Asia Laos About $12 million in digital taxes from global technology companies have been collected under new law: foreign providers of online services must register with Lao tax authorities regardless of whether they have a physical presence in the country
Europe Lithuania Following the inclusion of Kaunas' modernist architecture on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the municipality of Lithuania's second-largest city says that maintenance and protection of the area "will become more effective, not stricter"
America Ecuador Ecuador's presidential campaign has begun with security concerns after a candidate's assassination; front-runner Luisa González has taken protective measures, and other candidates are addressing insecurity and unemployment ahead of the October 15 election
Europe Czech Republic Czech scientists, with the support of a small experimental brewer, have created the country's first "Celtic beer," TauriALE, made by laboratory analysis of pollen from a Celtic burial site in Moravia
Europe Belarus More than 1 million tonnes of sugar beets have been harvested so far in Belarus this year
Oceania New Zealand New Zealand's Immigration Green List will undergo a significant expansion to address critical skills shortages, including a wide range of occupations in the construction, IT, automotive and engineering sectors
Africa Burundi US company SpaceX is reportedly in talks with Burundian government to launch its Starlink low earth orbit broadband satellite service from the second quarter of 2024; the majority of Burundian popoulation lacks access to high speed internet services
America Cuba 52 new economic actors, 49 of which are private SMEs and 3 state-owned in restoration services, bakery products, meat preparation, land passenger transport, and construction, have been approved by the Ministry of Economy
Asia Brunei The country has joined calls for more action against religious hatred, particularly Islamophobia and anti-Islamic sentiments, saying it is unacceptable to justify religious hatred even under the excuse of freedom of expression
Oceania Micronesia Under the Chuuk lagoon lies an underwater museum steeped in World War II history, with several underwater sites known as 'ship reefs', a fusion of maritime history and the colorful underwater world
America Honduras President Xiomara Castro visited Honduran immigrants in shelters in the US southern border, acknowledging the humanitarian crisis and the need for collective efforts to ensure security and respect for their rights
Asia Cambodia A 10-day multinational training session focused on mine and unexploded ordnance removal successfully concluded with participation of soldiers and military instructors from 14 ASEAN-Plus countries
Europe Sweden Two powerful explosions ripped through houses in central Sweden, injuring at least three people and damaging buildings, with bricks and window sections left outside; it is not known whether the blasts were related to each other