Asia South Korea A traditional rainmaking ritual called giuje was performed by the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Committee as severe drought is gripping the coastal city of Gangneung; water at Obong Reservoir stood at 18,3% and is projected to last other 22 days
Asia Kazakhstan Although families continue to cherish marriage traditions, a recent survey from Kazakh Institute for Public Development show that expensive marriages and outdated practices, such as the abduction of brides, have decreased significantly
Asia Indonesia Plans have been proposed to set a minimum age for social media use; experts urge careful study and public input to balance safety and access: concerns include enforcement challenges and impacts on digital rights, education, and information access
Europe Switzerland Johnson & Johnson plans to reduce its workforce in Switzerland, as the Company goes through reorganization and the business must adapt to a "complex and rapidly changing external environment"
Asia Iran Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran is not seeking 'nuclear weapons' and warned US President-elect Donald Trump against risking a 'war' with the Islamic Republic
Asia Lebanon Newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has appointed the head of the International Court of Justice, Nawaf Salam, as Prime Minister, a position vacant for two years due to Lebanon's political stalemate
Africa Eswatini The pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum will soon elect new leadership, as the term of office of lawyer Sicelo Mngomezulu's National Executive Committee is almost over
Africa Gambia The country aims at creating 150.000 new jobs by 2027, prioritising the empowerment of young women, said the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Welfare
Europe France France is the most fertile country in the European Union, despite reaching an all-time low in terms of fertility in 2024, with 1,62 children per woman, compared to 1,4 for the European average
Africa Algeria New figures from NGO Alarme Phone Sahara show that Algerian authorities deported no fewer than 31.404 migrants to Niger in 2024; the report condemns the 'fatal' and 'violent' approach used against migrants, including women and minors
Asia Israel Israeli historian Ilan Pappe said he believes there are many factors, from the Trump presidency to international isolation, that show that Zionism is entering its 'last phase' before its collapse
America Haiti On Sunday, the Haitian people, the Transitional Presidential Council and the government recalled the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010, which killed over 300,000 people and injured more than one million
Europe Germany A major reform of the Advisory Commission for Cultural Property Looted by the Nazis has been announced; it is specifically designed to deal with claims for compensation for works of art looted during the Nazi era
Asia India Last week, India's highest-ranking diplomat met with a senior Taliban minister, the highest level of engagement since Kabul's fall three years ago, signalling a shift in the way India views the geopolitical reality of the region