Asia Vietnam A nationwide online competition on the Constitution was launched through a dedicated digital platform, allowing citizens to test their knowledge online; the initiative is part of a broader government campaign to improve citizenship awareness
Asia Iraq UN officials urged the country to push ahead with planned political and economic reforms, preserve women's rights and continue talks with Kuwait for compensation of Kuwaitis who disappeared in 1990 Iraqi invasion
Africa Ethiopia Over 7 billion saplings are ready to be planted in the coming rainy season, as part of the Green Legacy Programme that has resulted in the planting of 25 billion saplings over the past four years
Asia Afghanistan In western Farah province construction has begun on the Bakhsh Abad Dam; expected to be completed in five phases, the major project will be able to irrigate more than 100.000 hectares of land, as well as generate electricity for the population
Africa Nigeria Cleaning up decades of oil pollution and restoring environmental health in just one of Nigeria's crude oil-producing states, Bayelsa State, will cost at least $12 billion
Asia India A three-day synchronised elephant census took place in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu after an interval of six years; as elephant habitats often span two states, synchronization was decided to avoid double counting
Africa Sao Tome and Principe The government wants to increase the vaccination rate in the country, bringing it from 69% to over 80%
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Sexual violence has become a serious problem in the country, with an increasing number of victims; for example, Médecins Sans Frontières reported having treated 'more than 670 victims of sexual violence' in the east only in the period from 17-30 of April
Asia Cambodia The sale and consumption of alcohol will be banned for two days, 22 and 23 July, when national elections will be held in the country - the announcement came from the Minister of Tourism
Europe Finland According to a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat, the country's two largest parties that won the April elections, the liberal-conservative National Coalition Party and the nationalist and populist Party of Finns, are gaining support
Europe Spain National Police and Department of National Security are investigating online campaigns that undermine credibility of upcoming Spanish regional elections, afraid they may intensify before Spain's presidency of EU Council and general elections in November
Europe Czech Republic 9 resolutions from the era of socialist Czechoslovakia, which enabled Russian diplomats to use the country's land free of charge, have been annulled by the government
Asia Cyprus Nicosia will host three distinct book bazaars this May, one coming up this weekend and the other two taking place just before the month ends
Africa Egypt The country intends to remove limits on foreign property ownership in a bid to attract more hard currency to the country; the premier said investment will lead to reduced inflation and eased pressure on commodity prices