world

Bangkok/Phnom Penh:A fresh diplomatic row has erupted between Thailand and Cambodia after the Thai military installed a Buddha statue at a disputed border location where a statue of the Hindu god Vishnu was demolished last month, triggering sharp protests from Phnom Penh. Thailand has described the move as a religious and morale-boosting gesture, while Cambodia has condemned it as a provocative act that undermines efforts to de-escalate tensions along the sensitive border region near the historic Preah Vihear area. Background of the Dispute The controversy traces back to December 2025, when Thai and Cambodian troops were involved in a brief confrontation along the contested frontier. During that period, Thai forces removed and destroyed a Vishnu statue that had been installed by C...

A major maritime tragedy struck the southern Philippines early Monday when an inter-island ferry carrying more than 350 passengers and crew sank at sea, leaving at least 15 people dead and 28 still missing, officials said. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, the ferry was traveling from the port city of Zamboanga to Jolo Island in Sulu province when it developed a technical fault shortly after midnight. The vessel sent a distress signal at around 1:50 a.m. local time, approximately four hours after departure, before going down near Baluk-Baluk Island, about two kilometers off the coast. The ferry was carrying 332 passengers and 27 crew members at the time of the incident. Large-Scale Rescue Operation Underway Rescue teams managed to save at least 301 people, many of whom w...

As Russian missiles continued to rain down on Kyiv, senior officials from Russia, Ukraine and the United States held their first-ever trilateral peace talks in the United Arab Emirates, marking a historic but fragile diplomatic moment in a war now nearing its fourth year. The talks, held in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday under US mediation, did not yield an immediate breakthrough, but all sides described the discussions as constructive, raising cautious hopes for further engagement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, responding to the meeting, said dialogue must continue despite the battlefield realities.“Many things were discussed, and it is important that the conversation was constructive,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media platform X. “The main focus was on possible paramete...

In a significant boost to its military capabilities, Pakistan has carried out large-scale defence acquisitions from China and Turkey, drawing lessons from last year’s confrontation with India following Operation Sindoor, Indian intelligence agencies have confirmed. According to intelligence assessments accessed by Hindustan Times, the Pakistani military has spent several billion dollars on advanced weapon systems spanning air, land, and sea domains. The acquisitions include air defence systems, long-range missiles, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), loitering munitions, kamikaze drones, tanks, attack helicopters, warships, hovercraft and submarines—primarily sourced from Beijing and Ankara. During Operation Sindoor, India destroyed nine terror camps and subsequently carried out...

A private business jet carrying eight people crashed shortly after takeoff at Bangor International Airport in the United States on Sunday evening, amid a powerful winter storm that has disrupted air travel across much of the country. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 600, went down at approximately 7:45 pm local time. The jet was attempting to depart from Bangor when the incident occurred. Authorities have not yet released details regarding the condition of those on board. Bangor International Airport said emergency response teams were already on site and immediately launched rescue and safety operations following the crash. The airport was temporarily shut down, and all runways were closed as a precaution. In a statemen...

Washington/Tehran:The United States has significantly escalated its military posture in the Middle East by deploying an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf of Oman and activating advanced THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile systems at key regional bases. The move has intensified speculation over a possible US military strike on Iran. According to senior US defense officials, additional air and missile defense systems are being positioned to protect American bases against potential Iranian retaliation. THAAD systems have reportedly been placed on high alert at US military installations in Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, alongside Patriot missile batteries. Former President Donald Trump confirmed the movement of a large US naval armada toward the Gulf...

Dhaka: Amid steadily rising tensions between India and Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi Army has initiated a significant military restructuring proposal that could further strain bilateral defence ties. The armed forces have moved to create a new para-commando brigade along with two additional special para-commando battalions, a step being viewed as aligned with the interim government’s increasingly assertive stance towards India. According to a report by North East News, the proposal has been prepared by the Bangladesh Armed Forces Division and forwarded to the Ministry of Defence and the Office of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus for approval. The plan was discussed during a two-day conference of senior army generals and formation commanders held at Dhaka Cantonment on January 25 and 26. Fo...

Beijing: China has launched a high-level investigation into one of its most powerful military figures, General Zhang Youxia, amid allegations that sensitive information related to the country’s nuclear weapons programme was leaked to the United States. The claims were reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with a confidential briefing of senior Chinese military officials. Earlier on Saturday, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that Zhang Youxia is being investigated for “serious violations of discipline and law,” without providing specific details. However, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, Chinese officials were informed during a closed-door military briefing that Zhang is suspected of sharing critical technical information about Ch...

Washington: Fresh controversy has erupted over the stalled India–US trade agreement after a leaked audio recording of Republican Senator Ted Cruz revealed sharp internal divisions within the Trump administration. According to the recording, US Vice President JD Vance and White House economic adviser Peter Navarro were among the key figures opposing the proposed trade deal with India, with former President Donald Trump also occasionally aligned with the opposition. The revelation was reported by Axios, which said it independently verified the authenticity of the audio, though the recording itself has not been made public. In the clip, Cruz is heard criticising the administration’s tariff policies and expressing frustration over resistance within the White House to advancing trade negotia...

Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has categorically ruled out the possibility of a free trade agreement with China, signalling a clear retreat amid mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose a sweeping 100 per cent tariff on Canadian exports to the United States. Carney’s remarks come days after his January 17 visit to Beijing, where Canada and China sought to repair strained trade relations. The outreach, however, drew a sharp reaction from Washington, with Trump accusing Ottawa of growing too close to China and warning of severe trade consequences if Canada pursued a free trade deal with Beijing. Speaking on Sunday, Carney said Canada had no intention of entering into free trade agreements with “non-market economies,” including China. “...