Asia Palestine Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques north of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, and spraied the word "revenge" on walls, according to local witnesses, in an unprecedented episode of escalating hostilities
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
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
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 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
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
America Ecuador Daniel Noboa's presidential victory has been confirmed in Ecuador with 55,63% of the vote, following high voter turnout and dismissed fraud claims, marking a political shift amid plans to reform the constitution to address national violence
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 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
Africa Djibouti Djibouti has signed the BBNJ Treaty, becoming the 115th country to sign the UN-backed agreement covering all sea and ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction, including the seafloor and water column
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
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 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
America Brazil Brazil has strengthened its strategic partnership with Russia by signing nuclear and defense cooperation agreements during Lula's Moscow visit, despite Western backlash over his participation in Russia's Victory Day amid the Ukraine conflict