Asia Brunei The Basic Haj and Umrah Course 1448H/2026M has began at selected mosques nationwide to equip prospective haj and umrah pilgrims with essential knowledge on the rites and provide physical, spiritual and mental guidance
Asia Philippines President Duterte will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court's investigation into the country's drug war, insisting that the court has no jurisdiction in the country
America Uruguay This week a general strike in the country begun: workers suspended activities as a way of demanding the government higher salaries and an overall better treatment for the Uruguayan working class
Oceania New Zealand Fossilised remains of an unusual long-legged giant penguin found by children on a field trip in 2006 belong to a previously unknown 1,4 mt tall species aged between 27,3 and 34,6 million years, according to a new 3D scanning analysis of the bones
Oceania Australia The eastern barred bandicoot population, after 30 years of conservation efforts, has returned to around 1.500 animals; it is the first time the country has changed the status of an animal from 'extinct in the wild' to 'endangered' instead of the other way
Asia Iran The foreign minister called on Britain to pay its debt to Tehran, now delayed for over 40 years, concerning Chieftain tanks sold to Tehran in the 1970s but never delivered
America Honduras Citizens protested against ZEDE [Zones for Employment and Economic Development (ZEDE) - areas with a different governing system to attract investments - claiming they are a threat towards the country’s sovereignty
Asia Maldives Health Minister has stated that the drugs smuggled into the country have increased significantly, with drugs such as meth now inexplicably available at affordable prices; he also briefed MPs on the restructuring of the National Drug Agency
Africa Ethiopia A tender has been launched for private investors to buy a 40% stake in the state-owned telecom service provider, Ethio Telecom, which with around 45 million subscribers is one of the country's most profitable companies
America Belize Due to the recent re-peak of Covid-19 cases, hospitals have reached a breaking point, leading to the authorities making a proof of vaccination a legal requirement in order to enter public buildings, public transport, and shops
Oceania Kiribati Kiribati President Taneti Maamau said he plans to reopen borders for international travel not before January 2022
America Ecuador Manifestations in the country’s capital, Quito, were held by citizens claiming that Guillermo Lasso’s government has not been compliant with its electoral campaign promises ever since the new mandate began
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The Association for the Reinsertion of Abandoned and At-Risk Children is representing the country in an international children's storytelling competition organised to awaken and promote a taste for reading and writing in Portuguese among schoolchildren
Oceania Marshall Islands The SSG Solomon Sam sports court at College of the Marshall Islands is closed until further notice due to severe corrosion of the roof structure; funding for the work is uncertain as the public budget is heavily impacted by the pandemic