Asia Indonesia Officials in East Jakarta faced backlash after using an AI-generated image to respond to a public complaint, raising concerns over transparency; The fact highlight risks of using AI in public communication without clear disclosure or verification
Asia Malaysia Curtailments to gas flow are expected to end on 20 April; they have been imposed after a fire in Petronas Putra Heights on 1 April resulted in a mushroom cloud in a residential area, where 50 houses were damaged by temperatures reaching over 1.000 °C
Africa Zambia A training for licensed artisanal miners has started; the pivotal Ministerial initiative addresses several critical aspects regarding these key workers contributing to local and national economies especially in rural areas, with safety at first place
Africa Ethiopia 40 trade investment permits for export, import, retail and wholesale will be granted to foreign companies as part of the government’s steps to liberalize economy; the Ethiopian Investment Commission said the permits follow months of work on guidelines
Asia China All Chinese airlines have been ordered not to take further deliveries of Boeing; authorities open new chapter in response to the US decision to impose 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter
Asia Japan Around 119.000 people visited the Osaka Expo on its opening day Sunday 14 April, the Japan Association for the 2025 World Expo said that over 140.000 people had made reservations 20.000 appear to have changed their dates to avoid bad weather
Asia Pakistan Security forces reportedly killed 9 militants of the Pakistani Taliban TTP, active in the northwest region, in a raid in Dera Ismail Khan, near the Afghan border; Among them was Shireen, linked to the killing of army captain Hasnain Akhtar
Asia Lebanon "Nobody will lose their deposits but it may take time" Economy Minister Amer Bisat declared to Bloomberg, adding that parliament is expected to pass a draft law on restructuring Lebanon's banking sector within few weeks
Africa Lesotho The Lesotho Electricity Company lays in a financial crisis, according to an external audit, with liabilities exceeding its assets; as LEC imports all its electricity from South Africa and Mozambique, it can't cover costs of electricity for distribution
Asia Iran A 100-million-dollar fund for the development of the artificial intelligence sector in Iran has been launched; the NDF will also grant specific loans to those companies that financially support AI-based projects in universities and scientific centers
Europe Russia The 47th Moscow International Film Festival MIFF, one of the oldest in the world having had its first edition in 1935, will open in Moscow tomorrow 17 April; ending on 24 April, it will display dozens of international works including five from Iran
Europe Belarus Belarus is moving to boost bilateral air transport cooperation with Iran; plans include the launch of direct flights between Tehran and Minsk, the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said
Asia Qatar The Qatar Public Transport Master Plan is now being developed: it is aimed at creating a more efficient and competitive public transportation system, more future-ready and sustainable, with improved accessibility, coverage, and reliability
Africa Zimbabwe Plans have been sketched to begin manufacturing both solar panels and lithium batteries in Zimbabwe in order to promote full energy production autonomy from renewables, ultimately averting the recurrent power outages