New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) The crisis in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) continues to deepen, adding to the challenges facing the Pakistani establishment. The ongoing protests led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) have drawn attention not only within the region but also internationally.What has become particularly uncomfortable for Islamabad is that protesters are openly criticising the administration while drawing comparisons between conditions in Jammu and Kashmir and those in PoK.Offi…

Beijing, June 18 (IANS) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India to attend the 16th Meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors (NSAs) and High Representatives on National Security set to be held from June 22-23. Confirming the visit, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that Wang Yi will visit India at the invitation of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.”At the invitation of India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Wang Yi, Member of…

Dhaka, June 18 (IANS) Political violence continues to mount across Bangladesh with the Awami League on Thursday expressing grave concern over an alleged brutal attack on a family member of a party activist in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district. According to the Awami League, the younger brother of SM Rafiq — Senior Vice President of the party’s youth wing Jubo League in Kumarkhali Upazila — was assaulted while visiting the municipal office to obtain a civic certificate. He was later rush…

New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is pitched as a transformative initiative to build big infrastructure projects with the aim of driving economic growth in Pakistan, but the ground reality is that it is sinking deeper into Beijing’s debt trap and the targeted economic development is nowhere in sight as the country’s poverty and unemployment levels have been on the rise in recent years, an article said. “The most fundamental concern surrounding CPEC is not …

Quetta, June 18 (IANS) Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), on Thursday slammed Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for blaming Afghanistan for terrorism, stressing that such accusations reflect an admission of the failure of Islamabad’s own policies. The criticism came after Asif had accused Afghanistan of being the principal source of terrorism and linking it to insecurity in Pakistan’s provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Taking to his social media …

Paris, June 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met several top CEOs and business leaders here, highlighting tremendous opportunities in India’s growing innovation and manufacturing ecosystem.After concluding a successful round of meetings at the G7 Summit in France’s Evian, PM Modi arrived in Paris where he received a ‘warm welcome’ by the Indian diaspora.“PM Modi met Arthur Mensch, Co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI. PM highlighted the opportunities in India’s growing AI eco…

New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) About 100 million Chinese consumers are struggling to repay personal debt, highlighting a growing financial strain that could undermine Beijing’s efforts to revive domestic consumption and support economic growth, according to multiple reports.Reports — citing Gavekal Dragonomics — claimed that non-performing household debt in China rose 21 per cent year-on-year to a record 2.22 trillion yuan (about $329 billion) in 2025.The estimates suggest that around 10 per cent o…

Dhaka, June 18 (IANS) As violence against women and children continues to mount across Bangladesh, at least 5,448 cases were registered under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act between March and May, local media reported, citing police headquarters data. According to a report in Bangladesh’s leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo, of the 413 cases filed in Dhaka metropolitan areas, police submitted charge sheets in only 65 cases within three months, while 10 cases were closed with final…

Geneva, June 18 (IANS) The United States and Iran still plan to meet on Friday in the Buergenstock mountain resort in Switzerland for initial negotiations on the implementation of their agreement, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.Switzerland welcomes the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, said the statement, calling the signing an important step toward de-escalation in the region.The statement said no further information can be provided at t…

Islamabad, June 18 (IANS) The disappearance of a 14-year-old Christian girl has once again exposed the brutal machinery of forced conversion and coerced marriage in Pakistan. Forced conversions and coerced marriage of minority women and girls have emerged as one of the most disturbing cases of gender-based violence and religious discrimination in Pakistan, a report has detailed. Nisha Bibi, who worked as a domestic helper, was taken by a married Muslim man who exploited her medical condition and…