Asia Singapore Lim Tze Peng, Singapore’s oldest artist and a revered cultural icon, has passed away at 103; renowned for his ink paintings and calligraphy, Lim dedicated his life to capturing the country’s heritage and landscapes, leaving an enriching legacy
Asia India Chinese fast fashion app Shein has been relaunched in India five years after being banned from Delhi, thanks to a deal with Indian company Reliance Retail
Asia Iraq Iraqis spend almost 3 billion Iraqi dinars ($2 million) every day on tobacco products, according to the Ministry of Health's National Tobacco Control Programme
Asia Georgia Media representatives held a demonstration outside Parliament in support of Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti media, demanding her immediate release
Asia East Timor A contract for the provision of consultancy services was signed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications for the construction of the new passenger terminal, part of the 'President Nicolau Lobato' International Airport rehabilitation project
Asia Azerbaijan The best athletes of 2024 have been announced by Ministry of Youth and Sports: the best female athlete prize was awarded to archer Yaylagul Ramazanova, competing pregnant in 2024 Olympics, and the title of best male athlete to judoka Hidayat Heydarov
Asia Kazakhstan 4,6 billion tenge (US$8.7 million) will be allocated from the Special State Fund to build a regional first-aid station in Aktau city; the sum comes from illegal assets returned to the state
Asia Iran A new ballistic missile, capable of travelling 1.700 kilometres, was unveiled at a ceremony in Tehran attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian
Asia Afghanistan In its recent annual report, the Taliban's Central Security and Settlement Commission, a division of the Afghan Ministry of Defence, accused Pakistan of destabilising Afghanistan and fostering regional terrorism
Asia Armenia International and private schools have become very popular in Armenia, especially in Yerevan; fees are high and sometimes exceed the cost of university fees, reaching up to USD 9.000 per year
Asia Bahrain The country's first café run by autistic people, Halla by Alia cafe, was recently opened at the Alia Rehabilitation and Early Intervention Centre in A'ali
Asia Taiwan The Taipei government has responded to US President Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs of up to 100% on Taiwanese chips by pointing out that cooperation with Washington on semiconductors is mutually beneficial
Asia Tajikistan Drones have been introduced in locust control alongside traditional insecticide spraying methods, apparently marking a significant step forward