Oceania Australia New law to ban social media for children under 16 passed after days of heated debate; Australia set a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech
Europe Norway Norwegian Airlines has confirmed the closure of its bases in Stavanger and Trondheim because of increased costs and weaker demand; the decision to relocated to Oslo aircrafts and staff has sparked protests among the 250 employees
Oceania Solomon Islands Saudi Arabia and the Solomon Islands have formalised an agreement to exempt holders of diplomatic, private and official passports from short-stay visa requirements
Asia Cyprus A total of 1.550 people have left Lebanon via Cyprus since the start of assisted departures on 27 September and as of 8 October, foreign ministry spokesperson reported; the majority so far is represented by Australians, with 1.069 people among the total
Europe Romania The Green Registry for Romania project focused on the historical park to show how intelligent tools can be used to keep track of the tree and shrub population
Asia Taiwan A marine research station on Taiwan-controlled Taiping Island has discovered its first new fish species in almost four years since its establishment, the National Academy of Marine Research said
Africa Seychelles The Confucius Institute of Seychelles confirmed that some 3.600 Seychellois have used its services over the past 11 years
Africa Rwanda Testing of the vaccine against the Marburg virus has begun and priority will be given to health workers currently on the front line of efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in the country, where a small epidemic is underway
Africa Madagascar A collaboration to start the process of repatriating human remains seized during French colonial rule has been announced by the Ministers of Culture of France and Madagascar
Asia Thailand Chiang Mai University is set to develop blue hydrogen technology, endorsed by the government; the process extracts hydrogen from coal through coal gasification and produces cleaner energy while enhancing the efficiency of coal use
Oceania Tonga African tulip tree beetles were brought to Tonga to control the growing invasive weed called the African tulip tree, which is spreading in indigenous forests and farmland, causing a reduction in natural biodiversity and agricultural productivity
Europe San Marino San Marino is among the first countries in the world to regulate crypto-assets; the Central Bank and the Institute for Innovation of the Republic of San Marino have issued implementing measures
Asia Israel The Bank of Israel kept interest rates unchanged for the sixth consecutive meeting, but raised the prospect of future rate hikes if armed conflicts on two fronts push inflation higher than expected
Asia Cambodia The upcoming Samdech Thipadei Award for Khmer MMA Championships (Phnom Penh, 11-14 Oct) highlights the deep historical roots of Khmer martial arts, key to the nation's identity; the championships will feature traditional performances and MMA competitions