Europe United Kingdom The Labour Government is set to close down migrant hotels, moving residents to former military barracks; the new policy follows recent criticism on PM Starmer's immigration policies after new official figures showed asylum claims hitting a record high
Europe Poland Polish high school students excelled at the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad held in Sunshine Coast, Australia: they claimed three gold medals and three silver medals, resulting in an overall fourth place among the 110 countries taking part
Europe Belgium Shops in Belgium will soon be allowed to remain open until 21:00, and seven days a week; the measure is expected to be validated to relax businesses' opening hours and meet modern needs
Europe Latvia The concert "Te–aust" closed this year's School Youth Song and Dance Festival: it presents works of contemporary composers who have chosen lines written by prominent poets and sequences of Latvian folk songs for their compositions
Africa Mozambique A health emergency is reported by NGO MSF in Cabo Delgado, incapable of guaranteeing response to local health needs: the destruction of 52 health units by cyclone Chido in Oct 2024 added to fragility of the system itself and jihadist insurgency since 2017
Africa Lesotho Lipholo, the 51-year-old leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, has been taken into custody and charged with sedition; he appeared before the Maseru Magistrate Court where Magistrate Letsika and Crown Prosecutor Hlophe presented the charges against him
Asia Mongolia The traditional long-distance horse race was held as part of the Naadam festival, showcasing the endurance of the Mongolian horse, a symbol of national pride; Riders, often children, covered vast steppe terrain, in a centuries-old nomadic heritage
Africa Madagascar Lemurs are key players in the health and stability of Madagascar's ecosystems because they do the very important work of dispersing seeds, but they first need to be protected against human impact; as a recent article explains why taking action is urgent
Europe Lithuania A passenger boat service in the Neris River will be launched by the end of July in Vilnius and the first electric vessel of the fleet has been unveiled; for Mayor Valdas Benkunskas the new type of transport could fulfill the city's recreational potential
Oceania Samoa The second death of a child due to dengue fever has led authorities to extend school closures: all Early Childhood Education programs and Primary School classes for years 1 to 7 will be suspended until 25 July in a number of districts
America Saint Kitts and Nevis A new amendment to the Housing and Social Development Levy Act ensures that those earning the national minimum wage or slightly above will no longer be subject to deductions, a step towards social equity Government says
Asia Israel Airstrikes were launched on a Defense Ministry compound and near the presidential palace in Damascus; the action followed clashes with over 500 casualties in the region of Sweida, the heartland of Syria's Druse minority, whom Israel pledged to protect
Europe Finland 40% of board seats in large publicly listed companies in Finland are held by women, data from the Chamber of Commerce show, a record figure that reflects ongoing shifts in governance ahead of new diversity recommendations set to take effect in 2026
Asia Cyprus Rules regarding swimming pools serving multiple households have been relaxed: a special category clearly differentiates obligations of pools 'for private use serving up to five residential units', recreational/competition pools and hotel/resort pools