Asia

A community gotong-royong - an obligation of individual towards society - completed a clean-up initiative along the road to Kampong Kuala Balai, restoring road width and drainage systems by clearing overgrown vegetation

Georgian Dream officials marked the completion of a 14-year railway modernization project, one of the largest investments in the transport sector, securing higher cargo capacity, shorter transit times, Tbilisi–Batumi travel time reduced by 30 minutes

A concert by legendary Bangladeshi rock musician James was called off following alleged attack by "outsiders", despite full preparations; the event was scheduled at the Faridpur District School premises to mark the school's 185th anniversary

1.500 bamboo seedlings have been planted in areas at risk of land erosion in the capital Dili; the initiative of the Secretary of State for Forestry with the municipality selected plants that are particularly effective against erosion

Two new stations have been inaugurated by the Kuwait Fire Force in Al-Qairawan and Al-Mutlaa; equipped with the latest technology and advanced firefighting equipment, they strengthen emergency response

Flat6Labs, Middle East and Africa’s leading entrepreneurial ecosystem builder, has concluded its StartMashreq Programme at the “StartMashreq Forum” in Amman; the three-year initiative supports innovation and startup growth in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq

2nd Forum of Azerbaijani Religious Figures held in Baku was attended by over 100 leaders from various faiths, promoting constitutional values as secularism and freedom of conscience and discussing legal and cultural aspects of state-religion relations

As Christmas approaches offices across the UAE enter the year-end slowdown, although Christmas Day is not listed among the official public holidays issued under the Cabinet resolution regulating holidays which came into force on 1 January 2025

The International Committee of the Red Cross has welcomed the preliminary agreement reached between Yemen’s warring parties to release detainees held in connection with the conflict, while announcing its readiness to support and facilitate the process

Turkmenistan and Spain have discussed closer cooperation to address desertification in Central Asia, including the possible creation of a regional center focused on land degradation; the talks took place in Ashgabat following UN hints to such initiative