Islamabad, Aug 6 (IANS) Although the core mission of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) was to enhance access and quality in higher education in the country, it continues to be crippled with administrative and organisational deficiencies due to faulty decisions, systemic lacunas and a lack of direction, local media cited on Wednesday.”Over the years, the HEC has been experiencing mission creep and now finds itself involved in internship programmes, laptop distribution schemes, deliveri…

Dhaka, Aug 6 (IANS) Three more people have died due to dengue in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours till Wednesday morning, raising the death toll from the mosquito-borne disease in 2025 to 92. The fatalities have been recorded in the Chattogram and Rajshahi divisions and the Dhaka North City Corporation, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). During this period, 428 more people were admitted to hospitals due to viral fever, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 22,812 …

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) The Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) was once a dangerous terror outfit operating out of Bangladesh, threatening India’s national interests. However, since the past eight years, it had gone down considerably, and there were no signs of any activity from this proscribed terror group.With Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, many radical groups have run amok, and this has led to the revival of several terror groups, including the JMB.The Indian Intelligence agencies have warned…

Islamabad, Aug 6 (IANS) Pakistan continues to persecute minorities through its controversial blasphemy laws, particularly targetting the Christian community, a report has detailed. The pattern of religious intolerance and violence against minorities, it said, stems from Pakistan’s adoption of an Islamic Constitution in 1973 and provisions of Sharia law in its Civil Code as, under the Pakistani constitution, the right to free speech is limited to uphold “the glory of Islam”.”Pakistan’s notoriou…

Seoul, Aug 6 (IANS) A special counsel team will make its second attempt to execute a warrant to detain jailed former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday to bring him in for questioning over election meddling allegations involving him and his wife, judicial sources said. Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team will make the attempt at the Seoul Detention Centre, where Yoon is currently in custody over his failed attempt to impose martial law in December, the sources said Wednesday.The wa…

Imphal, Aug 6 (IANS) Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, on Wednesday, stressed for an elected government in the state, which has been under the President’s Rule since February 13. Singh, who quit the Chief Ministerial post on February 9, had said that he was forced to quit due to the deteriorating situation in the state.”Everyone is aware about the reason and circumstances behind the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. Now there is a need for a popular government, people of the…

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand), Aug 6 (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday visited the affected area in Uttarakashi and met the victims, despite challenging weather conditions, while instructing officials to leave no stone unturned in the rescue and relief operations, an official statement said. A Chief Minister’s Office statement said that along with the Centre, the state agencies are working on a war footing in the relief and rescue operation in disaster-hit Dharali in …

Raipur, Aug 6 (IANS) A woman in camouflage fatigues was killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and armed insurgents in the Gangalur area of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday. The encounter occurred during a joint anti-LWE operation conducted by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) in the dense forests under the jurisdiction of Gangalur police station. According to senior police officials, the operation was launched following credible intelligenc…

Patna, Aug 6 (IANS) In a major political development ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, former Mokama MLA and strongman Anant Singh was released from Beur Jail in Patna on Wednesday afternoon. Soon after his release from the prison, Anant Singh announced that he would contest the upcoming Assembly polls on a Janata Dal (United) ticket.Anant Singh was lodged in Patna’s Beur jail after a firing incident at Nauranga Jalalpur, which took place under the jurisdiction of Pachmahala police station …

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday claimed that there was pressure from the Union government on President Droupadi Murmu not to give an appointment to the Congress leaders who are demanding Presidential assent for two Bills passed by the state legislature to provide 42 per cent reservation to backward classes.Revanth Reddy, who was leading a dharna by the party at Jantar Mantar to demand Presidential assent for the Bills, told media persons that he thi…