New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) It was largely coincidental, but ironic, that soon after the reclusive Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada sought to expand Afghanistan’s political and economic relations with other nations, a documentary beamed by a global public broadcaster highlighted the plight of women in the country. The documentary is neither the first nor the only of its kind from the platform or other international media outlets, yet the regime’s reported treatment of women i…
Latest Central Asia News & Updates
New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Calling Chabahar Port a symbol of cooperation between Iran and India, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi on Friday expressed confidence that the India-developed port will serve as “golden gate” for access to Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe. Addressing media after the conclusion of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in New Delhi, Araghchi acknowledged that the development of Chabahar Port has been slowed down due to the US sanctions. However, he expressed…
New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) The European Union’s Global Gateway initiative is increasingly being seen as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), positioning itself as a more transparent and sustainability-focused model of global infrastructure financing, a report has said.The report by Kenya-based platform Capital News showed that the BRI — launched by China over a decade ago as a flagship connectivity and infrastructure strategy across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America …
Washington, May 9 (IANS) The United States wants countries in South and Central Asia, including India, to have access to “world class technology” while avoiding dependence on adversarial nations, a senior State Department official said, underscoring Washington’s push to expand AI cooperation with New Delhi.Addressing the US-India AI and Emerging Technology Forum, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bethany Morrison said the focus is on ensuring technology access translates into tangible be…
Tokyo, May 1 (IANS) Japan purchased a shipment of Russian oil on Friday, which is the first purchase since February 2022. Japan relies on West Asia for over 90 per cent of its crude oil imports, the majority of which pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and has been releasing its national oil reserves to stabilise domestic supply.The oil purchased from Russia, carried by the oil tanker Voyager, is expected to arrive at the port of Kikuma on Shikoku Island on May 3, according to the Russian state-o…
Budapest, April 30 (IANS) The International Judo Federation (IJF) announced on Thursday that the 2026 World Judo Masters will be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from December 18 to 20. The World Judo Masters ranks just below the world championships within the IJF competition system.As part of the World Judo Tour, the invitation-only event brings together the top 36 athletes in each weight category, with no limit on entries per country. The tournament carries significant world ranking value, with 1…
Tokyo, April 25 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has held a key meeting on the situation in the Middle East and said Japan expects to secure around 60 per cent of its crude oil needs for May through routes that do not pass the Strait of Hormuz.The PM’s Office of Japan, quoting Sanae Takaichi, wrote on X: “I held a Ministerial Meeting on the Situation in the Middle East. Regarding alternative crude oil procurement that does not pass through the Strait of Hormuz, we have an outlook fo…
Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) The World Para Athletics (WPA) has confirmed Tashkent as the host city for the 2027 World Para Athletics Championships, marking the first time the prestigious event will be staged in Uzbekistan and Central Asia.The announcement was made by World Para Athletics (WPA), confirming that the world’s largest single Para sport event will take place at the Olympic City Main Stadium in June 2027.Tashkent 2027 will be the 13th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships and…
Seoul, March 31 (IANS) The government will operate a crude oil swap system with private companies, starting Tuesday, in a bid to help oil refineries secure alternative oil supplies and minimise supply disruptions, the industry ministry said.Under the system, set to run over the next two months, the government will lend some of its oil reserves, mostly Middle Eastern crude, to oil refineries and later restore the stock with alternative supplies secured by the companies, reports Yonhap news agency…
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Congress leader and former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, while extending Eid greetings on Friday, alleged that Muslims across the world, “starting with India”, are often targeted by communal forces.“This has been an extremely difficult year for the Muslim community. Muslims around the world are facing many challenges and struggles. In India too, the Muslim community is often seen as victims of communal tension,” said the 84-year-old politician in a video m…