Japan approves record $785bn budget, boosts defence spending
Japan's cabinet has approved a record-high $785 billion budget for the next fiscal year - including the largest allocation for defence spending ever....
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has opened its regional office in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, participated in the opening ceremony held at the "Icherisheher" State Historical-Architectural Reserve, alongside Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Arzu Aliyeva, Head of the Baku Media Center.
"Here in the heart of Baku—a city where civilizations have met for centuries and a cradle of peace—we inaugurate a regional office that will serve as a vibrant hub where education, science, culture, communication, modernity, and tradition converge in harmony," - said Dr. Salim M. AlMalik as Azertag reporting
He added that the regional office would serve Azerbaijan and ICESCO member-states in Central Asia, extend its support to other countries in the region, and promote a spirit of cooperation and excellence.
"This office will operate in a unique and forward-looking manner—embracing fresh ideas and pursuing its goals through innovative approaches. It will serve as a vibrant heart, pulsing with a strong spirit of cooperation with our Member States and echoing the rhythms of new partnerships in education, culture, science, and communication," -
Abdulhakeem AlSenan, Director of ICESCO’s Regional Office in Baku, expressed his gratitude to all attendees for participating in this historically significant event.
The event was also attended by Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Adil Karimli, Minister of Culture; Emin Amrullayev, Minister of Science and Education; Isa Habibbayli, President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS); and Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation. Ambassadors from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as prominent Azerbaijani public and political figures, were also present.
A majority of Russians expect the war in Ukraine to end in 2026, state pollster VTsIOM said on Wednesday, in a sign that the Kremlin could be testing public reaction to a possible peace settlement as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict intensify.
Military representatives from Cambodia and Thailand met in Chanthaburi province on Wednesday ahead of formal ceasefire talks at the 3rd special GBC meeting scheduled for 27th December.
In 2025, Ukraine lived two parallel realities: one of diplomacy filled with staged optimism, and another shaped by a war that showed no sign of letting up.
It’s been a year since an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Relatives and loved ones mourn the victims, as authorities near the final stage of their investigation.
The White House has instructed U.S. military forces to concentrate largely on enforcing a “quarantine” on Venezuelan oil exports for at least the next two months, a U.S. official told Reuters, signalling that Washington is prioritising economic pressure over direct military action against Caracas.
Israel’s military said it had killed a member of Iran’s Quds Force in Lebanon accused of planning attacks against Israel from Syria and Lebanese territory. The statement was issued on Thursday.
Russia must accept responsibility for the Azerbaijan Airlines crash near Aktau that killed 38 people, Azerbaijani MP Tural Ganjali has said. His comments come as Azerbaijan marks the first anniversary of the disaster, which occurred on 25 December 2024.
Azerbaijani non-governmental organisations have called on U.S. President Donald Trump to reject an appeal by the U.S.-based Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention. The appeal urges Washington to pressure Azerbaijan to release detainees of Armenian origin, including Ruben Vardanyan.
Kazakhstan has released an interim report into the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Aktau that killed 38 people, saying damage to the aircraft was consistent with impact from elements of a warhead, although the source could not yet be determined.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has welcomed remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicating progress in the normalisation process between Ankara and Yerevan, describing the moment as ripe for concrete steps.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment