Beijing/Manila, April 4 (IANS) The provisional understanding between the Philippines and China over the contested Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea underscores how Manila has countered Chinese coercion through quiet resolve backed by political leadership, alliance support, calculated military moves, and public willingness to bear the cost of managed escalation. “Chinese coercion was defeated by persistence that denied it success. The Philippines did not secure Second Thomas Shoal beca…
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Islamabad/Kabul, March 29 (IANS) Pakistan, despite claiming self-defence in its conflict with Afghanistan, cannot evade strict requirements of international law governing the use of force, particularly in the territory of another nation. The norms necessitate proportional response and clear distinction between military and civilian targets, a report has highlighted.According to a report in international magazine ‘The Diplomat’, there is no principle in international law that allows a state to …
Kabul/Islamabad, March 28 (IANS) China’s efforts to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul appear to have reached a dead end, raising significant doubts about its influence in both countries – especially in Pakistan, a report has revealed. According to a report in international magazine ‘The Diplomat’, despite the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s assertion that both Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed their “willingness to resolve the issues”, the initial response to Beijing’s mediation seemed u…
Dhaka, March 27 (IANS) Although geographically distant, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has a direct impact on Bangladesh’s villages where millions of families depend on relatives working in the Gulf region. This has turned the regional unrest into a household anxiety, a report stated. According to the Bangladesh government, since the beginning of the conflict, at least five Bangladeshi migrant workers have been killed and several others injured in missile and drone attacks across seve…
Beijing, March 7 (IANS) The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) faces mounting instability in 2026, with probes into services and units linked to the February 26 cases potentially disrupting leadership readiness and war-preparation efforts, a report has highlighted. It added that the February 26 purge resulted in the dismissal of five former senior officers who once led the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, and Information Support Force.Additionally, two operational unit Chinese commanders linked …
Islamabad, March 6 (IANS) With Balochistan emerging as a new hotspot for poppy cultivation in Pakistan, locals fear that the illicit trade is evolving rather than disappearing despite sporadic crop destruction. According to a recent report in leading international magazine ‘The Diplomat’, following the Taliban’s nationwide ban on poppy cultivation in Afghanistan in April 2022, much of the activity appears to have shifted to Pakistan, particularly Balochistan. Despite growing concerns among…
Colombo, Feb 23 (IANS) Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka have steadily increased over the past three years, reinforcing India’s position as the largest source of foreign visitors. While Indian tourists accounted for 17 per cent of total arrivals in 2022, their share rose to 22.5 per cent in 2025, underscoring India’s clear dominance compared to other nations, a report said on Monday.According to a report in the leading international news magazine ‘The Diplomat’, the United Kingdom ranked as…
Islamabad, Feb 21 (IANS) Pakistan’s creation of a security unit aimed to protect Chinese civilians is the clearest sign of yielding to Beijing’s demands, effectively placing Chinese workers on a pedestal above the rest of the local population, a report has highlighted. In an effort to retain investment amid its challenges with militancy, Pakistan continues to make significant concessions to China, it mentioned.“In early January 2026, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced the cr…
Beijing, Feb 13 (IANS) China’s pension crisis stems from demographic, economic, and institutional changes, rather than a single policy failure. The decision made in the coming years will shape the country’s “fiscal sustainability, social stability, and public trust”, a report said on Friday. “By 2040, roughly 402 million people in China are expected to be over the age of 60, more than a quarter of the population. By comparison, the total population of the United States is expected to rea…
Dhaka, Feb 10 (IANS) Bangladesh’s radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami has exposed its contradictory stance on the question of Sharia, a report highlighted on Tuesday. It mentioned that, for a long time, a significant segment of the party’s supporters voted for Jamaat mainly in the hope of creating an Islamic system of governance in Bangladesh. According to a report in The Diplomat, in recent times, the party’s top leaders have avoided addressing the issue of Sharia implementation in the…