Asia South Korea Online shopping expands 105% since 2017; the market volume of online shopping has contributed largely to private consumption during the pandemic and monthly transactions reached a 16.19 trillion won (US$13.8 billion) in July
Asia Yemen Tents have been erected in the playground of a school in a village near Sanaa to give students a feeling of normality as they begin a new school year with many of their classrooms still reduced to debris by air strikes six years ago
Asia Qatar Qatar 2022 will be the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup in history; all infrastructure projects - including the eight stadiums that will be used - must meet strict sustainability parameters
Asia Japan For the first time in nearly 30 years since the end of the Cold War, the Ground Self-Defense Force has begun nationwide exercises involving all units, part of the plan to consolidate skills and increase regional deterrence
Asia Iran The foreign minister called on Britain to pay its debt to Tehran, now delayed for over 40 years, concerning Chieftain tanks sold to Tehran in the 1970s but never delivered
Asia Maldives Health Minister has stated that the drugs smuggled into the country have increased significantly, with drugs such as meth now inexplicably available at affordable prices; he also briefed MPs on the restructuring of the National Drug Agency
Asia Brunei Hundreds of volunteers across the country are busy in a major operation to deliver food to people in quarantine: over 5.000 people are receiving food rations on a daily basis
Asia Jordan Madaba was named the Arab Tourism Capital for 2022 after meeting all terms of reference as stipulated by the Arab Tourism Organisation: tourism management, infrastructure, diversity of tourism patterns and preservation and protection of the environment
Asia Malaysia The Business Events Council Malaysia has urged the government to consider reopening corporate or industry meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition events as soon as possible, under strict adherence to standard operating procedures
Asia Afghanistan The women's national football team managed to cross the border and escape to Pakistan Together with their families, while the players belonging to the junior women's national team faced threats from the Taliban because of their involvement in sport
Asia Kyrgyzstan The first day of school, traditionally held on September 1st as in most former USSR countries, has been postponed for today in order to extend the tourist and harvesting seasons
Asia Mongolia The country has taken part in the military exercise "Shared Destiny 2021", ending today in the Chinese province of Henan; military personnel joined the event from Mongolia, China, Pakistan and Thailand
Asia Cambodia Phnom Penh’s teachers have been tested, classrooms and premises disinfected in view of today’s school reopening after 7 months of closure