India hands over light strike vehicles, critical medical equipment to Nepal

IANS | August 18, 2025 3:08 PM

Kathmandu, Aug 18 (IANS) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday handed over light strike vehicles, critical care medical equipment and military animals to Nepal's Chief of Army Staff Suprabal Janasewashree General Ashok Raj Sigdel at a special ceremony held at Nepali Army headquarters in Kathmandu.

First 'India Day Parade' showcased deep bond US shares with India: Seattle Mayor

IANS | August 18, 2025 2:51 PM

Seattle, Aug 18 (IANS) In a unique initiative, the 'India Pavilion' at the First 'India Day Parade' organised in Downtown Seattle last week as part of the 79th Independence Day celebrations featured more than 30 booths that were set up to represent the 28 States of India along with several thematic exhibits. Each booth showcased distinctive One District One Product (ODOP) items, accompanied by descriptions highlighting their cultural and historical significance.

Trump’s energy pact with Pakistan carries risks for US firms

IANS | August 18, 2025 1:37 PM

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new US-Pakistan deal to jointly develop Pakistan’s oil reserves has added more complexity into South Asian geopolitics as the deal carries implications far beyond its stated aim of energy development.

ILO ranks Pakistan among worst countries in gender pay gap

IANS | August 18, 2025 12:43 PM

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has ranked Pakistan among the worst in South Asia for wage disparities between men and women, confirming long-standing concerns about structural discrimination in the country’s labour market.

Death toll in Pakistan's torrential rainfall reaches 657

IANS | August 18, 2025 11:51 AM

Islamabad, Aug 18 (IANS) As Pakistan grapples with one of the deadliest spells of torrential monsoon rains in its history, relentless downpours, flash floods, and landslides have killed at least 657 people and injured nearly 1,000 since late June, local media reported on Monday.

Grief has been criminalised in B'desh: Hasina's son condemns Bangabandhu anniversary crackdown

IANS | August 18, 2025 11:06 AM

Dhaka, Aug 18 (IANS) Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed has accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for unleashing violence across the country and "criminalising grief" after murals depicting the sacrifices of the 1971 Liberation War were vandalised, prayers were disrupted, and several citizens were arrested for mourning on the death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15.