Asia Sri Lanka Unprecedented visitors' arrivals have been registered in 2026, marking a strong recovery in numbers; However, the tourism boom has not translated into higher earnings, as shorter stays and lower spending per visitor have led to declining dollar revenues
America Costa Rica Out-of-school Costa Rican children and adolescents dropped from 12% in 2011 to less than 1% thank to the implementation of Early Warning Systems EWS, a UNESCO-developed tool to prevent school dropout by detecting early signs and following school journeys
America Barbados Students aged 16 and over, as well as parents, could soon find themselves behind bars or facing hefty fines for assaulting or threatening teachers, as the authorities vowed to enforce long-ignored laws in response to a surge in violence in schools.
Oceania Australia Lifeblood, national blood, milk, microbiota donation and manufacturing service will gradually scrap restrictions for gay and bisexual men and trans women; the pioneer move will start with removing sexual activity wait times for plasma donations on 14 July
America Chile Electronic certification of its livestock has been implemented to boost exports as it improves traceability and efficiency for key products like pork and poultry amid rising global sanitary demands
Asia United Arab Emirates Kindergartners in all UAE private schools will need to take daily 40-minute Arabic lessons from the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, adding up to 200 minutes per week, and will be increased to 300 minutes per week in the 2027-2028 academic year
Africa Angola The '200km of Huila', the traditional car race of Nossa Senhora do Monte Festival, will be the theme of a BBC documentary that is expected to be streamed next year on Amazon Prime
Asia Armenia Archbishop Mikael Adjapayan commented on the proposal to nominate him for the post of Prime Minister saying he is 'completely satisfied' with service as a clergyman, asking not to include his name among the candidates for the post
America Suriname Suriname’s general elections on May 25 have resulted in a divided parliament, setting the stage for a coalition-led government that will take office as the country prepares for a major transition in its oil and gas industry
America El Salvador At least 40 journalists have fled El Salvador in the past month amid fears of arrest, as President Bukele’s intensified crackdown on dissent has targeted reporters exposing alleged government-gang ties
America Colombia A new labor law in Colombia enhances worker protections by increasing overtime pay, limiting short-term contracts, and formalizing app-based delivery jobs
Oceania Micronesia A Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for infrastructure improvements at the Yap International Airport and the Yap Seaport in Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia, has been issued by the US
Asia Myanmar A major investment deal was signed with Russia, focused on offshore oil and gas development, including those in the Dawei Special Economic Zone, signaling expanding economic ties despite political turmoil
Africa Botswana Citizen-owned Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises in the tourism industry will benefit from a new financing model, namely a loan for commercial purposes, following recent agreement between Stanbic Bank Botswana and Okavango Wilderness Safaris