Western Asia
Iran seizes tanker in Strait of Hormuz, US official says, as tensions remain high in region
by Masum BillahDUBAI: Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker as it traveled through the narrow Strait of Hormuz on Friday, a US official said, turning the ship into Iranian territorial waters in the first-such interdiction in months in the strategic waterway. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the seizure, though it comes as Tehran has been increasingly […]
Saudi deputy minister of industry meets with top Egyptian officials to enhance cooperation
by Masum BillahRIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industrial Affairs Khalil Ibn Salamah met in Egypt with government and private-sector leaders to discuss strengthening industrial integration and developing joint investments in priority sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices and automotive components. During his visit, Ibn Salamah met Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign […]
Indonesia seeks stronger economic, defense ties with Jordan as King Abdullah visits Jakarta
by Masum BillahJAKARTA: Indonesia is seeking to strengthen economic and defense ties with Jordan, as President Prabowo Subianto hosted King Abdullah in Jakarta on Friday. King Abdullah is on a two-day visit to Indonesia as a part of his Asia tour, which included stops in Japan, Vietnam and Singapore, and will conclude in Pakistan. He was personally […]
UN peacekeepers say Israel built walls inside Lebanon
by Masum BillahBEIRUT: United Nations peacekeepers said Friday that Israel’s army has built walls in south Lebanon near the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, nearly a year after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. In October, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon surveyed “a concrete T-wall erected by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) southwest […]
Israeli soldiers speak of ‘shooting without restraint’ in Gaza in documentary testimony
by Masum BillahLONDON: Israeli soldiers have revealed that they were allowed to shoot freely at their own discretion in Gaza, exposing a disregard for the laws of war in a new documentary set to air on UK public television Monday night. The film, “Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel’s War,” offers rare firsthand testimonies from Israel Defense Forces soldiers […]
East Asia
Seoul’s backing of UN resolution on North Korea’s rights abuses tests limits of dialogue push
by Masum BillahBy Park Chan-kyong South Korea has thrown its weight behind a United Nations resolution condemning the North’s dire human rights record, a choice that could complicate Seoul’s push to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang, analysts have warned. The decision to co-sponsor the annual UN resolution – despite expectations that President Lee Jae-myung’s liberal government might step […]
China’s sovereign fund sidelines executives amid worries over US scrutiny
by Masum BillahBy Frank Tang in Washington China’s flagship sovereign wealth fund has moved three of its managing directors to new, subordinate roles, sources told the Post, with the heads of the fund’s fixed income, private equity and public relations departments all taking new non-managerial positions. All have extensive overseas work experience, and none have reached the […]
3 PLA warships sailed past Japan amid row over PM Takaichi’s Taiwan comments
by Masum BillahBy Alcott Wei in Beijing Beijing sent a Type 055 destroyer fleet to the south of Japan on Tuesday, according to Tokyo, just days after comments about Taiwan from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi drew a strong reaction from Beijing. Japan’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that three Chinese ships, including a Type 055 destroyer, […]
US approves first military sale to Taiwan since Trump’s return
by Masum BillahTAIPEI: The United States has approved $330 million-worth of parts and equipment in its first military sale to Taiwan since US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the island’s foreign ministry said Friday. While the United States does not recognize Taiwan’s claim to statehood, Washington is Taipei’s biggest arms supplier and a key […]
China plays up image of reliable partner as kings and queens visit
by Masum BillahChinese leader Xi Jinping today (14 November) rolled out the red carpet for the first Thai monarch to visit China since ties were established 50 years ago as Beijing seized the chance to portray itself as a benevolent neighbour and reliable economic partner. The arrival of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida and a […]
South Asia
India-Pakistan conflict risks surge amid terror attacks, Afghan proxy war claims
by Masum BillahBy Tom Hussain and Sarmad Iqbal Tensions are again mounting in South Asia after suspected terrorist attacks in Pakistan and India triggered a furious exchange of accusations, including claims of proxy warfare conducted through Afghanistan. Analysts are cautiously optimistic that renewed conflict can be averted, following deadly clashes between Pakistan and India in May and […]
Hasina tells BBC she never ordered fire on unarmed civilians, rejects all charges ahead of ICT verdict
by Masum BillahBangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is charged with personally ordering security forces to fire at protesters in the weeks before she fled, denied all allegations “categorically”. “I’m not denying that the situation got out of control, nor that many lives were lost needlessly. But I never issued any order to fire on unarmed […]
Maldives Minister calls on Dr Jitendra, discusses India’s best practices in governance
by Masum BillahNEW DELHI: Maldives Minister for the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, Ahmed Salim met Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh to have a discussion on […]
Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Nepal presents credentials to President Paudel
by Masum BillahRuwanthi Delpitiya, the newly appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Nepal, presented her Letters of Credence to President Ramchandra Paudel at a formal ceremony held at Rastrapati Bhavan in Kathmandu yesterday. During their meeting, Ambassador Delpitiya conveyed the warm greetings of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and expressed appreciation for the longstanding friendship between […]
Southeast Asia
Indonesia says its Gaza peacekeepers would focus on health, infrastructure tasks
by Masum BillahJAKARTA: Indonesia has trained up to 20,000 troops to take on health and construction-related tasks during a planned peacekeeping operation in the war-torn enclave of Gaza, the defense minister said on Friday. The world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia is among the countries with which the United States has discussed plans for a multinational stabilization […]
Malaysia’s Penang orders Chinese tourist’s panda mural removed
by Masum BillahThe Penang Island City Council has ordered the unauthorised mural at a building at Chew Jetty to be removed. In a notice dated Thursday, issued under Section 82 of the Local Government Act 1976 by the council’s Heritage Conservation Department, the building owner in the Malaysian state was instructed to erase and repaint the wall. […]
Fugitive ex-Philippine official accuses Marcos of ordering bogus flood control projects
by Masum BillahBy Raissa Robles A fugitive former Philippine lawmaker has accused President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr of directing him to add 100 billion pesos (US$1.7 billion) worth of dubious public works projects to the national budget, a claim that throws new fuel on the corruption scandal that has dogged his administration for months. Analysts say the explosive […]
Indonesia seeks stronger economic, defense ties with Jordan as King Abdullah visits Jakarta
by Masum BillahJAKARTA: Indonesia is seeking to strengthen economic and defense ties with Jordan, as President Prabowo Subianto hosted King Abdullah in Jakarta on Friday. King Abdullah is on a two-day visit to Indonesia as a part of his Asia tour, which included stops in Japan, Vietnam and Singapore, and will conclude in Pakistan. He was personally […]
China plays up image of reliable partner as kings and queens visit
by Masum BillahChinese leader Xi Jinping today (14 November) rolled out the red carpet for the first Thai monarch to visit China since ties were established 50 years ago as Beijing seized the chance to portray itself as a benevolent neighbour and reliable economic partner. The arrival of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida and a […]
Central Asia
Made In Central Asia: Leaders Eye $20 Billion Trade Milestone as Regional Cooperation Deepens
by Masum BillahBy Vagit Ismailov The first meeting of trade and investment ministers from Central Asian countries, joined by Azerbaijan, has taken place in Tashkent, where participants agreed to nearly double mutual trade to $20 billion and discussed launching a regional brand, Made in Central Asia. Opening the session, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Laziz […]
Kazakhstan To Join the Abraham Accords, Signaling Opportunity in Central Asia
by Masum BillahBy Samuel Ben-Ur Kazakhstan has reached out to the United States in an unprecedented fashion — by improving relations with Israel. Prior to a November summit between the United States and five Central Asia countries, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev approached Washington and reportedly expressed his desire to upgrade ties with Israel by joining the Abraham […]
Central Asia leaders to meet in Tashkent for regional consultative summit
by Masum BillahLeaders from Central Asia will meet in Tashkent to discuss regional cooperation. Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev calls it a key step in building trust and stability. Central Asian leaders will gather in Tashkent this weekend for the Seventh Consultative Meeting of Heads of State, with plans to adopt a package of multilateral agreements to deepen regional […]
Uzbekistan Deepens US Partnership Through New Investment Council and National AI Strategy
by Masum BillahBy Sadokat Jalolova and Stephen M. Bland Uzbekistan is advancing a broad effort to strengthen its relationship with the United States through new economic, diplomatic, and technological initiatives. A presidential decree establishing the Uzbekistan–U.S. Business and Investment Council, alongside a major artificial intelligence partnership with NVIDIA, underscores the country’s strategy to draw investment and accelerate […]
Between Trump and Putin: Tokayev Emerges as a Regional Diplomatic Powerbroker
by Masum BillahBy Andrei Matveev In a striking display of diplomatic balancing, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ended 2025 with a high-profile state visit to Moscow, where he and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a declaration elevating bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance. The visit came just days after Tokayev returned from Washington, where he […]
