South Asia

US, UK warn on travel to NE India after clashes

Washington and London issue travel warnings for northeast India as opponents of a new citizenship law geared up for more protests Saturday, following days of clashes that saw two people killed and dozens injured.
Citizenship law: Students enforce strike in Nagaland

Schools and colleges were closed, markets were shut and vehicles remained largely off roads in parts of Nagaland in India today amid a six-hour flash general strike called by the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), protesting against the amended Citizenship Act, officials say.
Explainer: What does passage of India's controversial citizenship bill mean?

India's parliament on Wednesday passed a contentious bill that will allow citizenship for persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who fled Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before 2015.
Myanmar asks UN court to ‘drop genocide case’

Myanmar urges the UN top court to drop the application for provisional measures in Rakhine by the Gambia from its list.
Citizenship Bill: Cops open fire in Assam, 3 dead

Three protesters are killed and many others injured in a police firing in Assam's Guwahati of India amid a raging agitation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Gambia slams Suu Kyi for her silence

The Gambia criticises Myanmar civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi for her "silence" over "awe serial violations" of Rohingya women and girls and defending Myanmar at the UN's top court.
Trial run on Dhaka-Gangtok, Dhaka-Darjeeling bus routes kicks off

The trial run for direct bus services on Dhaka-Gangtok and Dhaka-Darjeeling routes via Siliguri kicked off this evening to boost cross-border commercial services in the region.
Rohingya genocide: Full transcript of last 2 days' hearing at ICJ

The hearings at an international court in a case filed by Gambia against Myanmar alleging genocide against the minority Rohingya population at the International Court of Justice in The Hague roles into the third and final day.
Remove hatred from your heart: Rights bodies to Suu Kyi

Different international rights bodies condemn Aung San Suu Kyi’s argument in social media as the Myanmar leader ruled out the allegation of ongoing genocide at Rohingya villages in Rakhine.
Genocidal intent there for decades, experts say

Denial of Rohingya citizenship, systematic deprivation and violation of basic rights by the Myanmar authorities over the decades were not mentioned by any of the lawyers at the ICJ – making their arguments weak that there was no genocidal intent, analysts say.
Non-Muslim Migrants: Indian parliament passes bill to give citizenship

Indian parliament gives its seal of approval to the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which gives nationality to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan after it was cleared by the Rajya Sabha with 125 voting for it and 105 against.
95 Rohingyas in Myanmar face jail as Hague hears 'genocide' case

Nearly 100 Rohingya appeared in a Myanmar court Wednesday after being arrested for trying to flee persecution, their lawyer said, as leader Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the UN's top court to deny allegations of a genocidal campaign against the ethnic minority.
No atrocity against religious minorities in Bangabandhu regime: Amit Shah

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has expressed his gratitude that not a single incident of atrocities on religious minorities in Bangladesh took place as long as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was alive.
Indian woman set on fire in 'rape attempt'

A young woman was allegedly set on fire by her neighbour after she resisted his attempt to rape her in Muzzaffarpur town in Bihar, an Indian police officer says.
43 killed in Delhi factory fire

At least 43 people, mostly labourers, died in their sleep when a fire raged through a handbag-manufacturing factory in a congested locality of Delhi in India this morning, police say. =
4 accused of Hyderabad rape-murder case killed in encounter

Four men arrested in connection with a rape-and-murder case of a woman veterinarian near Hyderabad, an incident that sparked an outrage across India, have been killed in an encounter with law enforcers, police say.
2 Bangladeshi farmers 'picked up by BSF'

Indian Border Security Force allegedly picked up two Bangladeshi fishermen from Forhadpur Nirmal Char area of the Padma river in Rajshahi’s Godagari upazila.
Xiaomi follows Alibaba, Tencent with internet finance services in India

Xiaomi Corp has launched a personal loan service in India aimed at young professionals and millennials, as the Chinese smartphone vendor looks to consolidate its presence in the country's fast-growing internet finance market.
Citizenship to non-Muslim refugees: Indian cabinet okays bill

The Indian cabinet cleares the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there.
Mob besieges Dawn offices in Islamabad

A few dozen unidentified people stage a protest outside Dawn offices over publication of a news report regarding the ethnicity of the London Bridge attacker who stabbed two persons to death last week.
Poor nations pay price as millions flee 'climate chaos', Oxfam says

Fiercer weather and worsening wildfires drove more than 20 million people from their homes over the last decade - a problem set to worsen unless leaders act swiftly to head off surging climate threats, anti-poverty charity Oxfam says.
India successfully launches earth observation satellites

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launches its advanced earth observation satellite with dual application as also 13 US nanosatellites.
I never had desire to join politics: Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he had never desired to join politics but having done so is trying to give his best to serve the people.
PM to visit Kolkata tomorrow to watch Bangladesh-India match

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be a special guest as India take on Bangladesh in the historic pink-ball Test match that begins in Kolkata tomorrow.
Protests against bill in India’s northeast

Street protests broke out across north eastern states of India yesterday against the government’s proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that seeks to give citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Muslim body to file review plea

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) yesterday decided that it would file a petition seeking review of the Supreme Court’s judgement in the Ayodhya case and said it was against accepting the alternative five-acre plot given for a mosque.
Bangladesh faces highest bribery risk in South Asia: Report

Bangladesh has been identified as the highest risky country in terms of bribery threats in South Asia, says a latest international report.
Lata Mangeshkar hospitalised

Legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar has been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai after she complained of breathing difficulties.
Sri Lanka PM set to lose job after presidential vote

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe looks set to lose his job after next week’s presidential election, with the two leading candidates declaring yesterday they will dump him.
Ayodhya on tenterhooks

India has deployed thousands of additional security forces and roped in about 16,000 “digital volunteers” to sanitise social media of inflammatory posts ahead of a crucial Supreme Court verdict on a disputed religious site.