Vientiane, April 6 (IANS) More than 6,000 people in Laos die annually from tobacco-related diseases, resulting in economic losses exceeding 3.6 billion Lao kip (some $1.6 million), health officials said.The figure was delivered at a meeting of the National Committee for Tobacco Control, chaired by Lao Minister of Health Baykham Khattiya. The session reviewed progress in implementing tobacco control measures, Lao News Agency reported on Monday.Officials also highlighted ongoing challenges, such a…
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New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) The Middle East crisis poses a greater risk to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, among the South Asian countries, due to their high dependence on imported energy and limited reserve supplies, according to an S&P Global Ratings report.Since these countries are particularly vulnerable to rising oil prices and potential supply disruptions, a prolonged price and supply shock in global energy markets could hit their sovereign credit ratings, the report states.S&P …
Islamabad, March 24 (IANS) Pakistan has been ranked as the world’s smoggiest nation in 2025, with concentrations of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 up to 13 times higher than the recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) level, a research revealed on Tuesday, local media reported. In its annual report, Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir said that 13 nations and territories kept average PM2.5 levels at the WHO standard of less than 5 microgrammes per cubic metre last year, witness…
Bhopal, March 21 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Cyber Police have arrested two persons for their alleged involvement in a human trafficking racket that lured youths with promises of jobs abroad, officials said on Saturday.The preliminary investigation revealed that the fraudsters used to contact youths through social media and invite them for an interview for jobs.According to police, one of the accused has been arrested from Bihar, while another from Uttar Pradesh. They were working as agents and were a…
Manila, March 13 (IANS) The Foreign ministers of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday emphasised the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Middle East, calling upon all parties concerned to exercise utmost self-restraint, avoid any acts that may further aggravate the situation, and resolve differences through diplomacy and dialogue in the interest of maintaining peace and stability in the wider region. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ unified call came follow…
Gandhinagar, March 5 (IANS) The Cyber Centre of Excellence of the Gujarat Police has arrested two men accused of recruiting individuals and sending them abroad to work in cyber fraud operations linked to international cyber slavery networks, officials said on Thursday.The accused have been identified as Kaushik Pethani from Amreli and Dhruv Dobariya from Surat. The arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs received by the police.According to investigators, the two allegedly target…
New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Bangladesh has been ranked as the 13th lowest in the world with a score of 24 out of 100 in the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 released by Transparency International (TI).This rank is one step lower, counted from the bottom, compared to 2024 and two points lower than Bangladesh’s overall average during 2012-2025. The country also remains the second lowest in South Asia, better than only Afghanistan. Besides, Bangladesh is globally in the lowest quintile…
New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) With the new trade deal with the US in place, India is now among the nations with one of the lowest tariff rates being imposed by the Donald Trump administration compared with other Asian economies such as China, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.The US tariff on Indian goods comes close to those being levied on America’s closest allies, which include the United Kingdom (10 per cent), the European Union (15 per cent), Switzerland (15 per cent), Japan (15 per …
Washington, Jan 25 (IANS) China-linked scam networks are stealing billions of dollars from hard-working Americans and posing a growing threat to families across the United States, influential senators said, as lawmakers pushed bipartisan legislation to crack down on fraud tied to cryptocurrency, human trafficking, and overseas scam compounds.Calling the issue a national security concern, Senate Aging Committee Chairman Rick Scott told a Senate hearing this week that scams targeting seniors are d…
New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) China has emerged as the dominant supplier of precursor chemicals and technical inputs that sustain the manufacture of synthetic narcotic drugs produced in Southeast Asia, particularly the Golden Triangle region, according to a media report.China’s chemical industry produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s active pharmaceutical ingredients and industrial precursors, many of which have legitimate commercial uses but can be repurposed for synthetic drug production…