By Peter Hoskins Business reporter Coronavirus pandemic Authorities in Shanghai have announced that some Covid-19 lockdown measures imposed on businesses will be lifted from Wednesday. Plans have also been introduced to support the city’s economy, which has been hit hard by the restrictions. The commercial centre has been under a strict lockdown for almost […]
By Soutik Biswas India correspondent When it comes to matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, India has different laws for different communities based on their religion, faith and beliefs. But since Independence there’s been talk of an Uniform Civil Code or UCC, a single personal law for all citizens irrespective of religion, sex, […]
The co-founder of the Japanese Red Army militant group has been freed from prison after serving 20 years for her part in a 1974 embassy siege. Fusako Shigenobu, 76, had evaded capture for decades before being arrested in Osaka in 2000. Her once-feared group had aimed to provoke a global socialist revolution through high-profile terror […]
North Korea missile tests North Korea fired three ballistic missiles early on Wednesday morning, South Korea’s military has said. Authorities in Seoul said the missiles were fired in the space of less than an hour from the Sunan area in Pyongyang. It comes just a day after US President Joe Biden left the region, […]
Coronavirus pandemic President Joe Biden says North Korea has not responded to a US offer of Covid vaccines, as the country battles its first acknowledged outbreak. Nearly 2.5 million people have been sickened by “fever” in North Korea and it is under a nationwide lockdown, according to the country’s state media. It is thought […]
By Simon Fraser BBC News The Taliban have ordered female Afghan TV presenters and other women on screen to cover their faces while on air. Media outlets were told of the decree on Wednesday, a religious police spokesman told BBC Pashto. The ruling comes two weeks after all women were ordered to wear a face veil […]
By George Wright BBC News News that Ranil Wickremesinghe is the new prime minister has been largely met with dismay and disbelief in Sri Lanka. His appointment is being viewed as yet another arrogant response by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to weeks of protests over rising prices and shortages. Mr Wickremesinghe is seen as being close […]
India’s Supreme Court has put a controversial colonial-era sedition law on hold that critics say is used to stifle dissent. The judges asked the government to refrain from registering any new cases which invoke sedition until it finishes hearing petitions challenging it. The court also asked the authorities to pause all existing sedition trials. The […]
By Aparna Alluri & Simon Fraser BBC News Security forces are deployed across Sri Lanka with orders to shoot looters on sight amid continuing protests at the government’s handling of a devastating economic crisis. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has vowed to restore order, in his first national speech since protests began last month. Ignoring calls to […]
By Simon Fraser BBC News MAGE SSri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has resigned amid mass protests at the government’s handling of a deepening economic crisis. The move came as the island was placed under curfew after violent clashes between Rajapaksa supporters and anti-government protesters in Colombo. Five people have died, including a ruling party […]
