India pulls 'non-essential' staff from its embassy and consulates in Bangladesh
Today's headlines: The Philippines, the US, Canada, and Australia hold a two-day exercise in the South China Sea. Taiwan’s defence spending is expected to reach a record high next year. Hamas appoints Yahya Sinwar as its new leader. In South Korea, climate change is disrupting agriculture with new banana and papaya farms popping up.
BANGLADESH – INDIA
India has evacuated all “non-essential” personnel and families from the its embassy and consulates in neighbouring Bangladesh, where a serious political crisis sparked by student unrest has led to the flight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Meanwhile, protest leaders are waiting to see who is included in the provisional government, which will be led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus who accepted the task last night. Finally, reports confirm the key role played by the military in the ouster of the former prime minister after the army chief held a meeting with his generals and decided that troops would not move against protesters.
PHILIPPINES
The Philippines, Canada, the United States, and Australia today began a two-day joint military exercise in the South China Sea to improve interoperability among their forces. The drill, which involves naval and air units, is the first among the four countries. It follows last week's exercise between the Philippines and Japan, again to counter China.
TAIWAN – CHINA
Taiwan's overall defence budget is set to reach a new high of US$ 19.74 billion by 2025, as the government implements policies to contain Chinese military pressure and strengthen cooperation with its democratic partners, President Lai Ching-te announced. This confirms his hard line against mainland China, which has branded him as a "separatist" leader.
ISRAEL – PALESTINE
Israel has conducted a systematic policy of abuse and torture against Palestinian prisoners since the start of the war in Gaza, subjecting detainees to acts ranging from arbitrary violence to sexual abuse, this according to B'Tselem, in a report titled Welcome to hell. This “new policy" began in all prisons after 7 October under National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Meanwhile, Hamas has picked Yahya Sinwar as its new leader.
SOUTH KOREA
Rising temperatures is bringing radical changes to South Korean farming. The surface dedicated to subtropical crops has grown from about 295 hectares in 2021 to 3,306 hectares in 2023, with 67 banana farms in the south. As the weather gets hotter and wetter all year round, tropical fruits such as papaya are being added to the mix.
RUSSIA – SYRIA
In Tyumen (Siberia), police arrested two Islamic religious activists, on charges of justifying terrorism and preparing attacks. They are said to have recruited about 20 residents over the past few years for armed terrorist groups active in Syria, like the Islamic State group, as well as organised fundraisers and engaged in propaganda.
TAJIKISTAN
Tajikistan’s government and religious authorities from around the country continue to work on women's clothing, aiming to draft a new dress-code. An event is reportedly planned this month in Dushanbe to unveil "all the new dress rules", the head of the state Committee for Religious Affairs and the Regulation of Traditions said.
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