WORLD

Quetta, March 28 (IANS) As violence against civilians escalates across Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation brought to light the extrajudicial killing of one civilian and the enforced disappearance of two others by Pakistani forces.Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, mentioned that the bullet-riddled body of Yawar Habib was discovered in the Turbat region of the Kech district on Friday, nearly nine months after he was forcibly disappeared.The rights body stated that “the condition of his body and the circumstances of its recovery strongly suggest that he was held in unlawful custody prior to being extrajudicially executed". According to Paank, the Baloch youth was forcibly disappeared in broad daylight from outside the High Court in Turbat on June 16,...

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Pakistan has indicated that it is willing to mediate between the United States and Iran to ease the ongoing West Asia conflict, with Islamabad proposing a back-channel approach to convey messages between the two sides.However, officials in India say that the effort may face serious challenges. They note that Pakistan is attempting to project itself as a peacemaker even as it remains engaged in tensions along its western front.A key difficulty lies in balancing its ties with both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran regards both the US and Saudi Arabia as adversaries, while Pakistan maintains close strategic and military links with Riyadh. A bilateral security understanding between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia treats aggression against one as a concern for both.Officials poin...

Islamabad, March 28 (IANS) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the continued shrinking of civic space and restrictions on rights-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across Punjab province, describing it as a symptom of the democratic backsliding that the country is currently experiencing.In its report titled 'Regulation or Restriction?', the HRCP documented that civil society organisations -- particularly NGOs, which constitute a vital component of Pakistan's civic landscape -- are usually seen as "entities that can pose a challenge to the state and keep checks on such authoritarian drift". It added that instead of enabling their role, Pakistani authorities have introduced "restrictive laws and policies that have undermined NGOs' legitimacy and sig...

Quetta, March 28 (IANS) The Balochistan Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks targeting telecommunications infrastructure and a Frontier Corps (FC) post across Balochistan, reportedly causing casualties among security personnel and significant material damage, according to local media reports on Saturday.In a statement to the media, BLF spokesperson Major Gwahram Baloch said the group’s fighters carried out an operation on March 26 in the Bhawani area of Hub Chowki, where they set fire to and destroyed machinery at a mobile tower site, alleging it was being used for surveillance.According to the spokesperson, in a separate incident on March 22, BLF fighters launched rocket fire at an FC post in the Charfanok area of Shehrak in the Kech district, ca...

Paris, March 28 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar visited the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Paris and expressed hope that the renovated facility will serve as a hub for the deepening interest in Indian art and culture. In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar said, "Visited the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Paris. Witnessed impressive expressions of the cultural and spiritual heritage of India." "Confident that the renovated facility will serve as a hub in Paris for deepening interest in Indian art and culture," he said.The centre showcases vibrant Indian art exhibits, including tree-of-life murals with elephants and peacocks, and intricate miniature paintings symbolising spiritual heritage.The centre, managed by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, serves as ...

Washington, March 28 (IANS) A group of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company’s AI tools and search engine exposed their personal identities and contact information online, leading to harassment, threats, and renewed emotional trauma, according to CNBC.The case, filed in a US federal court by a survivor identified as Jane Doe on behalf of others in similar situations, centers on claims that highly sensitive details — including names, email addresses, and phone numbers — appeared through Google platforms despite repeated requests for their removal.According to the complaint, these disclosures occurred even after victims had sought to keep their information private.The lawsuit traces the issue back to a large release of documents by the US ...

Seoul, March 28 (IANS) The foreign ministers of South Korea and Ukraine have agreed to make efforts to resolve the issue of two North Korean soldiers captured during the Russia-Ukraine war in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Saturday.Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, discussed the issue of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) and other matters during their talks in France on Friday (local time) on the sidelines of a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers, the ministry said.Two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in January last year while fighting alongside Russia, reports Yonhap news agency. The Korean government has voiced a willingness to receive them throug...

Washington, March 28 (IANS) The International Monetary Fund has reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan that could unlock about $1.2 billion in fresh funding, as the country pushes ahead with fiscal tightening, structural reforms, and measures to stabilise inflation and growth.The agreement follows discussions between an IMF team and Pakistani authorities on the third review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).“The IMF team has reached a staff-level agreement with the Pakistani authorities,” the Fund said in a statement, adding that the deal remains subject to approval by its Executive Board.Once approved, Pakistan will gain access to about $1.0 billion under the EFF and around $210 million under the RSF,...

Seoul, March 28 (IANS) The number of foreign students studying in South Korea has surpassed 310,000 for the first time, government data showed on Saturday.According to the Korea Immigration Service, which is run by the justice ministry, the number of foreign students stood at 314,397 as of February, marking the first time the figure has exceeded the 310,000 level.By category, 238,905 students were enrolled in universities and other higher education institutions, while 75,033 were Korean language trainees and 459 were other language trainees, reports Yonhap news agency.The number of foreign students has roughly doubled over the past five years, from 153,361 at the end of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to over 300,000 for the first time in August last year.As of February, the total number...

Tel Aviv, March 28 (IANS) A man around 60 years old was killed in the central Israeli city of Tel Aviv by a missile launched from Iran, Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) and the Israel Police said.According to the police, the incident involved a dispersing cluster munition missile that struck several locations in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area on Friday night (local time).It added that the fatality, a construction worker, was hit by shrapnel from a cluster munition released by the missile and exploded near him.MDA also reported two people who were lightly to moderately injured from the hits, reports Xinhua news agency.The launch from Iran activated air defence sirens in large areas of central Israel near midnight, sending residents rushing to shelters.Earlier in th...