Oceania Palau A historic $15 million financing agreement has been signed with Saudi Arabia, marking a shift in how Palua's National Development Bank will now operate, as the loan will be directly invested into building affordable housing
Asia Bahrain StartUp Bahrain has signed a strategic partnership with ordable/, a regional cutting-edge business management platform to improve operational efficiency and support the digital growth of local small and medium-sized enterprises
America Brazil A nationwide environmental emergency has been declared to prevent another devastating fire season, hiring extra firefighters and allocating funds after record-breaking wildfires have scorched millions of hectares in the Amazon
America Venezuela Concern has been expressed after the US under Trump order deported 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador without due process, sparking fear among families who suspect their relatives —many asylum seekers— have been wrongly linked to gangs and transferred
America Argentina Violent protest by retirees demanding pension increases and free medicine access resulted in over 120 arrests and 20 people injured amid clashes with police near the Congress building
Europe Austria The European Investment Bank has granted Energie AG Oberösterreich a financing package of up to €400 million for the expansion of hydropower in Austria
Asia China At Geely's Zeekr 5G intelligent factory in Ningbo, in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, dozens of advanced humanoid robots work in factory departments, marking a new era of human-like teamwork in manufacturing
Europe Vatican City Peter is Here, a Minecraft video game, has been unveiled; developed with Microsoft Minecraft Education programme in the frame of the jubelee for younger generations, it lets players explore St. Peter’s Basilica, learning about its wonders and heritage
Africa Comoros Families in Mwali affected by Cyclone Chido last December received building materials during a ceremony at the Regional Directorate for Civil Security, part of the regional Emergency Preparedness and Inclusive Recovery programme funded by the WB
Europe France The Jubilee has been inaugurated in the Archdiocese of Papeete, the largest archdiocese in the entire Catholic Church; twelve doors have been designated and opened in an area that spans a distance comparable to that between Tunisia and Scandinavia
Oceania Tonga A rehabilitation centre for illicit drugs is urgently needed, said chief psychiatrist Dr. Mapa Puloka and consultant Mele Prescott, taking stock of the growing number of drug addicts in Tonga
Africa Liberia The government has begun the process of terminating the mining development agreement signed with Severstal, a Russian-affiliated company, to claim ownership of Putu Mountain in Grand Gedeh, valued at about USD 12 billion
America Bahamas 11.157 road accidents, of which 2.234 involved minor and registered serious injuries or fatalities (66), were recorded in Bahamas in 2024, marking a 30% increase from the 51 fatalities of 2023
Europe Latvia One of the first in a series of new civil protection seminars was held in Teika, a suburb in Riga; according to the municipality, the response was excellent, but residents' assessment of the seminar's value was mixed