Europe Switzerland Supermarket chains Coop and Migros are recalling cheese products due to a possible risk of salmonella; contaminated Kräuterbrie soft cheese found at Landbrügg dairy triggered the measure and the dairy's decision to recall its entire product range
Africa Sao Tome and Principe A €15 million loan agreement has been signed with Portugal by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Communities at a critical time for the country, which is facing a complex economic and financial situation
Africa Seychelles An e-gaming competition was scheduled for the first time in the program of the 25th Youth Festival, an annual event organised by the Seychelles National Youth Council
Asia Saudi Arabia 'Our Guests are Our Priority' initiative aims to improve the quality of services offered to national and international tourists throughout the Kingdom by strengthening the adherence of accommodation facilities to licensing and classification standards
Oceania Solomon Islands The World Bank Country Office is working with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to review procurement processes and evaluate the effectiveness of supply chain management
Asia Singapore Students who perform well in their mother tongue in the primary school leaving examination will have the opportunity to study their mother tongue at secondary school from 2026 onwards, thus eliminating the minimum score limit now present
America El Salvador President Nayib Bukele announced that the 2025 budget will not rely on external financing or debt issuance, marking the first time in decades that the country will fully fund its current expenditures without borrowing
Europe Serbia Plans are underway to demolish the Hotel Jugoslavija built after the war in the New Belgrade neighbourhood, depriving Belgrade of another historical landmark, as art historian Marko Stojanovi stated
Asia Tajikistan In a move to combat extremism, the country, where 96% of the population is Muslim, has imposed a complete ban on women wearing the hijab; previously, the hijab had been banned in schools since 2007 and in public institutions since 2009
America Guatemala 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners released by Ortega's government, including student leaders, religious figures, and human rights defenders have been welcomed in Guatemala; the country will provide shelter, food, and medical care as they seek asylum
Asia Thailand A QR Licence mobile application has been introduced by Thailand's Department of Land Transport so that motorists will no longer need to carry their driving licence
Oceania Tuvalu As part of its pioneering effort to become a fully digital nation, the country is testing a new high-resolution mapping initiative by cataloguing the nation's physical assets, including trees, houses, significant cultural sites and infrastructure
Asia Japan Water accidents left 242 people dead or missing nationwide in July and August, marking a third consecutive year-on-year increase, the National Policy Agency said; accidents at sea, in rivers and other waters rose to 488, up 35 from a year ago
Oceania Vanuatu The Government of Vanuatu has taken a firm stance against the promotion and defence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual and other (LGBTQIA+) rights, including those funded by development partners or NGOs