War in Afghanistan (2001-present) Fighting is raging around three major cities in southern and western Afghanistan as Taliban militants seek to seize them from government forces. Taliban fighters have entered parts of Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar. They have made rapid gains in rural areas since it was announced almost all foreign troops would […]
Hong Kong anti-government protests It was one of the defining phrases of the Hong Kong protest movement. Now, it has landed one man in jail for nine years. Back in 2019, “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” was an ubiquitous slogan in the city, chanted by tens of thousands as they took to […]
Indian badminton champion PV Sindhu has progressed to the semi-finals in Tokyo after a thrilling win that keeps her country’s hopes for a gold medal alive. The 26-year-old defeated Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-13 and 22-20 on Friday. Sindhu, who is one of India’s top medal hopes this time, won a silver at the last Olympics […]
A Chinese nuclear plant has shut down one of its reactors for maintenance after minor damage to fuel rods. The plant operator said in a statement it had shut Unit 1 at the Taishan nuclear plant in Guangdong province after “lengthy” talks with technicians. Taishan is the first site in the world to have this […]
Coronavirus pandemic Japan is extending a state of emergency in Tokyo and expanding it to new regions as the Olympic Games host faces a surge in Covid-19 cases. The restrictions are being imposed in areas surrounding the capital as well as in the city of Osaka. Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga warned infections were […]
Soutik Biswas India correspondent In the summer of 1981, a man who called himself a consultant turned up at a young woman’s home in India’s western city of Mumbai. She was starting a small business and he said he could help her secure a new telephone connection for a bribe. The process usually took up […]
War in Afghanistan (2001-present) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said China’s possible involvement in Afghanistan could be “a positive thing”. He said this was if China was looking towards a “peaceful resolution of the conflict” and a “truly representative and inclusive” government. His comments came after Taliban representatives visited China. China said […]
China is expanding its capacity to store and launch nuclear missiles, US scientists say. Satellite images from Xinjiang province in the west of the country suggest it is building a nuclear missile silo field, a report from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) says. US defence officials have expressed concern about China’s nuclear build-up. It […]
By Jonathan Beale Defence correspondent, BBC News Dozens of former military commanders have called on the government to allow more Afghans who worked for British forces to resettle in the UK. Ministers have recently expanded the UK’s relocation scheme for Afghans. But in a letter to the PM, the group said they were “gravely concerned” […]
Indians turn to crowdfunding to pay Covid bills Hospitalisations soared in India during a deadly second Covid wave. Now, hobbled by patchy insurance, Indians are turning to crowdfunding to pay the steep medical bills, reports Astha Rajvanshi. Supraja Reddy Yeruva was unable to breathe properly for days after giving birth to her second child […]
