Asia

Bangladesh interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has invited top US businessman and Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX Elon Musk to visit the country and launch Starlink satellite internet service in the country. Afghan women’s radio to resume broadcast Kabul: Radio Begum, an Afghan women’s radio station will resume broadcasts after the Taliban suspended its operations, citing “unauthorised provision” of content to an overseas TV channel and improperly using its licence. AP Pope conscious, being given breathing support Rome: Pope Francis was conscious but still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen Sunday following a respiratory crisis and blood transfusions, as he remains in critical condition, the Vatican said. Pti

The Middle East is holding its breath as diplomats across the Arab world scramble to defuse the political and humanitarian powder keg that is US President Donald Trump’s shocking proposal to relocate Gaza’s 2.2 million residents and repurpose the razed strip as a glitzy Mediterranean “Riviera” resort.Widely condemned as a colonialist fantasy and a blueprint for ethnic cleansing, Trump’s plan has nevertheless been enthusiastically embraced by Israel’s far-right government. But the international backlash has been swift, with Arab leaders and Middle East experts warning that such a move could plunge the region into chaos.“The overwhelming majority of Palestinians would likely not choose voluntarily to leave Gaza even if they could,” said Monica Marks, a professor of Middle East politics at N

Four months into his presidency, Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto is facing his first nationwide student protests, whose demands include a thorough evaluation of his costly programmes, cabinet choices and austerity-driven budget cuts. The protests, dubbed Indonesia Gelap, or Dark Indonesia, took place on Monday and Tuesday in several cities across the country, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang and Bali. But the pinnacle of the movement will occur in front of the presidential palace in Jakarta on Thursday, according to Herianto, coordinator at All-Indonesia Association of University Student Executive Bodies, or BEM SI. “The protests on Monday and Tuesday were [simultaneous] in every region, but the peak is tomorrow in front of the palace, and only in Jakarta. Thursday is th

A surge in online threats against the Philippines has amplified fears of a “cyber cold war” among security analysts, following Communications Minister Ivan Uy’s warning that “World War III is happening” in the digital realm. “World War III is happening and it is cyber,” Uy told Reuters in a recent interview, adding that the weapons used in this type of warfare were non-kinetic. “They are cyber, digital, virtual, but it’s happening, but the attacks and defences are happening as we speak, without any physical manifestation.” Uy’s comments came after the Philippine government confirmed that it had detected foreign attempts to access its intelligence data on Tuesday, but clarified that no breaches had been recorded. He noted that Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), often state-spo

A North Korean prisoner of war has become the first from his country captured in Ukraine to seek asylum in South Korea, with experts suggesting it could spark a flood of similar requests and force Pyongyang to reconsider its role in a conflict far beyond its borders.The 26-year-old POW, surnamed Ri, is one of two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces. In his first interview with the Korean press, Ri told the Chosun newspaper that he was almost certain about defecting. “I’m about 80 per cent sure about my decision,” Ri said in the interview published on Wednesday. “Most importantly, I want to seek refuge in the Republic of Korea. If I apply for asylum, will they accept me?” he said, referencing South Korea’s official name. Professor Kim Jee-yong, an expert in internation

Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile in India, called the South Asian nation's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus a "mobster" and accused him of unleashing "terrorists" and fostering "lawlessness" in the country. In response, Dhaka reaffirmed its commitment to bringing her back from India and stressed securing Ms Hasina's extradition remains its top priority. Ms Hasina, who fled to India after her government was toppled in a student-led uprising on August 5, 2024, on Monday held a one-on-one interaction on Zoom with the widows of four policemen killed during last July's student uprising. During the conversation, the ousted leader commiserated on their tragic loss and promised redressal upon her return. "The killings were part of his meticu...

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) at Jogighopa on Tuesday, marking a milestone in India’s inland water transport network. To commemorate the occasion, a vessel with two barges—MV Trishul, accompanied by Barges Ajay and Dikshu—was flagged off, carrying 110 metric tonnes of coal and stone chips to Bangladesh. The foundation stone for the terminal was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2021. Prime Minister Modi hailed the inauguration as a significant advancement in India’s infrastructure and a boost to inland waterways. In a post on X, he described it as “a noteworthy addition in our quest for improving infrastructure as well as encouraging inland waterways for progress and prosperity.” Strategic Location and Economic Impac

Since taking over from toppled leader Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s interim government has faced numerous challenges, from rising inflation to delays in implementing crucial reforms across the judiciary, political system and economy, primarily due to ongoing law and order issues. Additionally, there is growing concern of the ousted Awami League regrouping.Meanwhile, a date for the temporary government’s promised elections remains undetermined, seeding doubt and anxiety among a frustrated public. In the gap, experts and insiders warned that those who flourished under Hasina’s venal 15-year regime were weighing a comeback. A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told This Week in Asia that a faction of the civil service was working to sabotage the reform agenda