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
Africa Uganda The foundation stone of what will become the most important temple of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa was consecrated in the city of Kiboga; the Russian Orthodox Church is seeing a rapid expansion in Uganda
Africa Morocco New protections for women and the family will be included in the legislation, with reference to polygamy, a ban on marriage for children under 18, and new, more protective provisions during divorce
Europe Romania In connection to full accession to the Schengen area, Romania will close over 30 checkpoints on its borders with Hungary and Bulgaria following last vote of EU Justice and Home Affairs Council that ruled the abolition of land controls as of 1 January 2025
Africa Zambia Mining operations at the Kagem emerald mine will be suspended from today 1 January 2025 due to the disrupted dynamics in the emerald market, which have been triggered by an oversupply of Zambian emeralds at discounted prices during the latter half of 2024
Europe Spain The census revealed that 1.038.671 people born in the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas now reside in the Madrid region; only 25 years ago, they were 81.552
Asia Japan Emperor Naruhito, first emperor born after the war, and Empress Masako will visit Hiroshima and war-related sites in 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and pass on the tragic memories to young generations in the pursuit of peace
Europe Germany The state music councils in Germany choose an instrument of the year every year, and in 2025 it is the human voice: from singing to speaking, from whispering to shouting, these sounds can also be used musically and creativity can be expressed through them
Asia Maldives The National Disaster Management Council has approved the 'Maldives Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy 2024-2030', which focuses primarily on protecting the environment and safeguarding against natural and other disasters
Asia China Sales of electric vehicles in China are set to overtake those of conventional cars for the first time in 2025, with sales of electric vehicles expected to rise 20% this year to over 12 million units, more than double the 5,9 million of 2022
Africa South Africa Nominations for Mail&Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans 2025 are open; at its 20th edition, the initiative celebrates the achievements of young people in 19 categories including agriculture, arts-entertainment, finance, health, justice, sport, technology
Africa Ethiopia Malaria continues to pose a public health risk in Ethiopia, reaching 'epidemic proportions' with an average of 'over 300.000 cases' reported weekly across the country, the WHO stated
Europe Albania Durazzo-Tirana on 9 May 2025 will be the first of three Albanian stages that will kick off the 108th edition of the Giro d'Italia - an iconic annual multiple-stage bicycle race; the Giro will start abroad for the 15th time in its century long history
Asia North Korea The first high-quality photos of a new warship currently under construction have been revealed by Korean Central Television, indicating that it is likely to be the largest in the navy and will be equipped with a missile launch system