TOP STORIES

Islamabad, Nov 7 (IANS) Bonded labour continues to exist in Pakistan as a system of generational exploitation sustained by abject poverty, debt and feudal power, with the failure to enforce the law forcing poor people into a life of bondage, local media reported.“Bonded labour is modern-day slavery. It exists in Pakistan as a system of generational exploitation sustained by abject poverty, debt, and feudal power,” Pakistan’s Daily Dawn reported.The editorial noted that the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recently praised Pakistan for raising the minimum marriageable age to 18, following its review of Pakistan’s second periodic report. However, questions about the high numbers of child brides and bonded labour eclipse the compliment, it said.“Underage marriage is enslav...

Naypyidaw, Nov 7 (IANS) The restrictions on religious practices for Catholics in China are extending beyond churches and clergy, affecting routine expressions of faith, including access to prayer books, participation in religious pilgrimages, rosary broadcasts and funeral services, a report has stated.It noted that the scope of religious practice is shaped not merely by what takes place within church premises but also by regulations governing religious publications, public gatherings, communication and traditional rites.“A Bible removed from a church shop, a pilgrimage cancelled after a priest receives new instructions, a prayer broadcast that suddenly disappears from the internet: for Catholics in China, restrictions on religious practice are increasingly being felt in the ordinary deta...

Dhaka, Nov 7 (IANS) Bangladesh authorities need not endorse a deceased citizen’s political affiliations, validate his personal history or settle historical controversies to ensure his peaceful burial, but must uphold the law impartially and without prejudice, a report has stated.It noted that allowing political mobs to dictate funeral arrangements amounts to a failure of law enforcement and a surrender of public authority to street-level intimidation.“The real-world consequences of this systemic decay were recently captured in a single, harrowing image: three women standing in darkness, digging a grave by the dim glow of their mobile phones. One handled the spade while the others cleared the displaced earth with their bare hands. They were not attempting to conceal a crime; they were sim...

Kampla, Nov 7 (IANS) The Saudi Arabia-Houthi conflict has evolved beyond a regional confrontation, emerging as a focal point for wider concerns over arms proliferation, geopolitical rivalries and the use of advanced military technologies, a report has stated.It noted that the questions surrounding Chinese-origin components, whether they involve oversight failures, illicit procurement channels or deeper concerns, have brought a new dimension to the Saudi-China relationship.“Despite the striking improvement in Saudi Arabia–China relations, evidence that Chinese-origin missile components are reaching Houthi procurement networks has introduced a deeply troubling question into an otherwise flourishing partnership. Beijing has positioned itself as a major economic partner of Riyadh, a key buyer ...