Africa Ethiopia Parliament removed a controversial salary deduction clause from disaster risk bill citing ‘overlapping burden on workers’; the clause was withdrawn following “discussion and consensus” and the proclamation was unanimously approved
Asia Georgia Tbilisi City Hall will dismantle the twin glass-and-steel structures in Rike Park known a the “Rike Jars,” as they do not align with the city’s urban development guidelines; a new development would occupy the same footprint as the current structures
America Cuba Along Havana’s central highway, 114th Street market offers a imported groceries: Washington apples and grapes, garlic from California, Turkish produce; shoppers; almost nobody living off a local salary can afford them, but nobody grows them either
Asia Kazakhstan Five major initiatives with a total investment of around $19.5 billion in the metallurgical and petrochemical sectors are being implemented, expected to create over 8.000 permanent jobs; the news was reported during a May 21 government meeting
Asia Thailand Thailand will push for greater international engagement with Myanmar’s junta at the upcoming ASEAN summit, aiming to expand diplomatic efforts to end the civil war
Europe Denmark Housing prices in Denmark have increased 4,6 times over the past 30 years, 8,5 times in Copenhagen, which is significantly more than wages over the same period; figures are disclosed in latest research conducted by data analyst Kiril Boyanov
Africa Mauritania The floating liquefaction platform of the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim gas field inaugurated its LNG export operations; President Ghazouani praised the work of the many young Mauritanians making this happen and bringing advantages and benefits to the country
Asia Tajikistan Tajik labor migrants residing in Russia and seeking to legalize their status within the new deadline of 10 September report unfair treatment and discrimination at Kazakh-Russian border
Asia North Korea With 'Hidden Heroes: An Anthology of North Korean Fiction', selection of 10 short contemporary stories on ordinary citizens who quietly contributed to society, curators Kim and Berthelier make a point of distinguishinging propaganda from storytelling
Europe Andorra The XX Games of the Small States of Europe will be held in Andorra la Vella, from 26 May to 1 June 2025 with the participation of delegations from Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino
Europe Slovenia Uber, a ride-hailing company operating in over 70 countries, has launched operations Ljubljana in collaboration with local licensed drivers in order to comply with the Slovenia's strict rules on taxi services
Asia Iran Iran's National Virtual Space Center will take legal action against Google and other international platforms over the distortion of the historical name of the Persian Gulf, considering the use of other names a violation of national identity and of ICCPR
Asia Syria The energy industry, once the backbone of the Syrian economy, is now the strategic bottleneck as the country starts its post-sanctions recovery; experts warn the sector would need $20 billion
Asia Japan With rice at record-high prices, Japan authorities warn of scams in fraudulent websites claiming to sell rice at low prices, while new farm minister plans to abandon auctioning stockpiled rice and set prices through negotiation to better control them