More clashes between US and Iran; bases in Kuwait and Bahrain targeted

Today’s headlines: The UK has recognises sacrifice of nearly 10,000 Indian soldiers from the Punjab during the First World War;. In Indonesia, a rubbish tip has been burning for a week; The International Monetary Fund revises growth forecasts for Cambodia downwards; At least 21 people die in China landslide.

IRAN – USA

The US military has launched new attacks against Iran, resuming hostilities despite the preliminary peace agreement reached last month. In response, Tehran has targeted US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones. This clash is unfolding whilst US President Donald Trump is in Turkey for a meeting with other NATO countries.

INDIA

Almost 10,000 Indian soldiers from Punjab have been included in the UK’s official records amongst the lists of those killed in action during the First World War. This work was made possible thanks to years of research by a group of volunteers who digitised and analysed a collection of documents held at the Lahore Museum (now in Pakistan), containing the names of around 320,000 Punjabi recruits. Those in charge of the project are now trying to trace the soldiers’ descendants.

INDONESIA

The Jatiwaringin landfill site, on the outskirts of Jakarta, has been burning for eight days, and the fire has now spread across 15 hectares, causing displacement and respiratory problems amongst the population. Firefighters are working to bring the situation under control, but according to some environmental activists, the problem reflects a growing crisis in waste management.

CAMBODIA

The International Monetary Fund has downgraded Cambodia’s growth outlook, which is now forecast to stand at 3 per cent for 2026. Last year, GDP grew by 5.3 per cent, whilst in 2024 growth stood at 6 per cent. According to the IMF’s forecasts, inflation is set to rise to 5.6 per cent – more than double last year’s figure of 2.5 per cent.

CHINA

The death toll from a landslide in Gansu province, in north-western China, has risen to 21, whilst 17 people have died in other parts of the country due to heavy rainfall. The authorities in Gansu have reported that they have allocated 30 million yuan (.4 million) for reconstruction.

TAIWAN

Road closures and the construction of bamboo bridges have helped to protect a crab species native to Taiwan. Taijiang National Park, in the city of Tainan in the south of the island, is home to most of the mangrove crabs, but from July to September the females migrate to lay their eggs, risking being hit by cars as they cross the roads.

RUSSIA

Another high-profile arrest has been made in Moscow: that of the former head of Rosaviatsija, the aviation agency, Aleksandr Neradko, accused of fraud on a particularly large scale, following the arrest two days earlier of Konstantin Makhov, his deputy during his tenure, who was implicated in the same corrupt dealings. Following his resignation from the agency, Neradko had headed organisations linked to the oligarch Arkadij Rotenberg, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest associates, demonstrating that there are no longer any ‘untouchable’ figures in Russia.

KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyzstan aims to raise the average life expectancy of its citizens to 75 years by 2030, as Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev stated in his message to mark Healthcare Workers’ Day, noting that “health is a fundamental human right and the key factor in the well-being of the individual, the family, society and the state”. According to him, Kyrgyz medicine is developing “in step with the times”, utilising the most advanced medical and digital technologies, with adequate funding.

• Asia
• Today