Pakistan's ISI and Islamists fully exploiting power vacuum in Bangladesh

IANS | January 8, 2026 9:19 PM

Dhaka, Jan 8 (IANS) Bangladesh is undergoing an unstable transition following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, enabling Islamist extremists and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to exploit power vacuums. With decades of experience, the ISI is weaponising religious identity to destabilise the region, a report said on Thursday.

US cannot ignore Pakistan's role in expanding Islamic State terror network in South Asia: Report

IANS | January 8, 2026 9:18 PM

Washington, Jan 8 (IANS) The expanding operational reach of the terror group Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) within the South Asian security landscape – combined with its declared hostility toward US interests – poses a risk that Washington cannot ignore. The existence of safe havens within Pakistan provides the terrorist organisation with strategic depth, operational resilience, and access to wider recruitment networks, a report said on Thursday.

Trump says US oversight of Venezuela could last years

IANS | January 8, 2026 9:17 PM

Washington, Jan 8 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has said Washington expects to oversee Venezuela and extract oil from the country’s vast reserves for years, signalling a prolonged American role with no clear end date following the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Pakistan 'unreliable' US ally, 'extremely problematic' partner: Report

IANS | January 8, 2026 9:10 PM

Washington, Jan 8 (IANS) Although Pakistan enjoys Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the United States, which grants privileged access to military cooperation and equipment, Islamabad has consistently proven to be an unreliable strategic partner, a report highlighted on Thursday.

Expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan causing major humanitarian crisis: Leading NGO

IANS | January 8, 2026 9:05 PM

Kabul, Jan 8 (IANS) Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) offering medical humanitarian assistance to people, has warned that the expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan is causing a serious humanitarian crisis, especially during winter season, endangering the lives of people, local media reported on Thursday.

Adapt to rapidly evolving character of modern conflict: COAS Gen Dwivedi in Sri Lanka

IANS | January 8, 2026 8:16 PM

Colombo, Jan 8 (IANS) India's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday visited the Army War College (AWC) in Sri Lanka and interacted with Major General D K R N Silva, Commandant, AWC. He also witnessed the foundation laying ceremony of the India-Sri Lanka Friendship Sports Complex and the handing over of a military ambulance to AWC.

63 pc Pakistan’s youth never went to school: Data

IANS | January 8, 2026 7:21 PM

New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) A staggering 63 per cent of Pakistan’s youth population and 23 per cent of adolescents have never received any formal education -- highlighting a deep and persistent crisis that continues to push millions of young people to the margins of society, according to the country's Census 2023 data, media reports said.