Soykechar, Uzbekistan – AFP Sifting through a greyish mixture of sand and pebble in the steppe of Uzbekistan, Khislat Ochilov was searching for gold. He is one of hundreds of new prospectors trying to strike it rich in a modern-day gold rush in the Central Asian country, chock-full of the precious metal. It was a […]
Jakarta, Indonesia – AFP Dozens of Rohingya refugees saved after their boat capsized off Indonesia’s westernmost coast last week have been forced from their temporary shelter due to local protests, a United Nations refugee agency official said Wednesday. The survivors of last week’s capsizing were taken a 10-minute drive away...
Congress has approved an additional 12,000 Special Immigrant Visas for nationals of Afghanistan who helped the US during its two-decades-long war there. But advocates say more visas are needed, noting that the current number falls short by 20,000 through this program. Called Operation Allies Welcome, it offers these Afghans a path to permane...
Peshawar, Pakistan – AFP Five Chinese nationals working on a major dam construction site were killed along with their driver on Tuesday when a suicide bomber targeted their vehicle in northwest Pakistan, officials said. Their vehicle plunged into a deep ravine off the mountainous Karakoram Highway after the bomber rammed his car into the...
Jakarta, Indonesia – AFP At least nine Indonesians were reported missing overnight and more than 200 were evacuated after a landslide and flooding hit their village on Java island, an official said Monday. Cibenda village in West Java Province became inundated just before midnight on Sunday. “Nine people were reported missing in th...
Mumbai, India – AFP India brought 35 accused Somali pirates to Mumbai on Saturday, days after they were apprehended when naval commandos recaptured a hijacked bulk carrier and rescued several hostages. The December hijacking of the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen was the first time since 2017 that any cargo vessel had been successfully boarded b...
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – At least three people died after a trawler carrying 21 passengers capsized in Megha river of Bangladesh. The fishing boat was struck by a large sand-laden cargo vessel, or bulkhead, in the Bhairab area of the river. Officials from the diving unit of Fire Service & Civil Defense (FSCD) said six […]
New Delhi, India – AFP A top Indian opposition politician appeared in court Friday to fight his arrest in a case supporters say is aimed at sidelining challengers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi before next month’s election. Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of the capital Delhi and a key leader in an opposition alliance formed to [&...
New Delhi, India – AFP Living a precarious existence on odd jobs, manual labourer Virender Singh says he truly believes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s endeavours to make India great. Modi’s popularity remains constant a decade after he first swept to power. He has successfully cast himself as the custodian of both India...
ISTANBUL (AA) – A suicide bombing in Afghanistan killed three people and injured 12 others on Thursday, according to police. Police official Asadullah Jamshid told Kabul-based Tolo News that the bomber exploded near a branch of Kabul Bank in the southern Kandahar city. Many people were gathered outside the bank building when the incident happe...