Asia Israel Hundreds of Israeli writers, poets, and literary figures signed a petition on Sunday calling for the immediate end of the war in Gaza, the return of the 59 hostages, and the formulation of a clear plan for the future of Gaza and its residents
Asia Turkey Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, the biggest rival to President Erdogan in the next elections, appeared in court for the first time since his arrest last month; placed in a high-security jail on corruption and terrorism charges, he is trialed on a separate case
Asia East Timor A One-Stop Shop in the Municipality of Dili was inaugurated in the Dili Municipal Administration building; it is a slim, fast-responding public station designed to provide public service reduce bureaucracy and increase transparency, satisfaction and trust
Asia North Korea The 31st Pyongyang International Marathon took place, a long-awaited return following years of cancellations; a rare opportunity for hundreds of foreigners to access North Korea after years of isolation
Asia Uzbekistan After many citizens fell victim to fraud and face serious difficulties upon arrival in Turkey for work reasons, the Consulate General in Istanbul issued a warning regarding the increasing number of employment scams involving job offers and fake agencies
Asia Lebanon A draft law on restructuring Lebanese banking sector was adopted, a condition for unlocking international aid to face the economic crisis it has suffered since 2019; it is considered the first time a Lebanese government has approved a bill of this kind
Asia Indonesia Indonesia ended its first quarter as a full member of the BRICS bloc of developing economies; though candidacy was accepted in August 2023, it formally joined the bloc only after the formation of its newly elected government last year
Asia Palestine Ahmad Manasra was released after 10 years in Israeli prisons: apprehended when he was 13 years old, is now 23 years old upon his release; according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office, he was released in a remote location away from the prison gates
Asia Saudi Arabia The number of licensed rooms recorded a growth of 69% in 2024 compared to year 2023, reaching 475.970 units; Ministry of Tourism spokesperson underlines the ministry's efforts to streamline the licensing process for operators and investors in the sector
Asia Maldives Two expatriates have been arrested from Hulhumale’ with a large number of vape cartridges, two nanosticks and alcohol; a tip received at Police Intelligence gave way to the process that led to their arrest
Asia Azerbaijan After new landmine incidents that left four people severely injured, the UN in Azerbaijan posted on X it "recognizes the urgency of humanitarian mine action as prerequisite for sustainable development & stands ready to continue to support Azerbaijan"
Asia Bangladesh India canceled the long-standing transshipment facility that allowed Bangladesh to send export goods to third countries on the same day the US imposed new tariffs, raising great concern among Bangladeshi businessmen and economists
Asia Japan The Nikkei stock index ended Thursday 10 April with its second-biggest point gain in history, over 2.800 points, as concerns eased after US President Donald Trump vowed to pause some tariffs imposed on trading partners, including Japan