Asia Mongolia A 40-metre replica of Japan’s historic Illustrated Account of the Mongol Invasions was donated to Mongolia by a Japanese collector; The replica, depicting the Yuan dynasty’s invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281, will be housed at the Kharakhorum Museum
Asia Bangladesh Prisoners in Bangladesh legally earn Tk2, € 1 cent, per day for their labour: so low that it undermines efforts to rehabilitate inmates through meaningful work; the inspector general of prisons raised the issue amid reforms in the prison employment system
Europe Luxembourg Gambling law will be tightened amid a digital betting boom, with illegal machines and foreign platforms feeding the phenomenon of problematic gambling; gambling therapy requests tripled in five years
Europe Portugal The Algarve, Faro district, will begin public discussion to ban caravans and motor homes spending the night in urban areas, as is already the case in natural parks, except for designated places, with locals lamenting traffic and hygiene problems
Africa Morocco The 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, postponed to 2025, opened at the Stade Olympique in Rabat; hosts Morocco battled but ended 2-2 against Zambia
Europe Andorra Andorra Digital, up to now integrated in the Andorra Research and Innovation Foundation, will be transformed into a public company; with its own legal status it will be able to pursue the digitalization of the country more efficiently
Europe United Kingdom Fifty-two thousand petals fell in St Paul's Cathedral during an official service to remember those who died in the July 7 terrorist attacks in London 20 years ago
Asia Uzbekistan New terms and conditions have been set for licensing private universities, effective on 4 Oct; detailed concept of the new university must be submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education and the institution needs a starting capital of at least $2 million
Africa Algeria Construction works of the railway line connecting Tindouf and the Gara Djebilet iron ore deposit have been completed as scheduled; the 135km stretch is part of a 950km mega mining railway connecting the southwest to the north of the country
Europe Belarus 111.520 travelers from 38 countries included in the visa-waiver program have been welcomed in Belarus since 1 January 2025; most travelers came from neighboring countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland
Europe Vatican City Pope Leo arrived at Villa barberini in Castel Gandolfo, a summer residence for operative breaks for around 400 years, welcomed by local authorities and residents; Pope Francis did not spend time in the Papal residence
Africa Comoros Authorities, international academics, African heads of state took part in the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Comoros independence in Moroni, with a focus on sovereignty through self-reliant economy
Europe Croatia Excavation in Mohovo, a village on the banks of the Danube near Ilok, has unearthed a military watchtower that was part of the Limes, the frontier of the Roman Empire dating back to the end of the second century, previously unknown in Croatia
Africa Uganda A national biofuels blending program has been launched: petrol will be mixed with ethanol derived from local crops like maize, cassava and sugarcane; the goal is to enhance energy security and provide larger income for farmers