Asia Thailand Rubella has been eliminated in Thailand as a public health threat, achieving the WHO criteria for interruption of endemic transmission; imported cases is now the key concern, especially for infections during pregnancy
Europe Belgium The country entered the Council of Europe's Register of Damage Caused by Russia's Aggression in Ukraine
Europe Poland Poland's LGBT-free zones will not receive EU funding, French MEP Pierre Karleskind said; as of 2019, five Polish regions and over 190 municipalities have adopted resolutions to create "LGBT ideology-free zones"
America Canada Toronto will be getting a new 942 area code from 26 April 2025; the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved the measure after a report projected the city’s existing area codes 416, 437 and 647 will be exhausted by April 2026
Africa Benin The World Health Organisation has announced that Benin and Mali have succeeded in eliminating trachoma, a tropical eye disease that can cause permanent blindness
Europe Germany Biofuels producers claim that the new greenhouse gas emission reduction target for transport fuels under new EU rules could reduce the amount of crop-based biofuels used in German road transport if strictly enforced
Europe Slovenia The government revoked the decree that was the legal basis for the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Communism just hours before it was to be celebrated, triggering fierce criticism from the right and speaking of a 'new civil war'
Asia East Timor Parliamentary elections in East Timor are scheduled for today 21 May 2023; the President is directly elected by absolute majority vote in up to two rounds
Europe Netherlands The municipality of The Hague has announced that parking spaces in the streets of the city centre and along the beach will be charged at a fixed rate of €50 for any duration, in order to reduce traffic and make room for residents
Europe Ireland 2023 Climate Action Mandate was approved to achieve climate targets across the public sector such as -51%% in greenhouse gas emissions and 50% improvement in energy efficiency by 2030
Asia Mongolia As the Mining Exchange Law will come into force on 1 July, the identification of parties involved in the online coal trade of the Mining Exchange has begun
Europe Latvia In the upcoming future, seven disaster management centres will be planned and built in the country as part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan approved by the Council of Ministers
Asia Georgia Hundreds of Georgians took to the streets to protest the rapprochement after Russia restored visa-free travel for Georgian citizens on 10 May and lifted the ban on direct flights between the two countries imposed in 2019
Africa Mozambique Interprovincial bus company 'Maning Nice' has shut down its operations and left about 500 workers unemployed; the reason would be the poor condition of the main north-south highway and the reduced flow of passengers