Asia Saudi Arabia The Sitar Programme, designed to support theatre companies, institutions, associations, theatre groups and amateur clubs working in the performing arts sector, has been launched by the Commission for Theatre and Performing Arts
Asia Armenia The country has handed back to Azerbaijan four border towns it had occupied since the 1990s, conquered during a war between the two former Soviet republics in the Caucasus
Asia Laos The country's telecommunications system was upgraded, adding a fibre optic cable extending 98.524 kilometres, thus reaching more villages across the country with mobile phone signals
Asia Kazakhstan The Kazakh-German Intergovernmental Commission for the Affairs of Ethnic Germans in Kazakhstan met for its 20th anniversary, with the aim of strengthening cultural and humanitarian cooperation and discussing the affairs of the ethnic German group
Asia Qatar An in-depth survey to assess the digital inclusiveness of Qatari citizens and residents; launched by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, it will last until 8 June 2024
Asia Kyrgyzstan At least 33 state irrigation systems were destroyed in April-May due to heavy rains in the country, reported the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry
Asia Indonesia The government will build 335 earthquake-resistant houses for families badly affected by the recent cold lava eruption of Mount Marapi, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency assured
Asia Bangladesh Fire mitigation plan guidelines are being drawn for the Sundarbans, given the increasing risk of fires in the world's largest mangrove forest
Asia Cambodia The country plans to establish an institute for the study of genocide and the success of the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia, known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal
Asia North Korea 'Friendly Father', a song glorifying the personality of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, goes viral on TikTok and describes him as a 'loving father' and 'great leader'; the song has been banned in South Korea
Asia Maldives Local produce has become scarce in the Male' market due to the weather conditions that are affecting the Maldives and disrupting the harvest and supply chain
Asia Japan Major Japanese firms offered an average 5,58% wage increase in the spring negotiations, as many sought to respond to elevated prices while trying to avoid brain drains; it is the highest increases in 32 years since comparable data became available in 1992
Asia Mongolia The 'Ulaanbaatar Marathon - 2024', an international competition organised by the Governor's Office of the capital since 2014, will be held on Saturday 25 May; last year over 20.000 people from 30 countries participated