Asia

At the heart of the US ban is the fear that China is using TikTok to spy on Americans. The app has faced accusations that user data is ending up in the hands of the Chinese government – because of a Beijing law that requires local companies to “support, assist …

“It has been a very lonely experience,” Mahananda said. Mr Pandit, Nepal’s ambassador to Israel, told the BBC that he had been in regular contact with the family and visited the village. Mahananda painted a slightly different picture, saying that early on in the war the family did receive many …

The image has been viewed more than 21 million times on X since it was published last week and has drawn swift backlash. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into the matter, while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has also criticised the ad, Pakistan’s Geo News reported. The …

According to Peony Hirwani, music journalist at Rolling Stone India, the risk of being overshadowed is low as companies involved with events often ensure local artists are the main support acts. She gives G-Eazy’s 2024 tour as an example, which had only Indian support artists – helping to boost their …

On Wednesday, he released a video statement saying he would co-operate with the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) to avoid “bloodshed”, while claiming their arrest warrant was not legally valid. It was a massive operation, which followed a warning from the CIO that the presidential security team could also be arrested …

Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, countries have adopted varied approaches toward the regime, balancing diplomatic engagement with concerns over human rights and security. China, for example, has gone far: it has actively engaged with the Taliban, focusing on security and economic interests, and even has an ambassador …

Supreme Court justices are due to rule on a law that set a 19 January deadline for TikTok to either sell its US operations or face a ban in the country. TikTok has repeatedly said that it will not sell its US business and its lawyers have warned that a …

According to South Korean law, the court must set a new date for a hearing before they can proceed without his participation. The next hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Yoon’s lawyers have indicated that he will show up for a hearing at an “appropriate time”, but they have challenged the …

The origin of the festival is rooted in the mythological story about a fight between the gods and demons over a Kumbh (a pitcher) of nectar that emerged during the churching of the ocean. As the two sides fought over the pot of elixir, a few drops spilled over and …

The festival, which concludes on 26 February, has been recognised as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations agency Unesco. Its origin is rooted in a mythological story about a fight between the gods and demons over a Kumbh (a pitcher) of nectar that emerged during the churching …

The recorders were originally examined in South Korea, the ministry said. When the data was found to be missing, they were taken to the US and analysed by American safety regulators. The plane was travelling from Bangkok on 29 December when it crash-landed at Muan International Airport and slid into …

The bizarre case began in September 2023 when the woman met her partner on an online dating platform. They began seeing each other regularly in Melbourne, where they lived at the time. In December that year, the man proposed to the woman and she accepted. Two days later, the woman …

If found guilty, they could be fined up to A$13,750 ($8,520; £6,925) for each charge. Ms Corr has also denied a charge of assaulting a fellow passenger on board the aircraft, which carries up to two years in prison. They have each also been asked to offer up A$20,000, which …

Australian police have released footage of two suspected arsonists who allegedly tried to set a fast-food outlet on fire in Melbourne. The security videos show one of the suspects accidentally setting their own trousers alight before stripping off clothes and fleeing the scene. BBC News

There are also videos posted on X on Monday, which the BBC has confirmed were filmed at the Pucheng Vocational Education Centre, showing people mourning the teenager’s death. They placed flowers and offerings at the entrance of the school, and conducted a traditional mourning ritual by throwing pieces of paper …

Wang went missing on 3 January in the Thai border city of Mae Sot, which has become a hub for trafficking people into Myanmar. He had flown to Bangkok for an acting job offered to him on WeChat. The person claimed to represent a major Thai entertainment company, according to …

BR Naidu, chairman of the temple’s trust, said that the crush was caused by “overcrowding”. “It is an unfortunate incident,” he told local media on Wednesday. Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a board member of the trust, apologised for the incident. “To distribute tokens, we opened 91 counters… it is unfortunate that …

In recent years dozens of activists fleeing repression in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand have been sent back after seeking sanctuary, or in some cases have been killed or disappeared. Human rights groups believe there is an unwritten agreement between the four neighbouring countries to allow each other’s security forces …

The biggest draw of H-1B visas is the opportunity to earn significantly higher salaries, according to Mr Chauhan. The US offers higher pay, and for someone who is the first in their family to achieve professional qualifications, earning that much can be life-changing. “The fascination with H-1Bs is directly tied …

For years, a controversial invader has been gradually taking over Australia’s beloved beaches. Swallowing up the sand, blocking ocean views and turning the shore into an irksome maze is a sea of large beach tents, called cabanas in Australia. “It’s chokkas. They’re all over the place,” Sydneysider Claire, 30, told …