South Asia

Rohingyas 'exaggerated' abuses: Suu Kyi

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi says "war crimes" may have been committed against Rohingya Muslims but denied genocide, saying refugees had "exaggerated" the extent of abuses against them.
China to support Myanmar in Rohingya repatriation

China has reaffirmed its willingness to provide further support, within its capacity, to Myanmar in the Rohingya repatriation process and resettlement of the displaced people from Rakhine state.
Nepal avalanche: Authorities now say 11 missing

At least 11 people -- eight foreign tourists and three Nepali high altitude workers -- have gone out of contact in the Annapurna Base Camp and Manang area since Friday. The areas have been witnessing heavy snowfall for the past few days.
Facebook apologizes for vulgar translation of Chinese leader's name

Facebook Inc blames a technical error for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence caused.
China, Myanmar ‘stand together’ despite Rohingya backlash

China and Myanmar ink dozens of mammoth infrastructure and trade deals after a meeting between President Xi Jinping and fallen rights icon Aung San Suu Kyi, as Beijing doubles down on its support for a government under fire for its treatment of Rohingya Muslims.
Bangladesh elected as the president of UNICEF Executive Board

Ambassador Rabab Fatima, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has been unanimously elected as the President of the UNICEF Executive Board at the elections of the Bureau held yesterday at the UN Headquarters in New York.
China's Xi visits Myanmar to drive home Belt and Road plan

China's President Xi Jinping arrives in Myanmar this week to nail down multi-billion-dollar infrastructure deals in a country abandoned by many in the West appalled at the "genocide" of Rohingya Muslims on leader Aung San Suu Kyi's watch.
'Would love to see Bangladeshi immigrants create next unicorn in India'

Microsoft's Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella has joined the chorus against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India, saying what is happening is "just bad" and he would love to see a Bangladeshi immigrant create the next unicorn in India.
Dhaka, Delhi want zero death along border: Foreign minister

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen says Bangladesh and India want zero death along Bangladesh-India border but it is happening.
Citizenship law: Modi accuses rivals of spreading misinformation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is not aimed at taking away anyone’s citizenship but giving citizenship and accused the opposition parties of spreading misinformation about the new law.
BGB requests Myanmar troops to remove explosives from borders

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has requested Myanmar Police Force to remove improvised explosive devices (IED) or mines from the bordering areas, the paramilitary force’s Director General (DG) Maj Gen Md Shafeenul Islam says.
20 hurt as masked men attack Indian JNU students, teachers

Violence rocks prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in New Delhi of India as masked men armed with sticks attack students and teachers leaving 20 people injured and damaged property, prompting the administration to call in the police.
2 Indian soldiers killed in Kashmir gunfight

Two Indian soldiers are killed in a gunfight with suspected militants along the border that divides the disputed territory of Kashmir between archrivals India and Pakistan, officials says.
Bhutan looks to technology to control dog population

The government of Bhutan is now looking to technological interventions for “sustainable dog population management”.
‘Now we have woken up’

Mumbai-based copywriter Sarah Syed says she was long alarmed by the Hindu nationalist direction of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi but felt powerless to stop it -- until now. Like many others taking part in the current wave of protests, the final straw was Modi’s new citizenship law and then the images of students being tear-gassed when they demonstrated against it.
Dhaka, Beijing discuss ways for early repatriation of Rohingyas

Bangladesh and China discusses ways for the “early repatriation” of Rohingyas, currently taking shelter in Cox’s Bazar district, to their place of origin in Rakhine state of Myanmar.
Non-Bangladeshi entrants to be sent back: Foreign minister

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said those who have entered Bangladesh in recent weeks from India will be sent back if they are not Bangladeshis.
Modi unveils plan to tackle water shortages in India's heartland states

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches a 60-billion-rupee ($842 million) plan to tackle water shortages in the country’s seven heartland states where agriculture is a mainstay.
India bids to bust ‘myths’

India’s ruling party yesterday launched a video with animated Muslim characters on social media in a publicity blitz to try to bust “myths” around a new citizenship law that has sparked deadly protests.
Congress to stage sit-in tomorrow protesting ACC, NRC

Congress, the main opposition party in India will stage a sit-in at Rajghat, the memorial of the country’s Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, tomorrow protesting the Citizenship Amendment Act and proposed National Register of Citizens.
Citizenship law not ‘anti-Muslim’: Modi

Following days of violent, sometimes deadly protests across India against a new citizenship law critics say discriminates against Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead a rally for his Hindu nationalist party in the capital.
Jamia university requests judicial enquiry over violence in campus

Jamia Millia Islamia university has submitted a fresh report to the Human Rights Development (HRD) Ministry requesting judicial enquiry into the entry of police on the university premises on December 15. The varsity had earlier submitted reports in the matter on December 15-16.
BJP gearing up to counter anti-citizenship law demo

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition parties are preparing for a fresh face-off from tomorrow on the issue of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act and proposed National Register of Citizens across the country.
India protests rage on as death toll rises to 25

Thousands of people joined fresh rallies against a contentious citizenship law in India on Saturday, with 25 killed so far in nearly two weeks of widespread unrest.
Pakistani professor sentenced to death for blasphemy

A Pakistani court sentences a university professor to death for blasphemy under a law that critics say is often used to target minorities and liberal activists.
Death toll in India's citizenship protests rises to 3

The death toll in police firing during violence protests against the divisive amended citizenship law rises to three with one more person succumbing in the southern city of Mangalore in BJP-ruled Karnataka.
Rohingya influx: Locals not getting benefits of development in Cox’s Bazar

Local people affected by the massive influx of the Rohingyas are not getting equitable benefits of the development projects undertaken in Cox’s Bazar, say development experts, government officials and aid agencies.
Pervez Musharraf slams death sentence 'vendetta'

Exiled former Pakistan military leader Pervez Musharraf dismisses the unprecedented treason conviction and death sentence handed to him earlier this week, saying the ruling was the result of a "personal vendetta".
Indian SC refuses to stay citizenship law

India’s Supreme Court declines to stay implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but agreed to examine its constitutional validity.
Mamata takes veiled dig at Modi over citizenship law

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee takes a veiled dig at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had said at an election rally in Jharkhand recently that those involved in arson and violence during the protest against Citizenship (Amended) Act can be "identified by their clothes".