DHAKA: As Bangladesh prepares for the first election since the ouster of its long-serving ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, only 4 percent of the registered candidates are women, as more than half of the political parties did not field female candidates. The vote on Feb. 12 will bring in new leadership after an 18-month rule of […]
Read MoreTHE HAGUE: Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte will face a hearing at the International Criminal Court next month, judges ruled on Monday, rejecting arguments the 80-year-old was unfit to take part. Duterte will face a so-called “confirmation of charges” hearing starting February 23, where judges decide whether the prosecution’s allegations are strong enough to proceed […]
Read MoreJAKARTA: Indonesia has received three Rafale fighter jets from France in the first deliveries from a multi-billion-dollar defense deal between the two countries, a defense ministry official told Reuters on Monday, marking a major upgrade to the country’s aging military hardware. Jakarta, France’s main arms client in Southeast Asia, has placed orders for as many […]
Read MoreSِEOUL: The Pentagon’s number three official hailed South Korea as a “model ally” as he met with local counterparts in Seoul on Monday, days after Washington’s new defense strategy called for reduced support for partners overseas. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby arrived in South Korea on Monday and is seen as a […]
Read MoreBy Aidan Jones Myanmar’s military proxy party has claimed a predictable victory in an election widely condemned as a sham, a result likely to hardwire the junta into power indefinitely. For millions of disenfranchised citizens like May*, who fled to neighbouring Thailand to escape the crackdown, the landslide win holds no credibility. “None of us […]
Read MoreBy Biman Mukherji India’s increasing engagement with Gulf nations is driven more by trade and energy security, even as it seeks to forge a defence partnership with the United Arab Emirates amid deepening rivalries in the region, according to analysts. Last week, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made a brief stop in […]
Read MoreBy Cao Jiaxuanin Beijing The foreign ministry in Beijing has urged citizens to avoid travelling to Japan ahead of Lunar New Year as the row over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s November comments about Taiwan rumbles on. A statement issued on Monday said: “With the Lunar New Year approaching, the foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy […]
Read MoreWASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iraq on Sunday against a pro-Iranian government as the expected return of Nouri Al-Maliki as prime minister stirs Washington’s concern. Maliki, who left power in 2014 following heated pressure from the United States, has been chosen by Iraq’s largest Shiite bloc, which would put him in line […]
Read MoreDonald Trump backtracked on his comments on British troops in Afghanistan after the King’s concerns were relayed to the White House. His Majesty’s intervention is thought to have influenced the US president into a climbdown over his claim that British troops stayed away from the front line in Afghanistan. In a stark retreat from his […]
Read MoreISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information ministry on Sunday denied reports the army has ordered depopulation in the northwestern Tirah Valley ahead of a planned anti-militant offensive, stating that any movement of residents from the area is voluntary. The denial from the government comes as residents of Tirah Valley in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province bordering Afghanistan […]
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