Asia

“Unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh”: MEA

India condemned the lynching of two Hindu men in Bangladesh, with the MEA expressing concern over continued hostility against minorities and urging accountability. The MEA rejected a false narrative on such incidents and cited numerous cases of violence against minorities during the interim government's tenure.

2025-12-26T11:53:47.380260+00:00 IST

Tarique Rahman not connected to grassroots politics: Veena Sikri

Former diplomat Veena Sikri noted Tarique Rahman's return after 17 years may limit his grasp of ground realities, citing his lack of grassroots connection and inability to fully understand public anger and ongoing atrocities against minority communities in Bangladesh.

2025-12-26T11:43:27.698618+00:00 IST

Taiwan cabinet approves bill requiring lawmakers to seek approval

The Executive Yuan has approved modifications to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which mandates that legislators seek prior authorisation before travelling to China, as reported by the Taipei Times.

2025-12-26T11:41:22.226685+00:00 IST

“Huge surge in popularity for BNP,” says ex-envoy Veena Sikri

Former diplomat Veena Sikri stated BNP leader Tarique Rahman's return to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile could reshape the political landscape, boost BNP's popularity, and influence opposition dynamics ahead of the 2026 elections following his legal clearance and public homecoming.

2025-12-26T11:33:46.020764+00:00 IST

PTI to launch “full force” street movement: KP CM Afridi

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said PTI would launch a street movement on Imran Khan's directions, opposed a proposed military operation in Tirah, accused authorities of sidelining the province, and reiterated demands for promised development funds for merged tribal districts.

2025-12-26T09:46:07.966139+00:00 IST

Post-strike congestion at Karachi port drives up freight costs

The flow of import and export containers at various terminals in Karachi Port has not returned to its usual state, even after a week following the conclusion of the goods transporters' 10-day strike, as reported by The Express Tribune.

2025-12-26T09:09:51.708770+00:00 IST

Journalist cites rising anti-Indian sentiment after Canada

Canadian journalist Daniel Bordman on Friday highlighted concerns over a growing culture of anti-Indian sentiment in the country following the deaths of two Indian students in Canada within a span of one week.

2025-12-26T09:07:29.116485+00:00 IST

BSO Azad alleges enforced disappearances of Baloch women

The Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) Azad has alleged that the enforced disappearance of Baloch women by Pakistani security agencies represents what it termed the "worst form of Baloch genocide", expressing concern over what it described as the continued silence of international human rights organisations.

2025-12-26T08:25:19.140203+00:00 IST

Bangladesh: Hindu Mahajot visits lynching victim’s family

A delegation of the Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot, led by its General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee, Mrityunjoy Kumar Roy, visited the home of the Hindu Youth, Dipu Chandra Das, who was lynched by a mob on December 18, in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district.

2025-12-26T08:16:22.422974+00:00 IST

Ex-MoS slams Bangladesh regime over lynching, anti-Hindu violence

Former Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar on Friday strongly criticised the interim government in Bangladesh, accusing it of abetting "hatred of Hindus as an ideology" through appeasement of extremist forces amid a series of lynchings and attacks on minorities in the country.

2025-12-26T08:06:14.774401+00:00 IST

84% of Peshawar’s water supply contaminated, experts warn of poli

Tests have revealed that 84 per cent of Peshawar's water supply is contaminated, as the city faces a worsening crisis in water and sanitation, prompting experts to warn that this situation is contributing to the spread of polio and other waterborne illnesses throughout the provincial capital, according to a report by The Express Tribune.

2025-12-26T07:13:34.947196+00:00 IST

BLF claims attack on Pakistani forces in Kolwah

The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) has taken responsibility for an attack on Pakistani military forces in the Kolwah region and announced the execution of a person it accused of being an army informant, as stated by the group's spokesperson in a report from The Balochistan Post (TBP).

2025-12-26T07:07:21.145912+00:00 IST

Pak: Punjab's education sector marred by turmoil, setbacks in '25

The outgoing year 2025 has been described as one of the most challenging periods for the education sector in Pakistan's Punjab province, with teachers' bodies and educationists claiming that the public education system remained largely paralysed amid protests, privatisation and policy uncertainty, The Express Tribune reported.

2025-12-26T06:55:49.244442+00:00 IST

Japan Cabinet approves record JPY 122.31 trillion budget

Japan's Cabinet on Friday approved a record initial budget of JPY 122.31 trillion (approximately USD 783 billion) for fiscal 2026, underscoring the newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expansionary fiscal approach aimed at stimulating economic growth and strengthening defence capabilities, despite mounting concerns over the country's fragile public finances, Kyodo News reported.

2025-12-26T06:13:05.951488+00:00 IST

Ex-diplomat on Tarique Rahman's return to Bangladesh

Das expects that Rahman's return will bring stability and consolidate centrist forces amidst rising right-wing concerns in Bangladesh.

2025-12-26T06:11:53.633315+00:00 IST

Bangladesh: NCP eyes electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami

The political landscape in Bangladesh has been witnessing some significant moments in the country ahead of the national parliamentary polls in February 2026 and with the current shifts in the country's political trajectory, the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), formed in the aftermath of the 'July Uprising', is currently moving towards creating an electoral alliance with the radical Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Prothom Alo reported.

2025-12-26T03:46:56.122566+00:00 IST

Pakistan: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hospitals overwhelmed due to flu

Hospitals across Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are facing immense pressure due to a sharp rise in seasonal influenza cases, with paediatric and chest wards operating beyond capacity, health officials said, The Express Tribune reported.

2025-12-26T03:16:53.068692+00:00 IST

Taiwan detects two Chinese aircraft, six naval vessels

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence detected two sorties of Chinese aircraft, six naval vessels and two Chinese balloons around the country as of 6 am (local time) on Friday.

2025-12-26T01:36:29.433242+00:00 IST

Uttarakhand: Nepal Ambassador inspects under-construction bridge

The Ambassador of Nepal, Shankar Prasad Sharma, along with his entire team, inspected the under-construction international motor bridge at Charchhum in the Dharchula area of Uttarakhand along the India-Nepal border.

2025-12-25T20:37:36.521393+00:00 IST

"Rahman's return is politically very significant," Ex Indian HC

Ganguly, while talking to ANI, said that the timing of his return is critical as Bangladesh is being torn apart between his various ideologies.

2025-12-25T18:25:11.816362+00:00 IST

Ready to enhance mutual trust with India: China slams US report

A Pentagon report submitted to the US Congress has flagged China's claim over India's Arunachal Pradesh as part of its stated "core interests", underscoring Beijing's broader national strategy aimed at achieving the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" by 2049.

2025-12-25T18:06:50.687736+00:00 IST