Europe Vatican City Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta; he dedicated his last Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and the release of prisoners
Oceania Solomon Islands A Solomon Islands delegation is attending the first General Assembly of the International Organisation for Aid to Navigation; the team is led by Manasseh Maelanga, Minister of Infrastructure Development
Asia Laos Champasack Province plans to elevate the Million-Year-Old Volcano in Paksong District to a national tourist attraction; development includes upgrading the 17 km road and adding restaurants and accommodations to boost eco-tourism and local economic growth
Oceania Vanuatu The new interest rate has been increased from 2,5% to 2,75%; the initiative of the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu aims to control inflation, with the economy expected to grow by 3,6% this year
Oceania Tuvalu Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands have decided to install microgrids for aquaculture and agriculture that will provide more than 50% of the energy needed for the demonstration farms and aquaculture centres on each island
Asia Philippines Lejun dela Cruz, a human rights activist and midterm election candidate, was arrested in Pasig for a 1998 murder; once part of the armed struggle, he later shifted to peaceful activism and his arrest raises concerns over political repression
Asia Myanmar The abrupt US aid suspension to Myanmar threatens millions amid ongoing conflict; amnesty International warns that cutting humanitarian support worsens civilian suffering, limiting access to food, healthcare, and basic needs in war-affected regions
Asia Syria Turkey is ready to help set up a financial system in Syria; Goksel Asan, Head of Finance Office of Turkish Presidency, said it would enable Syria to achieve in three to five years what it would achieve in 20 years through traditional means
Africa Tunisia The UN human rights chief denounced the "persecution of political opponents" in Tunisia, urging the authorities to stop the wave of arbitrary arrests and detentions
Africa Tanzania The construction of Tanzania's first fishing harbour by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd, one of China's leading construction companies, has reached 79%
Europe North Macedonia Over a third of the population of northern Macedonia, or 35,2% are thinking of emigrating, according to a new public opinion survey conducted by the Institute for Policy Research in Skopje
Europe Montenegro Montenegro and Albania could conclude negotiations for EU membership in 2026 or 2027 if it were only technical aspects in the talks; the new EU Enlargement Commissioner reminded decisions are made by the 27 member states
Europe United Kingdom Sir Keir Starmer would be “ready and willing” to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce any peace deal; it is the first time the Prime Minister has explicitly said he is considering deploying British peacekeepers to the country
Africa Morocco With the aim of strengthening national sovereignty in the aviation sector, the country announced the creation of an accredited and competitive centre for aircraft maintenance and repair, particularly those belonging to the Royal Moroccan Air Force