Asia Thailand Thousands reached Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital to pay tribute to Princess Chulabhorn, who died on 11 June, reflecting the people's recognition of the princess’s contributions to medical research, education, public service and justice reform projects
Oceania Papua New Guinea The country's first five coronary bypass graft surgeries have been successfully performed at Port Moresby general hospital by a mixed team of PNG and Singapore doctors from 15 to 19 August
Europe Bulgaria Political chaos has created a media vacuum in which citizens are vulnerable to disinformation and Kremlin-led narratives proliferate; with highest rate of news avoidance and lowest media literacy in Europe, a better enforcement of existing rules is needed
Africa Lesotho Two months into the national ban on imports of potatoes, cabbage and eggs introduced saying that local product is enough to meet the country’s demand, the Ministry could reopen to the import of potatoes and cabbage after reports of scarce local produce
America Grenada The Grenada Tourism Authority has announced the launch of a new international destination magazine in partnership with Greydoor Publishing; the publication will be a storytelling platform capturing the essence of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique
Africa Rwanda King James, stage name for acclaimed Rwandan artiste James Ruhumuriza, will celebrate his 20 years-long career on the stage with a mega concert titled "20 Years of King James" in mid-2026; he made the decision following Iwacu Muzika Festival in Rubavu
America Suriname As school principals expressed their concern regarding current rules and guidelines, no longer reflect the reality of their schools, Ministry made changes to admission rules to grades 10 and 12, giving students in grade 9 and 11 one more chance for access
Europe Russia Russia is not committing to a meeting between Ukrainian President Zelensky and President Putin, which US President Trump has encouraged as a next step toward ending the war; Foreign Minister Lavrov argued any meeting should be prepared “gradually”
Asia Laos Mimee Phommaly, a 27-year-old woman with a degree in agriculture, is transforming in Luang Prabang farming: her Khamphet Farm cultivates over 25 types of fruit, actively challenging gender stereotypes in farming and empowering community by providing jobs
Africa Tanzania First rules for Direct-to-Mobile D2M satellite services have been issued by Communications Regulatory Authority; the new framework allows satellite operators and mobile companies to work together for direct satellite-smartphones connectivity in Tanzania
Asia Indonesia 80th Independence Day was celebrated with nationwide festivities on 17 August; the grand ceremony in Jakarta, led by President Prabowo, with a historic flag parade, cultural performances and fireworks, marked the milestone with massive public celebration
Asia Malaysia Following the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina amid bullying allegations, the Malaysian Media Council is demanding better journalist safety after unaccredited individuals disrupted a press conference, creating safety risks for reporters covering the case
Europe Spain Latest speed control campaign by the General Directorate of Traffic DGT took place from on 4-10 August: at 2.793 checkpoints, with 1.021.303 vehicles transiting, 68.662 drivers (6.7%) were reported for traveling at a speed exceeding the limit
Europe Ukraine Authorities have accused current and former Justice Ministry officials of embezzling Hr.10 million ($241,000) during a project to upgrade the ministry’s IT systems; the scheme was reportedly related to a procurement contract in 2021