Asia Bahrain 394.000 visitors have been registered in state-run heritage sites in January-August 2026, with the Bahrain Fort accounting for 246.409, nearly two thirds of the total, and foreign visitors prevailed with the presence of 187.567 people
Oceania Kiribati The citizens welcomed the New Year first after the 1994 presidential candidate promised, if he won, that the locals would celebrate the New Year first; the country is divided into three time zones and the easternmost region actually now celebrates first
America Jamaica Preliminary numbers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) showed 1463 murders committed island-wide last year, 132 (almost 10%) more than in 2020
Oceania Marshall Islands The Marshallese version of the Olympic Games is the jepta biit Christmas dance, an event full of competition and insults, part of the jepta performances since time immemorial
Asia Lebanon The Lebanese pound trades at 30000 for US$1 on the black market, dropping to a new low; the World Bank has described Lebanon's economic meltdown as one of the worst in the world since 1850
Africa Namibia Kamanjab district councillor appealed to parents to discourage their children from swimming in ponds on the Ourab riverbed; he also expressed concern about some residents digging holes in the riverbed for water
Asia Kuwait The justice minister is holding talks with relevant agencies to seek the best mechanism to address the disputed ban on renewing work permits for expatriates over 60 without a university degree
Africa Togo Civil servants in the public and parapublic sectors, as well as pensioners, will receive a one-month salary advance this week to help them cope with the surge in inflation
Europe Poland The nationalist government is reportedly trying to play down allegations that it improperly bought the Pegasus phone hacking software from an Israeli company to spy on its opponents
Asia Tajikistan The government has allowed Saudi citizens to enter the country without a visa as of this January, given the Tajik government's desire to increase and develop cooperation with the Kingdom in all areas of common interest
Africa South Sudan According to the NGO Light for the World, there are 1,2 million people living with a disability in the country, about a fifth of whom have impairments caused by violence; WFP is working to support them during a severe famine now sweeping
America Bolivia All individuals without a vaccination certificate attending a social event will be punished with 10 years of jail time, since from now on it will be considered as an attempt against public health
Africa Niger Issaka Issaka was crowned traditional wrestling champion 2021 at the 42nd national traditional wrestling championships, in the presence of political and religious authorities from across the country
Oceania Vanuatu Vila Central Hospital (VCH) recorded a record number of 3.000 births last year, with a steady increase every month compared to previous years