Asia Tajikistan In a move to combat extremism, the country, where 96% of the population is Muslim, has imposed a complete ban on women wearing the hijab; previously, the hijab had been banned in schools since 2007 and in public institutions since 2009
Asia Sri Lanka All vehicle import restrictions will be lifted by February 2025, following significant improvement in foreign exchange reserves and the strength of the rupee
Asia Singapore Students who perform well in their mother tongue in the primary school leaving examination will have the opportunity to study their mother tongue at secondary school from 2026 onwards, thus eliminating the minimum score limit now present
Asia Saudi Arabia 'Our Guests are Our Priority' initiative aims to improve the quality of services offered to national and international tourists throughout the Kingdom by strengthening the adherence of accommodation facilities to licensing and classification standards
Asia Bahrain Semiconductor chip manufacturer Polymatech Electronics will invest USD 16 million in Bahrain to create a semiconductor manufacturing plant that will play a key role in the production of essential components for 5G and 6G
Asia Bangladesh The US Agency for International Development will provide Bangladesh with USD 202,25 million in aid under the Development Objective Grant Agreement focusing on three key areas: good governance, social and economic opportunities, and resilience
Asia Vietnam Dà Nang Free Diving, a diving group, is regularly cleaning coral reefs supported by a loyal group of 40 amateur and professional divers
Asia Turkmenistan An exhibition of economic achievements dedicated to the 33rd anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence is scheduled to open on 19 September near the capital's 'Garagum' hotel
Asia Jordan The Amman and Jordan Chambers of Commerce criticized the former government’s decision to raise taxes on electric vehicles for being made without consulting traders and for conflicting with principles of cooperation between the public and private sectors
Asia Turkey A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development revealed that one in four university graduates in Turkey is unemployed, placing the country at the bottom of the list
Asia Japan Water accidents left 242 people dead or missing nationwide in July and August, marking a third consecutive year-on-year increase, the National Policy Agency said; accidents at sea, in rivers and other waters rose to 488, up 35 from a year ago
Asia Afghanistan In response to public statements by the authorities that he will not be allowed to travel to the country, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, urged the Taliban to reverse their decision
Asia Armenia Lawmakers will drop plan to toughen penalties for tax evasion after business leaders raised concerns about the potential impact of proposed changes on the private sector