Asia China “Bone ash apartments" will be illegal after new law prohibits use of residential properties to store ashes or bury remains outside dedicated areas; scarce space in cemeteries, low house prices made more affordable to entomb remains in an empty apartment
Europe Monaco Real Estate Observatory reported 493 Transactions in 2025, confirming Monaco’s real estate market at +5,8% on 2024 for a total value of sales and resales of €5,9 billion; IMSEE also presented a new method for the calculation of the price per square meter
Oceania Australia A health alert was issued across Perth after a traveller returned from overseas with measles, with 10 new exposure sites listed across the city’s east and inner suburbs; measles, highly infectious, can develop 7-18 days after exposure to the virus
Europe North Macedonia One year after the fire that killed 63 people at a nightclub in Kocani, four separate court cases are ongoing and relatives are still seeking justice for what has been the worst tragedy in North Macedonia's recent history
Africa Mali Amid recurring tensions along transhumance corridors, traditional authorities and communities focused on mediation and collective planning; in Bourem district the commune Témera is testing a local approach to prevent conflicts between farmers and herders
Asia Myanmar Russia will train Myanmar’s first cosmonaut under a new cooperation agreement that strengthens space ties between the two countries; The initiative forms part of their broader collaboration on satellite technology and space research
Asia Bhutan The Bhutan National Identity has been launched; the secure digital wallet grants greater control to users over their personal data allowing the storage of sensitive information in a trusted digital environment
America Guyana Women are playing a direct role in the transformation of Guyana, many of the them leading in male-dominated technical fields; in the last five years over 16.000 persons were trained through the Board of Industrial Training, with a majority of females
Asia Cyprus Water inflows into Cyprus’ reservoirs are improving compared to 2025; more rain forecast later this week is expected to further boost reserves and the latest outlook suggests water supply conditions may be less severe than initially feared
America Haiti BRANA, the National brewery of Haiti, earned three Gold medals at the 2026 Monde Selection International Quality Awards for its brands Prestige, Malta H and Kinanm for consistent production standards, rigorous quality controls and commitment to excellence
America United States A decade after the Mojave Desert saw last significant bloom, the Death Valley - America’s hottest and driest place - is enjoying an exceptional flowering of wild flora and desert gold, the park’s most common flower, due to unusually wet fall last year
Europe San Marino On World Sleep Day, promoted by World Sleep Society to raise awareness of the importance of good quality sleep, San Marino Ministry and National Institute of Health renewed commitment to promoting awareness, prevention, early diagnosis of sleep disorders
Africa Mauritius Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, Mauritius could potentially be held legally responsible or face international pressure for US strikes launched from Diego Garcia following 2025 Chagos Islands agreement
America Chile Chilean architect Smiljan Radić Clarke won the 2026 Pritzker Prizefor architecture; a low-profile architect, he is known for his ability to anticipate the future and bring the discipline back to essentials: how we move through the world and inhabit places