America Brazil Preparations have been launched for South America’s first carbon market, requiring major emitters to report emissions by 2026 and setting limits by 2029, signaling Brazil's commitment to climate action despite being world's fifth-largest carbon emitter
Asia Afghanistan Concerns about the reported presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan following the victory of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria are intensifying among neighboring countries, Central Asian republics and Indian security agencies, Indian sources reported
Europe Italy A huge snowfall whitened the Alps, by far the biggest of the 24-25 season, with the avalanche danger at a rare maximum 5 out 5 in area of the Western Alps; the snowfall is a good news for glaciers and snowpack before the arrival of summer
Asia United Arab Emirates Dubai’s largest site-specific public art installation is now visible in Hatta mountains; Created by Emirati artist Shaikha Al Mazrou, ‘Deliberate Pauses’, the Leem Lake as a backdrop, highlights the cultural, historical, environmental richness of Hatta
Europe France Six departments in France, including Lyon and Cannes, are on red alert as "exceptional rain" causes severe flooding with up to 630 mm of rain in just 48 hours, vehicles have been submerged and swept away, prompting evacuations and road closures
Africa Nigeria Chess master Tunde Onakoya broke the Guinness World Record for the longest ever chess marathon, for a noble cause; at the iconic Times Square in New York, Onakoya hit the extraordinary 60-hour mark of non-stop chess against NM Shawn Martinez on 19 April
Europe Hungary Opposition leader Peter Magyar said most Hungarians are seeking new direction and he plans to reunite the nation by stopping propaganda and hate speech and by speaking about the reality, the conditions, the state of play of our country
Asia India 50% of student visas under revoked under new US rules belong to Indians; students have sued the Department of Homeland Security and immigration officials for terminating the F-1 visas and the lawsuit suggests the threat of deportation or visa cancellation
Asia Kazakhstan The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft made a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan, at 6:20 a.m. yesterday 20 April, after 220 days in space
Africa Djibouti A new contingent of troops from Djibouti, part of the African Union Mission in Somalia #AUSSOM, has arrived in Beletweyne; The troops will be deployed to Buula Burde and Jalalaqsi, two strategically important towns in the Hiiraan region
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo After a motorized wooden boat with 500 people on board caught fire and capsized in the Congo River, multiple sources reported death toll of over 140 while DRC authorities on Sunday said the actual number of deaths was 33
Europe Belgium A railway workers' strike will take place from 22:00 on 27 April until 22:00 on 4 May, the second called by the rail union after a week-long strike disrupted service at the end of March; workers are denouncing retirement reforms and working conditions
Asia Turkey Trial began for 189 people, mostly students, of the 819 arrested in rallies that began on 19 March after Istanbul's mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained on corruption charges, which he denies; charges against them include failing to disperse despite warnings
Asia China Hainan province saw a -29.3% y-o-y decrease in duty-free spending in 2024 from CNY43,76 billion in 2023 to CNY30,94 billion (US$4.23 billion), according to Haikou Customs data, confirmed in Q1 2025; This was driven by a -15.9% fall in shoppers in 2024