Thai officials today said they approved the transfer back to Tehran of three Iranians who were involved in a botched 2012 bomb plot, as Iran released a 33-year-old Australian academic who was imprisoned for more than two years on spying charges.

Thai authorities have escalated their legal battle against the students leading pro-democracy protests, charging 12 of them with violating a harsh law against defaming the monarchy.

Singapore has deported 15 Bangladeshis over social media posts that incited violence or encouraged communal unrest in response to recent terror attacks in France, officials said today.

A 26-year-old Bangladeshi man was picked up under the Internal Security Act earlier this month for his involvement in terrorism-related activities.

Philippine officials say about 60 million Filipinos are being targeted for vaccination against the coronavirus next year at a cost of more than 73 billion pesos ($1.4 billion) to develop considerable immunity among a majority of Filipinos.

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik has said that his party -- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) -- will welcome BJP's move “if it creates one country by merging India, Pakistan and Bangladesh,” reports Indian news channel NDTV.

Experts, including economists and business leaders, have suggested that Bangladesh sign free trade agreements with ASEAN countries to boost exports to the bloc.

Dhaka has invited Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to attend the final celebration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in next March or join the celebration of Bangladesh’s 50 years of independence.

Several rockets have hit residential areas in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing at least eight civilians and wounding 31, police officials say.

Thousands of people have joined a protest led by high school students in Bangkok to call for education reforms as well as the demands of a broader movement pushing to remove the government and curb the powers of the monarchy.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will attend a virtual summit of Asia Pacific leaders on Friday to discuss the coronavirus and global economic recovery, with lingering trade differences likely to cloud the meeting.

Asia-Pacific leaders have called for open and multilateral trade to support a global economy battered by the novel coronavirus, and some hoped for more engagement with the United States under a Joe Biden administration.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has threatened to use all laws possible against protesters, as demonstrations escalate for his removal and for reforms to curb the powers of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

Thousands of Thai protesters take to the streets of Bangkok despite the worst violence in months of demonstrations a day before, when police fired water cannon and tear gas and at least 55 people were hurt.

Any US attack on Iran would face a “crushing” response, an Iranian government spokesman has said, following reports US President Donald Trump asked for options for a strike on Iran’s main nuclear site but decided against doing so.

At least 41 people were hurt during protests in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, including five with gunshot wounds, the city's Erawan Emergency Medical Centre has said.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said Bangladesh will approach for resuming the Rohingya repatriation talks after the full formation of a new government in Myanmar, saying Bangladesh stands ready to send back Rohingyas.

Pakistan authorities sealed off a major road into the capital Islamabad for a second day yesterday as a far-right religious party held fresh anti-France protests.

Job offers have been rescinded, life plans are disrupted. The economic fallout from Covid-19 has raised the prospect of a lost generation in Asia. Will the young people of the region find new paths to achieve their dreams?

Authorities in Hong Kong said at least seven people were killed and 11 inured in a fire at an apartment building that may have started at a Hindu religious gathering.