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
Europe Belarus Belarus released 14 political prisoners, including jailed opposition blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski and three Polish nationals, following meetings of Alexander Lukashenko with envoys from U.S. President Trump in Minsk
Asia Turkmenistan Potato harvesting 2025 has started in northern regions; in Dashoguz velayat, 8.800 hectares have been planted, in Shavat etrap, about 17.000 tons of tubers have already been prepared: along with Akdepe, is the largest producer in the region
Africa Lesotho Over 300 soldiers of the Lesotho Defence Force who participated in the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique have resorted to demand the payment of their long-overdue allowances through a petition to the government
Europe Sweden Sweden would be allowed to house up to 600 inmates at Estonia's Tartu Prison following a five-year lease agreement signed between justice ministers of the two nations
Asia Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would reportedly be open to discussing Philippines rejoining of the International Criminal Court; His administration will “study it carefully,” following UN calls to reverse the 2019 withdrawal amid human rights concerns
Europe Estonia Construction of anti-tank ditches on the southeastern border will begin this week; anti-tank measures on the Estonian-Russian border are part of the Baltic Defence Line initiative, designed to halt a potential enemy military land attack
Oceania Palau A new voter database system, GVRS Hybrid, has replaced the older software; according to the Palau Election Commission, it improves registration tracking introducing major upgrades in voter data management, fraud prevention and election transparency
Asia Iran Inno Bank was inaugurated; it is Iran's first specialized technology neo-bank, designed to create smart financial infrastructure for the innovation ecosystem, specifically supporting technology startups and knowledge-based companies
Europe Romania Danube Delta came alive yesterday with the 5th edition of the women’s perch fishing competition in Mira 23; the contest is inspired by the local tradition of Mira 23 where, as the fishing ban ends, the women of the village head out to catch perch
Asia Iraq The Iraqi Chamber of Commerce has received the prestigious award for “Best Performing National Committee” in the world from the International Chamber of Commerce; the honor was bestowed during the ICC Annual Week held in Paris on 17-20 June 2025
Europe United Kingdom Wimbledon Championships qualifying matches will start tomorrow Monday 23, breaking with a 147-years long tradition: computer-based technology Hawk-Eye Live will replace line judges; the French Open will remain the last human line-judged tennis Grand Slam
Europe Greece A rare summer storm reached Athens from northern and central regions, bringing heavy rainfall and flash floods to parts of the capital, while more rain is expected in northern regions, helping fight a wildfire burning near homes in Thessaloniki
Asia Pakistan Five qualified bids have been announced to fully privatize Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), including consortia of major firms and a military-backed company; it is Pakistan’s first major privatization in nearly 20 years