Asia Jordan Increase in container traffic at the Aqaba Container Terminal during the past month, despite regional tensions, reflects Jordan’s growing logistical role in the region with flexible supply chains at Aqaba Port becoming a secure, stable alternative route
Europe Finland The Swedish People's Party in Espoo announced the formation of a multicultural committee with the aim of involving immigrants and non-native Finnish or Swedish speakers in local and national politics
Africa Sierra Leone The authorities have launched a nationwide campaign to administer the single-dose Ebola vaccine; in 2014, the Ebola epidemic, the deadliest in history, led to the country losing 7% of its health personnel
Africa Seychelles The official poster for the Beach Soccer World Cup 2025, to be held in Seychelles, has been officially unveiled; the poster design, similar to a postage stamp, evokes the experience of receiving a postcard and represents Seychelles' hospitable nature
America Chile Congress has approved creating the Ministry of Public Security, set to begin operations by June 1, 2025, to oversee public order, crime prevention, and police forces, marking a milestone in reorganizing the nation's security structure
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo Over 100 deaths have been caused by recent, still unidentified infection that is spreading in Kwango region showing a very high mortality rate; DRC has announced 'maximum alert' and surveillance levels have been raised in ports and airports worldwide
Africa Libya All commercial banks operating in Libya can now offer interest-free loans for electronic purchases, to help citizens cope with the country's current liquidity crisis
Asia Palestine A new report by the human rights organisation Amnesty International has determined that Israel's war in Gaza has reached the legal threshold of genocide, accusing Israel of treating the Palestinians of Gaza as a 'subhuman group unworthy of human rights'
Africa Ivory Coast The know-how linked to the preparation of attiéké, an ancestral and emblematic dish of Côte d'Ivoire, has been included in the list of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of Côte d'Ivoire
Oceania Marshall Islands Air Marshall Islands, the flag carrier of the country, will be granted a preferential loan by Taiwan to enable the purchase of more aircraft
Asia Kuwait On the eve of its planned release in Kuwait, the movie 'Wicked' was removed from cinema listings; the ban was not explained but it is said that the inclusion of an LGBTQ character may have been a contributing factor
Africa Republic of the Congo The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with North Korea came into force: it obliges each of the two signatory countries to 'provide immediate military assistance' in the event of an attack against the other and to jointly counter Western sanctions
Europe Switzerland First physical and commercially usable quantum computer was inaugurated at Uptown Basel competence centre in Arlesheim; it will be available to companies, academic institutions and start-ups in areas such as simulation, optimisation and machine learning
Asia Cambodia The Media Forum on Gender Equality urged to tackle stereotypes, promote responsible reporting and amplify women’s voices; Ministry of Women’s Affairs introduced Neary Rattanak VI project, focusing on empowerment, leadership, legal protection for females