Displaying items by tag: Asia

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, has been officially endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn as Thailand’s new prime minister, just two days after her election by parliament. The country’s youngest and second female leader, she follows in the footsteps of her father, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, and her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra, the country's first female premier. She has taken over after the dismissal of her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, by the constitutional court. In her first speech, she pledged to govern with an open heart, emphasising stability and continuity. She has vowed to maintain key policies of her predecessor, focusing on economic stimulus, healthcare reform, tackling illegal drugs, and promoting gender diversity. The economy is a real concern for voters, with many asking why her party has failed to fulfil its promise to give about $300 to every voter in Thailand.

Nationwide protests have disrupted hospital services in several Indian cities after the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee medic in West Bengal on 9 August. Thousands of doctors, led by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), marched in Kolkata demanding better security and justice. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also noted the poor working conditions, heavy workloads, and frequent violence faced by doctors in government hospitals. The protests, including an ‘indefinite’ strike by FAIMA, have severely affected hospital services: for example, over 8,000 government doctors in Maharashtra have halted work, except in emergency departments. Police have arrested a volunteer from their forces in connection with the crime, and the investigation has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation by a Kolkata high court, indicating the seriousness with which the case is being treated.

The Israeli government has announced the establishment of Nahal Heletz, the first new West Bank settlement created from scratch since 2017, near Bethlehem. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who pushed for the settlement, stated it will connect Jerusalem to the Etzion settlement bloc and strengthen opposition to a Palestinian state by ‘establishing facts on the ground’. The settlement's formal approval was granted in June, alongside the retroactive legalisation of four illegal outposts. Zoning and construction permits are still required, which could take years. Peace Now, an organisation opposing settlements, says Nahal Heletz will contribute to Israel's ‘de facto annexation’ of the West Bank: ‘It will be an enclave in a Palestinian zone, and will bring about friction and security challenges.’ Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official told the BBC that it will not participate in the indirect talks on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal due to resume in Doha on 15 August.

UN peacekeepers on the Israeli-Lebanese border are now more crucial than ever, according to their chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix. Cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah has increased, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. This concern grew following the recent killings of a top Hamas leader in Iran and a Hezbollah commander in Beirut. Lacroix emphasised UNIFIL's vital role as the only liaison between Israeli and Lebanese sides, helping to prevent misunderstandings and unintended escalations. UNIFIL, with 10,000 troops in southern Lebanon, conducts regular patrols and facilitates humanitarian efforts. Lacroix stated that peacekeepers would remain unless their mission becomes untenable or security threats become severe. He said a Gaza ceasefire is key to de-escalation on the Israeli-Lebanon border, to prevent further casualties and destruction. Meanwhile, several European countries have urged their nationals to leave Lebanon because of the increased threat of war: see

Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been asked by Bangladesh’s president to lead an interim government. This decision came after prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted on 5 August, after violent student-led protests which resulted in over 100 deaths on that day and more than 400 in total. Hundreds of police stations have also been torched. The unrest, which began in early July with students demanding the abolition of civil service job quotas, had escalated into a broader anti-government movement. Hasina fled to India, ending nearly fifteen years of rule. In response, Bangladesh's army chief pledged to form an interim administration. Ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia, a key opposition leader, was released from house arrest, and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party now wants free and fair elections. Yunus, who has accepted the invitation to lead the government, is returning from Paris after a minor medical procedure.

The constitutional court has ordered the dissolution of the Move Forward Party, which won the most parliamentary seats in the 2023 election on an anti-establishment reform agenda. The court ruled that Move Forward was undermining the country’s powerful monarchy through its campaign to amend the lèse-majesté law. It has disbanded the party and banned its executives from politics for ten years. This verdict, which disenfranchises 14 million voters, raises concerns about the erosion of democratic rights in Thailand. Move Forward's leaders vowed to continue their movement despite the dissolution. This decision reflects an ongoing power struggle with the military-backed establishment, which has a history of toppling elected governments. The court's ruling comes amid political turbulence, with another high-profile case pending against the prime minister. Move Forward's dissolution follows the pattern of its predecessor, the Future Forward Party, which was also dissolved by the court, sparking nationwide protests in 2020.

Atheist businesswoman Akane Fujimoto had achieved success in her career and personal life, but she felt a deep sense of emptiness. As a nominal Buddhist, she decided to pray to the God her mother had embraced a decade earlier: 'If you exist, if you love me, if you have a purpose for my life, please reveal yourself to me.' 'I felt God hugging me deeply,' she said. 'I repented for the first time and couldn’t stop weeping. Everything I was searching for was found in God’s love.' Now she is passionate about bringing revival to Japan, a nation often considered resistant to the gospel. Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic. 'I heard sharing the gospel is hard in Japan, but it’s actually quite fun’, she says. 'Material comforts can't compare to the fullness of Christ.' She believes Japan's resistance - rooted in pride, social pressure, competitiveness, and suspicion - can be overcome through genuine relationships and sharing the pure gospel. She experienced a personal breakthrough when she forgave her father and led him to Christ. 'For the first time, I saw him weeping like a child’, she recalls. 'The Holy Spirit told me it was time.' Now he attends church, and Akane is confident that revival is unfolding in Japan.

On 31 July Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, along with his bodyguard, was killed in an airstrike in Iran, an act labelled a ‘severe escalation’ by the Palestinian terror group. His death came hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for new president Masoud Pezeshkian. Pezeshkian vowed to defend Iran's integrity and retaliate against the perpetrators. This assassination, attributed to Israel, follows the killing of Hezbollah’s top military leader in Beirut; Israel claimed that he was responsible for a rocket attack on 27 July which killed twelve people, mainly children. Haniyeh, based in Qatar and the face of Hamas’ international diplomacy, was the highest-ranking official killed since the conflict began; his three sons have also been killed.

Hopes of finding over 180 missing people alive in India's Kerala state are dwindling as rescue workers search through mud and debris after landslides, triggered by torrential rains, killed at least 194 people. This disaster is the worst since 2018. More than 5,500 people have been rescued from hillside villages, but rescue operations are hampered by ongoing rains. Nearly forty bodies were found 30 km downstream from the landslide site in Wayanad district. Most victims were tea estate workers. About 1,100 rescue personnel, helicopters, and heavy equipment are involved in the efforts. Current reports indicate up to 276 deaths from the heavy rains and flooding. Over 8,300 people are in 82 relief camps. Kerala, prone to heavy rains and landslides, received 572 mm of rain over 48 hours, far exceeding forecasts. India has witnessed extreme weather in recent years, from torrential rain and floods to droughts and cyclones, blamed by some experts on climate change.

North Korea has sent approximately 500 balloons filled with trash into South Korea's airspace over the past 24 hours, South Korean officials reported on Thursday (Jul 25). These balloons have disrupted flights and even ignited a fire on a residential building's roof. This act is part of an ongoing propaganda campaign by Pyongyang against North Korean defectors and activists in the South, who often send balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets, medicine, money, and USB sticks loaded with K-pop videos and dramas. A suspected balloon led to a two-hour suspension of take-offs and landings at Seoul's Gimpo Airport on Wednesday evening, according to an official at the Korea Airports Corporation. Similar disruptions have occurred at Incheon International Airport in recent weeks. In Gyeonggi province, near Seoul, a balloon caused a fire on a residential building, which firefighters quickly extinguished. South Korea's military reported that some trash balloons were equipped with timed poppers designed to spread trash and potentially cause fires. Lee Sung-jun, a spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed that 480 balloons had landed, mostly carrying paper and plastic trash. Some balloons even landed near the heavily guarded presidential office in Seoul on Wednesday.