Asia Brunei The Basic Haj and Umrah Course 1448H/2026M has began at selected mosques nationwide to equip prospective haj and umrah pilgrims with essential knowledge on the rites and provide physical, spiritual and mental guidance
Europe Liechtenstein The inheritance of fashion icon Valentino, a fortune made of yachts, villas, works of art, a castle in France -worth hundreds of millions- has been awarded to a foundation based in Vaduz, the sole heir of the designer, who passed away on 19 January at 93
Europe Ukraine The body of Anastasiia Berezovka, suspected of attacking oligarch Yermolaiev in Monaco, has been recovered: the woman was gunshot in her head; the investigation focuses on the tycoon's controversial financial activities and this link to "Monaco Battalion"
Asia Taiwan Rising memory chip prices have pushed Taiwanese industry players’ 6-months revenue beyond 2025 full-year totals; Analysts said prices are expected to continue rising in Q3 as supply remains tight, forecasting further growth for memory-related companies
Oceania Micronesia A nuclear-capable missile that China test-fired from a submarine flew over multiple Pacific nations and south of FSM; China had called the launch "routine", but was not announced by the agreed 48-hours notification
Africa Central African Republic Notables of Linga village advocate for rural development as primary mean of combating poverty in their community; on Radio Deke Luka they said strengthening agricultural activities and basic infrastructure is essential to improving living conditions
Asia Maldives StatePharma, a fully state-owned company, is working to identify and address difficulties in accessing medicines across the Maldives; specifically, the company's MD and senior officials met with the Baa Atoll Eydhafushi Council as part of this effort
Asia Sri Lanka Paddy and rice for animal feed production, sale, use are now allowed; the Consumer Affairs Authority issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification to formally cancel the previous restrictions
Africa Zambia To support formalized and safe gold mining in Chitambo district, government pledged to provide equipment to registered cooperatives, enabling small scale miners enhance their operations, and to build a district hospital with mortuary services
Asia Nepal Ancient coins bearing Arabic and Persian inscriptions have been uncovered in Kapilvastu, an area historically linked to trade routes; The discovery provides new evidence of past commercial and cultural exchanges between South Asia and the Islamic world
Oceania Tuvalu The premiere of "Pristine Seas", a documentary from the National Geographic, highlighted the findings of a landmark marine scientific expedition that was conducted in Tuvalu's waters in 2025 at the request of the Government of Tuvalu
Europe Switzerland Ten years of the Gotthard rail tunnel, at 57,1km the would's longest, have been celebrated; it is now a key freight passage across the Alps, passengers have doubled to 16.400 in 2025; but experts wonder if all promises have been kept
Africa Ivory Coast Nearly 800 projects have been completed in the Iffou region since 2018, with a physical execution rate of 88%, the Regional Council announced in Daoukro at the end of 3rd ordinary meeting for the 2026 financial year
Africa Comoros Resumption of air routes with Madagascar stalled upon the signing of an airport security agreement and over demanding the automatic return of seized assets in disregard of Comorian legal procedures, which Moroni rejected