Asia Cambodia The General Department of Immigration has announced that it will begin drug testing all its employees starting next week
Asia Brunei Brunei's growing popularity as a travel destination has seen an increase of people offering guiding services without licences, jeopardising the integrity of tourism industry and raising concerns about the quality of the experiences provided to visitors
Asia Sri Lanka Under a special presidential amnesty, 1.004 prisoners are to be released this Christmas, of whom 15 are female
Asia Iraq With a turnout of 41%, Iraq's first provincial elections have come to an end; the Coordination Framework alliance won 101 of the 285 council seats
Asia Indonesia A five-year multiple-entry visa has been introduced for foreigners who want to visit the country for tourism or business reasons; he policy is part of the government’s efforts to increase the number of visitors and stimulate the economy
Asia Georgia The McLain Association for Children - Georgia is the first recipient in the country to receive the Project Zero Award for its efforts in promoting a barrier-free world for people with disabilities
Asia Turkmenistan Freight transport by the ships of the Turkmenistan Merchant Navy fleet in the period January-November 2023 increased by 21,6% compared to the same period in 2022 and amounted to 2,06 million tonnes
Asia Mongolia A total of 40 volunteers appointed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government will work in Mongolia for three months, in volunteer activities organised together with students from two secondary schools and universities
Asia Saudi Arabia Hanan Elatr, widow of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, will receive political asylum in the United States after, according to several investigations, her husband was killed on the orders of her country's government
Asia Maldives The development of new residential buildings to accommodate people living in the Male' Hiyaa and Sinamale' flats in the city of Male' and the suburb of Vilimale' will begin in February next year
Asia North Korea Kim Jong Un said he would not hesitate to launch nuclear weapons against the United States in response to a 'nuclear provocation', according to state media reports that Kim met with soldiers responsible for this week's long-range missile test
Asia Cyprus Tourism revenues grew by 25% in 2023 compared to the previous year, potentially marking a new record, according to Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis
Asia South Korea A survey released on 10 December by nongovernmental organization Workplace Gapjil 119 showed that 15,3% of South Korean workers have been subject to direct physical or verbal abuse at work, highligthing the ongoing issue of workplace harassment