The Index

🇨🇳 A Chinese fishing vessel is now under the control of alleged pirates in Somalia’s Puntland region, according to the EU’s anti-piracy naval force.

🇫🇮 A Russian man is on trial in Finland for war crimes committed while leading a far-right paramilitary unit in eastern Ukraine a decade ago.

🇸🇾 Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of al Qaeda’s Syrian franchise, has emerged as a key figure in the civil war, directing the most powerful faction against President Bashar al-Assad while maintaining a low public profile.

🇵🇰 Former PM Imran Khan indicted for inciting supporters to attack Pakistan’s military and installations in May 2023. Court charges follow violent events that unfolded during protests.

🇷🇺 Russia closes Poland’s consulate general in St. Petersburg in retaliation for Poland’s closure of the Russian consulate in Poznan.

🇫🇷 President Emmanuel Macron seeks a new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s resignation following the opposition’s vote to topple his government.

🇵🇰 Former Prime Minister Imran Khan indicted on charges of inciting attacks against the military. The case is linked to deadly anti-government rallies led by his party last year.

🇺🇦 Ukrainian mayor Yevhen Matvieiev has been laid to rest after dying in Russian captivity. He chose to remain in Dniprorudne during the February 2022 invasion instead of fleeing.

🇹🇼 Taiwan President Lai Ching-te visits Guam, calling for democracies to unite against authoritarianism to ensure regional peace.

🇰🇷 Former South Korean defense minister ordered troops to parliament amid President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law attempt, according to the vice defense minister.

🇲🇾 A Malaysian royal commission of inquiry proposes a criminal probe against former PM Mahathir Mohamad over his decision to drop claims on two disputed islets in the Singapore Strait, according to a report presented in parliament.

🇹🇼 A senior Taiwan security official states China is attempting to set a “red line” for the incoming Trump administration by increasing military activities in the region, including potential war games this weekend around the island.

🇺🇦 As he nears 18, Kyiv native Roman Biletskyi leaves his family to escape Ukraine, seeking to avoid the possibility of fighting in the ongoing war.

🇰🇷 South Korean prosecutors are investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol, his interior minister, and the former defense minister over their roles in an attempt to impose martial law, according to Yonhap news agency.

🇺🇸 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to confront each other over the war in Ukraine at the OSCE meeting in Malta on Thursday.

🇵🇰 A court in Pakistan has issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, in a graft case, according to Ary News.

🇨🇾 Cyprus receives an Israeli air defence system, according to local media. The move comes as the island seeks to enhance its defence capabilities following the loss of Russia as a key supplier.

🇲🇾 Jailed former Malaysian PM Najib Razak has launched a new legal bid to serve his remaining prison sentence at home. Court proceedings were halted to allow prosecutors time to review new evidence.

🇳🇱 The Netherlands will request the EU to suspend visa-free travel arrangements with Georgia following over 300 arrests in pro-EU protests in the South Caucasus nation.

🌍 UN aviation agency, celebrating its 80th anniversary, faces challenges from climate change and increasing air traffic in developing nations, according to a senior official.