Oceania New Zealand 'Our Freshwater 2026' report highlights worsening quality of groundwater, rivers and lakes, with increasing levels of nitrates, E.coli above legal limit, and nearly half of New Zealand's river network unsafe for swimming due to faecal contamination
Europe Belgium A rare hoverfly, unseen in Belgium for over a century, was discovered in Averbode; the fact is even more noteworthy because two related species, the 'bijlsprietje' and the 'duinheidedwerg', were also found in the same area
Europe Bosnia and Herzegovina With a +31,67% peak in tourist arrivals and a 25,03% increase in overnight stays compared to the previous year, in 2024 BiH recorded its highest tourist results ever
Europe Netherlands 119 Benin bronzes stolen by British forces in 1897 and later acquired by Dutch institutions will be returned to Nigeria; one of the largest repatriations of looted artifacts to date, it shows momentum for restitution efforts continues to grow worldwide
America Barbados To strengthen health care and boost digital connectivity, Barbados signed two key agreements with European partners, one focusing on pharmaceutical regulatory cooperation and the other on satellite technology for digital transformation
Europe Hungary A documentary about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and how some of his family and friends became rich thanks to state support is receiving a lot of attention
Africa South Sudan The closure of all schools was announced for a fortnight due to an extreme heat wave that caused fainting and collapse to some students
Asia China Xi Jinping, as chairman of the Central Military Commission, signed the order to issue three regulations on the army's internal organisation, code of conduct and military training with new revised regulations effective from 1 April 2025
Asia Maldives The State Trading Organization has announced changes in the times and places of distribution of government-donated tuna crates in the Male area for Ramadan
America United States All 21 people hospitalized after Monday’s crash of US Delta Air Lines flight 4819 at Toronto Airport have been released, the airline confirmed; five major US aviation disasters occurred in 2025, one involving a commercial airline, causing 87 casualties
Africa Uganda The last eight patients recovering from an Ebola outbreak declared last month have been discharged; World Health Organisation described the recoveries as a milestone reflecting Uganda's rapid response to the epidemic
America Canada Canada has withdrawn from a UN mission in eastern Congo citing the “increasingly perilous conditions” in the rebel-held city of Goma; critics say it is a time when peacekeepers are desperately needed to protect thousands of people displaced at UN bases
Africa South Africa The presentation of the national budget was abruptly postponed due to a dispute within the country's ruling coalition, marking an unprecedented delay in South Africa's in the post-apartheid era
Europe Slovenia The Slovenian Forest Service will close pheasant and partridge breeding operations in Beltinci, in the northeast, by May 1, marking the closure of the last such breeding facility in the country