Diplomat News Network – Somalia & Global News

Jalajed Aden

Jalajed Aden – Senior Political Reporter
Covers political, security, and economic developments across South, East, Central, and Southeast Asia. Provides in-depth reporting and analysis on major events. Based in New Delhi.
Journalists at Diplomat News Network adhere to the Editorial Code of Ethics.
Rescue teams in the Maldives search for the bodies of four missing Italian divers in a deep cave diving operation.

Five Italian Divers Die in Maldives Cave Diving Accident

16/05/2026 - 00:51:38
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Jalajed Aden
Malé (Diplomat.so) – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that five Italian citizens died in a cave diving accident in the Maldives on Thursday in Vaavu Atoll. The ministry said the divers were part of an exploratory group attempting deep cave penetration at approximately 50 meters…

Pakistan repatriates 31 sailors after US vessel seizure

15/05/2026 - 22:58:42
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Jalajed Aden
Bangkok (Diplomat.so) - Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar announced on Friday, May 15, that the repatriation of 20 Iranian and 11 Pakistani sailors stranded following the US detention of their vessel in Singaporean waters has been completed, with the group now en route from Thailand to Islamabad.
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with China President Xi Jinping at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025.Andrew Caballero-Reynolds—AFP/Getty Images

Trump, Xi Meet in Beijing Under Cyber Restrictions

14/05/2026 - 22:03:23
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Jalajed Aden
Beijing (Diplomat.so) – US President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, May 14, during high-level talks featuring tightened cybersecurity protocols and restricted communications for the American delegation.
Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint where shipping lanes carrying a significant share of the world's oil and gas pass through narrow waters, amid heightened tensions and disrupted maritime traffic.

Asia Faces Second Wave of Energy Shock as Hormuz Crisis Deepens

14/05/2026 - 21:21:18
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Jalajed Aden
Singapore (Diplomat.so) – Asian governments and energy agencies across India, Southeast Asia and East Asia on Thursday, May 14, are confronting a second wave of energy price shocks following continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, which has affected global crude oil and liquefied natural gas…
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump, Xi Set for Beijing Talks on Iran and Trade

11/05/2026 - 11:26:47
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Jalajed Aden
Beijing (Diplomat.so) - United States President Donald Trump is expected to press Chinese President Xi Jinping over China's economic ties with Iran during a summit in Beijing scheduled for Wednesday through Friday, according to a senior U.S. administration official speaking on Sunday.
Kim Jong Un inspects new 155mm artillery and naval destroyer tests in Pyongyang amid expanded military modernization efforts.

Kim Jong Un inspects 60km-range artillery in Pyongyang

08/05/2026 - 19:52:59
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Jalajed Aden
Pyongyang (Diplomat.so) - KCNA reported on Friday, May 8, that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected production of new 155mm self-propelled howitzers with a reported range exceeding 60 kilometers and reviewed naval destroyer capability tests, with the systems intended for deployment along the border…
ASEAN leaders pose for a group photograph during the regional summit in Cebu, Philippines, on Friday, where member states adopted contingency measures to address the economic and energy impact of the Iran war.

ASEAN Leaders Approve Regional Fuel Reserve Plan

08/05/2026 - 18:07:48
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Jalajed Aden
Cebu, Philippines (AP + Diplomat.so) - Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders adopted a regional contingency plan on Friday, May 8, aimed at reducing the economic and energy impact of the Iran war on Southeast Asia during a summit hosted by the Philippines in Cebu province.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Iran FM reiterates demand for balanced US deal

06/05/2026 - 13:24:14
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Jalajed Aden
Beijing (Diplomat.so) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday, May 6, in Beijing after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Iran will only accept a fair and comprehensive agreement in indirect negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the war in the Middle East,…
Kim Jong Un meets youth league delegates in Pyongyang, praising their role in supporting state objectives and overseas military cooperation, according to state media reports.

Kim Jong Un Praises Youth Role in Russia War Effort

03/05/2026 - 12:40:43
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Jalajed Aden
Pyongyang (Diplomat.so) – The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met youth league delegates in Pyongyang on Sunday, May 3, praising their role in national mobilisation linked to the Russia–Ukraine war.
Senior White House officials Jared Kushner, presidential advisor, and Steve Witkoff, special envoy.

Trump Cancels US Envoys' Pakistan Trip Over Iran Talks

25/04/2026 - 15:42:44
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Jalajed Aden
Washington, D.C. (Diplomat.so) – The U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, April 26, 2026, that he canceled a planned trip by American envoys to Islamabad aimed at reviving negotiations with Iran, citing lack of progress and internal confusion in Tehran's leadership.
US forces operate near the Strait of Hormuz as maritime security tensions remain elevated amid ongoing regional instability.

Oil Prices Ease as US-Iran Truce Talks Extended

22/04/2026 - 13:15:40
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Jalajed Aden
Singapore (Diplomat.so) – Global oil markets on Wednesday, April 22, reacted to extended US-Iran ceasefire talks and Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions, with prices easing after early Asian-session gains driven geopolitical uncertainty.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Welcomes US Move to Extend Iran Ceasefire Talks

22/04/2026 - 13:02:05
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Jalajed Aden
Islamabad (Diplomat.so) – Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, April 22, in Islamabad said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed United States President Donald Trump's approval of Pakistan's request to extend a ceasefire between the United States and Iran amid ongoing diplomatic…
Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan.

Japan Moves to Relax Arms Export Ban in Major Policy Shift

22/04/2026 - 00:53:53
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Jalajed Aden
Tokyo (Diplomat.so) – Government of Japan (Cabinet Office) announced on Tuesday, a partial revision of long-standing defense export rules allowing, in principle, the transfer of domestically produced defense equipment, including lethal finished weapons, to overseas partners for the first time since…
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) meets with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, ahead of U.S.-Iran peace talks, Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026. (Reuters Photo)

Pakistan says US-Iran talks date not set

16/04/2026 - 18:39:21
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Jalajed Aden
Islamabad (Diplomat.so) – Pakistan Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, April 16, in Islamabad, that no date has been set for the next round of US-Iran talks. It also confirmed that the venue for the second round remains undecided, with diplomatic channels still active between Washington and Tehran,…
U.S. Army soldiers.

US, Philippines Launch Largest-Ever Balikatan Drills

15/04/2026 - 01:56:33
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Jalajed Aden
Manila (Diplomat.so) – The United States Marine Corps and Armed Forces of the Philippines will lead the Balikatan 2026 military exercises beginning April 20 and running until May 8, 2026, across Philippine land, sea, air, and cyber domains with allied participation.
Ma Xingrui

China Investigates Ex-Xinjiang Leader Ma Xingrui

04/04/2026 - 04:34:08
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Jalajed Aden
Beijing (Diplomat.so) – The Communist Party of China (CPC) announced on Friday, that Ma Xingrui, former Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and member of the Politburo, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of party discipline and state law.
One of the world's most critical energy chokepoints, the Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of global oil and gas trade. (EPA Images pic).

Malaysia Ships Granted Free Passage Through Hormuz Strait

01/04/2026 - 15:42:49
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Jalajed Aden
Kuala Lumpur (Diplomat.so) - The Government of Malaysia confirmed on Wednesday, April 1, that Malaysian vessels awaiting passage through the Strait of Hormuz will transit without paying fees to Iranian authorities, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who also serves as government spokesperson, said…
Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Indian Rupee Rebounds After RBI Limits Bank Trading

31/03/2026 - 21:57:41
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Jalajed Aden
New Delhi (Diplomat.so) – The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) triggered a sharp rebound in the Indian rupee on Tuesday, by capping banks' net open foreign-exchange positions at $100 million per day, marking its most decisive currency intervention in over a decade.
North Korea Tests Solid-Fuel Missile Engine.

North Korea Tests Solid-Fuel Missile Engine

29/03/2026 - 22:09:34
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Jalajed Aden
Pyongyang (Diplomat.so) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a new solid-fuel rocket engine test on Sunday, as part of efforts to advance the country's strategic weapons program, according to state media.
The Sierra Leone-flagged Sara Sky, which is carrying crude oil from Russia, is seen anchored at Limay port, Bataan province on March 26, 2026. A ship carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil has arrived in the Philippines, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP on March 26, days after the country declared a national energy emergency over the Middle East war. TED ALJIBE / AFP

Philippines Receives First Russian Oil in Five Years

27/03/2026 - 06:22:37
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Jalajed Aden
Manila (Diplomat.so) – Petron Corporation received a shipment of over 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil at the Limay port near Manila, marking the first direct import from Russia to the Philippines in five years, sources told AFP on Thursday.