America Panama Recent incidents of African bees stinging occurred during Good Friday at a Stations of the Cross procession in Penonomé, were at least 50 required medical attention and one person died; scientists are investigating their habits and why they attack
Africa Benin Producers, directors and other film industry professionals are setting a link between Los Angeles and Cotonou, aiming to develop Beninese cinema and hoping to make it essential across the African continent
Europe Romania VAT has been risen from 19 to 21% on most goods (11% on food, medicines, books, public utilities, district heating, water and sewage services), excise duties on fuel and alcohol brought up 10%, public-sector wage freezed to curb a surging budget deficit
America Saint Lucia First African head of State to address St. Lucia Parliament, Nigerian President Tinubu in his official visit announced scholarships for Saint Lucian students, proposed deeper academic collaboration, more cooperation in trade, education, cultural exchange
Asia Taiwan The Penghu Water Recreation Activities Association is offering a bounty of NT$300 (US$10) for each crown-of-thorns starfish caught in local waters: feeding on coral polyps, the living tissue of coral reefs, the are killing off large tracts of reefs
Europe Serbia Police in Belgrade worked to remove roadblocks set up by protesters over the weekend, while protesters moved to reinstall them, amid continuing civil disobedience caused by anger at arrests of eight people accused of plotting to “overthrow the state”
Europe Albania Beachgoers across Albania can access designated public beach areas free of charge in summer 2025 following a decades-awaited regulation that mandates 30% of every 1.000 meter of coastal stretch be open to the public
Asia Pakistan The Dhabeji pumping station remained without power for over 96 hours due to cable faults worsened by rain, deepening Karachi’s water crisis with a daily shortfall of up to 350 million gallons and residents forced to rely on expensive water tankers
Asia East Timor The Samoa Agreement was ratified by National Parliament in a Plenary Session with 58 votes in favor, no abstentions or votes against; signed on 15 November 2023, it establishes the new legal framework for partnership between the EU and OACPS countries
Africa Botswana One of the three main distributaries of the Okavango Delta, the Jao/Boro system, appears to be dying; though scientists haven't confirm its potential demise, local communities point to an evident, deliberate diversion of water towards private properties
Asia Azerbaijan Two Azeri brothers died in Russian custody, enlarging a diplomatic rift between the to countries; experts say Azerbaijan is challenging Moscow's dominant role in the South Caucasus and establishing itself as a regional power
Europe Norway KLP, Norway's biggest pension fund, dropped US group Oshkosh Corporation and Germany's ThyssenKrupp from its investment portfolio for selling weapons and equipment used by Israel's military in Gaza
Asia Singapore From 1 July 2025 cyclists and non-motorised PMD users are banned from pedestrian-only paths; offenders face fines up to S\$2.000, €1.300, or three months’ jail and the implementation of the rule was announced with the “Stay on Track” campaign
Oceania Australia Doctors today urged that 1.200 Australian children get tested for infectious diseases for having been in contact with former daycare worker charged with over 70 sex crimes; the man worked at 20 nursery schools across Melbourne between 2017 and 2025