South Asia

Babri Masjid demolition “not pre-planned”: Indian court says in ruling

About three decades after the 16th century Babri mosque was razed, a special court in India today acquitted all the 32 people, including Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, in the case saying “there is no conclusive and enough proof” against the accused.
Indian envoy thanks foreign minister for successful completion of 6th JCC

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das today made a farewell call on Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at state guesthouse Padma in Dhaka.
Kuwait's new emir to be sworn in at tense time for region

Kuwait’s new emir takes the oath of office in parliament today as the country prepares to lay to rest late ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah who helped steer the Gulf state through some of the Middle East’s most turbulent decades.
India agrees to hold JRC meeting to resolve water-sharing issues: Momen

India has agreed to hold ministerial level Joint River Commission (JRC) meeting at the soonest possible time to resolve the outstanding issues involving water-sharing of the common rivers.
‘Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale’ screened at Bangladesh High Commission in Brunei

The documentary “Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale”, on the life and works of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was screened at the Bangladesh High Commission in Brunei today, marking the PM’s 74th birthday.
India to buy assault rifles, anti-airfield weapon

India has approved the acquisition of military equipment, including an anti-airfield weapon and assault rifles, from the United States at an approximate cost of Rs 2,290 crore.
Hasina, Modi to meet virtually in December: foreign minister

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will hold a virtual meeting in December.
Sri Lanka returns 21 containers of illegal waste to Britain

Sri Lanka has shipped back to Britain 21 container-loads of waste that the government said was brought into the island in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.
Modi greets Sheikh Hasina on the eve of her 74th birthday

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended heartiest felicitations to Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of her 74th birthday, to be celebrated tomorrow.
‘How long will India be kept out of decision-making structures of UN?’: Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made a strong case for India’s inclusion as a permanent member of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and asked how long will his country be “kept out of the decision-making structures” of the global body.
Drugs in Bollywood: India’s NCB questions Deepika Padukone

India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) today interrogated Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone in Mumbai as the probe into the Bollywood-drugs nexus widened.
India to hold election in Bihar despite surging coronavirus cases

India announces local elections involving millions of voters in the densely packed Bihar state even as it remains set to overtake the United States by next month as the world’s worst-affected nation by Covid-19 pandemic.
Indian farmers block roads, railways as protests mount over farm bills

Thousands of farmers in India blocked roads and railway tracks today in a protest against new legislation that they say could pave the way for the government to stop buying grain at guaranteed prices, leaving them at the mercy of private buyers.
BSF seizes 100kg Hilsa being smuggled into India

India’s Border Security Force has seized 100kg of Hilsa -- worth Rs 2 lakh -- while the consignment was allegedly being smuggled from Bangladesh into India through Petrapole integrated check-post in West Bengal.
Drugs in Bollywood: NCB summons Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor

India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is investigating the alleged Bollywood-drug nexus, may summon actor Deepika Padukone, NCB sources have said.
Rahul Gandhi accuses Modi of ‘destroying relationship with neighbours’

Former President of India’s Congress party Rahul Gandhi has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “destroying the web of relationships” that his party had cultivated over the years with India’s neighbouring countries.
Indian CBI arrests BSF officer in connection with cattle smuggling

India’s federal anti-corruption agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), today conducted searches at 13 locations spread across five cities, including Kolkata, and booked a serving BSF officer in connection with cattle smuggling along the border with Bangladesh.
Saudi Arabia to gradually resume Umrah pilgrimage from Oct 4

Saudi Arabia said today that it would start allowing pilgrims to perform Umrah gradually, taking necessary precautions.
At UN, China's Xi says no intention to fight 'a cold war or hot one' with any country

Chinese President Xi Jinping told the United Nations General Assembly today that Beijing has “no intention to fight either a cold war or a hot one with any country,” as tensions grow between China and the United States.
Saarc Covid-19 fund: Bangladesh sends medical supplies to Nepal

Bangladesh today sent medicine and other medical supplies to Nepal to help the South Asian nation under the Saarc Covid-19 emergency fund as a gesture of friendship.
Bangladesh seeks UN Security Council action over Myanmar’s troops mobilised near border

Bangladesh has sought immediate action from the UN Security Council to ensure that Myanmar refrains from escalating the situation targeting the Rohingyas under the pretext of security operations, which may lead to a further influx of Myanmar nationals into Bangladesh.
Indian police arrest local journalist allegedly spying for China

Police in India’s capital city says they had arrested a local freelance journalist on allegations he was passing “sensitive information” to Chinese intelligence officers
‘Committed to zero border killings’: BSF DG at border conference

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Director General (DG) Rakesh Asthana said they are working out a strategy to bring down the killings in India-Bangladesh border areas to zero.
India-Japan look to work closely in Bangladesh-Myanmar

India and Japan are looking at working together in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.
India’s onion-laden trucks stuck at border: 2nd day of talks held

Officials of India’s External Affairs and Commerce Ministries today held discussions for the second successive day on how to ensure that trucks carrying onions from India and stranded at the border with Bangladesh are allowed to cross into that country.
‘India to allow 25k-tonne onion export to Bangladesh on special consideration’

The Indian government is likely to grant its authorities a special permission to export 25,000 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh.
South Asian govts not protecting independent journalism during Covid-19: Speakers

Governments of South Asian countries have become more authoritarian during the coronavirus pandemic and the crisis is shrinking the field of independent journalism in the whole region, speakers said at a webinar discussion today on media advocacy.
Judgment in Babri Masjid demolition case on September 30

A special court in Lucknow will pronounce judgment in the 28-year-old case relating to the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya on September 30.
Myanmar army probes 'wider patterns' of abuse against Rohingya

The Myanmar military has said it is investigating "possible wider patterns of violations" before and during a 2017 crackdown in Rakhine State that the United Nations has said was executed with genocidal intent against Rohingya Muslims.
India's onion export ban: farmers’ unrest in Maharashtra as prices decline

The Indian government’s move to ban the export of onion has sparked a farmers’ unrest in Maharashtra while nearly hundreds of trucks carrying an estimated 25,000 tonnes of onion were stranded on the Bangladesh border with West Bengal.