Australia returns ancient Chinese statue heads stolen from imperial tombs
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China....
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan enhance water cooperation, with Uzbekistan to supply 16 billion cubic meters by 2025, boosting regional water management and supporting the Aral Sea ecosystem.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have bolstered their water cooperation, with Uzbekistan committing to supply Kazakhstan with 16 billion cubic meters of water by October 1, 2025, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation.
This marks an increase of 1 billion cubic meters compared to the previous agreement. Notably, Uzbekistan has also pledged to ensure a stable water supply through the critical Dostyk Canal during the 2025 irrigation season.
To enhance water distribution efficiency, the two countries will work together on repairing interstate canals, which will particularly benefit farmers in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region and Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region. A key initiative to improve water management involves the planned installation of automated water metering systems at ten strategic locations along the Syr Darya River, with five in each country.
A feasibility study for this project has been approved, and a follow-up meeting with international organizations is set for February to discuss implementation details. In a separate regional agreement involving several Central Asian nations, Kazakhstan has secured 11 billion cubic meters of irrigation water by April 2025.
This water, delivered via the Syr Darya, will replenish the Shardara Reservoir in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region, with 1.6 billion cubic meters specifically earmarked to support the Aral Sea ecosystem.
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia remains willing to rebuild relations with European countries but warned that any wider conflict on the continent would leave no winners, as he commented on recent diplomatic contacts with Nordic leaders and growing security concerns in the Baltic region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
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