Author: Numa al-Iqbal

On the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping awarded Bayika Kalidibek, a 72-year-old veteran border guard, the national honorary title of “People’s Guard.” Bayika, an ethnic Tajik from the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, has spent 37 years patrolling China’s remote borders with Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. His recognition by Xi has raised questions about whether the award signals a broader message of solidarity to the Pamiri peoples living in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, who have faced significant repression and human rights violations in recent years. A Lifelong Guardian of China’s Border Bayika…

The European Union announced on Friday that it will begin accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to join the 27-member political and economic bloc starting next week. All 27 members agreed to the Ukraine and Moldova joining the European Union. Negotiations will begin for both countries on Tuesday in Luxembourg, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union said on X. The move comes at a critical time for both nations with Ukraine in the middle of an invasion by Russia and Moldova facing a Russian-led insurgence by a breakaway state. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the European Union for its “robust political…

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (AP) — Minnesota officially unfurled its new state flag atop the capitol for the first time Saturday on statehood day. The new flag and accompanying state seal were adopted to replace an old design that Native Americans said reminded them of painful memories of conquest and displacement. The new symbols eliminate an old state seal that featured the image of a Native American riding off into the sunset while a white settler plows his field with a rifle at the ready. The seal was a key feature of the old flag. That’s why there was pressure to change both.…

VAHDAT, Tajikistan — Shahboz Sharifbek has never had a political agenda or supported any political, religious, or social group. He doesn’t stand out from the crowd for any reason. Too poor to attend college, Sharifbek’s life revolved around finding odd jobs in his home village on the outskirts of the capital, Dushanbe, to provide for his impoverished family that includes his younger brother and their 82-year-old grandmother, who raised Shahboz and his brother when they were orphaned as kids. But the 23-year-old was recently sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly making a “public call via social media for…

Prince Rahim Aga Khan, representing the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), recently engaged in asignificant dialogue with Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, underlining their shared commitment toadvancing sustainable development in the country. The meeting, held at the Ala Archa State Residencein Bishkek on March 1, highlighted the importance of collaboration in addressing critical issues such asclimate change, education, economic opportunity, and cultural preservation.President Japarov welcomed Prince Rahim’s visit, acknowledging the AKDN’s longstanding contributionsto Kyrgyzstan’s socio-economic progress. He expressed gratitude for the AKDN’s efforts in improvingliving conditions, particularly in mountainous regions, and invited further partnership in combatingclimate change, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing…

Dushanbe 25/2 (35.71). The social networking activity of “influencer” Ismoil Mahmadzoir is causing a stir within the country’s political and security corridors. His grandfather President Emomali Rahmon is planning his succession, which has triggered quiet maneuvering within elite factions, including Mahmadzoir’s relatives. Nobody is clear about how becomes the next president of Tajikistan. The daughters jockeying for the top job besides the grandson.Video of a bland speech by Tajikistan’s long-time President Emomali Rahmon was posted late last month on Instagram by Buzkashi_1111, a handle created by Ismoil Mahmadzoir, the 25-year-old son of Firuza Emomali, one of the president’s daughters, who…

Dubai-based start-up Camb.ai has closed a $4 million seed-funding round, propelling its vision to become a global live translation and dubbing leader. The investment, led by Courtside Ventures, supports Camb.ai’s creative use of generative artificial intelligence in real-time language translation. With this significant infusion of capital, Camb.ai is well-positioned to increase its visibility outside the United Arab Emirates and penetrate important global markets. Avneesh Prakash, co-founder and CEO of Camb.ai, announced intentions for strategic expansion in the US and other countries. This represents a critical turning point in the company’s development into a leader in the rapidly developing space of…

Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said the Somalian President’s son Mohammed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who killed a motorcycle courirer in the Istanbul traffic, is expected to come to Turkey for trial. “In the coming days, the defendant will come to Turkey and participate in the trial process,” Tunc told reporters on Thursday, adding that Turkey is in contact with the Somalian authorities. “Our priority is, above all, our own citizens. It is our duty to protect the rights and laws of our deceased citizens,” Tunc added. On November 30, Yunus Emre Gocer, a 38-year-old motorcycle courier was hit by a…

Copenhagen (13/11 – 37.5) When Ranil Wickremesinghe took over as Sri Lanka’s president in July after a popular uprising ousted his predecessor, the South Asian island nation was engulfed in its worst economic meltdown in 75 years. Since then, President Wickremesinghe has managed to a keep a lid on mass protests, improve supplies of essentials and on Monday, secured a nearly $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that opens the door to restructuring about $58 billion of debt and receive funding from other lenders. He has done that despite a deeply unpopular government, his own party commanding just one…

Russia continues to face “mass casualties from Ukrainian long-range precision strikes well behind the front line” the British Defense Ministry said Friday in its daily intelligence update on the war. The ministry said that on November 10, more than 70 Russian troops were probably killed in a strike on a truck convoy 23 kilometers behind the front line in Hladkivka, a village in Kherson oblast. Then, the ministry said, a November 19 strike on an award ceremony or concert in Kumachove, 60 kilometers behind the lines, probably caused “tens” of casualties. Ukraine, though, has suffered similar casualties, the update said,…