Professor Yunus urges Axiata to expand 5G services in Bangladesh

Kuala Lumpur, August 12, 2025: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday urged leading Malaysian telecom firm Axiata to roll out 5G services in Bangladesh and invest in the country’s data centres. Professor Yunus stressed that Bangladesh needs high-speed internet for its growing economy and to attract investment from global companies eager to tap into […]

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Philippines voices concern over ‘dangerous’ Chinese actions after Scarborough Shoal collision

The Philippines expressed serious concern on Tuesday over what it described as “dangerous manoeuvres and unlawful interference” by Chinese vessels during a coast guard supply mission for Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal on Monday. “Their actions not only posed a grave danger to Philippine personnel and vessels, but also resulted in the unfortunate collision […]

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Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan to Supply 600 Million Cubic Meters of Water to Kazakhstan

By Sadokat Jalolova Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will send about 600 million cubic meters of water to Kazakhstan over the next two weeks to help offset shortages in the country’s southern regions, Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev announced at a government briefing. Bozumbayev said Central Asia is experiencing a low-water year, with inflows into the Syr […]

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UN investigators reveal systematic torture in Myanmar detention centres

A United Nations-backed investigative team has uncovered significant evidence of systemic torture and sexual violence in Myanmar’s detention facilities over the past year, including electric shocks, strangulation, gang rape, and burning of sexual body parts. Nicholas Koumjian, head of the international independent investigative team, made the disclosure as his team released its latest annual report […]

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How Could the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Accord Benefit Central Asia?

By Joe Luc Barnes On August 8, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace accord in Washington and committed to the construction of the Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity, a trade route that bisects Armenia, connecting the two parts of Azerbaijan. The deal may have far-reaching repercussions on the other side of the Caspian, potentially diversifying […]

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Bangladesh, Malaysia Leaders Agree to Deepen Partnership

Putrajaya, 12 August 2025 – Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim held a bilateral meeting at Perdana Putra in Putrajaya on Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to transform Bangladesh–Malaysia relations into a deeper, future-orientated strategic partnership. The two leaders first held a one-on-one meeting, preceded by a […]

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Kim Keon-hee’s last stand? South Korea’s former first lady battles jail time

By Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s scandal-plagued former first lady Kim Keon-hee walked into court on Tuesday, head bowed and looking visibly tense, for a hearing that could make her the first ex-presidential spouse in the country’s history to be jailed on criminal charges. Wearing a dark jacket and skirt with a white blouse, her hair […]

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Thailand-Cambodia ‘deep mistrust’ tests Asean’s peacekeeping role

By Sam Beltran The deployment of Asean observers along the Cambodia-Thailand frontier marks a fresh test for Southeast Asia’s capacity to police its own peace, even as entrenched mistrust between the two nations threatens to expose the limits of the regional bloc’s effectiveness. Cambodia and Thailand have consented to the stationing of observers from the […]

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Australia, New Zealand revisit recognising Palestine, but is it ‘window dressing’?

By Maria Siow As the devastation in Gaza intensifies and international pressure mounts, Australia and New Zealand are edging closer to recognising a Palestinian state, but critics warn that symbolic gestures and “window-dressing” alone will do little to alter the grim realities on the ground. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday that Canberra […]

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