By Stephen M. Bland For much of the post-Soviet era, Central Asia occupied a peripheral place in global affairs. It mattered to its immediate neighbors, but rarely shaped wider debates. In 2025, that changed in visible ways. The region became harder to ignore, largely not because of ideology or alignments, but because of assets that […]
Read MoreThe death of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has prompted an outpouring of condolences around the world, with leaders highlighting her service to the nation as its first female premier. Khaleda died in a hospital in Dhaka on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 79 years old. Here’s a round-up of the reaction: […]
Read MoreBy Cao Jiaxuan in Beijing China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on Tuesday called for a new paradigm for engagement with the United States, emphasising the need for stable, cooperative ties while firmly defending what he described as China’s core interests, particularly Taiwan. During a speech in Beijing, the foreign minister also accused Japanese Prime Minister […]
Read MoreBy Sam Beltran The death of a senior public works official alleged to have played a central role in the billion-peso flood-control scandal in the Philippines has cast fresh doubt over the future of a months-long corruption probe, with investigators now facing questions over lost testimony and compromised evidence. Legal analysts say the investigations now […]
Read MoreThailand has said it is delaying the transfer of 18 captured Cambodian soldiers amid the Southeast Asian nations’ simmering border conflict due to alleged breaches of a renewed truce agreement, as the ceasefire passed the 72-hour mark that was supposed to trigger their release. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said on Tuesday that Bangkok […]
Read MoreBEIJING: China launched missiles and deployed dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels around Taiwan on Tuesday for a second day of live-fire drills aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports and assaults on maritime targets. The two-day war games code-named “Justice Mission 2025” have been slammed by Taipei as “highly […]
Read MoreSaudi Arabia said on Tuesday (30 December) its national security was a red line and backed a call for UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours, shortly after a Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla. The warning represented Riyadh’s strongest language against Abu Dhabi yet, as the […]
Read MoreBy Protik Bardhan, Dhaka With the death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, a long and eventful chapter in Bangladesh’s politics has come to an end. The reform initiatives launched under her leadership have had far-reaching impacts on the country’s economy and politics. One of the most frequently used words in Bangladesh is ‘reform.’ In […]
Read MoreIndian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and are set to arrive in Dhaka to attend the namaz-e-janaza of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. “The External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar will represent the government and people of India at the funeral of […]
Read MoreDHAKA, Dec 30 (Reuters) – Khaleda Zia, who became Bangladesh’s first female prime minister in 1991 and went on to develop a bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina as they spent decades trading power, died on Tuesday after a long illness. She was 80. Her opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said that she died after a […]
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