Asia United Arab Emirates Emir of Dubai announced an eight trillion euro investment plan to make the city 'the best in the world for living and working' and double the size of its economy in the next ten years
Asia Iraq On 8 January, the removal of barriers around Baghdad's green zone and the opening of the crossing began, as part of a plan to ease traffic congestion in the capital
Asia Turkey Leader of Turkish Medical Association and human rights activist Sebnem Korur Fincanci - jailed for 2 years and 8 months for terrorist propaganda - has been released from prison thanks to the sentence already served
Asia Syria Sarah Mardini, the Syrian refugee who inspired the Netflix film about her journey fleeing the country at war, now faces years behind bars for helping to rescue refugees and migrants at risk of drowning in the Aegean Sea
Asia Cambodia The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology has urged the population to use water sparingly, especially in remote rural areas far from water sources, due to the decrease in rainfall expected this year
Asia Malaysia Former Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said he is considering running for the post of president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the party's next elections, which are expected to be held by the middle of this year
Asia Indonesia The Indonesian parliament will assess the legality of an emergency regulation signed by President Joko Widodo to replace a job creation law, while activists have called for a protest against the controversial decree
Asia Pakistan The Islamist political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan accused the police of desecrating the Ahmadi community's place of worship in Punjab province
Asia North Korea According to reports by sources in the country, North Koreans are no longer allowed to bring their mobile phones to propaganda conferences, which are a regular and obligatory part of the country's life
Asia Afghanistan The Taliban-led Afghan administration on Thursday signed its first international contract to extract oil from the northern Amu Darya Basin with Chinese company CNPC
Asia Armenia Kindergartens and schools with extended hours will be closed indefinitely due to insufficient food supplies caused by the Azerbaijani blockade of the Lachin Corridor, Nagorno Karabakh's only communication and supply route
Asia Azerbaijan For the first time in Azerbaijan, at the Yeni Clinic medical agency, it has been possible to detect COVID-19 in a high-quality, fully automated closed system using the Cobas® 6800 device
Asia Lebanon Members of the European judicial delegation investigating money laundering and tax evasion linked to the governor of the Banque du Liban and Lebanese Bank directors are arriving in Lebanon