AHMEDABAD: Hindu nationalism, once a fringe ideology in India, is now mainstream. Nobody has done more to advance this cause than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of India’s most beloved and polarizing political leaders. And no entity has had more influence on his political philosophy and ambitions than a paramilitary, right-wing group founded nearly a … Read more
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government are increasingly wielding strong-arm tactics to subdue political opponents and critics of the ruling Hindu-nationalist party. A decade into power, and on the cusp of securing five more years, the Modi government is reversing India’s decadeslong commitment to multiparty democracy and secularism. The ruling Bharatiya … Read more
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said Thursday that US defense commitment to Pacific allies was “ironclad” as he gathered Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House in the midst of growing concern about provocative Chinese military action in the Indo-Pacific.
SAN FERNANDO, Philippines: Catholic zealots in the Philippines re-enacting the last moments of Jesus Christ were nailed to wooden crosses while others whipped themselves bloody in extreme displays of religious devotion on Good Friday. While most Filipinos went to church or spent the holiday with family, thousands gathered in villages around San Fernando city, north … Read more
India has millions of dairy farmers. It’s creating a methane problem that’s tricky to solve BENGALURU, India: Abinaya Tamilarasu said her four cows are part of the family. She has a degree in commerce from a local college, but prefers being home milking cows and tending to her family’s land.“Our family cannot let farming go, … Read more
DIDIPIO, Philippines: As the Philippines works to ramp up mining to meet global demand for metals crucial to the green energy transition, environmental groups are demanding strict limits to protect nature and Indigenous lands. The Philippines has the world’s fourth-largest copper reserves, fifth-biggest nickel deposits and is also rich in cobalt — all of which … Read more
TEL AVIV: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday that Israel risked further global isolation if it attacks the Palestinian city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.Blinken met one-on-one with Netanyahu during a peace mission to the Middle East at a time of strain in relations over Israel’s … Read more
BRUSSELS: The European Union and the Philippines said on Monday they would resume negotiations on a free trade agreement as the EU seeks to tap into Asia’s faster economic growth and gain access to critical raw materials. Free trade negotiations stalled in 2017 over EU concerns about the human rights record of then Filipino President Rodrigo … Read more
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden prepared Wednesday for perhaps the most crucial speech of his political career as the unpopular 81-year-old tries to convince doubters he is fit for a bruising rematch with Donald Trump in November. With dominant performances in the “Super Tuesday” primaries and Trump’s last Republican rival Nikki Haley finally dropping out, the … Read more
Hundreds of inmates flee after armed gangs storm Haiti’s main prison, leaving bodies behind PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti: Hundreds of inmates fled Haiti’s main prison after armed gangs stormed the facility in an overnight explosion of violence that engulfed much of the capital. At least five people were dead Sunday. The jailbreak marked a new low in … Read more