Oceania Solomon Islands The traditional chief of Bava Island on Vella has voiced strong opposition to mining operations on the island due to mining’s potential destruction of ancestral land, environmental degradation, and threats to the livelihoods of local communities
Europe Iceland Cannabis is the first drug many Icelandic teens try, often before alcohol, leading to social isolation and school dropping; the alarm is sounded by one of the support center for families dealing with substance use that warns its dangers are underestimated
Africa Mauritius May Measurement Month, a global campaign lead by the International Society of Hypertension, has been launched in Mauritius to raise awareness on the risks of high blood pressure; residents are urged to undergo screenings for hypertension and diabetes
Europe Austria Government is planning to freeze inflation-linked increases in family allowances from 2026 to 2027, following an austerity package to curb the rising deficit, suspending a key policy introduced in 2023 that helped benefits keep pace with rising prices
Europe Kosovo An awaited new parliament still hasn't been inaugurated since the elections held on 9 February; the winning party attempted to initiate a secret vote for the parliamentary speaker’s role but the proposal only got 54 votes out of 120 and did not pass
Europe Belgium Schools in Flanders ditched plans to provided a laptop to each primary education student, while are encouraged to develop collective ICT infrastructure; the regional government has also announced it will fully reimburse schools for asbestos removal costs
Asia Kuwait With high capacity energy storage, solar initiatives and a full round of maintenance of energy generating units - now 76% complete - Kuwait is preparing to face the summer heat
America Barbados Issuing the week's detailed calendar for fogging operations, authorities reminded that anti-mosquito treatments take place from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: householders should open their windows to allow the spray to enter, children shouldn't play in the fog
Asia Azerbaijan Scattered human remains and fragments of clothing of at least seven individuals could lie in the grave excavated in April in the liberated Khojaly district near the Asgaran-Khojaly road, one of two burial sites recently uncovered in the area, media report
Europe Romania Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu resigned as the candidate backed by his ruling coalition performed poorly in the first round of Romania’s presidential elections and a far-right candidate came out on top
Africa Mauritania The award ceremony for the top students in the national “Olympiads and Science Rally” competition of the President of the Republic’s Prize for Science was held at the International Conference Center in Nouakchott, presided over by HE the President
Africa Liberia A farmers' cold storage has been opened in Whenlenle, Nimba County, one of Liberia's key vegetable-producing hubs along the Ganta–Monrovia Highway; part of the Rural Economic Transformation Project, it will help local farmers reduce post-harvest losses
Africa Guinea-Bissau A mission from the West African Regional bloc ECOWAS has left Guinea-Bissau reportedly because the president had threatened to expel it; the team had arrived last month to help build a “political consensus” on how to conduct elections this year
Africa Sudan The drone attack on Port Sudan airport marks a dangerous shift: it hit a city seen as a safe zone that had become the de facto seat of government and a refuge for displaced people since war erupted between the army and RSF in 2023