Asia

The first Hindi certificate course in Sri Lanka through open and distance learning was recently launched, a collaborative initiative between the Sri Lanka Open University and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has launched an initiative to raise environmental awareness and showcase the reserve's biodiversity and achievements, especially to sports enthusiasts

The Warif Academy has been launched: it is the first government academy of its kind for students with multiple disabilities in Qatar, upon initiative of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in cooperation with the Qatar Foundation

Ukraine released the first testimony of North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region: two wounded North Korean soldiers were captured and taken to Kiev for treatment and later interrogation

Figures by EU source show a 400% increase in Armenia-EU air transport passenger flow since 2018; in the first 6 days of 2025, arrivals have registered a 19,4% increase on same days of 2024

Hainan, the tax-free island province popular with luxury domestic shoppers and international high-end brands, experienced a 29,3% YoY decline in duty free sales in 2024 as the nation's sluggish economy led to a reduction in tourism

A fact-finding mission to Tbilisi will be conducted by the Assembly of Council of Europe on 14-16 Jan to assess Georgia's compliance with obligations and commitments as member state of Council of Europe upon political crisis and suspension of negotiations

The number of victims of the war in the Gaza Strip as reported by Ministry of Health may be underestimated by at least 40%: the actual death toll may have already exceeded 70.000, according to analyses by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The volume of goods that entered Syria and Lebanon through Jordan has amounted to 214.000 tonnes in 2024, compared to 150.000 tonnes in 2023; the figure represents a 40% increase of trade activity in the Jordanian-Syrian Joint Free Zone

The relocation of civil servants to new capital Nusantara has been delayed due to incomplete housing and missing digital infrastructure; plans to move 12.000 workers by 2024 are postponed with no new timeline, but a full transition is set for 2029

The Crane Rice initiative supports endangered sarus cranes by promoting eco-friendly farming; it reached 120 families and 132 hectares, offering farmers premium rice prices while creating safe crane habitats, balancing conservation and community welfare

e-cigarettes and e-baraku (electronic hookahs) have been added to prohibited items for students, like traditional cigarettes; Ministry of Education enforced penalties, including warnings, probation, and behavioral interventions, to curb rising student use