Asian stock markets have rebounded after days of heavy losses driven by the war in the Middle East, but oil and gas prices have continued to climb amid significant disruption to supplies. South Korea’s KOSPI index, which posted its biggest ever fall of 12% on Tuesday, rose by almost 10% on Thursday, while Japan’s Nikkei climbed by 1.9%. MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan jumped by 2.7%.
The United States and Israel have launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against Iran and Lebanon, threatening a major escalation in the regional conflict that has already caused widespread disruption. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that US firepower was "about to surge dramatically" with the deployment of additional bombers, while Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir declared that Israel is moving to a new phase of its offensive to "further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities".
Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today announced a new foreign policy strategy at a press conference in Tashkent, aimed at strengthening the country's global economic and political standing and fostering regional cooperation. The president emphasized that the strategy continues Uzbekistan's independent and balanced foreign policy approach, reflecting its unique position in international relations. This move comes as part of broader efforts to enhance the nation's role on the world stage amidst evolving geopolitical dynamics.
Nepal has held its first general election since last year's unprecedented Gen Z-led protests that forced the prime minister to resign, marking a high-stakes showdown between the entrenched political old guard and a powerful youth movement. Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari stated that the voting process concluded peacefully and enthusiastically, but initial estimates suggest turnout was only about 60%, the lowest in over two decades, indicating potential voter apathy or disillusionment.
Formula 1 is set to launch its 2026 season in Australia, marking one of the most radical overhauls in the sport's history. The cars are now shorter, narrower, and lighter, with 50% of their power derived from the battery rather than the combustion engine. Aerodynamics have also been revamped, replacing the traditional DRS system with a 'boost' button that allows drivers to unlock extra power during races. Experts have labeled these changes as "the biggest ever," but not all competitors are embracing the new direction.
Cape Town, South Africa – Thandi Jolingana, 46, beams with pride as she shows off the bathroom she built in her corrugated iron shack, after her husband was robbed at gunpoint while using a communal toilet one night. She lives in a shantytown known as Taiwan, on the edge of Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township – a place where a private toilet is considered a luxury.
Recently released footage from Iranian media appears to show extensive stockpiles of Shahed drones in underground production facilities, indicating Tehran could deploy these weapons long-term. The Iranian government claims to be targeting US assets in the region in retaliation for a war allegedly launched by the US and Israel, which has purportedly killed over 1,000 people and seen its supreme leader assassinated.
The leaders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan reached significant agreements to enhance cooperation in the Central Asian region during a meeting in Tashkent. The negotiations focused on joint projects in economic, transport, and cultural spheres, as well as increasing cross-border trade and investment.
▪️ The Finnish government is planning to repeal a long-standing law prohibiting the presence of nuclear weapons on its territory, in a move that authorities claim would align the country more closely with NATO's deterrence policy. Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen stated that Finland and Europe's security environment had "fundamentally and significantly changed" since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
An elementary school in Tehran's Niloufar Square has been struck in what Iranian authorities describe as US-Israeli attacks, according to Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. On Friday, Baghaei shared a video on X purportedly showing the Shahid Hamedani School before and after the attack, though he did not elaborate on the circumstances or casualty figures.
The CIA tracked the leader of an oil-rich nation that has long baited the United States, Nicolás Maduro, to his heavily guarded compound in the capital Caracas, where he was abducted by U.S. special forces in a dawn raid on January 3. This event marked the execution of a strategy that former President Donald Trump has termed 'regime capture'.
US Congressman Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, has admitted to having an extramarital affair with an aide, after previously denying the relationship. The married father of six described the relationship with married staff member Regina Santos-Aviles, who died by suicide last year, as a "mistake" and a "lapse in judgement". The 45-year-old lawmaker told a podcast, "I take full responsibility for my actions," marking a reversal from his earlier dismissals of the allegations as "blackmail" and a "co-ordinated" attack to unseat him.