Asia Armenia Armenian freight transporters are encountering serious difficulties following changes in Russia’s migration policies; many are banned from entering for periods ranging from 3 to 10 years for violating the 90-day stay policy
Oceania Palau An undersea mountain was discovered 400km north of Palau, rising 4.400 meters from the seafloor, its peak just 240 meters below the surface; the finding was made by Beyond the Blue expedition, mapping unexplored deep-waters of National Marine Sanctuary
America Argentina The first step toward a national consensus on animal welfare in dairy production aims to align producers and experts around health, pain management, human-animal relations, and sustainability under the “One Welfare” framework
Europe Romania In mountain towns bear encounters and attacks are increasing; officials argue on how to manage the rising bear population, and conservationists question whether easier shooting would solve the problem; around 4.000 bears are estimated to live in Romania
Asia Laos Female civil servants are now eligible for maternity leave ranging from 4 up to 6,5 months for mothers expecting twins; miscarriages earn one month of leave, with medical extensions as needed
Asia Malaysia Halal exports reached US$7 billion in the first half of 2025, making up 16,1% of Malaysia’s total exports; Main products include food and beverages, halal ingredients, and palm oil derivatives, with key markets in China, the US, and Indonesia
Asia Turkey Several digital streaming platforms including Netflix, Prime Video, MUBI, Disney XD, HBO Max, have been fined for violating moral and family values and obscenity by Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council, the regulator for TV and radio broadcasts
Europe Iceland The possibility of oil extraction in the Dreki area would bring significant benefits for Iceland whether oil is extracted or not, says Iceland Chamber of Commerce, encouraging treasury to tender concessions to explore
Europe Malta Valletta and Swieqi will benefit from a new tourism community support pilot project providing resources and administrative support to address locality-specific challenges linked to tourism: waste management, public order, regulation of accommodation
Asia Oman Muscat Alzheimer's Forum recommended drafting a national Alzheimer's guide, devising science-based diagnostic protocols and establishing a specialised national centre for the treatment of Alzheimer's patients
Asia Mongolia National Library has digitized 4.383 volumes of ancient Tibetan-language manuscripts and woodblock printed books for over 1,43m pages, 77.500 titles; in partnership with US Embassy and Asian Legacy Library, it made inaccessible works publicly available
America Chile A national registry of victims forcibly disappeared during Pinochet’s dictatorship will be created, recognizing over 1.000 still-missing people and committing state efforts to uncover their fate and honor their memory
Europe Norway The Sami Parliament Sametinget in Northern Norway won’t go through any major leadership changes: Norske Samers Riksforbund remained its biggest party after last week’s election and leader Silje Karine Muotka will remain Sami president
America Saint Lucia The Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited has begun the final, 10-days phase of its Meter Replacement Programme; it will upgrade the metering infrastructure and ensure continued compliance with the highest industry standards for quality and safety