Asia

World News

Central Asia boosts green energy, infrastructure and SMEs

Central Asia and Mongolia received around €1.72bn from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development last year to fund 120 projects. The investments have a focus on renewable energy, infrastructure and SMEs.

17/02/2026

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Burabay Ice: Over a thousand runners brave -15°C on frozen lake in Kazakhstan

More than a thousand participants gathered on the frozen surface of Burabay Lake for the “Burabay Ice” race.

17/02/2026

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China marks Lunar New Year with temple visits and traditional prayers

People in Beijing visited the Lama Temple to burn incense and offer prayers as the Year of the Horse began.

17/02/2026

Iran

Iran's FM sees 'window of opportunity' after fresh US nuclear talks

The second round of indirect talks came amid fears of escalation after Iran said it temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for live fire drills, and as the United States bolstered its military presence in the Middle East.

17/02/2026

World News

Hundreds of millions across Asia welcome the Year of the Fire Horse

Authorities in China say they are expecting to see a record 9.5 billion passenger trips, up from 9 billion the previous year, during the 40-day spring festival.

17/02/2026

Iran

Tehran's top diplomat holds Geneva nuclear talks amid Hormuz war games

Iran and the US resume Geneva nuclear talks amid disputes over missiles and proxies, as Iran conducts IRGC war games in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

16/02/2026

Economy

Syria pitches investment to Europe as new law vows ‘legal firmness’

At the World Governments Summit in Dubai, the Chairman of Syria’s investment authority made a direct appeal to European investors, arguing that 2025 constituted a turning point in the country’s economic recovery.

16/02/2026

Culture news

Meet the Global Teacher Prize winner using slum walls for classes

Rouble Nagi, an Indian teacher who turned Mumbai’s slum walls into open-air classrooms, has been awarded the $1 million Global Teacher Prize at the World Governments Summit, using art to bring education to children often excluded from formal schooling.

16/02/2026

North Korea

North Korea unveils new housing for troops killed fighting for Russia

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un officially unveiled a new Pyongyang housing district for families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine, in a boost to Pyongyang's pro-war propaganda.

16/02/2026

Tech News

Everything to know about India’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi

Global leaders such as Emmanuel Macron are gathering in India for an AI Summit to try to agree on AI governance after the Paris AI pledge last year was deemed ‘meaningless’.

16/02/2026

Economy

Japan narrowly avoids a technical recession in 2025, report shows

Japan's economy grew at only a 0.2% annual pace in the last quarter of 2025, according to a government report released this Monday. Growth for all of last year came in at just 1.1%.

16/02/2026

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North Korea opens homes for troops killed in Ukraine

North Korea opens a Pyongyang housing district for families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, as Kim Jong Un vows to honour “martyrs”.

16/02/2026

Gaza

Board of Peace to unveil $5 billion in Gaza reconstruction, Trump says

The pledges will be formally announced when board members gather in Washington on Thursday for their first meeting, the US president said in a social media post.

16/02/2026

Tech News

Europe seen as key market for data sovereignty technology

“This technology is the first technology that's going to start to take data away from big tech," says tech entrepreneur Eric Swider.

15/02/2026

Sport

World’s top two men's tennis players headline Doha ATP 500

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner headline the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, recently voted ATP 500 Tournament of the Year. With Novak Djokovic withdrawing, the spotlight shifts firmly to the sport's new generation.

15/02/2026

Nepal

Nepal: Watch cannabis rituals unfold during Shivaratri in Kathmandu

Crowds thronged Kathmandu’s Pashupatinath Temple for Shivaratri, where worship, music and a rare legal tolerance of marijuana marked the festival.

15/02/2026

Travel News

Low-cost airline to relaunch flights from Europe to Kuala Lumpur

AirAsia X’s revived route between London Gatwick and the Malaysian capital will now include a stopover in Bahrain.

15/02/2026

Earth News

Azerbaijan urges action on Caspian Sea climate crisis

Azerbaijan has highlighted rising environmental threats to the Caspian Sea as UN introduces cross-border environmental assessments.

15/02/2026

Israel

Israel’s Barak says he regrets knowing Epstein after long friendship

Barak said he never observed or took part in any inappropriate behaviour, and even though he was aware of the earlier Epstein case, he assumed Epstein had paid his debt to society.

14/02/2026

United Arab Emirates

UAE harnesses AI to slash bureaucracy and speed up public services

The UAE is using AI to cut bureaucracy, speed up public services and test new technologies, presenting their work at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, which promoted global dialogue.

13/02/2026

Earth News

Why these elephants in Thailand have been put on birth control

In a bid to prevent human confrontations, which can turn deadly, Thailand is administering birth control vaccines to wild elephants.

13/02/2026

Ecotech

Could de-extinction be a solution to biodiversity loss?

De-extinction company Colossal Biosciences unveiled its 'bio vaults' at last week's World Governments Summit in Dubai.

13/02/2026

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan to hold referendum on adopting new constitution

The draft of Kazakhstan's new constitution will consolidate the president's powers and introduce a number of additional changes. The referendum on its adoption is set for 15 March.

13/02/2026

Iran

US orders second aircraft carrier to Middle East as Iran tensions grow

The USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s most advanced carrier, is redeployed to the Middle East as Washington signals it is keeping military options open on Iran.

13/02/2026

Earth News

Environment Chief points to science-led recovery of oceans

At the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri shares how environmental regulation has transformed Abu Dhabi's coastline.

13/02/2026

Healthcare

Uzbekistan increases capacity for complex pediatric surgical care

Expanded use of advanced procedures has reduced overseas referrals for children, lowered treatment costs for families and shifted pressure onto domestic healthcare systems, raising new questions about training, funding and long term sustainability as demand grows.

13/02/2026