Asia Israel The UN has placed Israel on the 'blacklist' of the report, submitted by the secretary-general's office, which lists countries and armed groups that it considers to have committed grave violations against children during armed conflicts
Asia Jordan Anti-narcotics officers intercepted a major drug haul, seizing around 9,5 million narcotic pills and 143 kg of hashish destined to a neighboring country; members of two gangs linked to regional drug trafficking networks have been arrested
Asia Cambodia Meta House will host from 11 to 16 June the second edition of the SPEAK OUT, SISTERS (SOS) film festival presenting a series of Cambodian and international films by and about women
Asia Bhutan Bhutan NDI Company and GovTech Agency were honoured at the European Identity and Cloud Conference in Berlin, Germany, by KuppingerCole, a world-renowned company that recognises identity-based solutions worldwide
Asia Armenia World Food Security Day was celebrated in Armenia under the theme 'Prepare for the unexpected', FAO and WHO, together with key partners, highlighted important steps taken by the country towards food security
Asia Sri Lanka Electricity tariffs will be reduced as of 1 July 2024, with Ceylon Electricity Board presenting its tariff revision proposal to the Public Utility Commission of Sri Lanka
Asia Turkey Parliament outlined savings measures to be implemented over the next three years as part of the austerity programme recently presented by the government, which includes restrictions on various expenses, from the use of vehicles to visits abroad
Asia Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, on a working visit to the northern region of the country, handed over the keys to 200 new passenger buses to the Velayat Automotive Company
Asia Vietnam With the start of another lychee season, the province of Bắc Giang has already exported 3,5 tonnes of early lychees to Germany from a local company, Vifoco Import Export Joint Stock Company
Asia Maldives A law will be amended to ban people with Israeli passports from entering the archipelago, as a reaction to war in the Gaza Strip; it is not yet clear when the ban will come into effect
Asia Laos The country is preparing to conduct its fifth population and housing census in March 2025, with a pilot test taking place in the capital Vientiane, Houaphanh, Bokeo and Sekong provinces, and will be the first digital census in the country
Asia Japan The transport ministry inspected Toyota headquarters in Aichi Prefecture after the company admitted to improperly obtaining vehicle quality certifications in a setback for the carmaker that sits on world's No. 1 spot for product reliability
Asia China China has become the largest arms supplier in sub-Saharan Africa, surpassing Russia, thanks to low prices and related services for equipment maintenance and training of armed forces through purchasing mechanisms (loans for arms purchases)