Category Archives: South and Central Asia

Imran Khan given bail in corruption case and assurance he will not be rearrested

Posted on by

Judges’ decision comes amid rising tensions as former Pakistan PM faces claims over illegal land transfers

A court has granted bail to Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan for two weeks in a corruption case and ordered his protection from arrest on any charges until Monday, amid concerns that he would be immediately rearrested on his release.

Security was tight as Khan appeared at a hearing at Islamabad high court on Friday seeking bail in multiple cases. He had been in police custody since Tuesday after being arrested on the premises of the court by almost 100 paramilitary officers.

Continue reading...

Locust outbreak in Afghanistan’s ‘breadbasket’ threatens wheat harvest

Posted on by

With 20m people at the highest risk of famine for 25 years, farmers are desperately trying to kill the pests before vast swarms form

The northern “breadbasket” of Afghanistan is battling a potentially devastating outbreak of locusts that threaten to eat their way through up to a quarter of the country’s annual wheat harvest, the UN has warned.

After three years of disappointing, drought-afflicted harvests, Afghan farmers were expecting better this year – a much-needed boost for a country where nearly 20 million people are thought to be at the highest risk of famine in 25 years.

Continue reading...

Pakistan supreme court rules arrest of Imran Khan was illegal

Posted on by

Court orders immediate release of former prime minister who was arrested in Islamabad this week

Pakistan’s supreme court has ruled the arrest of the former prime minister Imran Khan was illegal and ordered for him to be released.

The chief justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, declared that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had acted in violation of the law by arresting Khan on the premises of the Islamabad high court without permission and that such actions would have a “chilling effect”.

Continue reading...

Thursday briefing: How Khan’s controversial arrest threatens stability in Pakistan – and what’s next

Posted on by

In today’s newsletter: Protests could mark the start of a violent showdown that threatens the country’s fragile political system

Good morning.

On Tuesday, the former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was arrested on charges of corruption. The extraordinary scene was caught on video, with Khan at the centre of a gaggle of agents, all dressed in black riot gear who are pulling him into an armoured truck outside the high court in the capital, Islamabad.

US news | Donald Trump made a chaotic appearance at a CNN town hall last night, digging in on lies about the 2020 election and E Jean Carroll’s lawsuit, a day after a New York jury found the former president liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

Wales | Adam Price, the leader of Plaid Cymru since 2018, is resigning from his position after a damning review said his party had failed to “detoxify” its culture and found evidence of misogyny, harassment and bullying. A new leader is expected to be in place for the summer.

Health | The Guardian has found that some online pharmacies operating in the UK are approving and dispatching prescriptions of controversial slimming jabs for people of a healthy weight. Campaigners are urging pharmacies to deploy stronger health checks and screening for eating disorders.

Politics | The Conservative chair of the foreign affairs select committee heavily criticised Liz Truss over her planned trip to Taiwan, calling it “the worst kind of Instagram diplomacy”. Alicia Kearns went on, describing the trip as little more than a vanity project aimed at keeping her profile high after her brief time as prime minister last year.

Housing | Almost 1.5 million homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages face higher borrowing costs as the Bank of England is expected to push up interest rates to 4.5%. Many will see their annual bills increase by an average of £3,000 when they refinance their loans this year.

Continue reading...

Conflict and climate disasters combine to create record rise in displaced people

Posted on by

War in Ukraine and Pakistan’s ‘monsoon on steroids’ among events driving surge on ‘scale never seen before’ as 71m people displaced

The number of people around the world who were forced to flee their homes leapt by a fifth last year, as a “perfect storm” of Russia’s assault on Ukraine and climate disasters brought displacement on an unprecedented scale.

By the end of 2022 the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) – those forced from their homes but remaining within their country of residence – reached 71 million, according to figures published by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), up from 59.1 million in 2021.

Continue reading...

Former PM Imran Khan appears before judge amid uproar in Pakistan

Posted on by

At least five people have died and 84 have been injured as protests spread across country and army deployed

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has been presented before a judge at a police station in Islamabad, 24 hours after his arrest by scores of paramilitary officers that led to countrywide uproar.

Khan was also indicted on Wednesday by the Islamabad high court in a separate corruption case in which he is accused of selling millions of dollars worth of state gifts presented by the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

Continue reading...

‘Modi for next 60 years’: BJP brings star attraction to Karnataka election

Posted on by

Party faces uphill task in southern state but is hoping PM’s popularity can galvanise votes with general election looming

A shower of marigold petals were flung over the crowds and cries of “Modi, Modi” filled the air. It could mean only one thing: election season has begun in India.

Voting opened on Wednesday in India’s southern state of Karnataka to decide who will form the next state government, and the significance of these polls is likely to stretch far beyond state borders. On Saturday, thousands had filled the streets of the state capital, Bengaluru, as the prime minister, Narendra Modi, drove 20 miles through the city waving from a car in an attempt to galvanise votes for his ruling Bharatiya Janata party, one of more than 9,000 rallies and roadshows held by the BJP across the state.

Continue reading...

‘Everything is gone’: entire Indian villages burned in ethnic violence

Posted on by

About 1,700 houses in Manipur have been destroyed in clashes between Meiteis, who are mostly Hindus, and mainly Christian Kuki tribe

The road to Heirokland is smooth and freshly laid, with a sign proclaiming it part of an Indian government development initiative. But ethnic violence has reduced the village itself to little more than smouldering ashes.

Sanatomba picked through the ruins of his sister’s home in the north-eastern state of Manipur, trying to salvage anything of value, but could only recover a traditional stool.

Continue reading...

Pakistan internet cut as violence erupts after arrest of ex-PM Imran Khan

Posted on by

Khan, ousted from power last year, was appearing in court to face corruption charges

Internet services have been suspended across Pakistan after violence erupted when the former prime minister, Imran Khan, was arrested at a court appearance in Islamabad and dragged into an armoured vehicle by scores of security forces in riot gear.

The arrest of Khan – who was ousted from power last year and has evaded arrest several times since – came hours after he released a video message reiterating his allegations that Pakistan’s powerful military establishment had tried to assassinate him twice.

Continue reading...

Horrific stories emerge as thousands flee ethnic violence in north-east India

Posted on by

People fleeing unrest in Manipur tell of mobs attacking villages, setting fire to homes and looting

Mamang Vaiphei hid in the jungle for three nights after a mob attacked his village in Manipur, the remote Indian state where ethnic violence has reportedly killed at least 54 people.

About 23,000 people have fled the unrest that erupted last week in the hilly north-east state bordering Myanmar.

Continue reading...

At least 22 dead after tourist boat overturns in India’s Kerala state

Posted on by

Vessel capsized because it was overcrowded, authorities say, with most of the victims children on school holidays

At least 22 people drowned after a double-decker tourist boat capsized in India’s southern state of Kerala, police have said.

The boat overturned off the coastal town of Tanur because it was overcrowded, said Abdul Nazar, Malappuram district’s junior superintendent of police.

Continue reading...

Calls grow for Pakistan’s zoos to close after death of 17-year-old elephant

Posted on by

Case of Noor Jehan in Karachi draws criticism of conditions and renewed accusations of neglect at country’s facilities

Pakistan’s zoos have faced criticism and calls for their closure after the death of a 17-year-old elephant in Karachi.

Noor Jehan, an African elephant, which have an average lifespan of 60 to 70 years, was already in poor health when she fell into a pond last month and was unable to get up. She later died.

Continue reading...

India’s female wrestlers threaten to hand back Olympic medals in harassment row

Posted on by

President of Wrestling Federation of India accused of sexually harassing seven young female wrestlers

They were the first women to bring Olympic glory in the wrestling ring to India. But last week several of India’s top female wrestlers threatened to hand back their medals, accusing the authorities of ignoring their allegations of sexual harassment against the sport’s top official.

For the past 15 days, top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik have staged a protest in the centre of Delhi, sacrificing their rigorous training schedules, sleeping in the rain and facing beatings by police.

Continue reading...

Businessman who alleges Indian kidnap plot wins Antiguan court ruling

Posted on by

Fugitive Mehul Choksi claims UK-based group was part of alleged conspiracy to abduct him in 2021

A fugitive Indian-born businessman has won the first round of a court battle to prove that a UK-based group including a younger woman was part of an Indian intelligence service plot to lure him to a Caribbean villa to be kidnapped and extradited to his home country.

The high court of Antigua and Barbuda has found that Mehul Choksi has an “arguable” case in relation to his civil claim against the country’s attorney general and chief of police over the response to his alleged abduction and illegal rendition to Dominica in May 2021.

Continue reading...

Indian troops ordered to ‘shoot on sight’ amid violence in Manipur

Posted on by

Thousands evacuated to army camps as authorities struggle to bring inter-ethnic tensions under control

Indian troops have been deployed to the north-eastern state of Manipur with orders to “shoot on sight” and enforce a curfew as deadly clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups continue for the third day.

The violence and arson has forced about 9,000 people to flee their homes in the remote state, which borders Myanmar. The state government has not given the number of deaths but the chief minister, N Biren Singh, said that “precious lives have been lost” and at least 20 people were reportedly injured, including two local politicians.

Continue reading...

Weather tracker: An unusually chilly start to May in India and eastern US

Posted on by

Record minimum temperatures observed in northern India, as clashing conditions bring thunderstorms in US

It has been a historically chilly start to May in India, thanks to an unusually strong low-pressure system that moved in from the west, sweeping humid air from the Arabian Sea across the subcontinent. The resulting overcast skies reduced the heating effect from the sun, which combined with the brisk winds and abnormally high rainfall to lower temperatures significantly.

May is considered the final month of the Indian summer, before the monsoon season begins in June, and is the hottest time of the year for many parts of India. However, in the past week large parts of the country have been about 10C colder than normal, with many weather stations in northern India observing record minimum temperatures for the month.

Continue reading...

Child marriage in decline – but will take 300 years to eliminate

Posted on by

UN children’s agency welcomes drop in number of underage brides, but warns 12 million girls still getting married each year

The number of child marriages is declining worldwide, but at too slow a pace for any hope of eliminating the practice this century, Unicef, the UN children’s agency, has said.

In a new report, Unicef tentatively welcomed the reduction but warned that it was nowhere close to meeting its sustainable development goal of ridding the world of the practice by 2030.

Continue reading...

Pakistani minister flies to India for first visit by a senior official in 12 years

Posted on by

Foreign minister plays down any prospect of reconciliation effort as he stresses trip to Goa is purely for regional summit

Pakistan’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, arrived in Goa on Thursday, the first visit to India by a senior Pakistani official in 12 years.

Yet few held out hope that the trip signalled efforts for reconciliation between the two neighbours and rivals. Speaking as he boarded the plane to Goa, where India is chairing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) council of foreign ministers on Friday morning, Bhutto Zardari emphasised that his presence would be “focused exclusively on SCO” and avoided any mention of India.

Continue reading...

Myanmar’s military rulers release more than 2,100 political prisoners

Posted on by

The prisoners are to be released the most important Buddhist holy day of the year. However, deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains in jail

Myanmar’s ruling military council has said it is releasing more than 2,100 political prisoners as a humanitarian gesture.

Thousands more remain imprisoned on charges generally involving nonviolent protests or criticism of military rule, which began when the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

Continue reading...

Bangladesh media in fear after PM’s ‘people’s enemy’ attack

Posted on by

Even stories on cost of living leave journalists facing assault, threats and arrest under Digital Security Act

Four weeks ago, a reporter in Bangladesh was hauled from his office, badly beaten – and then thrown from the roof of his building, leaving him with fractures in his back, three broken ribs and a machete wound on his head.

The journalist, Ayub Meahzi, believes he was targeted for reporting on alleged local government ties to a criminal group.

Continue reading...