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
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
Asia Singapore First national seagrass restoration project has started, transplanting seagrass to Sisters’ Islands to safeguard marine biodiversity and study tropical seagrass reproduction; 80% of seagrass meadows have been lost to coastal development since the 1950s
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
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 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
Oceania Samoa Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, leader of Human Rights Protection Party, has defended his party’s proposal to cut the 15% Value Added Goods and Services Tax as a direct response to the nation’s worsening cost of living
Asia Qatar Efforts have been stepped up to boost local food production in vital food categories: under its National Food Security Strategy 2030, Qatar aims for 55% self-reliance in vegetables, 30% in red meat, 80% in fish, 100% in dairy and fresh poultry production
Africa Tanzania As World Refugee Day was celebrated in Nduta Refugee Camp, the director stressed the importance of making informed decisions about the future, taking the opportunity for voluntary repatriation to a more stable Burundi, amid declining aid agencies
Asia Maldives The ‘Civil-Military Workshop on Health Emergency Preparedness’ was held on 18-19 June to strengthen the Maldives' International Health Regulations core capacities; it was organized by WHO in collaboration with nation's Health Protection Agency
Europe Latvia 39% of Latvian internet users will spend Midsummer night in the countryside, according to an annual survey by the internet tech research company Gemius, a figure in line with previous years, as are the 19% of respondents who won't celebrate
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The Executive Director of the African Development Bank visited São Tomé and Príncipe and reaffirmed its support for economic diversification and energy transition; ADB granted $7,5 million from Nigeria through the Nigerian Trust Fund
America Haiti Sunrise Airways has resumed domestic flights, but continued to charge sky-high fares despite $11M aid from Haitian government; residents feel exploited as the high ticket price saga continues and reinforce their demands for market competition
Asia Saudi Arabia Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission of Saudi Arabia stated that there have been no radiation leaks affecting the country, thus confirming the safety of the Kingdom’s environment notwithstanding rising regional tensions