U.S. envoy Witkoff to meet Zelenskyy in Berlin over revised peace plan
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukraini...
Kyrgyzstan reconsiders relocating its capital to address Bishkek's pollution and overcrowding, with the proposed city of Asman positioned as a futuristic alternative.
In Kyrgyzstan, discussions about relocating the capital have resurfaced. Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) deputy Bakytbek Maripov has proposed moving Kyrgyzstan’s capital away from Bishkek, presenting the idea during a parliamentary session.
It is noted that this is the only way to solve the problems of traffic jams and air pollution.
He recalled the city of Asman, which attracted $10 billion in investment for its construction. At the beginning of his term, in 2021, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov announced the construction of "the city of the future, Asman", in the Issyk-Kul region. Two years later, in June 2023, Japarov laid the foundation for the construction of Asman by laying a capsule. The authorities plan to complete this megaproject in 7-10 years, and 3143 hectars of land have already been allocated for it.
The issue of relocating the capital in Kyrgyzstan has been raised several times before. For instance, the new capital was suggested to be the border city of Osh, which had repeatedly become the focus of interstate conflict and was located 700 kilometers away from Bishkek on the border with Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, Bishkek suffers from smog, as the current capital is surrounded by the 375-kilometer mountain range of the Tien Shan - the Kyrgyz Alatau. In November 2024, Bishkek ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world. Key sources of pollution include emissions from motor vehicles, the use of low-quality fuels for heating private homes, and unfavorable meteorological conditions that trap pollutants.
Currently, more than 2-3 million people actually live in Bishkek and the Chui region. This is a very large concentration for a country with a population of 7 million people. Thus, almost 40% of the country's population lives in the Chui region.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders, a U.S. official said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a closed-door discussion on the sidelines of the International Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday.
Kazakhstan has begun redirecting part of its crude exports, sending oil from Kashagan to China as the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) operates at reduced capacity.
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Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, has welcomed the expansion of ties with neighbouring Azerbaijan, stating that Tehran and Baku are committed to building a ‘shared, secure and mutually respectful’ future, local media reported on Friday.
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