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 Sri Lanka Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka exceeded 37.000 in the first five days of March, according to provisional figures from the Tourism Development Authority; half-million visitors entered the country within 1 March, compared to mid-March in 2024
Asia Thailand Former MP urges action against a spiritual group led by a 9-year-old claiming to be Buddha’s son; Despite a court ban, followers continue worshipping him and authorities are investigating potential violations, including child rights and public deception
Asia Myanmar An airstrike on Let Pan Hla village in Singu township targeted a market area, resulting in at least 27 civilian deaths, including children, and 10 houses destroyed; The military has not commented on the incident
Asia United Arab Emirates "International Day of Happiness" is celebrated on 20th March in the UAE, committed to enhancing the well being and quality of life of residents; happiness, a key metric in government policies, is a fundamental indicator of progress and success in the UAE
Asia Vietnam 1.000 Vietnamese nuclear specialists will be trained following an agreement between PM Phạm Minh Chính and Hungary's FM Péter Szijjártó; Vietnam aims for its first plant by 2030 and the deal strengthens its nuclear ambitions
Africa South Sudan Two major peacebuilding projects to reduce violence in communities and promote resilience in conflict-affected areas have been launched by the government, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF
Asia South Korea A 79-year-old man, believed to be a supporter of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, self-immolated on 7 March near the Seoul City Hall; He had scattered pro-Yoon printouts before the act and this is the second such incident after a similar case in January
Europe Andorra 29,5% of the adult population consumes some product containing nicotine, and cigarettes are the most widely used product, according to a study conducted by the Odec computing centre for Philip Morris
Europe Belgium Authorities will start cooperating more closely to better share information in the fight against radicalization and extremism among minors: the number of minors involved in terrorist activities is on the rise and many at risk of radicalization are minors
Asia Philippines Former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manila on an International Criminal Court warrant for crimes against humanity linked to his deadly war on drugs, which left up to 30.000 dead; he has been transferred to The Hague for the upcoming trial
Europe Belarus New tourist routes will be launched in all regions of Belarus with the aim of creating recommendations for each district as to what tourists should see first during their 5-6 hour trip
Africa Lesotho The Revenue Services Lesotho has suspended 10 employees pending investigations into allegations of dishonesty and misconduct; all Customs Inspectors, they are accused of engaging in dishonest activities at their respective duty stations
Africa Sao Tome and Principe 41.000 visitors entered the country in 2024, setting a new record of arrivals; the figure includes tourists and Portugal is the foreign country with most travelers