New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) With the Great Nicobar Project, India can convert locational advantage into economic leverage, strategic depth and maritime influence, according to a new report.The island is remote, the project is expensive, and the execution risks are real. But the underlying logic — that geography left dormant is geography surrendered — is sound, writes Hans Kaufmann, a distinguished economist specialising in global fiscal policy, in India Narrative.Also, Great Nicobar does not “…

Abuja, May 2 (IANS) China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), long projected as the backbone of the country’s rise, stands exposed as a hollow force, with soldiers enduring hardship while officers enjoy privileges, a report detailed this week. According to Uganda-based media outlet ‘PML Daily’, behind the “polished parades and the carefully choreographed propaganda” lies a troubling reality, as the PLA and its affiliated armed police forces are plagued by rampant corruption that weakened…

Dhaka, May 2 (IANS) Bangladesh’s rural workforce continues to witness a significant wage disparity, with women earning less than their male counterparts despite undertaking identical tasks, according to a report. Field observations and interaction with workers in the Thakurgaon district indicated that women are often paid lower wages than men despite working similar hours and putting in equal effort, according to a report in the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.During the conversati…

Quetta, May 2 (IANS) At least nine civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, said a leading human rights organisation on Saturday. Paank, the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of two civilians, including 24-year-old farmer Qadeer Majeed and a student, Irshad Baloch, from the Khuzdar district.Citing reports, the rights body stated that both individuals were abducted on April 30 from the Badrang Greshag a…

Dhaka, May 2 (IANS) Four more children have died with symptoms of measles in Bangladesh, raising the death toll to 280 since March 15, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has announced, as the country continues to grapple with the disease. Citing the data from DGHS, the local media reported that 170 new suspected measles cases were identified in a span of 24 hours until Friday, taking the total of suspected cases to 38,301 people.The DGHS recorded 115 new confirmed measles cases du…

New Delhi, May 2 (IASN) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully secured the extradition of wanted fugitive Kamlesh Parekh from the United Arab Emirates, in connection with a major banking fraud case involving losses of hundreds of crores.In an official statement, the agency said, “The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has successfully secured the extradition of Red Notice…

Washington, May 2 (IANS) The US administration has bypassed congressional review to offer arms sales worth over 8.6 billion US dollars to Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Among the items were advanced precision kill weapon systems, air and missile defence replenishment services and an integrated battle command system, according to the state department, reports Xinhua news agency.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump told lawmakers that the war against Iran has “terminated,” as …

Geneva, May 2 (IANS) The United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) expressed grave concerns over Pakistan’s mass deportation of Afghan refugees, including children, following the adoption of the 2023 Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan, citing the absence of individual assessment of protection needs and risks of refoulement. In its recent findings on Pakistan’s implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Committee rai…

Washington, May 2 (IANS) The Pentagon has estimated that Iran has suffered losses of around $4.8 billion in oil revenue due to a blockade imposed by the United States Navy on its ports, according to a report by Axios, which cited unnamed officials. The report noted that two tankers have been seized during the course of the blockade. In addition, officials said that as many as 31 tankers carrying approximately 53 million barrels of oil are currently “stuck in the Gulf,” highlighting the scale of …

Moscow, May 2 (IANS) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, exchanging views on freedom of navigation and issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The two sides continued a thorough exchange of views on the prospects for a full cessation of hostilities, stabilising the military and political situation in the Middle East, the ministry said in a news release on Friday (loca…