ASIA-PACIFIC – Pakistan is currently grappling with a conflict between two forces: on one side, the army, the country’s most influential institution, and on the other, former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his supporters. Khan’s arrest on corruption allegations, which he attributes to the generals, has led to violent protests and attacks on military buildings and the residences of high-ranking officers.

CHINA – The Chinese government-backed Global Times referred to the G7 as an “anti-China coalition” on Monday, after Beijing summoned the Japanese envoy and criticized the United Kingdom following statements made at the group’s summit in Hiroshima.

EUROPE – Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Russian region of Belgorod, located northeast of Ukraine, announced that the Russian army, border guards, presidential guards, and the FSB security service were implementing measures to counter the assault. No civilians have been affected, and no evacuations are underway, he added, calling reports of an evacuation “lies.” “Do not pay attention to our opponents,” he said.

CHINA – The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released data on Tuesday showing that industrial production grew by 5.6% in April compared to the previous year, accelerating from the 3.9% increase recorded in March. However, this growth is significantly lower than the forecasted 10.9% increase according to a Reuters poll of analysts, although it is the highest growth rate since September 2022.

UNITED KINGDOM – Five Squirrels, a British skincare company, implemented a four-day workweek last June, with four-hour time slots each day during which employees do not check emails, answer calls, or use instant messaging. Since then, the company’s 15 employees have exceeded their productivity goals and enjoy a better work-life balance.

UNITED KINGDOM – Since 2008, London has experienced a 40% decrease in listed companies and has struggled to keep up with the growth of rival markets such as Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt. To address this, the government introduced its Edinburgh reform program last year, which includes over 30 suggested changes to existing rules.

INDIA – Twenty-one-year-old Mithilesh Chaudhary, suffering from chest congestion, had to travel 1,200 km from Bihar state to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, hoping to get a consultation. Like Mithilesh, many patients from rural areas are forced to travel to metropolitan cities for specialized care due to the lack of doctors and healthcare staff in rural regions, where over two-thirds of India’s 1.43 billion population live.

ASIA-PACIFIC – Political tensions are escalating in Pakistan after the detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption allegations. In response, hundreds of his supporters have been apprehended by law enforcement due to the ensuing violence. The country is facing an economic crisis, with a shortage of foreign currency and a several-month delay in the IMF rescue plan.

AFRICA – The conflict that erupted in Khartoum nearly a month ago has pitted the Sudanese armed forces and their firepower against a paramilitary force originating from a nimble but lightly armed desert militia. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief and de facto leader of the state, quickly discovered that air power and artillery alone could not stop the men of his rival, who managed to penetrate Burhan’s residence within the army headquarters in the early hours of the conflict, according to ten sources from both sides of the conflict interviewed by Reuters.

UNITED STATES – On May 9, a jury determined that Donald Trump had committed sexual assault and defamed author E. Jean Carroll. This case is part of a series of legal issues the former American president is facing, including allegations of falsifying corporate documents and election violations.

EUROPE – Russia accused Ukraine on Wednesday of launching a drone attack on the Kremlin overnight in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. A senior Ukrainian official denied these allegations – the most serious made by Moscow against Kyiv in over 14 months of conflict – and said they foreshadowed a major “terrorist provocation” by Moscow.

UNITED KINGDOM – The Republic movement, founded in 1983, supports the idea of an elected head of state and sees Charles’s ascension to the throne as an opportunity to end the British monarchy, which is over 1,000 years old. Graham Smith, the movement’s leader, believes that the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey is the perfect time to denounce an institution he considers outdated and unsuitable for a 21st-century democracy, especially during an economic crisis.

ASIA PACIFIC – On weekends, queues stretch for hundreds of meters around temples in China, where desperate young people pray for a job in an economy slowly recovering from the coronavirus pandemic. Wang Xiaoning, 22, hopes to find peace in temples due to the pressure of finding a job and unaffordable housing costs.

EUROPE – Marilyn Nabor, a mathematics teacher from the Philippines, moved to Italy 14 years ago, hoping to develop her skills in the land of Galileo and Fibonacci. Today, at 49, she works as a cleaner in Rome and has given up on resuming her former career. “This country does not recognize our degrees or our Philippine programs,” she said. “I cannot find professional employment.”

AFRICA – About 70% of the global supply of gum arabic comes from acacia trees in the Sahel region, which stretches across the third largest country in Africa. Sudan is currently experiencing clashes between the army and a paramilitary force. Companies that rely on this resource, such as Coca Cola and Pepsico, have long built up reserves to avoid stock shortages, with some holding between three and six months of stock, according to exporters and industry sources interviewed by Reuters.

EUROPE – Anti-tank ditches near the occupied town of Polohy in southeastern Ukraine stretch for 30 km. Behind them are rows of concrete barricades called “dragon’s teeth.” Further back are defensive trenches where Russian troops will be positioned.