Taiwan experienced a moderate 5.1 magnitude earthquake on Thursday, briefly shaking buildings across the capital city of Taipei. According to reports citing the island’s weather administration, the quake struck off the eastern coast, with its epicentre about 18 km from Hualien city at a depth of nearly 31.6 km. While the tremor was noticeable enough to cause concern among residents, officials confirmed that there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage. Taipe

United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to halt fighting following days of deadly clashes along their disputed border, raising hopes for a return to stability in the volatile region. The announcement came after Trump held separate phone conversations with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, as tensions threatened to escalate into a broader military confrontation. In

Tensions between Japan and China intensified further after a coordinated air patrol by Chinese and Russian military aircraft passed close to Japan and South Korea, prompting both Tokyo and Seoul to scramble fighter jets. According to Japan’s defence authorities, seven Russian aircraft and two Chinese aircraft briefly entered South Korea’s Air Defence Identification Zone, raising fresh concerns over the scale and frequency of joint operations by Beijing and Moscow in the Asia Pacific regio

China has firmly rejected Japan’s claims regarding recent aerial encounters, escalating a diplomatic dispute that has widened to include political, economic, and regional security dimensions. A spokesperson for the Chinese navy, Colonel Wang Xuemeng, stated that Japanese aircraft had repeatedly approached Chinese vessels as they carried out previously announced carrier-based flight training east of the Miyako Strait. According to Wang, the operations were routine and transparent, and China

The death toll from the widespread floods and landslides triggered by days of heavy monsoon rain in Southeast Asia has risen to more than 400, according to updated assessments from regional authorities on Saturday. Rescue teams across Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia continued large-scale operations through the weekend as thousands of people remained stranded, many of them waiting on rooftops or in partially submerged homes for emergency assistance. The severe weather, intensified by a tropic

Senior advocate Sai Deepak has challenged the account presented by the Pakistan High Commission in the United Kingdom regarding a scheduled debate between Indian and Pakistani speakers at the Oxford Union. The event, which was expected to feature prominent figures from both countries, became the centre of a controversy after the Pakistan High Commission publicly claimed that Indian participants withdrew at the last moment, resulting in what it described as a walkover. Deepak rejected this ver

India has been elevated to major power status in the Asia Power Index 2025, marking a significant milestone in New Delhi’s expanding global profile. The latest edition of the Index places India third in its overall ranking, behind only the United States and China, reflecting a steady enhancement of the country’s economic strength, military capability and regional influence. The ranking signals a turning point for India, which has long sought to consolidate its role as a central player in

The year 2025 has become one of the most turbulent in recent memory as Earth experiences a wave of overlapping natural crises. A rare volcanic eruption in Ethiopia sent ash drifting thousands of kilometres toward Asia, Indonesia recorded more than 1,400 earthquakes in just 30 days, and California battled massive wildfires that claimed hundreds of lives. Severe monsoon flooding washed through India and Pakistan, and the planet was struck by the strongest solar storm in over twenty years. These

India’s seafood industry is witnessing a sharp rise in demand from China after Beijing imposed a complete ban on Japanese seafood imports. The move comes amid escalating geopolitical tensions between China and Japan, triggered by remarks linking the Taiwan conflict to Japan’s national security. As China halted all Japanese seafood imports, Indian seafood exporters experienced a significant surge in interest, marking a major shift in Asian trade patterns. Indian seafood stocks re

Authorities in Nepal have imposed a strict curfew in parts of Bara district after fresh clashes broke out between Gen Z protestors and supporters of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli’s CPN-UML party. The district administration confirmed the curfew will remain in effect until 8 pm local time on Thursday to prevent further violence and restore normalcy. The situation worsened on Wednesday when both young protestors and CPN-UML workers held simultaneous rallies in the Simara region. Tension

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a sharp warning that the country cannot rule out the possibility of an all-out war with India, stating that Islamabad remains on full alert as tensions rise across the region. Speaking to Samaa TV, Asif said his analysis suggested India could adopt hostile strategies, including border incursions or coordinated attacks, and stressed the need for complete preparedness. His remarks follow Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’

Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus is moving forward with plans to seek Interpol’s assistance to extradite former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal from India. The move comes shortly after the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced both leaders to death in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 unrest. Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim confirmed that preparations are underway to request a fre

Bangladesh witnessed massive unrest on Monday as clashes broke out across Dhaka and several other regions following the International Crimes Tribunal’s death penalty verdict against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The ruling, linked to charges of incitement, killings and failure to prevent atrocities during the student-led uprising of 2024, triggered violent confrontations between Awami League supporters, rival groups, and security forces. Two people lost their lives as highways were b

More than six months after the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan, satellite imagery suggests that Pakistan is still struggling to repair critical military installations damaged during India’s Operation Sindoor. OSINT specialist Damien Symon, known for uncovering India’s strike on Pakistan’s Kirana Hills nuclear depot, has released new imagery showing reconstruction activity at key sites, raising doubts about Islamabad’s earlier claims of victory. Symon posted that

Iran has officially ended its one-way visa-free entry for Indian citizens, a policy shift that will take effect from November 22. The new rule requires Indians to hold a valid visa not only for visiting Iran but also for transiting through its airports. The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi issued a fresh advisory urging Indian travellers to exercise caution, citing a surge in incidents where Indians were deceived with fraudulent job offers and onward travel promises and then kidnappe

Bangladesh has issued one of its most severe political judgments in history, sentencing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the 2024 student protests. However, the ruling is complicated by the fact that Hasina is currently in India, where she has been living for over a year since fleeing Dhaka after her government collapsed. With the International Crimes Tribunal passing the harsh verdict in her absence, Bangladesh’s interim ad

A deadly landslide in Indonesia’s Central Java province has left six people confirmed dead and 17 others missing after days of unrelenting heavy rainfall. Local authorities reported that the incident occurred on Thursday in the city of Cilacap, where a mass of soil and debris swept through Cibeunying village and buried a cluster of homes. The disaster struck during a period of intense seasonal rains that have raised the threat of landslides and flash floods across several regions of the cou

Tensions between China and Japan escalated sharply this week after Beijing delivered a series of unusually forceful warnings against any potential Japanese involvement in the Taiwan Strait. China’s defence ministry declared that Japan would face what it called a crushing defeat at the hands of the People’s Liberation Army if Tokyo attempted to intervene militarily in a Taiwan conflict. The warning, issued on Friday, followed a similar statement from China’s foreign ministry a day earlie

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has accused the United States of preparing to deploy new missile systems in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, claiming that these weapons could reach central Russia within minutes. Speaking at a Security Council meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin, Belousov said the planned deployments represent a major escalation in military tension and pose a direct threat to Russia’s national security. According to Belousov, the missile sy

The streets of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) are once again engulfed in protests, this time led by Gen Z students angered by rising tuition fees and a controversial digital evaluation system. What began as a small student-led protest over unfair exam results has evolved into a large-scale anti-government movement targeting the Shehbaz Sharif administration. Demonstrations first erupted in Muzaffarabad, where students voiced outrage over the newly introduced e-marking system. The i