WORLD

Islamabad, March 26 (IANS) As many as 14,343 of the 19,808 schools damaged during the disastrous 2022 floods in Pakistan's Sindh province are still awaiting restoration, local media has revealed citing official data. Around 2,268 schools were completely destroyed while 3,197 suffered partial damage during the devastating floods. So far, the government, working through provincial, federal and donor-funded programs, have started the reconstruction and rehabilitation work of 5,465 schools, implying that 14,343 schools are still waiting for restoration, according to a report in Pakistan's leading daily Pakistan Observer. The report highlighted that Pakistan is already facing serious educational crisis as millions of children remain out of school due to social, economic and infrastructural chal...

Warsaw, March 26 (IANS) India and Poland on Thursday held discussions on deepening political exchanges and economic ties, including in areas like electric vehicles, mining and shipping and enhancing educational, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.The talks were held between Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Pooja Kapur and Polish Secretary of State WT Bartoszewski in Warsaw."Ms. Pooja Kapur, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs called on Polish Secretary of State H.E. Mr. W.T. Bartoszewski in Warsaw. The discussions reiterated the longstanding friendly relations between India and Poland, nourished by high-level political engagement. Further deepening of political exchanges, economic ties including in areas such as EVs, mining and shipping by le...

Dhaka, March 26 (IANS) As Bangladesh marks Independence Day on Thursday, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina alleged that anti-independence forces — supported by "domestic and foreign conspiracies" — are attempting to erode the ideals of the country's 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan."Today, the country is passing through a difficult and challenging time. After overcoming many obstacles and moving the nation toward prosperity, certain anti-independence forces — backed by domestic and foreign conspiracies — are once again attempting to undermine all our achievements,” read a statement issued by Hasina, which was posted by the Awami League on its social media platform X.Asserting that Bangladesh has never "bowed to injustice", the former PM said, "Just as in 1971, under the leadership ...

Taipei, March 26 (IANS) Reports of Taiwanese missing, being arrested or questioned or having their personal liberties restricted in China have reached 313 since January 2024, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) revealed in a data, local media reported on Thursday.Of the 313 cases reported since January 1, 2024, through the end of February, 114 people went missing, 25 were arrested or questioned and 174 had their personal liberties restricted, according to the MAC, Taiwan's leading daily Taipei Times reported.Sources said the real number is estimated to be up to three times more, as many cases are not reported to the authorities.Last month, 17 Taiwanese were reported missing or were arrested in China, with half of them still unaccounted for, an informed official said, while speaking on conditi...

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) A day before Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which swept the March 5 national election, officially names its Prime Minister on Thursday, the interim government was reportedly forced to release a probe agency report that investigated the September 8-9 firing on youngsters in Kathmandu, that led to several deaths.The commission, led by former Justice Gauri Bahadur Karki, submitted its report on March 8 to Prime Minister Sushila Karki.Earlier reports suggested that the current government intended to hand over the document to the new Cabinet for it to decide the course of future action.It was verified by IANS on ground in Kathmandu earlier this month, where officials claiming to be in the know had confirmed that despite intense pressure, the interim governmen...

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Bangladesh stands on the threshold of a historic milestone as fuel loading is scheduled to start at the first unit of the country’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on April 7, bringing the reactor alive for the generation of electricity, according to an article in the Dhaka-based The Daily Star newspaper.Fuel loading is one of the most delicate and sensitive phases in the life of a nuclear reactor. Consequently, issues of safety, radiation control, and technological reliability become paramount as even a minor lapse can have consequences of extraordinary magnitude, Physics Professor at Dhaka University, Dr Kamrul Hassan Mamun, states in the article.He cites the examples of the Chernobyl disaster and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster to illustrate how rare but ca...

Suva, March 26 (IANS) India's High Commissioner to Fiji Suneet Mehta held a meeting with Fiji's Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry Tomasi Tunabuna on Thursday, with discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture and capacity building."High Commissioner Suneet Mehta was pleased to call on Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, Hon. Tomasi Tunabuna," Indian High Commission in Suva posted on X. "Productive discussions were held focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, capacity building, further deepening the strong and growing partnership between our two nations and people," it added. On March 10, India and Fiji held discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in myriad areas, including digital and m...

Islamabad, March 26 (IANS) The recently released government report titled 'Public Financing in Education 2025–26' has revealed that Pakistan's education system is struggling with severe underfunding, weak learning outcomes, and millions of children left behind, a report has stated.According to the statistics presented in the report, more than 25.37 million children remain out of school, and 77 per cent of the school-going 10-year-olds are virtually illiterate. These numbers showcase a national emergency that poses a threat to Pakistan's social progress and economic development."One of the most troubling aspects revealed in the report is the declining share of education spending in the national economy. Education expenditure has consistently remained below international benchmarks, avera...

Geneva, March 26 (IANS) The Baloch National Movement (BNM) accused the Pakistani authorities of serious human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture across Balochistan, during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.Addressing the session, Naseem Baloch, chairman of the BNM, stated that the European Union granted Pakistan special trade status under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) with the expectation that Islamabad would comply with international conventions on human rights, labour rights, and democratic governance. However, he added that the situation on the ground in Pakistan presents a starkly different picture. For decades, Naseem said, the people of Balochistan have faced systematic and wides...

Dhaka, March 26 (IANS) Bangladesh's Awami League on Thursday reiterated its commitment to uphold the principles of the 1971 Liberation War, defend democratic values, and pursue economic emancipation on the occasion of the country’s 56th Independence Day.The nation observes Independence Day and National Day on March 26 in honour of the freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the country’s independence, local media reported.The armed struggle for independence commenced in the early hours of March 26, 1971, following the brutal crackdown on the unarmed Bangladeshis by the Pakistani forces on the night of March 25, 1971, referred to as "Genocide Day".Recalling Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Awami League paid tribute to him -- describing him as the supreme architect of Bangladesh...