What started India’s ‘cockroach’ protests that forced education minister to quit?
The protests reflect youths' anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.
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Explainer-What started India's 'cockroach' protests that forced education minister to quit?
NEW DELHI, July 25 - India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan quit on Saturday after days of sustained public protests demanding his resignation for examination paper leaks in May that affected about 2 million students.
Canadian intern at NATO military HQ arrested in Belgium on spying charge
BRUSSELS, July 25 - A Canadian woman of Chinese origin who was an intern at NATO's military headquarters in Belgium has been arrested on spying charges, Belgian prosecutors said on Saturday.
‘The fear killed her’: How an exam scandal in India sparked a student uprising
NEW DELHI/JHUNJHUNU/AHMEDABAD, July 25 - The prospect of retaking one of India's most competitive exams was so daunting for 19-year-old Sheikh Sana that a day before the test, the pressure became unbearable.
China evacuates 20,000 people as Typhoon Noul nears
Typhoon Noul is forecast to make landfall in the coastal area stretching from Hong Kong to Guangdong province between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, says China's National Meteorological Center.
Indian education minister resigns following nationwide youth protests
Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation just as police fired tear gas to scatter young protesters in New Delhi, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round of talks with ministers.
How to survive the 40 deg C heat in Japan
Traditions from corporate dress codes to instant ramen preparation are melting away.
Modi’s education minister resigns in major win for Indian youth protesters
Thousands of protesters had demanded his resignation over examination paper leaks.
Indonesia detains former top prosecutor Febrie Adriansyah after questioning
Investigators questioned him as a witness for a money laundering case.
South Korea’s UNESCO-listed tidal flats expanded with 4 new sites
The inscription expands the site from four to six components.
Malaysian police probe deaths of two teens in Ipoh
Initial investigations found no foul play, said the police.
Southern China braces for Typhoon Noul, suspends public transport
BEIJING, July 25 - Strong winds and torrential rain lashed China on Saturday, brought by a strengthening Typhoon Noul, weather authorities said, urging people to avoid unnecessary travel as transport links could be disrupted.
Indonesian authorities arrest former anti-corruption prosecutor after seizing US$19 million and gold
Former anti-graft prosecutor Febrie Adriansyah has been accused of money laundering while serving as Indonesia’s top anti-corruption prosecutor. He denied wrongdoing after being questioned on Friday (Jul 24), saying he was a victim of “criminalisation”.
Italian embassy in Bangkok apologises after video of students’ behaviour on train sparks fury
It condemned the disruptive behaviour of the Italian teenagers on a BTS skytrain.
Trump’s new tariffs to cost Americans $100 billion per year
US President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a new package of tariffs targeting 60 countries that account for over 99% of US imports, a move that—if upheld in court—would cost Americans an estimated US$100 billion per year in the form of higher costs. The duties, ranging from
India's Modi under pressure as youth protest leaders set for more talks
NEW DELHI, July 25 - The Indian government was set to begin a fresh round of talks on Saturday with leaders of a Gen-Z protest that led to disruptions in the capital this week, as demonstrators press a demand for the education minister to resign.
Politicians vs generals: Ukraine’s long, hidden war within
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has dismissed the country’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, after a turbulent week in which he also removed his defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. The dismissal of the popular defense minister, who is credited by many as the
Pakistan’s only choice is active neutrality in US-Iran war
A war is entering Pakistani homes right now. Not through headlines, but through the electricity bill, the bus fare, the price of vegetables at the local market. Wars in the Middle East rarely stay confined to the countries that start them — their consequences travel through oil
Malaysia targets 2028 to produce its first human vaccine to cut import reliance
Malaysia’s first locally produced human vaccine will be for treating illnesses like pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis and blood infections, says Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.
New Zealand faces aftershocks, minor damage after 5.9-magnitude earthquake
There were 73 aftershocks recorded in about five hours following the quake.
Blind spot: The hidden workers behind Indonesia’s digital boom
Today, Indonesia stands as one of the most formidable digital economic powerhouses in Southeast Asia. Bank Indonesia recorded digital payment transaction volumes reaching 5.22 billion in May 2026, marking 28.14% year-on-year growth. Meanwhile, QRIS transactions — the country’s
‘Betrayal’: The young victims of India’s exam leak scandal
The medical exam leak has since sparked a row over the pressures of India’s education system.
Australia's Queensland confirms H5N1 bird flu case, fourth state
SYDNEY, July 25 - Queensland became Australia's fourth state to confirm a case of H5N1 bird flu after authorities said on Saturday that a migratory seabird tested positive for the highly pathogenic virus.
Five people killed in soil collapse in northern China
BEIJING, July 25 - Five people were killed and three injured after a loess collapse buried a house in a village in northern China's Shanxi province, state-owned Xinhua News Agency said on Saturday.
China fines Trip.com Group $992m over online hotel-booking monopoly
Trip.com used exclusive deals and technical measures to limit competition and offer lowest prices.
Samsung, SK Group seal $1.23 trillion in deals as South Korea hosts AI powers
About 150 executives, investors, researchers and start-up founders attended the summit.
Malaysia set to produce its first human vaccine from 2028
The move reduces reliance on imported vaccines and strengthens the country’s health security.
'It eats away at my body': The human cost of S Korea's ultra-convenient overnight deliveries
Night-time deliveries are ubiquitous in hyper-connected Korea, stirring a debate about working conditions.
The great tech manhunt: East Asia’s billion-dollar race for ASEAN talent
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are turning to South-east Asia to plug a shortage of tech talents.
South Korea’s hunt for 100,000 tech workers
Its search for the brightest young minds extends beyond the country’s borders.
Prayers, parties and the changing face of Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang
The mosque plans have spurred debate over what kind of place Bukit Bintang is becoming.
No poaching, just ‘enticing environment’: Fukuoka, capital of Japan’s ‘Silicon Island’
Japan is staging a comeback with Fukuoka at the forefront.
From tech visas to ‘gold card’, scholarships: Fast track to working in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan
These East Asian economies are looking for tech talent overseas to plug labour shortages back home
Explained: China’s ‘ethnic unity and progress promotion’ law
Could a law passed in China actually reach you, thousands of miles away? Beijing's new law says yes.
Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker attacked in Iranian waters, Indian embassy says
July 24 - A Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members was attacked in Iranian territorial waters on Friday, the Indian embassy in Tehran said.
India’s Gen Z protesters adapt to internet curbs
Thousands of young people have been protesting, demanding changes to the education system.
Trump warns China, Russia against involvement in Iran war
WASHINGTON, July 24 - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he does not believe China or Russia are \"participating\" in the ongoing Iran conflict, but warned that if they did get involved \"it would be very bad for them.\"
India cockroach protests: Videos show officers firing 'pellet guns'
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Delhi as part of the cockroach protests, calling for educational reforms.
Pakistan, Iran explore path towards new talks with US in a China-initiated push, sources say
ISLAMABAD, July 23 - Pakistan is exploring a path towards a resumption of stalled U.S.-Iran talks over ending their nearly five-month-old war, three Pakistani sources said, following a push initiated by China.
The age of rearmament
Subscribe now with a one-month trial for only $1, then enjoy the first year at an exclusive rate of just $99. Japan’s nuclear taboo is slowly unravelingScott Foster reports that Japanese officials are increasingly willing to debate nuclear weapons, nuclear sharing and revisions
China’s top police chief and FBI director pledge closer law enforcement cooperation
China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong conferred with FBI Director Kash Patel in Beijing.
Suicide bombing in Pakistan kills 15, including 12 soldiers, army says
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, July 24 - Islamist militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a Pakistani security checkpoint, killing 15 people, including 12 soldiers, in northwest Pakistan, the military said on Friday, adding that 12 militants had been killed in retaliation.
Thailand to scrap $38.3 billion land bridge project after study
The pitch for the land bridge project replaced a decades-old Thai proposal to dredge a canal through the Kra Isthmus.
Iran-Iraq-Pakistan ‘axis of sympathy’ signals a reshaping Southwest Asia
Earlier this month, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was buried in his hometown of Mashhad after a four-day ceremony. Many international delegations were present, but each country will have chosen their representatives with the utmost care. Sending