World

Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia’s health deteriorated since being admitted to hospital, prompting her family and party members to urge citizens to pray for her speedy recovery on Saturday. Zia, 80, was admitted to hospital on November 23 with symptoms of a lung infection and was currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit, members of her party said. …

A total of 201 men have been detained in Malaysia during a joint enforcement operation at a wellness centre after authorities suspected the premises in Kuala Lumpur were being used for illicit activities. The men, aged between 19 and 60, were picked up around 8pm on Friday in a surprise raid involving Kuala Lumpur police, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and …

Andrey Yermak resigned as chief of staff hours after investigators searched his apartment Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s close associate Andrey Yermak has decried the lack of support he received after an anti-corruption raid, which prompted his resignation as chief of staff. Investigators from Ukraine’s Western-backed anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAPO searched Yermak’s apartment on Friday morning. Although he was not …

The leaders of the US and Venezuela reportedly discussed a meeting to diffuse military tensions US President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro late last week amid growing tensions, where they discussed a possible meeting, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing multiple people familiar with the matter. Trump has accused Maduro of leading Cartel …

Shanghai, mainland China’s top finance and trade hub, is set to double down on efforts to prevent the “hollowing out” of its manufacturing sector even as it pursues global financial centre status. The city’s next five-year plan, which will cover the period from 2026 to 2030, is expected to contain measures designed to lift manufacturing’s share of gross domestic product …

The Ukrainian leader has sacrificed a top aide to avoid scrutiny and remain in power, Rodion Miroshnik says Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky ousted his chief of staff amid a corruption probe to cover his own tracks, a senior Russian diplomat told RT. Andrey Yermak, described by the media as Ukraine’s grey cardinal, tendered his resignation just hours after anti-corruption agencies …

Yonaguni is the westernmost island in the Ryukyu chain, which would be a key strategic location in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. The Japanese military has already spent years planning operations based on this precise scenario and although specific details have never been officially disclosed, past joint US-Japan exercises can help shed some light on their likely operational …

Washington increasingly has to negotiate from a position not of absolute dominance, but of relative advantage Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman’s November visit to Washington marked his first appearance at the White House in seven years. On day one, Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet on the South Lawn, followed by one-on-one talks, expanded delegations, …

The death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in seven decades climbed to more than 100 on Friday as the government announced a three-day official mourning period from Saturday for victims of the blaze. National and Hong Kong flags at all its buildings and facilities will fly at half-mast until Monday, with officials cancelling all non-essential public engagements and government-endorsed …

In the weeks since the announcement, the U.S. Army has shared details on how it will reform its service-level acquisition process. Part of the change involves consolidating the service’s program executive offices (PEOs), which are responsible for buying new weapons, into six new offices called “portfolio acquisition executives” (PAEs). Plans also include the creation of a new office to rapidly …