Asia Singapore New cat ownership rules require pet cats to be microchipped and licensed, with limits on the number of cats allowed per household; After a two-year transition period, owners must comply or face penalties, while licences will become chargeable
Europe Bulgaria The modernisation of Bulgaria's railways will come to a halt after Stadler Polska, the leading manufacturer that won contracts for seven double-decker locomotives and thirty-five regional locomotives, cancelled the agreement
Asia Brunei The oversized national flag of Brunei was officially lowered in the open area of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex at the conclusion of the celebrations of His Majesty the Sultan's 71st birthday
Asia China The 26 African countries participating in the China-Africa Digital Cooperation Forum, hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in Beijing, agreed to strengthen partnerships in the digital sector
Asia Bhutan The Indian government is likely to authorise the import of potatoes from Bhutan, expecting tuber prices to remain high in the short term due to lower production
America Haiti UNICEF warned of a $23 million shortfall in Haiti's education system, announcing a $2,5 million grant that should help nearly 75.000 children through cash transfers, school feeding programmes and other initiatives
Africa Seychelles Desroches Island recorded the first sighting of a red-billed tropical bird by two conservation assistants from the Island Conservation Society
Europe Ukraine The first funds secured by interest on Russian assets tied up in the EU due to sanctions against Vladimir Putin's government were transferred to Ukraine
America Dominica During the presentation of the national budget, Finance Minister Irving McIntyre reassured the socially vulnerable in Dominica that funds have been allocated to support all government social programmes
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo The import of beers and non-alcoholic sparkling drinks is suspended for a year, as is that of grey cement and clinker in south-western and south-eastern parts of the country, to encourage the consumption of domestic products and strengthen competitiveness
Europe North Macedonia The country said it would seek further assistance from the European Union to fight the forest fires that continue to burn out of control and have crossed the southern border with Greece
Europe Croatia Today 1 August 2024, the coastal town of Nin will open its doors for the 11th Salt Festival, a free event that offers the opportunity to experience the rich tradition of salt production through a series of activities and entertainment
Europe Czech Republic Only 17% of Czechs are satisfied with the state of Czech politics according to a recent survey by the Kantar agency for Czech Television
Europe Moldova 360.215 residents of the Transnistrian region have Moldovan citizenship, as declared by the Public Service Agency; in the last 6 years, almost 30.000 residents of the Transnistrian region have obtained Moldovan citizenship