Asia Iraq New national planning strategy focuses on relocating government institutions and major investment projects from large cities to districts to ease population density and service pressure in major urban centers, especially Baghdad
Europe Hungary With the first during of concrete, IAEA officially changed the status of Paks II nuclear power plant from project to under construction; government sees it as a guarantee for reducing ancillary costs, and the "flagship of Europe’s nuclear renaissance"
Africa Benin Benin's delegation has paraded at Milano-Cortina 2026 making its debut in Winter Olympics; Julien Minavoa, chief of the Benin National Olympic and Sports Committee, underlines it is not a one-off but a result of a deliberate development framework
America Dominica Recent paintings by Dominican artist Francilia Agar make her new solo exhibition titled “I Am Dominica” housed at Vetivert Contemporary Fine Art Gallery; expressive use of color and texture embody the island’s landscapes, cultural memories, identity
Oceania Papua New Guinea Bryan Chan Pokiton, from the Institute of Business Studies University in Boroko, has been selected as Pacific regional representative at the Commonwealth Student Association, and will soon join the upcoming meeting of fellow young leaders in London
Asia Bahrain The US$500 salary is optional and not a mandatory requirement, the Bahrain Recruitment Offices Association clarified, stressing that setting a domestic worker's salary or establishing an increase must agreed with employer within official frameworks
Asia India A historic Free Trade Agreement was signed in New Delhi with the EU; the "Mother of all deals" took two decades of negotiations, covers 25% of GDP 96% of goods or services, reduces tariffs on import of cars and wines boosting Indian textiles and services
Asia Israel After years of talks, Israel is set to approve a new international airport in Negev; located in Ziklag, near Beersheba, the infrastructure has been previously rejected for clashing with Air Force and Airport Ben Gurion flight paths
Europe Sweden 5.300 trees in deciduous forests in various areas in Sweden and Belgium were selected for veteranization: carefully picked, they are carved, burned, and drilled to make them age prematurely and favor biodiversity, most lively in an over-200 year old tree
Europe Belarus Belarusian Health resorts and sanatoriums in 2025 have treated over 1,6 million patients, including approximately 260.000 foreign visitors from 80 countries, an increase on 2024 in terms of geographical expansion (+12) and revenues (+40%)
Oceania Micronesia A 'Countdown for Service' ceremony was held for the East Micronesia Cable EMC Project, an undersea telecommunications system that will now provide submarine fiber optic connectivity to Kosrae, completing cable access for all four FSM states
Europe Luxembourg Plans for unisex toilets and shared changing rooms in schools have encountered the public's resistance and were countered by fourteen petitions to the Chamber of Deputies; following parliament rules mean only one can be formally taken into consideration
America Bahamas Grand-Bahama first temporary shelter has been inaugurated in Pine Forest, Eight Mile Rockfirst; comprising 10 fully-equipped units, the shelter is designed to provide holistic support and help residents transition from need to long-term self-sufficiency
Europe Ireland Imbolc and St Brigid's Day have been celebrated: now a public holiday, they mark a renewed engagement with Indigenous Irish ways of understanding time, land and belonging: Imbolc signaled longer hours of light and the beginning of the agricultural year