On April 23rd, the U.S. Senate voted for a ban on TikTok on American soil, if its Chinese owner, ByteDance is not divested to a local firm within the next 9-12 months. According to Reuters, "This move comes amid concerns among lawmakers about potential data access and surveillance by China. The bill's approval sets the stage for a legal battle over free speech rights and could have significant implications for tech regulation and international relations."

On April 18th, Switzerland's largest annual music event was announced: The 58th Montreux Jazz Festival. This event boasts an eclectic lineup featuring veterans like Alice Cooper and Sting alongside rising stars like Raye and André 3000. Find "eye-catching facts and figures" of the event at Swissinfo. 

On April 9th, The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the Swiss government failed to protect a generation of their citizens, women now in their 60s-70s, who are most vulnerable to death due to heatwaves. The case, led by a group of 2,000 Swiss women (KlimaSeniorinnen), represents a "landmark climate judgment that could have a ripple effect across the globe." CNN 

On April 1st, seven aid workers of The World Central Kitchen lost their lives in an air strike in Gaza. This situation has saddened the world and moved leaders to reestablish peace conversations. "In January, Nancy Pelosi nominated Mr José Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen, for a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing hope during “dark and difficult” moments." The Economist

On March 27th, the illustrious Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences & the seventh most influential economist in the world, Daniel Kahneman, passed away. We are grateful to him for his profound contributions to behavioral economics and modern theories in human decision-making. 

On March 22nd, Catherine, Princess of Wales announced that after an abdominal surgery, doctors found indicators of cancerous cells in her body, requiring her to undergo early treatments of chemotherapy (see Reuters). This news has shocked many people, reminding us that our health is our life. From one moment to another, we can be struck by an illness that can affect us & the people around us significantly. We need to attend to our health as well as things that influence it carefully & competently.

On March 13th, the European Parliament adopted the AI Act, which is considered to be "the world's first comprehensive horizontal legal framework for AI"(WilmerHale, 2024, see article). This is a significant step towards the development of responsible AI applications that account for data ethics, transparency, accountability, human oversight, and a comprehensive approach to AI risk management.