By Sadokat Jalolova Russia has closed its criminal investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) aircraft near Aktau, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Baku, according to Azerbaijani news outlet Minval Politika. Citing Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, the outlet reported that a letter from Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s Investigative […]
Read MoreBy Sadokat Jalolova Electricity generation at Uzbekistan’s hydropower plants has declined significantly due to water shortages, Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov told lawmakers during a recent session of the Legislative Chamber of the country’s parliament, the Oliy Majlis, according to reports in Uzbek media. Mirzamahmudov said water inflows to major hydropower facilities had fallen by 35%, […]
Read MoreBy Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia on Thursday moved to bring some of the world’s biggest social media and messaging platforms under its licensing regime, closing a year-long gap in which several tech giants had operated without formal approval. From January 1, platforms with more than eight million users in Malaysia are automatically treated as licensed […]
Read MoreUnited Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned on Wednesday a move by Israel to ban electricity or water to facilities owned by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, a UN spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the move would “further impede” the agency’s ability to operate and carry out activities. “The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities […]
Read MorePakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Wednesday evening and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the brotherly people and government of Bangladesh on the demise of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. The two leaders recalled her stature as a distinguished political […]
Read MoreBy Orange Wang With less than a week to go until a presidential summit, China’s top diplomat has used talks with his South Korean counterpart to reassert Beijing’s stand on Taiwan and take aim at Tokyo. In a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday, China’s Wang Yi raised the spectre […]
Read MoreJAKARTA: Indonesia has called for respect for Yemen’s territorial integrity and commended efforts to maintain stability in the region, a day after Saudi Arabia bombed a weapons shipment from the UAE at a Yemeni port city that Riyadh said was intended for separatist forces. Saudi Arabia carried out a “limited airstrike” at Yemen’s port city […]
Read MoreA Thai fortune-teller was arrested in Pattaya on Thursday after being accused of telling a client she would soon face bad luck and lose a valuable possession on New Year’s Day, then allegedly making good on the prophecy by stealing her phone. The suspect, identified by local media as Udomsap Mueangkaew, 38, allegedly denied the […]
Read MoreBy Park Chan-kyong A multibillion-dollar contract signed by Seoul this week to supply arms to Poland has underscored the strength of South Korea’s defence industry. Observers, however, warn that a growing global trend involving bloc-based arms trade could cast a shadow over the country’s future as a major weapons exporter. The consortium of Hanwha Aerospace […]
Read MoreBy Vanessa Cai in Shanghai and Meredith Chen in Hong Kong Tensions over the Taiwan Strait are likely to persist in 2026, but analysts expect Washington and Beijing to manage risks to ensure that reciprocal state visits planned for the new year are not derailed. Beijing launched massive live-fire drills around Taiwan on Monday and […]
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