Asia Afghanistan Approximately 18.000 carats of emeralds, worth 1,1 million USD, have been sold since the beginning of year 1404, or 20 March 2025, in five rounds of bidding for Panjshir area emeralds and new emerald mine sites were discovered in Pariyan district
Asia Bhutan Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corporation and India's Adani Group signed a MoU to develop 5.000MW of hydropower projects; the partnership builds on the ongoing collaboration on Wangchhu Hydropower and pursues regional energy security and economic integration
Oceania Tonga Unauthorised entry to uninhabited Crown lands, including the remote ‘Ata Island, has been banned and similar uninhabited territories are off-limits without prior written approval; permission is needed for any purpose including tourism, research or filming
Asia Tajikistan A two-day training on effective and victim-centred response to domestic violence cases was organized in Dushanbe for 21 police officers, including the 19 Gender-Sensitive Police Units, upon initiative of the OSCE Programme Office and local authorities
America Bolivia A decree to regulate fintech companies and tokenized virtual assets has been approved in Bolivia, aiming to ensure legal clarity, transparency, and user protection amid growing national adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency services
Asia Palestine A bakery in southern Gaza is now producing 40.000 loaves of bread daily to support thousands of displaced families amid border closures, severe shortage of flour and soaring food prices thanks to Jordan Hashemite Charity and the Jordanian aid campaign
Asia Syria Five days into the start of fires in the forests of Jabal Turkman, Lattakia countryside, firefighters continue their effort for the fifth consecutive day while strong winds and a significant rise in temperatures brought to expansion and increase of blazes
Africa Zambia Lusaka Times dedicated a column to World Migratory Bird Day 2025 'Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities', highlighting the need for healthy coexistence of humans and birds, key indicators of environmental health, among expanding urban developments
America Argentina The "Beef on Dairy" system has been introduced by Argentina, which offers dairy producers up to US$1000 per calf by crossbreeding dairy cows with beef breeds, boosting meat production profitability and extending dairy activity
America Brazil Brazil has strengthened its strategic partnership with Russia by signing nuclear and defense cooperation agreements during Lula's Moscow visit, despite Western backlash over his participation in Russia's Victory Day amid the Ukraine conflict
Oceania Nauru The Refugee Action Coalition says there is no future for the asylum seekers still on Nauru, following a funding deal for the Regional Processing Centre reached with Australia; of 93 transferred, 4 have been granted refugee status, 89 are still in progress
Asia Yemen SABA, Yemen News Agency, wrote on 11 May that Yemen 'has taken a comprehensive stance in supporting Gaza, rooted in religious, humanitarian, moral, and ethical principles—a position well recognized at national, Arab, regional, and international levels'
America Chile Chile has supported sustainable potato farming through the INIA Kampenaike program, which has benefited over 300 farmers by introducing climate-adapted varieties, eco-technologies, and value-added products, with plans to expand to 500 beneficiaries
Asia Malaysia Thousands are expected to attend the Wesak Day celebration at the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya today, with traditional rituals as the bathing of the Buddha statue and performances to commemorate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing