An earthquake of magnitude ‌6.2 struck off the east coast of ⁠Japan’s largest island, Honshu, on Thursday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences ‌said.

The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km m(6.2 miles), the agency said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it is hard to predict the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East, but “could be comparable to those of the Covid pandemic.”

“The consequences of the conflict in the Middle East are still difficult to accurately predict,” Putin told business leaders in Moscow. 

He added that some estimates suggest they “could be compared with the coronavirus epidemic.”

He said the conflict is disrupting global supply chains and putting pressure on energy, metals and fertilizer sectors.

The Trump administration offered a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran, the Associated Press reported citing a person briefed on the contours of the proposal, even as the U.S. military prepared to send at least 1,000 more troops to supplement some 50,000 troops already in the Mideast.

The plan was submitted to Iran by intermediaries from Pakistan, who have offered to host renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The New York Times was the first to report that the plan had been delivered to Iranian officials.

The Pentagon is also in the process of deploying two Marine units that will add about 5,000 Marines and thousands of sailors to the region, according to AP.

The moves are being framed as Trump maneuvering to give himself “max flexibility” on what he will do next, AP reported citing its source.

Israeli officials, who have been advocating for President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran, were surprised by the submission of a ceasefire plan, the person said.

Earlier in the day, Trump said the U.S. was in talks with Iran to end the war as diplomatic efforts picked up and Iran issued a newly defiant statement. Meanwhile, airstrikes battered the Islamic Republic while Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel and sites across the region.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that there are no talks or negotiations between Iran and the United States.

In an exclusive interview with India Today, Baghaei rejected mediation efforts, citing “betrayal of diplomacy” when Iran was attacked twice during previous nuclear negotiations. 

He said Iran cannot trust U.S. diplomacy and that Iranian armed forces are focused on defending the country’s territory.

Baghaei stressed that there’ve been no talks between the U.S. and Iran since the war began.

He acknowledged that multiple countries, including Pakistan, have offered mediation, but emphasised that Iran is under constant bombardment.

He stated that U.S. military attacks originated from bases in Persian Gulf countries, and that Iran is exercising its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. He confirmed Iranian authorities are coordinating safe passage for Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier the U.S. was in talks with Iran to end the war. This has been denied by Tehran. The Associated Press reported that the Trump administration offered a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran.

The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.

Drones targeted a fuel tank ‌at Kuwait International Airport, causing a fire but no ⁠casualties, Reuters reported citing the Kuwait Civil Aviation Authority.

Emergency procedures were activated immediately, with firefighting ‌teams ⁠responding to the blaze, it said, adding ⁠that initial reports indicated only material ⁠damage.

This is already the third such incident since the start of U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran and the beginning of Iran’s retaliatory attacks. Kuwait International Airport has suspended operations since the start of the military actions. All flights have been rerouted to Saudi Arabia.

Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko has arrived in North Korea on an official visit. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted an official welcome ceremony in Pyongyang on 25 March, the Belarusian BelTA state news agency reported.

After the ceremony, Lukashenko visited the Liberation Monument in Pyongyang together with Kim Jong Un.

According to BelTA, Lukashenko’s visit to North Korea is expected to “reinforce the legal framework of the relations and contribute to the invigoration of bilateral interaction.”

Aleksander Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un previously met in September 2025 in Beijing where they attended a parade among invited foreign leaders. At that time, Kim Jong Un invited the Belarusian president to visit his country at any convenient time.

Article by Kabar News Agency 

Kyrgyzstan is preparing to host the sixth World Nomad Games from August 31 to September 6, with the opening ceremony scheduled in Bishkek and competitions set to continue in the Issyk-Kul region.

More than 90 countries are expected to participate, while the program will include 43 sports along with cultural events, exhibitions and international forums. Organizers say accreditation of participants will begin in May, with preparations entering the final stage.

Launched in 2014 on the basis of the Bishkek Declaration, the World Nomad Games have grown into a global platform promoting traditional sports, cultural heritage and intercultural dialogue. The first three editions were held in Kyrgyzstan, while Turkiye hosted the Games in 2022 and Kazakhstan in 2024, reflecting the project’s expanding international reach.

The event is recognized as a tool for strengthening cultural ties and tourism, bringing together athletes, artists and researchers from around the world.

The world is preparing to witness the sixth edition of the Games. The host country, Kyrgyzstan, is actively preparing for this large-scale event, and the participating countries are also thoroughly preparing for their performances.

The World Nomad Games is an international event that unites the national games and cultures of nomadic peoples at the global level. Its uniqueness lies in the revival of forgotten traditions and the ability to unite countries around a common goal. This event aims to preserve the heritage of nomadic civilization and promote it worldwide. In particular, it provides a unique opportunity to see the entire nomadic world in one place.

Furthermore, the Games serve an important mission to strengthen interstate ties and develop global tourism.

The World Nomad Games have received the following high praise and status:

– Recognized by the UN as an effective tool for intercultural dialogue;

– Supported by international sports federations and cultural institutions;

– Included in the global sustainable development agenda;

– Inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Games’ core content includes equestrian races, traditional wrestling, and intellectual and folk games. In addition, the event includes international scientific conferences and symposia, large-scale cultural programs, exhibitions of crafts and national cuisine, and art and fashion shows.

In 2012, following a summit of the heads of Turkic-speaking states involving Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkiye, the Bishkek Declaration was signed. This document laid the foundation for the World Nomad Games, initiated by Kyrgyzstan.

Based on this initiative, the first World Nomad Games were held from September 9 to 14, 2014, in Kyrgyzstan. 583 athletes from 19 countries competed in 14 sports.

The first three editions of the Games were held in Kyrgyzstan.

Following the first World Nomad Games in 2014, the second (2016) and third (2018) Games were also held in Kyrgyzstan.

In particular, from September 3 to 8, 2016, the city of Cholpon-Ata hosted the 2nd World Nomad Games, which attracted 1,200 athletes and coaches competing in 23 sports. This time, the number of participating countries reached 62, tripling the number of participating countries at the first Games. Of these, 17 presented their unique cultural programs. Furthermore, the range of sports disciplines expanded, and the number of media representatives covering the event exceeded 650.

The program included national games reflecting the daily life, martial arts, hunting traditions, and intellectual culture of nomadic peoples, such as: jerit (spear throwing on horseback), tayaq tartysh (stick tug-of-war), goresh (traditional wrestling of the Turkic peoples), gulesh (Turkish oil wrestling), aba kureshu (horseback wrestling), archery (on foot, on horseback, and long-range), burkut saluu (golden eagle hunting), dalba oynotuu (the art of controlling a falcon using a lure on a cord), taigan zharish (dog racing of the Taigan breed), and mangala (a board game of logic).

Furthermore, these Games strengthened the foundation of the project’s scale and laid the groundwork for its development as a global international platform.

The III World Nomad Games were held from September 2 to 8, 2018, in Cholpon-Ata. This time, the number of participating countries reached 80, and approximately two thousand athletes competed in 37 sports.

The program also included such sports as arm wrestling, mongol bokh (Mongolian wrestling), vari, pahlavani (Iranian wrestling), three types of traditional archery, sambo, ssireum (South Korean wrestling), and sumo.

In the lead-up to the Games, an international Altaic conference entitled “Folk Games, Rituals, and Traditions” was held, bringing together scholars from more than 45 countries. These Games played a decisive role, leading to the decision to further host the event in other countries. Thus, Turkey was confirmed as the next host country.

Hosting the World Nomad Games in other countries

Thus, the mission to host the World Nomad Games was handed over to Turkiye. The Games were held from September 29 to October 2, 2022, in the cities of Iznik and Bursa, bringing together representatives from 102 countries. 3,000 people competed in 40 sports, and approximately 150,000 spectators witnessed this massive event.

The Games were originally planned for 2020, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was postponed to 2022. The baton for hosting the next Games was passed to Kazakhstan.

The 5th World Nomad Games were held from September 8 to 13, 2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan. 2,800 athletes from 89 countries competed in 21 sports. A unique feature of these Games was the inclusion of women’s categories in the competition program, at the initiative of the participants.

The “Nomad Universe” ethno-village hosted over 100 cultural programs, as well as an international conference on “Nomads: History, Knowledge, and Lessons.”

Preparations for the 6th World Nomad Games

The 6th World Nomad Games will be held this year from August 31 to September 6. The opening ceremony will take place in Bishkek at the Bishkek Arena stadium, currently under construction and designed to accommodate 51,000 spectators, after which the events will continue in the Issyk-Kul region.

According to Nursultan Adenov, Head of the International Secretariat of the World Nomad Games, invitations to participate in the Games have been sent to 100 countries. To date, participation confirmations have been received from approximately 50 countries. Overall, representatives from more than 90 countries are expected to attend. 400 representatives of foreign media are also expected to arrive.

It’s worth noting that this year’s Games will feature 43 sports. The program already includes the Kazakh national game “kokpar” and the Yakut national wrestling “khapsagay.” Agreements with other federations are expected to be signed.

The host country for the 7th World Nomad Games will be announced in the next 1-2 months. To date, bids have been received from 3-4 countries to host the next event.

The World Nomad Games are not a bygone era, but living history that continues today. This is an event worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

Member of Parliament Vladimir Vardanyan was confirmed by parliament as a Constitutional Court Justice in a closed vote following a confirmation hearing.

Only 67 of the 107 MPs took part in the vote, with all voting in favor of Vardanyan’s candidacy. He is expected to resign from parliament and take the oath of office as a Justice of the Constitutional Court on March 26.

Vardanyan had been serving as an MP since 2019 and chaired the parliamentary Committee on State-Legal Affairs.

He had been affiliated with the ruling Civil Contract party for years but resigned after President Vahagn Khachaturyan nominated him for the Constitutional Court, to become nonpartisan, a requirement for serving in the independent judicial body.

During the confirmation hearing on Tuesday, amid opposition concerns about ties to the ruling party, Vardanyan vowed to remain impartial and uphold the constitution if elected. He reminded lawmakers of the oath of office for an MP:

“I have been in the Parliament for seven years, and each of us is under an oath, which contains a clear requirement—to uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. From the moment of taking the oath, you assume responsibilities, and regardless of your political orientation or personal preferences, you are obliged to act in accordance with your oath,” Vardanyan said.

Vardanyan is expected to replace Hrayr Tovmasyan, whose mandate at the high court was terminated after a court found him guilty of exceeding his authority while serving as justice minister more than a decade ago.

The “Armenia in UNESCO” event was held at the headquarters of Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Santos Palace, where Armenia’s cultural heritage registered with UNESCO was showcased.

Armenian Ambassador to Uruguay Mariam Gevorgyan, Acting Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs at Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations Soledad Martínez, and Acting Director of the UNESCO Regional Office Alcira Sandoval delivered remarks, the Armenian embassy reported. 

The showcased Armenian heritage included the Armenian duduk, performed by renowned Argentine-Armenian duduk player Gagik Gasparyan, along with the Armenian Kochari dance, performed by members of the senior generation of the “Gayane” dance ensemble of Uruguay.

A photography exhibition was held in the Pedro Figari Hall of the Santos Palace and will be open to the public until March 27.

The event was attended by the Secretary General of the Latin American Integration Association, Sergio Abreu, senior officials from Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations, a number of foreign ambassadors, political and public figures, as well as representatives of the Armenian community.

The event was organized at the initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Uruguay, in cooperation with Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Relations and the UNESCO Regional Office.

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan attended an event hosted by Prime Insurance Brokers to mark its accreditation by Lloyd’s. 

“Prime Insurance Brokers” has become the first company in Armenia to receive brokerage accreditation from Lloyd’s, the world’s leading insurance and reinsurance marketplace.

This significant achievement reflects the company’s high professional standards, reliability, and compliance with international benchmarks, the President’s Office said in a statement, adding that Khachaturyan welcomed the Armenian company’s notable accomplishment and wished it continued success and further achievements.