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
Oceania Solomon Islands Solomon Islands' Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow by 4,1% in 2024 according to preliminary data; projected growth will be driven by mining, fishing, construction, wholesale and retail trade, and agriculture
Asia Kazakhstan The worst floods in decades hit Kazakhstan and Russia, with entire neighborhoods evacuated and thousands of homes flooded in the Ural River area between the two countries
Africa Cameroon After Chad, World Food Program plans to suspend humanitarian aid to Cameroon due to lack of funds; after the end of April, "we have no visibility on possible funding," said Aboubacar Guindo, WFP vice president in Cameroon
Europe Germany The Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, has approved the so-called "self-determination law," a provision that makes it easier to change gender identity and name at the registry office
Africa Central African Republic Gender-based violence is rising for ongoing conflict and weak legal system; notwithstanding the stigma of reporting, since 2020 reported cases rose from 9.200 to 25.500, according to data by the UN and partners, but international funding has decreased
Oceania Tonga The Asian Development Bank and the government signed a grant agreement to help accelerate economic recovery from disasters caused by natural hazards and health emergencies
Oceania Samoa An addendum to the existing 2012 bilateral agreement was signed with the US to continue and expand operational cooperation in the suppression of transnational illicit maritime activities
Africa Republic of the Congo About five years after its introduction in Congo, the martial art hapkido is attracting many teenage girls who train at a center in the city of Pointe-Noire to learn how to defend themselves
Asia Tajikistan Locust infestations, exacerbated by environmental factors, are a serious problem for Tajikistan's agricultural production, threatening food security and economic stability
Europe Italy Rice cultivation, of historic importance to the country, is facing a severe crisis; according to National Rice Authority, 46 thousand hectares of paddy fields were lost to drought in 2022
Asia Philippines The Election Commission is set to hold the plebiscite for the creation of 8 municipalities in the Special Geographic Area of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region; April 13 activity will give the people of the 63 villages a chance to form their respective towns
Europe Russia Patriot, an autobiographical book Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was working on before his death last 16 February in a prison in Siberia, will be published on October 22
Africa Sierra Leone 85.000 people are currently struggling with epilepsy throughout the country, revealed Max Bangura, executive director of the Sierra Leone Epilepsy Association