ASIA

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The Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, has secured a landslide victory in Bangladesh’s first general election since the uprising that removed Sheikh Hasina from power.

Official results released by the election commission show the BNP-led alliance winning 212 parliamentary seats, marking the party’s return to government after two decades. The rival bloc, headed by Jamaat-e-Islami, captured 77 seats.

The vote has been widely described as Bangladesh’s first genuinely competitive and credible election in nearly 20 years, following a prolonged period of political repression and unrest under Hasina’s leadership. Salahuddin Ahmed, a senior BNP figure, said the outcome reflected public expectations, adding that voters had placed their faith in a party capable of fulfilling the aspirations that fuelled the youth-led uprising.

Despite the celebratory mood among supporters, BNP leaders acknowledged the scale of the challenges ahead. The party has promised to usher in a new democratic era and adopt a zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Ahmed cautioned that rebuilding a country free from discrimination and instability would require sustained effort.

India was among the first to extend congratulations. Prime minister Narendra Modi described the BNP’s win as decisive and reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting a democratic and inclusive Bangladesh. Relations between the neighbouring countries had deteriorated sharply following Hasina’s removal, and Modi’s message was interpreted as a gesture toward resetting ties.

The United States and Pakistan also congratulated the BNP on its victory.

Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in exile in London, is now set to become prime minister. He is the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981, placing him at the centre of one of the country’s most prominent political dynasties.

Shafiqur Rahman, leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat but signalled that his party would pursue what he termed “positive politics” rather than opposition for its own sake. Nevertheless, Jamaat alleged irregularities in closely contested constituencies and questioned aspects of the vote-counting process. The party’s performance, significantly higher than in previous elections, positions it as a strong opposition force.

The election marked a turning point after years of controversy surrounding polls held under Hasina’s Awami League, which was barred from contesting this time. Past elections had been overshadowed by allegations of vote-rigging, enforced disappearances and suppression of dissent, as documented by rights groups and the United Nations.

Voters across the capital, Dhaka, described the experience as their first opportunity in years to cast ballots freely. Nationwide turnout reached 59.4%, according to preliminary figures — significantly higher than the previous election’s 42%. Overseas voters and officials voting by post recorded an 80.11% participation rate. 

The student-led revolt that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule in August 2024 was driven by anger over corruption, human rights abuses and economic decline. The crackdown on protesters left an estimated 1,400 people dead, according to the UN.

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Beijing on Monday criticized the Dalai Lama ’s first Grammy win, describing the music industry award for an audiobook, narration and storytelling as “a tool for anti-China political manipulation.”

The Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, who lives in exile in India, took the award on Sunday for his book, “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”

He said in a statement on his website that he saw the award “as a recognition of our shared universal responsibility.”

“I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility,” he added.

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South Korea’s intelligence agency told lawmakers on Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has chosen his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his heir. Little is publicly known about Kim Ju Ae, though she has increasingly appeared at high‑profile events alongside her father in recent months, including a September visit to Beijing that was her first known trip abroad.

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Japan has once again suspended operations at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the facility with the largest installed nuclear power capacity in the world, only hours after one of its reactors was restarted. The announcement was made by the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, also known as Tepco, highlighting the

continued sensitivity and technical challenges surrounding nuclear energy in Japan more than a decade after the Fukushima disaster.

According to Tepco spokesperson Takashi Kobayashi, an alarm sounded during reactor start up procedures at reactor number six, located at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant north west of Tokyo. While the alarm prompted an immediate suspension of operations, Kobayashi stressed that the reactor itself remained stable and that there was no radioactive impact outside the facility. He added that Tepco is currently investigating the cause of the incident and has not yet announced when operations will resume.

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A South Korean official who suggested the country "import young women" from "Vietnam or Sri Lanka" to boost its birth-rate has been expelled from his party.

Kim Hee-soo, the head of the southern Jindo County, said the woman could be married off to "young men in rural areas" during a town hall last week.

The suggestion comes as South Korea continues to grapple with the lowest birth-rates in the world, which could see the country's 50 million-strong population drop by half in 60 years.

But Kim's statement, which was televised, did not go down well - triggering a diplomatic protest from Vietnam, days of public anger and his expulsion from the ruling Democratic Party.

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At least 32 people were killed and 66 others injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in north-eastern Thailand on Wednesday, authorities said, in one of the country's deadliest rail disasters in recent years.

The accident occurred at about 09:00 local time in Sikhio district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, roughly 230 kilometres northeast of Bangkok. The train, travelling from the capital to Ubon Ratchathani province, was passing beneath an elevated construction site when the crane fell onto two carriages, derailing the train and briefly igniting a fire.

Officials said between 171 and 195 passengers were on board, many of them students and workers commuting for school or employment. Among the injured were a one-year-old child and an 85-year-old man, with seven people reported to be in critical condition.

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Hong Kong media tycoon, Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, bringing to a close a years-long legal saga that has become a defining symbol of Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on the once politically vibrant city.

The 78-year-old billionaire, one of the most prominent critics of the Chinese government, is among the highest-profile figures prosecuted since Beijing imposed its national security law on Hong Kong in 2020. The sentence is the longest handed down under the law and effectively rules out any possibility of parole until Lai is in his late 90s.

The ruling has intensified international calls for his release following a closely watched

trial that drew attention from Western leaders. US President Donald Trump had previously vowed to “get him out,” and supporters are expected to press the issue as Trump prepares for a possible visit to China in the coming months.

Lai’s family condemned the sentence in emotional terms. His son, Sebastien, described it as draconian and “life-threatening,” while his daughter, Claire, said it was “heartbreakingly cruel.”

“I have watched my father’s health deteriorate dramatically and the conditions he’s kept in go from bad to worse. If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars,” she said.

Lai’s outspoken criticism of Hong Kong’s shrinking freedoms and his role as founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily had long placed him in conflict with Beijing. Authorities in both Beijing and Hong Kong have consistently rejected claims that his prosecution was politically motivated or an attack on press freedom, insisting he has received adequate medical care in custody.

City leader John Lee accused Lai of using Apple Daily to “poison the minds of citizens, incite hatred, distort facts, deliberately create social division, glorify violence, and openly beg external forces to sanction China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”

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The U.S. government has granted approval for Nvidia to sell its advanced AI chips in China, as announced by the Department of Commerce on Tuesday. Previously, the sale of the H200, which is Nvidia's second-most advanced semiconductor, was restricted due to concerns that it could bolster China's technological and military advancements, potentially posing a competitive threat to the U.S. The Commerce Department noted that shipments of these chips to China are allowed provided that there is a sufficient supply of the processors available within the United States.