Asia Now

US President Donald Trump has said that American forces will finish the job in Iran soon as core strategic objectives are nearing completion. In a televised address from White House, Trump touted the successes of the US campaign – Operation Epic Fury, saying the US is winning bigger than ever before. In his 20 minute speech, Trump said, every American can look forward to a day when they are finally free from the wickedness of Iranian aggression and the spectre of nuclear blac

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan’s military of shelling the outskirts of Asadabad in Kunar Province, killing one and wounding 16, mostly women and children. Deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said mortars and heavy weapons were used by Pakistan’s military yesterday to strike rural areas and civilian homes. The latest incident comes amid ongoing cross-border clashes and airstrikes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The fighting began in February after Afghanistan laun

Australia will halve its fuel excise tax till the end of June to help ease costs for households amid a surge in fuel prices prompted by the West Asia conflict. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement today as the international benchmark for crude oil rose above dollar 116 a barrel – its highest level in nearly two weeks – as the conflict in the region escalated on multiple fronts. Mr Albanese said the government would also suspend its charge on heavy

The United States has sent Iran a sweeping 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war and dismantling its nuclear programme. President Donald Trump claimed that Tehran “would like to make a deal.” According to media reports, the proposal was delivered through intermediaries. It outlines a broad framework to halt hostilities, curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and reshape its regional role. The plan calls for Iran to dismantle its three main nuclear facilities, end uranium enrichm

A Missile struck the premises of Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant last evening, the second such incident in just over a week, amid escalating regional hostilities. According to officials, there was no damage to the nuclear reactor itself and no injuries to staff, and the plant continues to operate normally with radiation levels stable. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it was informed by Iranian authorities of the latest strike. This follows a similar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today urged global leaders to join Israel and the United States in confronting Iran, saying recent missile attacks show Tehran poses a wider global threat. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks came after Iran fired missiles at Arad and Dimona in southern Israel yesterday, injuring more than 100 people and damaging residential areas. No fatalities were reported in the strike. Media reports said the target of the Iranian attack was a nucl

Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has indicated that Tokyo may consider deploying its Self-Defence Forces for minesweeping operations in the Strait of Hormuz, but only if a ceasefire is reached in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, US and Israel. Speaking on a television programme, Mr Toshimitsu said Japan’s minesweeping technology is among the best in the world, adding that if a ceasefire is in place and mines become an obstacle, the country may consider its role.

Sri Lanka has approved an Indian-Sri Lankan joint venture to build a key power transmission link connecting wind energy projects in the island’s northern region. Cabinet spokesperson and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the government had cleared the award of a tender to Intend, which is a Joint Venture of Jyoti Structure Limited from India and Hayleys Fentons Limited of Sri Lanka. The contract, valued at 2.27 billion Sri Lankan rupees (excluding taxes), covers the constructio

US President Donald Trump has said that most NATO allies have declined to join the US military operation against Iran, criticising the alliance and asserting that Washington does not need foreign support.​ He added that despite their reluctance, almost every country strongly agreed with what we are doing and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Trump said he was not surprised by NATO members’ response. He also claimed that US forc

US President Donald Trump has said that he delayed a planned visit to China as he needed to remain in Washington during the conflict with Iran. Trump said he had asked China to postpone the visit by about a month. He added he is looking forward to being with them as they have a very good relationship. The President was scheduled to travel to China from March 28 to April 1. New dates have not been announced. When asked if the war could be wrapped up this week, Trump said the w

The Indian Embassy in Tehran has urged the Indian nationals in Iran to leave the country by available means of transport, including commercial flights. The Embassy has reiterated its advisory issued on January 14 this year, saying all Indian citizens and Persons of Indian Origin should exercise due caution, avoid areas of protests or demonstrations, stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Iran and monitor local media for any developments. It also requested the Indian natio

At the centre of a landmark verdict by the US Supreme Court striking down President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, is Indian-origin lawyer Neal Katyal, who successfully argued the case before the nation’s highest judicial body. Katyal, a former Acting Solicitor General of the United States under President Barack Obama, represented a group of small businesses challenging the legality of the tariffs. The Court ruled in their favour, delivering a significant judgment on

US President Donald Trump will chair the Board of Peace meeting today and will make an announcement regarding the 5 billion dollar pledged for Gaza by 20 member states attending the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Addressing the media, Leavitt said that the Board of Peace meeting will focus on maintaining security in Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Mr. Trump will announce reconstruction efforts and committed thousands of personn

South Korea’s Defence Ministry today said that it will push for reinstating a no-fly zone under the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military pact in a way that does not affect a military readiness posture. The ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said this during a regular briefing. She said the country is in consultations with the United States over Seoul’s push to partially restore the military pact; it comes a day after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young disclosed the governme

Russian and Ukrainian delegations concluded the first day of US-brokered peace talks in Geneva, just one week before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said discussions would resume in the Swiss city this morning. Hopes for a breakthrough during the latest third round of trilateral talks are low, as the Kremlin has not wavered from its maximalist demands for Ukrainian territory. Just hours before the d

The US military struck three alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean yesterday, killing all 11 people on board, US Southern Command said. The Southern Command said in a statement that intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations. It added that no US military personnel were harmed. The strikes brought the death toll from the US campaign, which began in Se

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited his Bangladeshi counterpart, Tarique Rahman, to visit India along with his family. In a letter to Mr Rahman, PM Modi expressed his eagerness to work closely with the BNP leader to further strengthen the multifaceted bilateral relationship between the two nations. PM Modi said as two close neighbours, India and Bangladesh have a deep-rooted friendship founded on shared history, cultural ties and the aspirations of the peoples for peace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that any potential agreement with Iran must include the removal of nuclear material, a halt to uranium enrichment and restrictions on ballistic missiles. Speaking at a public conference yesterday after a recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, Netanyahu said Trump was determined to exhaust the possibilities of achieving a deal, which he believes can be achieved now. However, Netanyahu said he remains sceptica

The International Space Station has returned to full crew strength with the arrival of four new astronauts, replacing colleagues who left early due to health concerns. The new arrivals, who are set to spend eight to nine months aboard the station, are NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot, and Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev. Last month’s medical evacuation was NASA’s first in 65 years of human spaceflight. One of the four astronauts launched by Spa

The United States military has said it carried out more than 10 strikes on more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria earlier this month. The attack was carried in retaliation for the deaths of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter in an ambush in December. US Central Command said the strikes, conducted between February 3 and February 12, targeted weapons storage sites, communication hubs and other infrastructure linked to the militant group. According to Central