Asia

A group of locals has caught a large crocodile on an uninhabited island in Lhaviyani Atoll and handed it over to the Maldives National Defense Force; the 1,5 m reptile, seen on 'Dhihdhoo' island, is neither an exceptional sight nor an endemic species

The 21st alternative Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony took place in Jaffa, forced to keep its location secret due to far-right threats to disrupt the event and following last year's disruption of a screening in a mosque

Native plant nursery and seed bank in AlUla governorate has a target of more than 500 local plant species by 2030; supplying reserves and urban landscapes it is strengthening its position as a model for ecological restoration

Beekepers in Oman are preparing for Al Baram season, the crucial time of year when Acacia tortilis and Acacia ehrenbergiana begin to bloom and their blossoms, the 'Baram', give distinctive, refined taste to honey

Runways at Wonsan beach resort as well as Sinuiju and Samjiyonon on the border with China are being updated, according to satellite images; new angled taxiways will allow large planes to exit faster and suggest a planned commercial expansion

Increase in container traffic at the Aqaba Container Terminal during the past month, despite regional tensions, reflects Jordan’s growing logistical role in the region with flexible supply chains at Aqaba Port becoming a secure, stable alternative route

First aquarium in laos is being planned in Vientiane, featuring freshwater species from the Mekong and regional rivers; The facility will include educational exhibits, conservation programs and research spaces

A Syariah-based diyat compensation system for drink-driving cases is being proposed to complement existing laws with a restorative justice approach; it would allow victims’ families to receive financial restitution alongside criminal penalties

Cabinet reaffirmed that Kuwait isn't part in any conflict and won'tnallow its territory to be used to launch attacks against any state, underscoring commitment to a foreign policy grounded in positive neutrality, international law and good neighborliness

To reintroduce Turan tigers into the wild, four Amur tigers will arrive from Russia, with the goal of establishing a self-reproducing population in their Ile-Balkhash historical habitat, restoring ecosystems and securing long-term survival of the species

The General Secondary Education Certificate Examination, known as “Tawjihi”, will be fully digital next year; examination halls and computer equipment had already been prepared for a digital format this year, but the rollout was delayed