Asia Vietnam Technology will help authorities locate and repatriate the remains of war martyrs, the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War; Deputy PM ordered the use of DNA testing, digital archives and mapping to identify remains and return them to families
America Colombia Political asylum has been granted to former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli, who has been convicted of money laundering and claims political persecution, enabling his transfer from Nicaragua's embassy in Panama
Asia Laos A national digital ID system has been launched with support of Vietnam and Japan to modernize public services and boost data security; it includes a centralized citizen database and aims to streamline government operations and improve service access
Europe North Macedonia President of the European Council António Costa will visit North Macedonia on 15 May, expected to reiterate to Premier Hristijan Mickoski his personal commitment to finishing Skopje’s EU accession process notwithstanding alleged obstruction from Bulgaria
Asia Nepal An American climber died of cardiac arrest while descending Makalu, Nepal’s fifth-highest peak; the incident renews growing concerns over safety and overcrowding on Himalayan mountains during peak climbing season
Africa Botswana The 2025 flood season in Okavango Delta looks one of the most favorable in years, a crucial recovery from the drought conditions experienced lately; substantial rainfall locally and upstream saturated soils and facilitated the spread of needed floodwaters
Asia Jordan Jincheng Ceramics announced a $100 million investment to establish complementary industries alongside its existing operations in Jordan, with 14 new product lines primarily relying on local raw materials, potentially generating over 1.000 jobs
America Bolivia A decree to regulate fintech companies and tokenized virtual assets has been approved in Bolivia, aiming to ensure legal clarity, transparency, and user protection amid growing national adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency services
Africa Zambia Lusaka Times dedicated a column to World Migratory Bird Day 2025 'Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities', highlighting the need for healthy coexistence of humans and birds, key indicators of environmental health, among expanding urban developments
Asia Tajikistan A two-day training on effective and victim-centred response to domestic violence cases was organized in Dushanbe for 21 police officers, including the 19 Gender-Sensitive Police Units, upon initiative of the OSCE Programme Office and local authorities
Asia Palestine A bakery in southern Gaza is now producing 40.000 loaves of bread daily to support thousands of displaced families amid border closures, severe shortage of flour and soaring food prices thanks to Jordan Hashemite Charity and the Jordanian aid campaign
Asia Syria Five days into the start of fires in the forests of Jabal Turkman, Lattakia countryside, firefighters continue their effort for the fifth consecutive day while strong winds and a significant rise in temperatures brought to expansion and increase of blazes
Asia Malaysia Thousands are expected to attend the Wesak Day celebration at the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya today, with traditional rituals as the bathing of the Buddha statue and performances to commemorate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing
Asia Vietnam To modernize agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture is focusing on smart farming, digital land mapping, and AI monitoring; In Bắc Ninh, local authorities support eco-friendly tech to boost yields, cut labor, and lower emissions