SOUTH ASIA

Aden (Yemen), July 13 (IANS) Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said Monday that Saudi Arabia launched several airstrikes on the runways of Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital.Yemen's armed forces urged the immediate evacuation of the airport.The strikes came as an Iranian passenger plane carrying a Houthi delegation was heading toward the Yemeni Houthi-controlled airport from Tehran.There was no immediate confirmation from the Saudi side, and the extent of the damage remains unclear, Xinhua news agency reported.Earlier in the day, Yemeni Defence Minister Taher Al-Aqili warned in a televised statement that the armed forces would engage any hostile aircraft violating Yemeni airspace.The Iranian passenger plane is the same one that landed at Sanaa International Airport ...

Islamabad, July 13 (IANS) Pakistan has intensified its campaign against Afghan migrants by arresting and deporting them following the expiration of government's deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, local media reported.An enforcement drive has begun after the expiration of the July 10 deadline for Afghans without valid visas to leave voluntarily."Afghan migrants in Pakistan said authorities are now detaining not only undocumented migrants but also Afghans whose visas or Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) have expired. Pakistani authorities say the campaign is underway in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," Amu TV reported.According to the Pakistani government, people holding Afghan Citizen Cards and other temporary ...

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Pakistan’s top crypto regulator said digital assets should be assessed individually under Islamic law after meeting a prominent scholar whose recent fatwa broadly rejected purchases made with cryptocurrency, a new report has said.Bilal bin Saqib, Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, said he held a “constructive discussion” with Mufti Taqi Usmani about the Sharia status of digital assets and that both agreed on the need to protect Pakistanis from “fraud, exploitation, and financial harm,” the report from The Block said.Saqib argued that blockchains, stablecoins, tokenized real‑world assets and other digital instruments represent different technologies and use cases and “merit careful technical assessment alongside rigorous Shariah examinati...

Naypyidaw, July 13 (IANS) India’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, on Monday handed over solar systems for 50 households of earthquake-affected ethnic people in Taunggyi."50 household solar systems for earthquake-affected ethnic people of Inlay, a Quick Impact Project (QIP) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Initiative, were handed over in Taunggyi today by Ambassador Abhay Thakur in the presence of Ethnic Affairs Minister U Than Maung and CM Shan State U Sai Htein Soe," the Embassy of India in Myanmar wrote on X.In addition to the Union Ethnic Affairs Minister and Deputy Minister, several Ethnic Ministers of Shan State responsible for Inthar, Lisu and Kayan affairs joined the Mission team at the MGC QIP handover and site visit to beneficiary houses in earthquake-affected floatin...

Tel Aviv, July 13 (IANS) The emergence of Pakistan as a mediator between Libya's rival eastern and western power centres adds a "cynical" dimension to the country's already fractured political landscape. With the explicit knowledge of Washington and several regional stakeholders, Islamabad has positioned itself in 2026 as a self-styled peace broker seeking to bridge the divide between the Libyan National Army in the east and the Government of National Unity in the west, a report has stated.Yet this diplomatic initiative stems neither from a genuine commitment to North African stability nor from any longstanding strategic interest in the region. Rather, it reflects a transactional arrangement crafted by an economically distressed Pakistan seeking to leverage its defence infrastructure in ...

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Seychelles was not only aimed at strengthening ties but to also reiterate India's commitment to serving as a net service provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a report has claimed."Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, lies near vital sea lanes of communication connecting East Africa, West Asia and the wider Indian Ocean region. The security of these sea lanes is therefore crucial to India, making maritime cooperation with Seychelles indispensable," a report in India Narrative highlighted.During his visit to Seychelles last month, PM Modi held a meeting with Seychelles President Patrick Herminie, discussing new opportunities in industries, connectivity, technology, and digital ...

Tokyo, July 13 (IANS) India and Japan held the 8th Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo on Monday, reaffirming their commitment to further strengthen the Special Strategic and Global Partnership and to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.Both sides discussed ways to deepen cooperation in emerging domains, including defence industrial collaboration, technological innovation, cyber security, space, and other areas of shared strategic interest. The two sides also expressed satisfaction with the growing convergence between India and Japan on regional and global security issues and agreed to continue working closely in the Indo-Pacific, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Defence.The two countries reiterated their commitment to promoting a free, open and rules-b...

Boston, July 13 (IANS) Indian Naval Sail Training Ship (STS) INS Sudarshini arrived in Boston to join dozens of tall ships from over 20 nations for the 'Parade of Sails' at Sail Boston 2026, the Indian Navy stated on Monday."Lokayan26, Tricolour at Boston! Post spectacular Sail4th250 celebrations in New York, INS Sudarshini reached Boston on 12 Jul 26 to join 60-plus tall ships from 20-plus nations for the Grand Parade of Sails at Sail Boston 2026," the spokesperson of the Indian Navy wrote on X."Shri Raghuram Sastry, Consul General of India in Boston, embarked the ship for the Grand Parade of Sails and ceremonial entry into Boston. From Norfolk to Boston - Lokayan2026 continues to carry India's maritime heritage and goodwill across the oceans," it added.INS Sudarshini represented Indi...

Islamabad, July 13 (IANS) The anti-government protest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) entered its 34th consecutive day, with protestors raising slogans against the Pakistani authorities.What began as demands for basic rights has transformed into a powerful challenge against Islamabad's long-standing control, with local leaders delivering scathing accusations that strike at the heart of Pakistani authorities' narrative on the occupied territory.Addressing a gathering in Rawalakot on Sunday, protest leader Javed Iqbal said, "For 78 years, they sold us the 'Srinagar liberation' churan (propaganda). That fake churan is now expired; Kashmiris are no longer buying it. When we ask for flour, we get bullets; when we ask for electricity, we get bullets; when we ask for water, we get bullets."S...