Europe Vatican City American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new Pope as the 267th Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church; elected during the third round of voting, he has taken the name Pope Leo XIV
Asia Israel Netanyahu declared Israel “on the eve of a forceful entry to Gaza" as security cabinet voted to approve a plan for tens of thousands of additional soldiers to seize and hold Gaza territory, relocating Palestinians south, raising international bewilderment
Asia United Arab Emirates With RTA parking often full, motorists spend up to an hour searching for spots — wasting fuel, causing traffic, and turning to costly private lots, whose fees double in some areas: motorists urge action amid soaring parking rates
Africa Benin A week-long workshop "Catholic Professionals and Commitment to Christian Leadership, Peace, Good Governance, and the Protection of Life" was held in Cotonou with fifty professionals from various sectors of social life from five African countries
Africa Somalia The use of Taiwan passports Somalia has been officially banned in Somalia, citing security and sovereignty concerns, following unapproved diplomatic plans by Taiwanese officials to visit Somaliland
Europe Austria Government is planning to freeze inflation-linked increases in family allowances from 2026 to 2027, following an austerity package to curb the rising deficit, suspending a key policy introduced in 2023 that helped benefits keep pace with rising prices
Africa Mauritius May Measurement Month, a global campaign lead by the International Society of Hypertension, has been launched in Mauritius to raise awareness on the risks of high blood pressure; residents are urged to undergo screenings for hypertension and diabetes
America Barbados Issuing the week's detailed calendar for fogging operations, authorities reminded that anti-mosquito treatments take place from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: householders should open their windows to allow the spray to enter, children shouldn't play in the fog
Europe Romania Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu resigned as the candidate backed by his ruling coalition performed poorly in the first round of Romania’s presidential elections and a far-right candidate came out on top
Europe Belgium Schools in Flanders ditched plans to provided a laptop to each primary education student, while are encouraged to develop collective ICT infrastructure; the regional government has also announced it will fully reimburse schools for asbestos removal costs
Asia Azerbaijan Scattered human remains and fragments of clothing of at least seven individuals could lie in the grave excavated in April in the liberated Khojaly district near the Asgaran-Khojaly road, one of two burial sites recently uncovered in the area, media report
Asia Kuwait With high capacity energy storage, solar initiatives and a full round of maintenance of energy generating units - now 76% complete - Kuwait is preparing to face the summer heat
America Dominican Republic The 2025 Rice Harvest at the Dr. Yin Tieh Hsieh Experimental Station has been inaugurated; the farm is considered a great advancement in the country’s rice and seed production, part of efforts to reach food sovereignty and meet local consumption needs
Europe Kosovo An awaited new parliament still hasn't been inaugurated since the elections held on 9 February; the winning party attempted to initiate a secret vote for the parliamentary speaker’s role but the proposal only got 54 votes out of 120 and did not pass