Asia United Arab Emirates Residents in Abu Dhabi have been warned about a surge in fake social media accounts and messages aimed at defrauding the public and stealing personal data by promoting a range of scams: concert tickets, domestic worker recruitment, insurance products
Asia Palestine The city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza held its first elections in more than 20 years, though for a small fraction of the shattered territory’s population; municipal elections also took place in the West Bank
Asia Tajikistan The Central Asian Security Forum will be held in Dushanbe on 30 April; organized at the initiative of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan, it will also focus on transregional factors influencing the region's stability
Asia Kyrgyzstan Aside the 9th meeting of health ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan held talks with Tajikistan to deepen collaboration in the health sector; proposed activities range from digitalization to training
Asia Armenia The reported demolition of one more church of Armenian cult in Azerbaijan, just few days before the 111th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, has sparked sharp condemnation from cultural heritage observers
Asia Taiwan National Health Insurance budget has been raised over $31,8 billion for the first time; with expanded budget medical workers will be paid on workload or case difficulty, hospitals will have resources to raise salaries, invest in equipment and training
Asia East Timor 10th Dili International Marathon, scheduled on 8 August 2026, will be supported by Australia's National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center; the international competition has developed into a platform for community participation and health awaremness
Asia China Starting in May 2026, China will completely exempt from customs duties goods from over 50 African countries as part of Beijing's strengthening trade ties with Africa, according to Chinese state media
Asia Sri Lanka An “Ehi Passiko” peace walk began in Dambulla, bringing together Buddhist monks and participants to promote peace and mindfulness; “Ehi Passiko,” meaning “come and see,” reflects a core Buddhist principle encouraging understanding through experience
Asia Maldives A group of locals has caught a large crocodile on an uninhabited island in Lhaviyani Atoll and handed it over to the Maldives National Defense Force; the 1,5 m reptile, seen on 'Dhihdhoo' island, is neither an exceptional sight nor an endemic species
Asia Israel The 21st alternative Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony took place in Jaffa, forced to keep its location secret due to far-right threats to disrupt the event and following last year's disruption of a screening in a mosque
Asia Saudi Arabia Native plant nursery and seed bank in AlUla governorate has a target of more than 500 local plant species by 2030; supplying reserves and urban landscapes it is strengthening its position as a model for ecological restoration
Asia Oman Beekepers in Oman are preparing for Al Baram season, the crucial time of year when Acacia tortilis and Acacia ehrenbergiana begin to bloom and their blossoms, the 'Baram', give distinctive, refined taste to honey