Asia

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Banksy's hotel in Bethlehem reopens after two years

A guest house filled with Banksy's artwork has reopened in Bethlehem after a two-year closure due to the Gaza war.

26/12/2025

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan GDP hits record €123 billion as Mirziyoyev hails reforms

President Mirziyoyev says GDP reached a record high in the Central Asian country's history as exports rose 23% and foreign investment reached €37 billion.

26/12/2025

Changemakers of Uzbekistan

Samandar Tursunaliev leads Uzbekistan’s rise in AI innovation

In partnership with Center for the Production of Content for Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

At 25, Samandar Tursunaliev is turning Uzbekistan’s AI ideas into reality. From a small village to a growing startup, his work shows how young innovators are shaping the country’s digital future.

26/12/2025

Israel

Palestinian man kills two in car and knife attack in northern Israel

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was shocked by the "horrific killing spree" and pledged Israel would reinforce its security.

26/12/2025

Focus

Azerbaijan strengthens environmental action for nature protection

In partnership with Azpromo

Azerbaijan is responding to biodiversity loss and environmental pressures by expanding protected areas and tackling marine threats to safeguard nature for future generations.

26/12/2025

Focus

Doha Forum 2025: Dialogue, Mediation and Global Cooperation

Doha Forum 2025 brought world leaders together to confront rising global tensions, deepen EU–GCC ties and support Syria’s transition. With Qatar’s mediation role in focus, the Forum emphasized moving from dialogue to real results.

26/12/2025

No Comment

More than a dozen people injured in a knife and chemical attack at a factory in Japan

A man was arrested in Japan after a violent attack at the Yokohama Rubber Company, leaving eight people stabbed and others injured by a suspected bleach chemical.

26/12/2025

North Korea

Kim Jong-un orders North Korea to boost missile production in 2026

Munitions factories are expected to expand capacity and build new plants as the regime in Pyongyang intensifies weapons development and furthers its ties with Russia.

26/12/2025

Syria

Explosion at Alawite mosque in Homs during Friday prayers kills eight

An explosion at an Alawite mosque in Syria's third-largest city also injured 18 as authorities investigate the attack following a recent spike in violence.

26/12/2025

Iran

Iranian navy seizes 'foreign' oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Authorities detained 16 foreign crew members but did not reveal their nationalities or the tanker's flag, Tehran-run state media reported.

26/12/2025

Lebanon

Israel strikes Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit training site in Lebanon

The Israeli military said it hit a training compound and weapons depots on Friday, in an operation aimed at threats that “advance terror plots against IDF forces and the State of Israel".

26/12/2025

Business Line

Uzbekistan’s digital push takes on bureaucracy

In partnership with Center for the Production of Content for Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Public administration in Uzbekistan is moving away from manual procedures, embracing technology to deliver state services that are faster, clearer and easier to use, improving access for both citizens and businesses.

25/12/2025

North Korea

North Korea makes progress on its first nuclear-powered submarine

A nuclear-powered submarine was one item on a wish list of sophisticated weaponry that Kim Jong-un announced during a political conference in 2021. Other arms included solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, spy satellites and multi-warhead missiles.

25/12/2025

Energy Frontiers

SOFAZ diversifies beyond oil and gas

In partnership with Azpromo

SOFAZ is diversifying its sovereign wealth portfolio beyond oil and gas, investing in renewables, infrastructure and digital assets to manage risk and support long-term financial stability.

24/12/2025

Grand Voyager

Grand Voyager | Exploring Qatar

In partnership with Media City

From sweeping desert dunes to buzzing souqs and soaring coastal views, Qatar is a land of striking contrasts. Join Lilly Douse as she explores Qatar — from Doha’s historic heart to the edge of the desert and sea.

24/12/2025

Kazakhstan

Kazakh city of Aktau recalls the Azerbaijan Airlines crash one year on

A year after the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Aktau, the tragedy still resonates with residents and responders to the incident in which 38 people died, and 29 survived with injuries.

24/12/2025

Azerbaijan

Survivors seek justice year after Azerbaijan Airlines crash killed 38

Survivors and relatives are seeking justice as the first anniversary approaches of the Azerbaijan Airlines crash that killed 38 people after a Russian air defence missile struck next to it mid-flight, causing critical damage.

24/12/2025

Iran

Has Iran's Khamenei authorised nuclear weapons? What we know so far

Speculation is mounting about whether Iran's supreme leader has approved nuclear weapons development after June's conflict with Israel devastated its nuclear programme. US intelligence says no.

24/12/2025

Spotlight

How Baku is reshaping urban mobility around people, not cars

In partnership with World Urban Forum

From people-first streets to integrated mobility and electric buses, Baku’s transport transformation reflects a city ready for sustainable urban living.

24/12/2025

Modern Nomads

An ancient Kazakh puppet tradition reborn

In partnership with MDQ

A centuries-old Kazakh puppet tradition is finding new life on global stages, in classrooms, and even through 3D printing.

24/12/2025

No Comment

Christmas decorations bring festive atmosphere to Damascus

In Damascus’ Old City, home to a small Christian community and historic churches, red baubles, shop decorations and street vendors selling warm chestnuts add a seasonal touch to the streets.

24/12/2025

Gaza

Israel's defence minister walks back pledge on settlements in Gaza

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz suggested establishing settlements in Gaza but later retracted his statement, clarifying it was made in a security context.

24/12/2025

Moments

These are the best Indian luxury train journeys to take in 2026

Heritage, culture, cuisine, and wildlife: India’s top luxury train journeys to take in 2026.

24/12/2025

Partner content

Turkmenistan Marks 30 Years of Permanent Neutrality — A Milestone in Peace and Connectivity

Partner content presented by Turkmenaragatnashyk

When the United Nations General Assembly unanimously recognised Turkmenistan’s status of permanent neutrality in December 1995, few could have predicted quite how central this principle would become to the country’s identity.

24/12/2025

Partner content

Uzbekistan’s ‘Echo of Enlightenment’: Reclaiming Central Asia’s Role in the History of Science

Partner content presented by the Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan

A new documentary series from Uzbekistan explores how Central Asian scholars shaped global science, challenging Eurocentric narratives of intellectual history.

24/12/2025

Focus

The Islamic Civilization Centre in Uzbekistan: a modern masterpiece of Central Asia

In partnership with Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan

Islamic Civilization Centre in Uzbekistan stands as a modern architectural masterpiece rooted in centuries-old traditions.

23/12/2025