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
Asia India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter account, with more than 70 million followers, doubles the number of any world leader and was hacked with a message saying India had adopted bitcoin as legal tender and would distribute it to all citizens
Asia Sri Lanka The largest natural blue corundum sapphire in the world has been found in the Batugedara area and belongs to the Gemological Institute and Research Private Limited, weighing about 310 kilograms (1.550.000 carats)
Europe Poland An institute to track the 6 million casualties of World War II will now be officially created; according to government estimates, Germany owes it up to $1 trillion in reparations for the damage and losses it caused
Africa Sierra Leone World Bank approves $60 million funding to support and expand coverage and accessibility of essential maternal and child health services that will directly benefit two million people
Europe Slovakia The country's largest solar power plant will be built in the west, with an investment of €60 million; the plant could also become part of the project focusing on green hydrogen production
America Nicaragua After 31 years of diplomatic relations with Taiwan, President Daniel Ortega decided to end the relationship with the country by recognizing China as “the only legitimate government”
Asia Thailand A new online start-up, Reviv, wants to make repairing clothes easy and stylish to make the fashion industry more sustainable and slow down production by reviving old clothes
Europe Sweden In the South of the country, a reporter filmed a 'mountain of plastic' of Icelandic origin that was never recycled – although consumers and companies in Iceland had paid for it to be so and it probably dates back to 2016
Asia Laos Authorities in northern Laos have seized and destroyed more than 200 kilograms of wild animal parts that had been openly for sale in fresh markets; the Saoloa is one of the world's rarest large mammals and a highly threatened wildlife
Europe Czech Republic 14% of Czechs are completely determined to resist vaccination according to a survey by the STEM agency, with the largest group consisting of people who are not financially secure, with a primary education or in the 18-29 age group
Africa Ivory Coast A partnership with Italian energy giant ENI has been announced; the country is set to become a significant oil producer at international level from 2023-2024
Asia Turkmenistan The country has been recognised as having the world's slowest internet, with users needing almost a full day to download a movie according to Cable.co.uk
America Argentina President Alberto Fernández met with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to deepen the countries’ strategic relationship and further increase economic cooperation