Asia

Sport

Gold for Tajikistan on Day 1 in Dushanbe

The Dushanbe Grand Slam 2026 opened with a brilliant day for the home crowd as Nurali Emomali struck gold. Anudari Jamsran, Ayub Bliev, Odette Giuffrida and Olga Mukhina also topped the podium in a packed Kasri Tennis arena.

01/05/2026

Iran

Donald Trump says 'not satisfied' with new Iran peace proposal

Meanwhile, Washington is gripped by a legalistic debate over whether Trump has passed a deadline for requesting congressional approval for the war.

01/05/2026

Space

Russia launches new Soyuz-5 rocket from Baikonur in first test flight

On Thursday, April 30, at 23:00 local time (Astana), the Baikonur Cosmodrome witnessed the first test launch of the Soyuz-5/Sunkar vehicle. The rocket lifted off from Site 45 as part of flight development tests, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of AI and Digital Development.

01/05/2026

Iran

Iran executes 21-year-old as UN warns of death penalty surge

Tehran executed 21-year-old karate athlete Sassan Azadvar early Thursday after protest arrest, as UN and rights groups warn of a surge in executions and mass detentions since the start of the Iran war.

01/05/2026

Israel

Israel arrests man who attacked Catholic nun near Jerusalem’s Old City

Israeli police arrested a 36-year-old man who was filmed assaulting a French Catholic nun near Jerusalem’s Old City, in what it said was "zero tolerance to all acts of violence".

01/05/2026

Europe

US Hormuz coalition not 'competition' with France-UK mission, FM says

France says a new US-led coalition to reopen the Strait of Hormuz will complement, not compete with, its own UK-backed mission as standoff with Iran in the vital waterway roils on.

01/05/2026

Business

The UAE's OPEC exit puts Gulf oil unity to the test

The UAE's exit from OPEC signals a strategic shift, raising questions about Gulf coordination and the organisation's future.

01/05/2026

Japan

Japanese man arrested after wife's remains found in zoo incinerator

The victim once told her relatives that her husband was threatening to "burn you until no trace of you will be left," public broadcaster NHK said, citing investigative sources.

01/05/2026

Earth News

Ecological summits ends with a show of ‘Central Asian solidarity’

Water scarcity, desertification and biodiversity loss were among the issues tackled at the Regional Ecological Summit.

01/05/2026

Europe

French teen charged in Singapore over straw-licking viral video

Singapore, a small, densely populated city-state in southeast Asia, tightly regulates public behaviour and cleanliness.

30/04/2026

No Comment

Thousands join Run for Autism race in Astana to support inclusion

Around 5,000 people took part in the Run for Autism charity race in Astana, supporting inclusion initiatives for children with autism and developmental disabilities.

30/04/2026

Iran

US seeks 'maritime freedom' coalition to restart Hormuz shipping

Iran effectively closed the crucial waterway when the war broke out on 28 February. Normally one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transits the waterway. Its closure has sent energy prices skyrocketing around the world.

30/04/2026

Sport

Football fever back in Qatar after FIFA confirms U-17 World Cup dates

Qatar is set to host another World Cup, as FIFA had scheduled the world U-17 tournament for 19 November to 13 December. The 48-team format is also making a comeback, with 30 nations already qualified.

30/04/2026

Iran

Iranian football chiefs turned away at Canada border over IRGC link

Iran's World Cup participation controversy has escalated with a diplomatic incident at Canada's borders involving Iranian football officials. Iran's group stage matches are scheduled in the US, and Tehran authorities have asked FIFA to move them to alternative venues. FIFA has refused.

30/04/2026

Business Series

New aviation hub focuses on domestic talent and advanced simulation

In partnership with Azpromo

Azerbaijan is centralising its pilot and air traffic control training through a sophisticated new hub at the National Aviation Academy to foster local expertise and meet global safety benchmarks.

30/04/2026

Focus

Ecological summit secures €2 billion for green transition

In partnership with MDQ

The Regional Ecological Summit in Kazakhstan’s Astana brought Central Asian states together to align positions on environmental issues ahead of international negotiations.

30/04/2026

Iran

Trump tightens naval blockade as Iranian rial collapses to record low

The latest drop follows a currency shock several months ago, when the rial fell from around 1.4 million to 1.6 million per US dollar in under a week, as the war moves turns into an economic clash to exhaust the Iranian regime' options.

30/04/2026

Europe

Israel halts Russian grain ship amid stolen Ukrainian wheat row

After days of diplomatic row between Ukraine and Israel, Israeli grain importer Zenziper said it is postponing the unloading of the grain on board the ship said to be carrying stolen Ukrainian grain on behalf of Russia.

30/04/2026

No Comment

Trash piles up in Bali as landfill ban triggers waste crisis

Bali’s landfill ban leads to waste piling up in streets, burning trash, and health concerns as Indonesia moves to enforce long-delayed rules.

30/04/2026

Earth News

What could the UAE’s exit from OPEC mean for the climate?

The world's third-largest oil producer has the capacity to increase its output by almost 50 per cent, according to industry estimates.

30/04/2026

Saudi Arabia

GCC summit shows unity, but highlights coordination gaps

Gulf leaders met in Saudi Arabia to address the fallout from the Iran war, projecting unity but stopping short of concrete steps as divisions and uncertainty persist.

29/04/2026

Modern Nomads

Beyond meetings: a city where business meets leisure

In partnership with MDQ

In Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, business and leisure go hand in hand, offering visitors a chance to balance packed schedules with moments of culture, nature, and relaxation.

29/04/2026

Iran

Iran executed 21 and arrested thousands since start of war, UN says

UN has warned that the Tehran regime has executed 21 people and detained over 4,000 since the war began, accusing the Islamic Republic of torture, disappearances and targeting minorities.

29/04/2026

Iran

Iran’s parliament speaker says US blockade aims at 'internal division'

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a powerful figure, has grown in prominence since the start of the war and was the lead negotiator in the so far only round of direct US-Iranian talks.

29/04/2026

Gaza

Nine-year-old boy among four killed in Israeli strike on Gaza

Eighty-one sick and injured children accompanied by their families were evacuated from Gaza to receive medical treatment in Jordan. They travelled via the King Hussein Bridge to various government and private hospitals in the capital Amman.

29/04/2026

Economy

Qatar rolls out business relief package amid Iran war

Qatar has introduced new measures to maintain market stability and reinforce investor confidence as regional tensions weigh on economic sentiment.

29/04/2026