DUBAI: In a historic first, Brigadier General Shariful M Khan, a Bangladeshi-born Muslim officer, has been appointed Director of Staff for the Golden Dome initiative at the Pentagon — a top-secret, high-tech missile defence program often called America’s version of the Iron Dome.

In this critical role, Brig Gen Khan will oversee strategy, policies, and partnerships with industry, universities, national labs, and government agencies to develop and deploy next-generation missile defence systems.

Brig Gen Khan’s appointment is a historic milestone for diversity in US defence, showing that a Bangladeshi-born Muslim officer is now leading one of America’s most crucial missile defence projects — safeguarding the homeland and its allies.

A 1997 graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Brig Gen Khan has vast experience in space systems, satellite operations, and national reconnaissance missions. He has commanded elite units, including the 379th Space Range Squadron and the 310th Space Wing at Colorado’s Schriever Space Force Base, leading nearly 1,500 personnel.

Khan has twice deployed to the Middle East, including Operation Silent Sentry in 2007, and has served in senior positions at the Pentagon, US Space Force, and Office of the Secretary of Defence.

His service has earned him top US military awards, including the Legion of Merit, Defence Meritorious Service Medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

The US Air Force website highlights: “For 75 years, American Airmen have excelled as they execute the Air Force mission to fly, fight, and win — delivering airpower anytime, anywhere in defen[c]e of our nation. Airmen are called to Innovate, Accelerate, and Thrive.”

• Magnate becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years.
• Tycoon ousts long-dominant Shinawatra dynasty.
• Coalition backs Anutin on condition of early elections.

BANGKOK: Thai tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul took office as prime minister on Sunday, with the cannabis-championing conservative ousting the nation’s dominant political dynasty and setting course for elections early next year.

Since 2023 elections, Thailand’s top office has been monopolised by the Pheu Thai party of the Shinatawatra dynasty — a populist force which has long sparred with the pro-monarchy, pro-military establishment.

But dynasty heiress Paetongtarn Shinawatra was last month sacked by court order, and Anutin rushed to piece together his own coalition government — winning a Friday parliament vote to shut Pheu Thai out of office.

Anutin previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister — but is perhaps most famous for being the architect of Thailand’s 2022 cannabis decriminalisation.

The construction magnate becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years, and will also serve as interior minister. But he has taken power with coalition backing conditional on dissolving parliament within four months to hold fresh elections.

“Though we do not have much time, I hope to receive cooperation from everyone,” Anutin told reporters after taking office.

“My government will work tirelessly,” he added. “We will dedicate ourselves to work because we only have four months.”

His term officially began after the royal endorsement of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, read aloud in a formal ceremony at Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

“His Majesty the King has endorsed Mr Anutin Charnvirakul to be prime minister from now onwards,” said secretary-general of the lower house of parliament Arpath Sukhanunth, reading out the royal command.

Dynasty in decline

Anutin is also known for managing tourism-dependent Thailand’s Covid-19 response and causing a backlash after accusing Westerners of spreading the virus.

He was once an ally of the Shinawatras — who have been a dominant force in Thai politics since the turn of the century, but are increasingly faltering after a succession of legal and political setbacks.

Anutin abandoned his coalition with their Pheu Thai Party this summer in apparent outrage over Paetongtarn’s conduct during a border row with neighbouring Cambodia.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court found on August 29 that conduct had breached ministerial ethics and fired her after only a year in power.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the dynasty patriarch, flew out of the kingdom in the hours ahead of the Friday parliament vote confirming Anutin — bound for Dubai, where he said he would visit friends and seek medical treatment.

The Supreme Court is due to rule on Tuesday in a case over Thaksin’s hospital stay following his return from exile in August 2023, a decision that could affect the validity of the former prime minister’s early release from prison last year.

While his guilt is not the subject of the case, some analysts say the verdict could see him jailed.

Thaksin on social media promised to return from Dubai to attend the court date “in person”.

“Me and my colleagues have faced legal bullying but the past is now behind us,” Anutin said on Sunday.

“My government will adhere to the law and will not interfere in the justice system, letting the law take its course.”

• Rising living costs stoke voter backlash.
• Financial markets shaken by political uncertainty.
• Fiscal dove Takaichi among possible successors.

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Sunday he had decided to resign, ushering in a potentially lengthy period of policy paralysis at a shaky moment for the world’s fourth-largest economy.

Ishiba, 68, instructed his Liberal Democratic Party — which has governed Japan for almost all of the post-war era —to hold an emergency leadership race, he told a press conference, adding he would continue his duties until his successor was elected.

Since coming to power less than a year ago, Ishiba has overseen his ruling coalition lose its majorities in elections for both houses of parliament amid voter anger over rising living costs.

Until Sunday, he had refused calls to step down following the latest of those losses in July’s upper house vote.

He had focused instead on ironing out details of a trade deal with the United States on President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which have roiled Japan’s critical automotive industry and cast a shadow over weak growth.

“With Japan having signed the trade agreement and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle,” Ishiba said, his voice seeming to catch with emotion. “I would like to pass the baton to the next generation”.

Concern over political uncertainty led to a sell-off in Japan’s yen currency and its government bonds last week, with the yield on the 30-year bond hitting a record high on Wednesday.

Speculation over Ishiba’s fate was stoked by the LDP’s decision to schedule a vote for Monday on whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election.

Possible successors

While a fresh leadership race could add pain for an economy hit by US tariffs, markets are focusing more on the chance of Ishiba being replaced by an advocate of looser fiscal and monetary policy, such as LDP veteran Sanae Takaichi, who has criticised the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hikes.

Ishiba narrowly defeated Takaichi in last year’s LDP leadership run-off. Shinjiro Koizumi, the telegenic political scion who has gained prominence as Ishiba’s farm minister tasked with trying to cap soaring prices, is another possible successor.

“Given the political pressure mounting on Ishiba after the LDP’s repeated election losses, his resignation was inevitable,” said Kazutaka Maeda, economist at Meiji Yasuda Research Institute.

“As for potential successors, Koizumi and Takaichi are seen as the most likely candidates. While Koizumi is not expected to bring major changes, Takaichi’s stance on expansionary fiscal policy and her cautious approach to interest rate hikes could draw scrutiny from financial markets,” Maeda said.

Since the party does not have a majority in either house, it is not guaranteed that the next LDP president will become prime minister.

Whoever becomes the next leader may choose to call a snap election to seek a mandate, analysts said. While Japan’s opposition remains fractured, the far-right, anti-immigration Sanseito party made big gains in July’s upper house election, bringing once-fringe ideas into the political mainstream.

Nearly 55% of respondents to a poll by Kyodo news agency published on Sunday said there was no need to hold an early election.

Ishiba’s last act as premier will have been to finalise the trade deal with the US last week, under which Japan pledged $550 billion of investments in return for lower tariffs from US President Trump.