Life has come full circle for Professor Mohammad Yunus, a well-known critic of Sheikh Hasina and persecuted by her regime, when the Nobel laureate became the head of the caretaker government after she resigned and fled to India.

People in Bangladesh have welcomed the new interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, hoping it would restore order, end repression and hold a fair election to facilitate a democratic transition of power.

Israel's Western allies have condemned remarks by its far-right finance minister, who suggested that causing the starvation of Gaza's population of more than 2 million Palestinians "might be just and moral” until hostages captured in Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel are returned home.

Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, resigned amid violent protests and fled Dhaka two days ago. She landed near Delhi, sparking speculation about her next move. Initial reports suggested she might seek asylum in the UK, but this appears unlikely as the UK Home Office stated that British immigration rules do not allow individuals to travel to the country to seek asylum or temporary refuge.

At least 232 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina on Monday, according to a media report on Thursday, taking the death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests first started in mid-July.

A powerful earthquake struck off Japan’s southern coast on Thursday, triggering a tsunami advisory.

Four Chinese tourists were among five people killed in Nepal on Wednesday when a helicopter crashed in the mountains northwest region of Kathmandu.

A top police official in Bangladesh has called on every member of the police force to resume their duties gradually and maintain public safety and law and order amidst reports of attacks on the law enforcement authorities in the violence-hit nation.