ASIA

AT LEAST 36 DEAD AND NEARLY 300 MISSING AS MASSIVE BLAZE TEARS THROUGH HONG KONG ESTATE

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A catastrophic fire tearing through the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district has left at least 36 people dead and 279 still unaccounted for, according to local authorities. What began as a Wednesday afternoon emergency escalated into one of the city's most devastating fires in nearly two decades, prompting a full-scale response and an overnight battle by exhausted emergency teams.

BANGLADESH'S OUSTED LEADER SHEIKH HASINA SENTENCED TO DEATH AS COURT BLAMES HER FOR DEADLY 2024 CRACKDOWN

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Bangladesh's ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was sentenced to death in absentia on Monday after a months-long trial concluded she had ordered lethal force against student-led protests that toppled her government in 2024. The verdict, delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka, immediately triggered cheers inside the packed courtroom where relatives of victims had gathered, many of whom have long demanded the harshest possible punishment.

THAI WOMAN FOUND ALIVE AFTER BEING BROUGHT FOR CREMATION

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Just as she was about to be cremated, a woman in Thailand shocked staff at Wat Rat Prakhong Tham temple by moving inside her coffin. The Buddhist temple, located in Nonthaburi on the outskirts of Bangkok, later shared a Facebook video showing the woman in a white coffin in a pick-up truck, slightly moving her arms and head and leaving staff bewildered.

TOKYO'S MUSCLE GIRLS BAR REDEFINES BEAUTY AND FEMININITY

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In the bustling nightlife of Tokyo, one unconventional bar is challenging Japan's rigid beauty standards. At Muscle Girls, women with sculpted physiques in sports bras and shorts perform for cheering crowds, proudly displaying their strength and confidence. The bar, which opened in 2020, attracts around 100 customers daily, many of them curious tourists eager to witness a show that blends athleticism with entertainment. The women crush grapefruits with their bare hands, do pull-ups, and perform pole dances, all while radiating empowerment.

INDIA WOMEN WIN T20 WORLD CUP FOR THE BLIND

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India is celebrating a historic achievement as the country's women cricketers won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup for the blind on Sunday. They defeated Nepal by seven wickets in the final, held in Sri Lankan capital Colombo. This victory, coming just weeks after India secured its first Women's One-Day International World Cup, is anticipated to significantly boost sportspersons with disabilities across the nation. The tournament featured six teams—India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and the US—competing in a single round-robin format.

THAILAND SUSPENDS ‘PEACE DEAL’ WITH CAMBODIA

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Renewed tensions have flared between Thailand and Cambodia, prompting Thailand to suspend the "peace deal" signed only two weeks prior under the supervision of Donald Trump. The Thai government initiated the suspension after soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion near the Cambodian border. The agreement was meant to ensure lasting peace following border clashes in July that claimed over 40 lives, but Cambodia maintains its commitment to upholding the deal.

RELENTLESS FLOODS DEVASTATE CENTRAL VIETNAM WITH SEVERE LOSSES

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Central Vietnam has been struck by devastating floods and relentless rainfall that have claimed at least 41 lives, with nine people still missing as rescue operations continue. More than 52,000 homes have been submerged, and half a million households and businesses have been left without power, according to state media. Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated as authorities race to mitigate the escalating crisis. In some regions, rainfall exceeded 1.5 meters over three days, surpassing peak levels recorded during the historic 1993 floods.

3 ASTRONAUTS DELAY RETURN TO EARTH OVER FEARS OF DAMAGED SPACESHIP

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A set of Chinese astronauts will have to wait a bit longer for their return from space. According to CNN, the mission to return Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie to Earth from China's Tiangong space station has been delayed indefinitely owing to potential debris damage to their Shenzhou-20 spaceship.