Malaysia and Indonesia block Grok
Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, citing its misuse in creating sexually explicit and non-consensual images. Authorities in both countries said existing safeguards failed to prevent the generation and spread of fake pornographic content, particularly involving women and children.
Indonesia temporarily restricted access to Grok on Saturday, followed by Malaysia on Sunday. Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said non-consensual sexual deepfakes pose a serious threat to human rights, dignity and digital safety. Officials added that manipulated images based on real photos could violate privacy and cause psychological and reputational harm.
In Malaysia, the communications regulator said Grok was repeatedly used to create obscene content, including material involving minors. It ordered a temporary block, saying responses from X and xAI relied too heavily on user reporting. The ban will remain until stronger safeguards are implemented. The move comes amid growing global scrutiny of generative AI tools.
Deaths from Iran protests reach more than 500, rights group says
Unrest in Iran has killed more than 500 people, a rights group said on Sunday, as Tehran threatened to target U.S. military bases if President Donald Trump carries out his renewed threats to intervene on behalf of protesters, Reuters reported.
With the Islamic Republic's clerical establishment facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022, Trump has repeatedly threatened to get involved if force is used on protesters.
According to its latest figures - from activists inside and outside Iran - U.S.-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested in two weeks of unrest, according to Reuters.
Sudan's government returns to capital after nearly 3 years of war
Sudan's military-led government has returned to the country's capital after nearly three years of operating from its wartime base in the eastern city of Port Sudan, BBC reported.
Sudan's Prime Minister Kamil Idris told reporters on Sunday that the "government of hope" was officially back in Khartoum and would begin efforts to improve services for the city's beleaguered residents.
The military was forced out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) when civil war erupted between the two sides in 2023. The army recaptured it in a significant breakthrough last March, according to BBC.
Thousands of tourists stranded in Lapland as cold grounds flights
Thousands of tourists have been stranded in Finland's Lapland as a severe cold spell has grounded flights out of one of its airports, BBC reported.
Departures from Lapland's Kittila airport that would have ferried winter travellers back to places like London, Bristol, Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam were all cancelled on Sunday as temperatures did not go above -35C on Sunday.
The issue is expected to continue on Monday as a low of -39C is forecast by Finland's meteorological agency. The first flight out of Kittila has already been cancelled, according to BBC.
