Asia

Iran

Iran's IRGC tightens grip on power as civilian leadership sidelined

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has evolved from a theocratic wartime force into a dominant military-economic power. Over decades, it expanded regionally, reshaped Iran’s internal balance of power, now standing at the centre of a shifting political structure amid leadership changes and consolidation.

22/04/2026

Culture news

The Royal Danish Theatre makes its debut in Astana

Astana has hosted, for the first time, the Royal Danish Theatre, one of the world’s oldest and most respected performing arts institutions. The Kazakhstan capital is increasingly positioning itself as a place where European and Asian artistic traditions meet and interact.

22/04/2026

Uzbekistan

Central Asia faces rising synthetic drug threat as trafficking evolves

The rise of synthetic drugs and digital trafficking methods is forcing a shift in global anti-narcotics strategies. Uzbekistan is advancing new initiatives to improve cross-border cooperation, financial oversight and public awareness.

22/04/2026

No Comment

Israelis mark Memorial Day during ongoing conflict

Israelis marked Memorial Day with ceremonies and informal tributes, reflecting on loss while continuing daily life amid ongoing conflict and uncertainty.

22/04/2026

Water

New UN water agency could be founded at Kazakhstan summit

The Regional Ecological Summit kicks off today in Astana.

22/04/2026

Iran

Iran seizes two cargo ships in Hormuz after three vessels fired on

The tanker seizures come after US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was being indefinitely extended at the request of mediator Pakistan.

22/04/2026

United Arab Emirates

UK ambassador to UAE warns of regional risk amid fragile ceasefire

In an interview with Euronews, British Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Edward Hobart said the fragile US-Iran ceasefire should pave the way to a lasting peace with "a clear way forward".

21/04/2026

Lebanon

Israeli army jails soldiers for vandalising Jesus statue in Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said on Monday he was "stunned and saddened to learn that an IDF soldier damaged a Catholic religious icon in southern Lebanon."

21/04/2026

Travel News

Why Kazakhstan is growing its national parks and green spaces

This move is expected to open up new birdwatching, wildlife tracking and hiking opportunities for eco-tourists, as Kazakhstan attempts to restore ecological balance.

21/04/2026

Qatar

Qatar backs ceasefire as uncertainty surrounds Islamabad peace talks

Qatar has urged diplomacy on Tuesday as uncertainty surrounds US-Iran talks, warning prolonged tensions risk wider global fallout, particularly if disruption in the Strait of Hormuz affects energy flows and markets.

21/04/2026

Tech News

China’s iQIYI faces backlash after launching AI “actor database”

Chinese streaming giant iQIYI has launched a controversial new AI “actor database” designed to connect filmmakers with actors willing to have their likeness used in AI-generated content.

21/04/2026

Gaza

Gaza reconstruction to cost over $71 billion, EU-UN report says

Gaza would need over $71 billion for recovery after two years of war, EU and UN warned Monday, as damage to homes, hospitals, and schools leaves most people displaced.

21/04/2026

North Korea

Russia and North Korea connect road bridge ahead of summer opening

Ties between both countries have surged amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow and Pyongyang deepening economic, political, cultural and military links.

21/04/2026

Business

Armenia and Azerbaijan open up to trade after years of strained ties

Early signs of economic contact emerge between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as export data points to a modest resumption of trade.

21/04/2026

Culture news

South Korean police seeking to arrest BTS agency chairman Bang Si-Hyuk

South Korean police are seeking to arrest Hybe chairman Bang Si-Hyuk over alleged investor fraud tied to the company’s IPO, in a case that could impact the K-pop giant as BTS resumes touring.

21/04/2026

Iran

Iran hangs man accused of ties to Israel and arson during protests

Iran executes Amirali Mirjafari for allegedly plotting to burn a Tehran mosque and collaborating with Israel and the US, as rights groups decry rising executions.

21/04/2026

Iran

Trump wants to extend Iran ceasefire, until negotiations conclude

The US president also wrote on Truth Social that the blockade of Iranian ports will continue until Tehran presents a "unified proposal".

21/04/2026

Iran

Timelapse footage shows maritime traffic around Gulf, Straight of Hormuz

The passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz - the world's busiest oil shipping canal - has been severely disrupted amid the US-Israeli war with Iran. Timelapse footage shows maritime traffic in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz from April 18 to April 20, amid a fragile US-Iran truce.

21/04/2026

Iran

Trump refuses to lift Hormuz blockade until Iran deal agreed

Trump’s announcement comes after Iran said earlier it would not be sending a delegation to participate in the second round of high-stakes peace talks in Islamabad that were set to take place on Monday.

20/04/2026

Travel News

Foreign airlines to gradually resume flight operations in Qatar

Qatar Airways also ramps up its global routes for summer as the Gulf state’s aviation sector moves to restore normality following regional tensions.

20/04/2026

Lebanon

Netanyahu condemns IDF soldier for vandalising Jesus statue in Lebanon

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the desecration of a statue of Jesus Christ that was carried out by an IDF soldier in a southern Lebanese village.

20/04/2026

Earth News

Japan reveals a new official name for ‘cruelly hot’ days

‘Kokushobi’ will be used in weather forecasts to warn that extreme heat is on the way.

20/04/2026

Japan

Japan issues tsunami warning after powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake

Authorities have urged residents of the affected areas to seek higher ground, heed safety instructions and exercise caution.

20/04/2026

Iran

Moment US navy fires on and seizes Iranian-flagged cargo ship

US military footage shows a destroyer firing warning shots before boarding and seizing an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it tried to evade a naval blockade, amid heightened tensions near the Strait of Hormuz.

20/04/2026

No Comment

Major fire in Malaysia destroys hundreds of homes, displaces thousands

A massive fire in Sandakan, Malaysia, destroyed about 1,000 stilt homes and displaced more than 9,000 people, with survivors now sheltering in temporary camps.

20/04/2026

Iran

Iran pulls out of Islamabad peace talks after US seizes cargo ship

Tehran’s decision comes after the US Navy halted an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, in what was the first interception since Washington instated its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

20/04/2026