Asia Saudi Arabia A catering challenge has been launched at Ministry of Hajj and Umrah headquarters in Makkah to enhance pilgrims' catering system and stimulate innovation in the services provided; the initiative fosters a creative and competitive environment
Asia Bangladesh A new demonstration from garment-sector workers was staged today as protesters blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway demanding wages for August and their night shift allowances to be paid, after factory management repeatedly assured them
Asia Brunei Enforcement Officers of the Halal Food Control Division, Syariah Affairs Department, Ministry of Religious Affairs seized 39,8 kilogrammes of raw chicken wings from a house in Belait, believed to have been imported without a Halal Import Permit
Asia Kuwait Newborn registration delays in Kuwait are now to attract fines: every Kuwaiti father or guardian must register a newborn in the father’s nationality file within 60 days, or face fines ranging KD2.000 to 3.000 (€5.500-8.000) with limited settlement options
Asia Armenia Over 16.000 forcibly displaced persons of Nagorno-Karabakh have been granted Armenian citizenship so far this year; 11.259 who have been granted by presidential decree and 5.000+ minors changed passport when their parents were granted citizenship
Asia Oman Traditional Omani folk games have been integrated into a digital environment; the pioneer initiative has been launched as part of effort to preserve the nation's intangible cultural heritage and make it a legacy for younger generations
Asia Palestine Panic spread among Gaza City residents as Israel airdropped leaflets ordering evacuation in view of an imminent attack, but no immediate signs of a mass exodus were detected at bird-eye view, as residents say there is no safe place to flee to
Asia East Timor The Order of Engineers of Timor-Leste is under creation with the support of the Portuguese Engineers Association to provide a regulatory structure for the profession, to strengthen quality, ethics and enhance the value of the sector
Asia Israel Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s benchmark TA-125 index gained 1,7% as shares rose to new record highs at the end of trading day yesterday following an Israeli airstrike that targeted top Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar; index has marked over +32% so far this year
Asia Pakistan A $500 million Memorandum of Understanding was signed with U.S. Strategic Metals USSM, targeting development and processing of critical minerals like copper, rare earths, gold, tungsten, and antimony
Asia Vietnam 80th National Day has been marked with largest military parade in decades at Ba Dinh Square, featuring over 200 land vehicles, 30 aircraft, and more than 40 naval vessels, with international contingents from China, Russia, Laos and Cambodia
Asia Yemen A drone attack launched by Houthi militants in Yemen injured two people at an airport near the city of Eilat after an alert system failed
Asia Maldives The UN Disability Rights Committee reported the absence of strategies, policies and disaggregated data on women with disabilities, the lack of gender perspectives in disability laws and the absence of disability perspectives in gender policies