The Bangladesh Nationalist Party celebrated a landslide victory on Friday in the first elections held since a deadly 2024 uprising, with leader Tarique Rahman to become prime minister. Election Commission figures said the BNP alliance had won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Islamist-led Jamaat-e-Islami alliance — which said earlier it had “serious questions […]
Read MoreTarique Rahman is on course to be elected the new prime minister of Bangladesh after his centre-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won enough seats to secure a majority in the general election. Rahman, 60, is the figurehead of the influential Zia family, who have dominated politics in the country for decades. Both of his parents […]
Read MoreBy Aidan Jones Allegations of irregularities in Thailand’s election – including vote-buying, uncounted ballots and tallies greater than the names on electoral lists – have gathered momentum, increasing the pressure on polling authorities to hold recounts. Protests across the country have been aimed squarely at the Election Commission (EC). While any potential recounts are unlikely […]
Read MoreBy Iman Muttaqin Yusof As Washington redraws the global map for critical minerals, Malaysia is pitching itself to the United States as a “trusted” link in the supply chain while making clear it will not serve as a quarry shipping out unprocessed resources. Analysts say the stance reflects a careful balancing act: Kuala Lumpur wants […]
Read MoreBy Ushar Daniele The persistent tuberculosis cases in Malaysia are indicative of an outbreak that could be under-reported for a disease that is easy to diagnose and treat, according to medical experts. Malaysia had detected 10 active TB clusters nationwide as of February 7, with a total of 2,571 cases. Four of these clusters – […]
Read MoreIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet President Donald Trump on Wednesday to discuss renewed US nuclear negotiations with Iran amid concern that failed talks could spark a wider conflict. Here are the takeaways from the six previous meetings of the two leaders, mostly focused on Iran and Gaza, since Trump’s White House return in […]
Read MoreChina has sharply reduced its humanitarian assistance to Tajikistan, marking a notable shift in Beijing’s engagement with one of Central Asia’s most aid-dependent economies. In an analysis published by Eurasianet, journalists Carly Brant and Sean Kearin examine how the scale-back reflects broader changes in China’s regional priorities, evolving financial strategy, and growing expectations that partner […]
Read MorePakistan has announced a fresh wave of diplomatic appointments, naming new ambassadors to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran as part of a broader reshuffle of its foreign missions. A total of 19 ambassadors and consuls general have been appointed to represent Pakistan in 17 countries worldwide, including key regional partners in Central Asia and the Middle […]
Read MoreTAIPEI: Taiwan plans to send officials to assess US rare earths deposits with a goal to have such minerals refined on the island, Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin said on Wednesday. President Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up efforts to secure US supplies of critical minerals after China rattled senior officials and global markets last year […]
Read MoreA leaked letter from the Philippines’ foreign secretary has exposed a fault line in the country over how to publicly confront Beijing in the South China Sea, days before the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) created its own maritime spokesman role. The new position was in addition to existing voices from the Philippine coastguard, armed […]
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