By Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia should tread carefully before deepening ties with Russia, analysts said, after President Prabowo Subianto made an unplanned visit to Moscow this week, raising questions about the diplomatic and economic costs of closer engagement – including how Washington could respond. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Prabowo on Wednesday, hailing 75 years […]
Read MoreGENEVA: Barham Salih, a former Iraqi president who fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, has been appointed the next UN High Commissioner for Refugees, breaking the tradition of selecting leaders mainly from major European donor nations. A letter from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, dated Dec. 11, confirmed Salih’s five-year term starting Jan. 1, pending UNHCR committee […]
Read MoreBy Dr. Sinem Cengiz A year ago, when the Assad regime collapsed, many immediately declared that “Turkiye is the greatest winner in Syria,” given Ankara’s close ties with the new leadership in Damascus. Even US President Donald Trump implied the same thing. However, over the past year, Turkiye has demonstrated that it is not after […]
Read MoreBy Sarah Shamim The United States has approved the sale of advanced technology and upgrades for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter planes worth approximately $686m. The deal was struck amid simmering tensions between Pakistan and its neighbour, India, which engaged in a five-day war following a rebel attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in May this year. The US […]
Read MoreA total of 157 migrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan have been granted Indian citizenship in two separate state-level events held in Gujarat and Odisha under India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). According to a report by Mint, Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi handed over citizenship certificates to 122 Pakistan-origin migrants in Ahmedabad on Thursday, […]
Read MoreBy Fariza Kalimurzina The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised its outlook for the economies of Central Asia and the Caucasus by raising its growth forecast for 2026 The new figures released by the Bank predict a 5.8% growth, up from the previously estimated 5.5%. According to the updated assessment, the region’s combined GDP is […]
Read MoreSURIN: Fighting raged Thursday along the border of Cambodia and Thailand, with explosions heard near centuries-old temples ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned phone call to the leaders of both nations. At least 19 people have been killed in the latest round of border fighting that reignited last week, officials said. More than half […]
Read MoreTOKYO: Japan said Thursday it held a joint air exercise with the United States in a show of force, days after Chinese-Russian patrols in the region and following weeks of diplomatic feuding between Tokyo and Beijing. The Japanese joint chiefs of staff said Wednesday’s exercise with the US Air Force was conducted in “an increasingly […]
Read MoreBy Iman Muttaqin Yusof Fatin Anuar never imagined that managing just two credit cards would leave her battling months of financial anxiety. The 25-year-old customer service worker in Kuala Lumpur initially saw them as a buffer for day-to-day spending and emergencies. It felt like a smart way to manage cash flow, she said, but the […]
Read MoreAmnesty International today (11 December) accused Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for the first time of crimes against humanity, including extermination, during and after the 7 October 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza. “Palestinian armed groups committed violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes and crimes against humanity during their attacks in […]
Read More
