Asia Afghanistan Approximately 18.000 carats of emeralds, worth 1,1 million USD, have been sold since the beginning of year 1404, or 20 March 2025, in five rounds of bidding for Panjshir area emeralds and new emerald mine sites were discovered in Pariyan district
Europe Malta The Farmer Central Cooperative Society - which sells the products of Maltese farmers - is now selling local products to supermarkets chain Lidl, after discussions lasted 18 months
Europe Estonia The Social Democratic Party wants to limit political donations to €100.000 and intends to change the law before the next election; party chairman Lauri Läänemets stated that political decisions should not be made by a small group of people
Asia Bangladesh On the night of Saturday to Sunday, security forces arrested over 1.300 persons in the frame of the violent anti-government protests that have been going on for some time within the country
Asia East Timor A Special Test will be held to allow teachers hired in 2023 to enter the national education system, following a dialogue with representatives of former teachers and the Ministry of Education
Africa Uganda Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, imprisoned since November, began a hunger strike to protest his prolonged detention without trial
Africa Chad Emergency, an Italian NGO, will support the government with initiatives to improve access to healthcare, particularly in Chad's most remote areas, in an agreement between Emergency and the Minister of Public Health
Europe Czech Republic The grey wagtail has been nominated as bird of the year for 2025; the Czech Ornithological Society emphasized the crucial role that natural waterways play in sustaining this long-tailed bird
Asia Iran Journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, who had been convicted for reporting on Mahsa Amini's case, were pardoned; freed on bail after 17 months' imprisonment last January, their sentences were reduced on appeal in August
Africa Mozambique Approximately 100.000 people in Caia district of central Mozambique are facing severe food insecurity due to the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has created an 'extreme drought'; distribution of food aid to over 5.000 families has begun
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo In the cemeteries in Goma there is no more room and large pits are being dug for the bodies of the victims of the conflict between the M23 group's military and the army of DRC; a new UN estimate has put the number of casualties at over 3.000
Asia Yemen A UN employee has died in Yemen while detained by the Houthis; the cause of death is not known, while World Food Programme director said his name was Ahmed and he had been employed by the organisation since 2017
America Dominican Republic Farmers in Hato Mayor asked President Luis Abinader and National Police Director Ramón Antonio Guzmán Peralta to address the growing wave of cattle thefts affecting the livestock sector
Europe Italy Italy is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for non-cooperation with the Court in the Almasri case, wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity: it is the first time this happens to a European country