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 San Marino New law on eSports, among the most advanced, was presented at the opening of San Marino Comics, an annual gathering of tens of thousands visitors; formally approved by the IOC, eSports are fueling innovation and revenues in the digital sector worldwide
Africa Rwanda Schools across Rwanda that benefit from the national school feeding program are invited to incorporate high-iron beans into their menus as the new academic year begins, to strengthen nutrition for at least 3,9 million kids from early childhood to primary
Africa Ethiopia Connected Banking Summit was held in Addis Abeba, confirming Ethiopia’s will to advance towards digital finance; the annual event has seen 112 countries represented so far and 10.000 partnerships signed
America Uruguay A civic-military parade and official ceremony led by President Yamandú Orsi have marked Uruguay's 200th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence, emphasizing historical reflection, national unity, and future social and economic challenges
Africa Sao Tome and Principe Moratorium on the use of plastic bags has ended: a public awareness campaign announced that starting in September the use of plastic bags will be officially banned in São Tomé and Príncipe; inspections and sanctions will begin in the last quarter of 2025
Asia Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Air Force has warned the public regarding the potential dangers of flying kites near airport premises; kite flying, a popular activity in the country, in the vicinity of runways can be cited as one of the main causes of accidents in the world
Africa Libya The UN Special Representative to Libya Hanna Tetteh presented to the Security Council a new roadmap aimed at resuming the political process and holding general elections, emphasizing the urgency to end transitional phase and unify the divided institutions
Asia Taiwan A new employment support program targeting age 15-29 entering the job market for the first time will begin on 1 September, raising monthly allowances to NT$6,000 (US$196) and offering additional incentives for those getting stable employment
Africa Malawi Thin plastics have been addressed in Kasungu, with the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority warning residents and traders to abandon outlawed products or face legal action, supporting alternatives as paper or cloth bags and biodegradable packaging
Africa Nigeria The Nigeria Immigration Service has doubled the cost of acquiring the Nigerian international passport from N50.000 to N100.000, slightly under €56, for a 32-page passport with 5-year validity; new tariffs will be effective starting 1 September 2025
Oceania Marshall Islands Nitijela, the parliament building, was burnt down by an overnight fire this week: chamber, library and archives have been destroyed but full impact will be known in a few days; President Heine said Cabinet endorsed fast-tracking building of new complex
Africa Burundi Qatar's Al Mansour Holding, spanning infrastructure, mining, banking, tourism, agriculture, cybersecurity, reaffirmed its commitment to invest in Burundi during an official meeting in Bujumbura with President Ndayishimiye
Africa Kenya The Kenyan Revenue Authority will not require salaried workers to file annual tax returns manually; thank to the integration of its internal systems, salaried workers will just be required to key their national ID number into the taxman's system