Africa Malawi Ballot papers for 16 September General Election have been delivered from its Kamuzu International Airport warehouse to all 229 constituency tally centres: the Malawi Electoral Commission confirmed the key activity in preparations for the polls
America Saint Lucia First African head of State to address St. Lucia Parliament, Nigerian President Tinubu in his official visit announced scholarships for Saint Lucian students, proposed deeper academic collaboration, more cooperation in trade, education, cultural exchange
Africa Benin Producers, directors and other film industry professionals are setting a link between Los Angeles and Cotonou, aiming to develop Beninese cinema and hoping to make it essential across the African continent
Asia East Timor The Samoa Agreement was ratified by National Parliament in a Plenary Session with 58 votes in favor, no abstentions or votes against; signed on 15 November 2023, it establishes the new legal framework for partnership between the EU and OACPS countries
Europe Romania VAT has been risen from 19 to 21% on most goods (11% on food, medicines, books, public utilities, district heating, water and sewage services), excise duties on fuel and alcohol brought up 10%, public-sector wage freezed to curb a surging budget deficit
Europe Belgium 1 in 4 young foreign workers in Belgium feels overqualified for their job, says recent analysis by Statbel, especially at entry-level, and 1 in 5 Belgian youth have jobs below their skill level, while the country has the second highest job vacancy in EU
Asia Singapore From 1 July 2025 cyclists and non-motorised PMD users are banned from pedestrian-only paths; offenders face fines up to S\$2.000, €1.300, or three months’ jail and the implementation of the rule was announced with the “Stay on Track” campaign
Asia Thailand PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended after a leaked call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen sparked doubts over national security and ethics; her coalition began to collapse and the episode could mark the end of the Shinawatra family’s long political dominance
Asia Cyprus The ‘Youth Declaration: A Declaration of Unity. Empowering Youth Voices in Cyprus' has been published by the Youth Council and 24 civil society organisations; it outlines a common vision and asks to have a say in decision-making and efforts to build peace
Asia Yemen To commemorate the Prophet's migration to Medina, or Hijra, a cultural symposium was held in the Badbadah district of Marib Governorate where the head of the governorate's guidance sector discussed its significance for the Islamic state
Oceania Australia Doctors today urged that 1.200 Australian children get tested for infectious diseases for having been in contact with former daycare worker charged with over 70 sex crimes; the man worked at 20 nursery schools across Melbourne between 2017 and 2025
Asia Brunei The National flag was hoisted in a ceremony at Tutong District to mark the start of the Sultan’s birthday celebrations
Europe Norway KLP, Norway's biggest pension fund, dropped US group Oshkosh Corporation and Germany's ThyssenKrupp from its investment portfolio for selling weapons and equipment used by Israel's military in Gaza
Europe Moldova "First Home” program beneficiaries will pay a higher interest rate on their mortgage loans, up by 2,12%, starting today; Bank of Moldova last week kept the base rate at 6,5% per year to in a move to anticipate the expected rise in inflation