Oceania Tonga Heavy machinery, marine equipment and construction crews have started work at Fangaʻuta Lagoon site for Tonga’s long‑awaited US$97 million bridge; The 720‑metre infrastructure will strengthen the key transport link between Nukuʻalofa and Eastern Tongatapu
Asia Saudi Arabia The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has launched a comprehensive preliminary archaeological survey that will analyze the reserve in depth and conduct studies to help it achieve its strategic goals
Europe France The Établissement Français du Sang, the French Blood Transfusion Center, has issued a public appeal for blood donations ahead of May, a month when fewer people are available to donate blood due to the many holidays and long weekends
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo One of the first in-depth studies of the environmental and human rights impacts of industrial cobalt mining in the country reveals that toxic pollution from the industryis having devastating impacts on humans and nature
Asia Bahrain Crown Prince Salman has ordered the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture and the Ministry of Public Works to assess the damage caused by the floods and compensate those affected
America Ecuador Ecuador has stopped receiving electricity from Colombia, with Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy, Andrés Camacho, stating that they've stopped exporting electricity to Ecuador as thermal power generation is at its maximum capacity
Africa Rwanda The Rwandan meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry recorded revenues of $95 million in 2023, +48% on 2022, according to the Rwanda Convention Bureau's annual report
Asia Afghanistan Despite the challenges they face, women-run businesses in Afghanistan continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience, serving as vital pillars of economic stability and hope amid adversity, according to UNDP report
Asia Palestine A UN resolution granting the observer state of Palestine full membership in the international body would be an "important pillar in achieving peace in the region," according to UN Special Representative for the Observer State of Palestine
America Saint Lucia Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada together reached third place in the Henley & Partners 2024 Global Citizenship Program Index among about 100 countries
Europe Austria The country has launched a €250.000 support program for single wagon transport in Tirol, the Southern region on the border with Italy
Africa Angola Luanda Railways has acquired a ballast setting machine to strengthen their fleet of track maintenance equipment
America Guyana The UN Security Council expressed concern over the border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana regarding the Essequibo region, urging both countries to exercise restraint and resolve differences peacefully
Africa Botswana 'Europeans care more about elephants than people around them, Westerners see elephants as pets', Botswana's president Mokgweetsi Masisi said amid regional tensions over poaching and controversy on potential import bans on trophy hunting