Kazakhstan’s Parliament and Senate have approved legislative amendments granting sign language official status. Only this will provide firm legal guarantees for the use of sign language in schools, hospitals, courts, government agencies, and the media.
Lyudmila Katlabuga, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAIA), held a meeting with Liam F. Chicca, Head of IFAD’s Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The discussions took place as part of IFAD’s mission to the Republic of Moldova, which is taking place from June 8–17, 2026.
Last week, the Agency for Payments and Interventions in Agriculture (AIPA) approved 16.13 million lei in payments to 13 farmers who have invested in agriculture and the rural environment.
In late May, Moldovan berry growers began harvesting the 2026 strawberry crop from open-field plantations. In the half-month since then, quite a few developments have taken place; by summarizing them, it is now possible to outline the current season in this segment of Moldova’s berry industry with reasonable certainty.
The Republic of Moldova has become a party to the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) under the United Nations (FAO). The Agreement entered into force for Moldova on May 20, 2026.
Grain futures fell on the largest U.S. exchange in Chicago. This was influenced by statements from officials regarding the reaching of an interim agreement to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Last week, the Deputy Director General of the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA), Alena Kastravets, participated in a meeting of the Working Group of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), which took place at the organization’s secretariat in Paris. The main topics of discussion were: updating existing and adopting new EPPO standards on risk analysis, phytosanitary measures, and the evaluation of plant protection products.
Over the past week, two outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) were reported in the Republic of Moldova—in Vadul lui Isaac (Cahul).
A presentation of the “e-Zilier” platform—an electronic registry of day laborers in agriculture—took place today at the Moldovan government. The platform officially launched on June 1 of this year. To date, more than 2,000 day laborers (seasonal workers) have already registered on the platform. By the end of 2026, the country’s authorities expect that at least 6,000 workers in this sector will be covered by the online registry in this electronic database. In the future, the “e-Zilier” platform will also be extended to the forestry sector.
The export of live sheep from Romania has been completely banned. The European Commission’s decision on this matter will be published in the next issue of the *Official Journal of the European Union*.
Ukraine and the IMF have reached a staff-level agreement on the first review of the four-year $8.1 billion EFF program, paving the way for a new $690 million tranche.
A powerful El Niño event has formed in the Pacific Ocean. Meteorologists warn that there is a high probability that the intensity of this event could reach historic highs and exacerbate extreme weather conditions around the world.
The world is losing its forests at an alarming rate. What’s more, forests are being cut down rapidly both in countries where they are abundant and in countries where forest cover accounts for a relatively small portion of the land area.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has announced a phased discharge of military personnel who have served the longest in the Defense Forces and spent the most time on the front lines.
The National LEADER Network for Rural Development of the Republic of Moldova (RNDRL) announces the launch of a new phase of the national “Ecotourism Compass” program. The initiative is aimed at training small entrepreneurs in rural areas who seek to develop sustainable, innovative tourism services linked to the natural environment, culture, and traditions of local communities.
Fruit is one of the most widely produced food groups on Earth.
However, defining exactly what counts as a fruit is more complicated than it seems. From a botanical standpoint, a fruit is the part of a flowering plant that contains seeds, which means that tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers also fall under this definition, although chefs and experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations classify them as vegetables.
Approximately 170 farmers took part in yesterday’s protests, and around 120 pieces of agricultural equipment were involved. In Fălești, 70–80 farmers and more than 60 tractors gathered on the side of the national highway, while in Rezina and Cahul, there were 40 farmers each and several dozen pieces of agricultural machinery. The rainy weather reduced turnout but did not dampen the intensity of the protests.
The popular website Numbeo has ranked Moldova eighth from the bottom in its list of the safest countries in Europe. One spot below is Sweden (presumably experiencing problems with crime due to an influx of not-so-peaceful migrants). One spot above is Greece. Above it is “more peaceful” Turkey.
The Kazakhstani authorities have invited American companies to participate in the development of rare-earth metal deposits in the country.
The world’s first farm to produce meat without slaughtering animals has opened in the Netherlands. Instead of barns, the farm uses bioreactors—special systems in which a small sample of cells is grown into a whole piece of muscle tissue.
