Asia Japan Proof of proficiency in Japanese will be required to apply for a working visa for engineering, humanities or international services; policy will be revised tightening screening after workers entered Japan under a specialized job visa but do unskilled jobs
Asia North Korea All roads and railways connecting the country with South Korea will be blocked and border defences will be reinforced, due to repeated military exercises south of the border and the presence of US nuclear weapons in South Korea
Europe Russia Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, President Putin's main political opponent before his death in prison last February, had written in his memoir that he would "die in prison"
Asia Maldives The Ministry of Fisheries has opened nominations for the awards given on the occasion of 44th Fishermen's Day, which this year falls on 10 December
Africa Togo Coumba Dieng Sow has been appointed as the new UN Resident Coordinator for Togo and will work to ensure that national priorities and needs are addressed by aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals
Europe Latvia The Riga International Film Festival, to be held from 17-27 October, has announced the KIDS' REEL programme, suitable for 2-14 year olds
Europe Greece With fewer and fewer young people enrolling in the country's military academies, the ministries of Defense and Education have teamed up to announce a benefits package to attract new students
Africa Kenya Mazingira Day was observed on 10th October as national holiday dedicated to the environment; the key role of schoolchildren was awarded with a ceremony and the crucial action of the National Youth Service for planting 15 billion trees by 2030 was reminded
Europe Malta Nature Trust- FEE Malta, major environment protection actor, is facing financial challenges after a building contractor claimed over €200.000 in damages and froze the NGO's assets with an attachment order
Europe Montenegro Montenegro's draft cybersecurity law, a response to a massive cyber attack on state institutions, is raising questions about overlapping jurisdictions, practicality, and risk of political influence, experts say
Africa Morocco Rabat has been chosen as the World Book Capital 2026; its book industry is home to 54 publishing houses and hosts the third largest international book and publishing fair in Africa
Oceania Tuvalu The traditional rice cake was offered to Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo as a birthday dish during the reception attended at Taiwan President Lai Ching-te premises
Asia Kazakhstan This year, for the first time in the last five years, the water supply plan for the Aral Sea during the irrigation period was complied almost 100%; 977 million cubic metres of water were supplied
Europe Sweden The country recently started mass deportations of Iraqi immigrants, marking a significant change in its immigration policy in an effort to repatriate people who no longer have the legal right to remain in Sweden