Author: Samsalkan

Budapest (12/8 – 33) Mahmadzohir will theoretically be eligible to run for president in 2027. In Tajikistan, only the president is permitted to enjoy an unfettered public profile. An intriguing exception to this norm is emerging, however, with another figure amassing huge levels of apparent popularity and prominence. This person too is a member of the ruling family. Ismoil Mahmadzohir, who turned 26 last month, is the grandson of President Emomali Rahmon. His mother, Firuza, is one of Rahmon’s seven daughters. He attended the Elite British Prep School Queen Ethelburga’s College and is the CEO of IM Group. Mahmadzohir – a visually…

Supreme Commander-in-Chief Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the military personnel. The head of state highly appreciated the level of preparedness of the units involved. The President noted the importance of conducting such military exercises in a difficult geopolitical situation. “Today, large-scale changes are taking place in the global defense system. Modern methods and techniques of warfare, especially hybrid types of warfare, are becoming increasingly widespread. Attacks can be not only military, but also informational, psychological, political, economic and other in nature. Therefore, the Armed Forces the forces of Kazakhstan must be ready for any challenges. This is the main requirement for a…

Berlin (21/08 – 50) A small community of bird enthusiasts in Astana have been setting ecological trends, advocating for ethical observation practices and environmental responsibility, and fostering camaraderie through shared sightings and insights. Ruslan Urazaliev, researcher and photographer, Kulyanda Tulebaeva, birdwatcher and photographer, and Vera Voronova, the executive director of the Association for Biodiversity Conservation of Kazakhstan (ASBK), shared their experiences supporting the city’s avian residents. Astana’s rough climate does not deter avian species, making it an unexpected winter haven for colorful birds like bullfinches, goldfinches, and snow buntings. As winter wanes, migratory birds stop in urban parks to recharge…

Berlin, Warsaw (11/8 – 60) The Russian invasion of Ukraine has yet to see an end. Russia has mobilized everything in its power to overcome Ukraine, including recruiting citizens of Kazakhstan to join its military forces. Russia lures Kazakh citizens through digital recruitment advertisements, recently prominent on a number of the country’s internet user pages. Several pop-up ads have started appearing on the internet pages of Kazakh residents, announcing openings for enlistment in the Russian army, with a joining-up bonus of more than USD 5,000. The advert cleverly targets the patriotic soft side of the Kazakhs, displaying flags of the…

The filtering of a popular messaging app in Iraq is threatening to unleash a confrontation between Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani and Shiite armed groups. Outlets which feel targeted see the measure as the outcome of US pressure in liaison with the Baghdad government. Others view the ban as part and parcel of maneuvering ahead of the upcoming provincial elections later this year. Popular platform in the crosshairs Telegram has in past years grown to become among the most popular—and powerful—platforms in Iraq for the dissemination of commentary and news. In January, Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Saad Maan said around 16M…

The United Nations’ human rights chief on Wednesday warned that Iraq’s water crisis could affect other countries in the region. Severe water shortages in Iraq because of climate change and government mismanagement have destroyed wheat and fruit harvests, and killed off fish and livestock. Humanitarian organizations have warned for years that drought and mismanagement could deprive millions of people of water from the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, which also run through neighboring war-torn Syria. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the comments at a news conference in Baghdad following a four-day visit to the Iraqi capital, the oil-rich…

Amsterdam, Copenhagen, (15/7 – 22) The governing Dutch coalition led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been dissolved as a result of sharp differences in views among cabinet members in dealing with the hot potato of immigration, forcing a new election in the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Nov. 22, according to caretaker Interior Minister Hanke Bruins Slot and the General Election Commission (KPU) of the Netherlands. Rutte, the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history and one of Europe’s most seasoned politicians, admitted that frank debate within the four-party coalition government in recent days had nevertheless failed to hammer out…

Tokyo, Berlin (6/6 – 50) The Defense Agency Ground Staff Office in Japan has established a “guide unit” or an escort service in the Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade (headquartered at Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture). Its task is to transport and escort overseas Japanese nationals in such emergency situations as a conflict and a natural disaster in a foreign country. The service is staffed with about 100 personnel. In the event of a dispute or coup breaking out in a foreign country, the government will dispatch the Self-Defense Force (SDF) aircraft or transport vessels with escort personnel aboard to…

The decision by the Migration and Asylum Ministry to proceed with the gradual closure of the Lavrio refugee camp due to objective criteria, namely the unsuitability of the site to continue hosting refugees, will also satisfy Turkey, which has constantly demanded its shutdown as it considers it a “training camp” for Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants. This development, however, was initiated before the February 6 earthquakes in Turkey and the thaw in Greek-Turkish relations. More specifically, in December 2022, the Municipality of Lavreotiki briefed the Migration Ministry on a notice highlighting the risk of building collapse in the event of…

Iraq called on Turkey on Saturday to apologize for what it said was an attack on Sulaymaniyah airport in Iraq’s north, saying the Turkish government must cease hostilities on Iraqi soil. The Iraqi presidency said in a statement that Turkey has no legal justification to “continue its approach of intimidating civilians under the pretext that forces hostile to it are present on Iraqi soil.” Lawk Ghafuri, head of foreign media affairs for the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), wrote in a Twitter post late on Friday that a drone attack hit the vicinity of Sulaymaniyah airport on Friday but caused no damage or…