Zambian police disperse more than 25,000 illegal gold miners in northwest
Zambian authorities have cleared over 25,000 illegal miners from a gold-rich area in Mufumbwe District, northwest Zambia....
Kazakhstan and Russia are set to launch 27 new joint projects worth $8 billion, signalling a notable expansion in bilateral economic cooperation.
The announcement was made during Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov’s official visit to Moscow on April 21, where he met with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Mishustin.
“This is a historic figure,” Bektenov said, referring to the $4 billion in Russian investment Kazakhstan received in 2024—a 32% increase over the previous year.
Currently, more than 23,000 companies with Russian participation operate in Kazakhstan, making up nearly 40% of all foreign enterprises in the country. These companies are active in critical sectors such as mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and chemicals. Notably, one in every three foreign-capital enterprises in Kazakhstan involves a Russian partner.
Bilateral trade reached $27.8 billion in 2024, and both nations aim to raise that to $30 billion in the near term. Over the past 20 years, Russian investors have poured $26 billion into Kazakhstan, while Kazakh businesses have invested approximately $9 billion in Russia.
Moscow continues to underscore Kazakhstan’s role as a strategic partner in the Eurasian region, with nearly 70% of trade conducted through direct cooperation between regional authorities.
Meanwhile, European interest in Central Asia is growing. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to visit Uzbekistan on April 25–26, followed by a trip to Astana to participate in the inaugural “Central Asia–Italy” summit. Leaders from all five Central Asian nations are expected to attend.
Italy’s engagement with Kazakhstan is especially robust. Italian companies, active in the country since 1992, are involved in energy, agriculture, mechanical engineering, and hydropower projects. The country is already one of Kazakhstan’s top three trading partners and ranks fifth in foreign direct investment. In 2024 alone, bilateral trade has approached $20 billion.
This European outreach follows the recent Central Asia–EU Summit in Samarkand, where the European Union unveiled a €12 billion investment package aimed at deepening economic ties with the region.
Kazakhstan’s global importance is also rising due to its vast reserves of rare earth minerals. Just days before the EU summit, Kazakh authorities announced the discovery of a major rare earth deposit in the Karaganda region, estimated to hold nearly one million tons of critical elements such as cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, and yttrium—materials vital to digital and green technologies.
The “Central Asia plus one” format has become a popular diplomatic tool for Western countries — whether it’s the EU, Germany, the United States, Japan, or now Italy. As global competition for influence intensifies, Central Asia is emerging as a focal point of international diplomacy. And each new summit is no longer just a formality — it’s part of a broader geopolitical contest for the heart of Eurasia.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
Following a deadly glacier collapse in Blatten, near the Swiss Alpine village of Kandersteg, the town is on high alert as melting permafrost and shifting rock threaten another potential disaster after it was buried a month ago.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described his latest phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump as the most productive yet, focusing on air defence and future cooperation.
The U-20 European Wrestling Championship in Caorle, Italy, is nearing its end, with Azerbaijan’s Vasif Baghirov securing a hard-earned victory in the 57 kg final against Georgia’s Nika Zangaladze.
ADY Chairman Rovshan Rustamov met with Afghanistan's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Abdul Ghani Baradar, at the Baku Sea Port.
Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed that the country’s territory cannot be used by any third party to carry out military operations against neighbouring states.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says the country needs a new constitution that reflects its current realities and has a clear purpose.
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