Asia East Timor The government welcomed the official confirmation of the Holy Father's visit to East Timor, Sept. 9-11, 2024
Asia Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu appointed new members, including a chairman and vice chairman, of the Labor Court
Asia Indonesia During the 2024 Eid al-Fitr exodus a decrease of 15% in accidents has been reported compared to last year's Eid, from 2.159 to 1.835 nationally; the National Police Traffic Corps also specifies fatalities decreased by 3%
Asia Kuwait The country has introduced home biometrics for specific groups of people as the three-month deadline to undergo mandatory biometric fingerprinting expires in June
Asia Laos The Bokeo Province State Water Supply Company has stirred controversy with a new regulation requiring households to pay LAK 10.000 (about $0,47) for each water bill receipt
Asia Iraq The consulate of the Netherlands in Erbil has been closed - and so is the embassy to Tehran - amid growing concerns of potential escalation in the Middle East
Asia South Korea The new National Assembly of 300 members selected in last week's general election will have no independent members for the first time in over five decades: 58 candidates without political party affiliation ran in 254 constituency, but none prevailed
Asia Jordan Jordanian airspace closed to all incoming, departing and transiting flights from 20:00 UTC on 13 April to ensure safety according to international standards in light of the rising local risks and will be continuously updated according to developments
Asia Brunei Astrophiles in the country will be able to witness the passage of comet Pons Brooks at its maximum distance of 116,8 million km from the Sun on April 21, reaching its maximum brightness of magnitude 4,2, visible to the naked eye
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
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
Asia Myanmar From the end of April, compulsory conscription will be introduced for all Myanmar men between the ages of 18 and 35, a total of 6 million people
Asia Tajikistan Locust infestations, exacerbated by environmental factors, are a serious problem for Tajikistan's agricultural production, threatening food security and economic stability