Asia Georgia The EU annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World noted “severely curtailed” human rights in Georgia, reduced bilateral political contacts and dialogue between Brussels and Tbilisi amid “significant democratic backsliding”
Europe Slovenia The country, which has already signed a solidarity agreement with Italy, is soon expected to sign a solidarity agreement with Croatia on gas supply and to expand energy cooperation in other areas
Africa Morocco King Mohammed VI congratulated Moroccan boxer Khadija El Mardi, who won the world title at the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships becoming the first African, Arab, and Moroccan woman to win a gold medal in boxing
Africa Libya EU support for Libyan authorities 'aided and abetted' rights violations against migrants and crimes against humanity, according to UN fact-finding mission investigating rights violations in Libya
Europe Austria Amnesty International listed among the country's human rights failures inadequate social benefits, racial profiling, inadequate protection of unaccompanied children, housing shortage, increased pressure on media freedom and failure to meet climate targets
Africa Rwanda Rwandan political activist Paul Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda, is expected to have been released from prison according to newsletter Semafor, which cites senior Rwandan and Qatari officials
Europe Iceland Considerable precipitation affected East Iceland, leading to a high risk of avalanches and to security forces evacuating houses; the situation has now improved and relief for the evacuated is expected soon
Europe Switzerland The Swiss are eating more and more foreign chocolate and, despite the increase in exports, the accounts of Swiss chocolate producers are suffering: in 2022, total consumption stood at 11 kilograms, down 2,7% year-on-year
Africa Gambia Gambian from the University of Cambridge, entrepreneur and owner of Rahma Foods in The Gambia, Alassan Gent Ceesay, will chair this year's Africa Together Conference to be held from 12 to 14 May at the prestigious University of Cambridge, England
Europe Vatican City Vatican repudiates the 'Doctrine of Discovery,' which underpinned colonialism; with origins in the 15th century, it was invoked as a legal and religious standing by Europeans who "discovered" new lands and violently seized it from people living there
Africa Chad Interim president Mahamat Idriss Deby pardoned 380 rebels from Front for Change and Concord in Chad group who had been given life imprisonment for killing his father Idriss Deby Itno, country's long-time ruler
Africa Uganda People in same-sex relationships now face life imprisonment after the country's parliament unanimously passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023, described by Amnesty International as 'appalling', 'ambiguous' and 'vaguely worded'
Asia Qatar Gold sales rose by 50% since start of Ramadan, traditionally a good period for gold business; reports indicate a recovery in sales despite the rise in prices