India is not an autocracy, insists PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi denied Monday that his country was sliding towards autocracy, following accusations that his government orchestrated criminal probes to weaken rivals ahead of an ongoing general election. Modi, 73, remains resoundingly popular after a decade in office, and he is widely expected to win a third term

With motorbikes banned, Yangon delivery riders struggle in heatwave

Delivery rider Than Toe Aung pedals his bicycle through a punishing heatwave in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon, where scooters and motorbikes are banned. He can't afford a car, and a previous junta outlawed two-wheeled motorised vehicles for "security reasons", so the employee of the delivery app FoodPanda has no choice but

WB team expresses satisfaction over PFM reforms

A high level World Bank (WB) team expressed satisfaction over the significant progress in Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms and emphasized on the further expansion of iBAS++ (Integrated Budget and Accounting System) network and strengthening the SOE governance. Expressing interest in working with the government of Bangladesh to develop PFM Reform

76 death in Kenya due to flood

Seventy-six people in Kenya have lost their lives to floods triggered by torrential monsoon downpours since March, the government said Saturday, warning residents "to brace for even heavier rainfall". Kenya and its East African neighbours have been battered by stronger than usual rain in recent weeks, compounded by the El Nino

Philippines to endure extreme heat until mid-May

Unusually hot weather in the Philippines was expected to last until mid-May, a forecaster said Sunday, after the temperature hit a record high in the capital Manila. Extreme heat has scorched Southeast Asia in recent days, prompting thousands of schools to suspend in-person classes and authorities to issue health warnings. In the