Asia Sri Lanka Unprecedented visitors' arrivals have been registered in 2026, marking a strong recovery in numbers; However, the tourism boom has not translated into higher earnings, as shorter stays and lower spending per visitor have led to declining dollar revenues
Europe Moldova Singer Satoshi will represent Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with his song “Viva, Moldova!” after winning the national selection; According to fan polls and online rankings, it is currently placed in the top five of early televote predictions
Europe Iceland A public bus was stolen at Vífilstaðir in Garðabær: when the driver stopped at a bus stop in Vífilstaðir, a man boarded the vehicle and attacked him, a struggle followed that ended with both the driver and passengers leaving the bus
Oceania New Zealand Tens of thousands of people attended the annual rock and car festival Beach Hop in Whangamatā; the Beach Hop, established in 2000, has degenerated in 2026 into cases of unsuitable behavior that brought to 30 arrests, more than in the last years combined
Africa Ivory Coast “Accelerating Decentralization for Effective Local Development” symposium in Yamoussoukro has brought together government officials, local elected representatives, experts and technical partners to discuss territorial governance and commit to change
Europe Spain In a new wave of religious fervor, Holy Week processions are experiencing a new boom; in Andalusia this year over 230 brotherhoods and confraternities expect the involvement of more than 150.000 people in their processions
Europe Austria Austria’s coalition government has agreed to introduce a social media ban for children under 14, after days of negotiations over how the measure would work
Europe Netherlands Hundreds of people gathered in Amsterdam in front of the US Consulate for the city’s third “No Tyrants” protest in support of the 3.100 “No Kings” rallies across the US, where millions manifest displeasure about US policies and increasing authoritarianism
Africa Benin The General Directorate of the National Market Management Agency ANaGeM in a press conference detailed the reform of Benin's market management system, focusing on the relocation of the Dantokpa market, part of a broader effort to modernize infrastructure
Europe Sweden The risk of grass fires is high or very high in almost half of Sweden: at this time of year dead grass is exposed, dries quickly and burns easily, the wind can spread it rapidly; about 30 houses are damaged in grass fires and one person dies each year
Asia Turkey Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that prolonged instability around the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a broader international alignment against Iran, as global powers weigh military and diplomatic responses to escalating regional tensions
Africa Tanzania Medicins continue to be out of stock in a number of public health facility, despite the government pledged to improve access to medicines nationwide
Africa South Africa With traffic volumes expected to rise along the N3, a key economic corridor and a busy leisure routes, during Easter school holidays, law enforcement, emergency services, towing operators, volunteers will be deployed on standby to respond to incidents
Oceania Tuvalu Tuvalu would be looking at signing a treaty with New Zealand by 2028; The island nation has recently entered into treaties with Australia and Taiwan on climate and migration issues