Asia Japan Proof of proficiency in Japanese will be required to apply for a working visa for engineering, humanities or international services; policy will be revised tightening screening after workers entered Japan under a specialized job visa but do unskilled jobs
Europe Denmark Housing prices in Denmark have increased 4,6 times over the past 30 years, 8,5 times in Copenhagen, which is significantly more than wages over the same period; figures are disclosed in latest research conducted by data analyst Kiril Boyanov
Asia Syria The energy industry, once the backbone of the Syrian economy, is now the strategic bottleneck as the country starts its post-sanctions recovery; experts warn the sector would need $20 billion
Africa Sierra Leone Mpox in Sierra Leone accounts for 58,2% of all cases in Africa; as numbers climb sharply, +26% in one week, the Africa Centre for Disease Control is focusing on a quick and effective response also to prevent the virus from spreading to more countries
Asia Japan With rice at record-high prices, Japan authorities warn of scams in fraudulent websites claiming to sell rice at low prices, while new farm minister plans to abandon auctioning stockpiled rice and set prices through negotiation to better control them
Africa Ivory Coast Rumors of a possible coup or large-scale uprising in Abidjan were silenced as President, who couldn't be located, appeared in public; hours before gunfire was heard, internet had been cut off and news from the ground suggested a fast-unfolding crisis
Oceania Samoa Bee Educated, an initiative by the Samoa Agricultural Organisation funded by the Global Environment Facility through the UNDP, has trained over 100 new beekeepers since 2022 and distributed 2.000 hives across both islands of Upolu and Savai'i
Europe Slovenia Uber, a ride-hailing company operating in over 70 countries, has launched operations Ljubljana in collaboration with local licensed drivers in order to comply with the Slovenia's strict rules on taxi services
Europe Andorra The XX Games of the Small States of Europe will be held in Andorra la Vella, from 26 May to 1 June 2025 with the participation of delegations from Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino
Asia North Korea With 'Hidden Heroes: An Anthology of North Korean Fiction', selection of 10 short contemporary stories on ordinary citizens who quietly contributed to society, curators Kim and Berthelier make a point of distinguishinging propaganda from storytelling
Europe Norway A cargo ship landed 15m from a house in Trondheim area, in fine weather and daylight: rescue operations and investigations are ongoing; of 16 people on board and those in the house at the moment, nobody was injured are there are no environmental concerns
Africa Seychelles International Biodiversity Day was celebrated in Praslin involving both the community and tourists, invited to plant a coco de mer seed in an area called Aux Louis
Europe San Marino The Confucius Institute San Marino celebrates 10 years of activity with international symposium “TCM Wellness, returning to nature”, focusing on traditional chinese medicine, organized in collaboration with local university 'del Titano'
Oceania Solomon Islands Landowners from Kakau and Lakuili Tribes in Variana and Hoilava, West Guadalcanal, have issued a public appeal to mining authorities urging them to exclude their customary land from a tenement granted to Ever Prosperous Mining and to revoke its licence