Asia India Indian Railways' first hydrogen-powered train made its maiden journey covering an 89-km route between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana state; the 10 coaches were powered by a 1.200 Kw hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, the world's most powerful for a train
America Ecuador The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador and the National Anti-Mining Front organised protests against mining and filed a constitutional challenge against Executive Decree 754, which enables environmental consultation
Oceania Palau Considering both cold and flu, influenza cases are rising at the Belau National Hospital, especially in children and adolescents aged 15 years and under
Europe Luxembourg Expatriate communities have elected Luxembourgish councillors; although the population is almost equally divided between nationals and expatriates, few expatriates have stood for municipal councils and even fewer have been elected
Asia Bhutan King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan have announced they are expecting their third child, due in early autumn
America Argentina The rains of May have saved Argentine crops from a steep decline, as now there will be an additional 700,000 hectares of wheat; wheat losses are projected to be only 5% compared to the previous season
Africa Republic of the Congo Brazzaville officially launched a police professionalisation project, funded with five million euros by the EU, in response to allegations of torture and mistreatment made by non-governmental organisations against men in uniform
Africa South Africa A controversial universal healthcare bill passed lower house vote; aimed at equalising access to healthcare in the world's most unequal society, it arose fears that its implementation will be undermined by corruption and lack of funds
Asia Pakistan After the Pakistan Meteorological Department confirmed Friday that Cyclone Biparjoy has weakened, residents of the coastal town of Keti Bandar in Sindh are returning home
America Belize The central bank will now have the authority to regulate and supervise cryptocurrency firms, aligning with the state’s efforts to create a regulatory framework for the growing crypto market
America Bolivia The government believes it would be beneficial to have some banks operating in yuan currency in the country due to strong foreign trade with China, and it is expected that this trend will continue to strengthen over time and bring advantages
Asia Japan The law on funding sources for increased defence spending has been approved; military spending will increase to $318 billion over the next five years
America Belize The country has submitted its memorial to the International Court of Justice in the ongoing land dispute with Honduras over the Sapodilla Caye; the memorial defends the state’s sovereignty and requests the court to declare its rightful control
Asia Brunei Three Brunei companies - Woke Company, Teaspoon F&B Services and Super Thirteen Clothing Co - showcased their potential at the Echelon Asia Summit 2023 as part of the Darussalam Enterprise Business Bootcamp