. Read local at The Jakarta Globe.

Bangladesh: The country’s first light and sound show debuted at Lalbagh Fort, Dhaka on Friday, Feb. 7, featuring light effects, music and a narrative that dramatized the fort’s history. The show, which will be performed in other archeological sites across the country, attempts to highlight the country’s history and heritage as well as provide a new attraction to visitors. Read local at Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

Russia: The Ministry of Transport has banned liquid in carry-ons for all passengers flying into Russia during the Sochi Winter Olympics 2014.  The ban was in response to a U.S. warning against the threat of terrorists concealing explosives in toothpaste tubes. Read local at The Moscow Times.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Mass anti-government protests burst out across the country on Feb. 7 with large crowds of protesters gathering in Sarajevo, Tuzla and Zenica. High unemployment rates and government corruption prompted the protests. Due to demands of the protesters, the Prime Minister has resigned. Read local at Sarajevo Times.

France: Three metric tons of illegally traded elephant tusks were publicly destroyed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Thursday, Feb. 6. Through the event, France hopes to send a strong message against elephant poaching and trafficking in Africa. Read local at The Local.

Israel: The Jerusalem Municipality’s Committee for Planning and Building approved the construction of 558 apartment buildings in East Jerusalem settlements. The international community, including the European Union and the United States, condemned Israel’s decision. Read local at The Jerusalem Post.

Lebanon: A Photoshopped picture of Lebanese politician Bahia Hariri in a bikini dancing with her Hezbollah rival Mohammad Raad appeared on the MTV program Hayda Haki, which was aired on Tuesday, Feb. 3. The image stirred up great anger in the community. Hezbollah’s media relations office denounced the depiction as a “an unacceptable violation of all [standards of] dignity.” Read local at The Daily Star.

Kuwait: In honor of the upcoming National Day and Liberation Day on Feb. 25 and 26, the Kuwait Oil and Petrochemical Industries Workers Confederation decided to delay the threat of a strike until March. The strike was initially planned in response to a reduction in the achievement bonus that oil workers received. Read local at Kuwait Times.