Bangladesh faces new strategic realities amid geopolitical shifts

IANS | January 25, 2026 8:36 PM

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Bangladesh is entering a new phase of strategic challenges and opportunities in the aftermath of the July 2024 upheaval, as domestic transformations and global geopolitical turbulence converge to reshape the nation’s future.

Dharmendra, Achuthanandan, Harmanpreet, Akash missile developer among 2026 Padma awardees (Lead)

IANS | January 25, 2026 7:55 PM

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Veteran actor Dharmendra and Left stalwart and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously on the occasion of the Republic Day 2026, late JMM founder and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, singer Alka Yagnik, and Malayalam superstar Mammotty the Padma Bhushan, and sportspersons Harmanpreet Kaur, Rohit Sharma, and Savita Punia the Padma Shri.

Pakistan’s judicial system faces stress test in high-profile cybercrime case

IANS | January 25, 2026 7:16 PM

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Pakistan's criminal justice system, long plagued by chronic delays and a staggering backlog of over 2.4 million pending cases as reported by the Law and Justice Commission, has come under intense scrutiny through a prominent cybercrime trial involving human rights lawyer Iman Zainab Mazari and political activist Hadi Ali Chattha.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar hails India's transparent democratic system on National Voters' Day

IANS | January 25, 2026 7:10 PM

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday celebrated the 16th National Voters’ Day (NVD-2026) with the theme "My India, My Vote — Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy", even as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar hailed India as the world’s largest and most transparent democracy.

Mass exodus from Tirah Valley as as Pakistan military prepares offensive against TTP

IANS | January 25, 2026 5:37 PM

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Tens of thousands of residents have streamed out of Tirah Valley in northwestern Pakistan in recent days, cramming into overloaded vehicles and enduring gruelling journeys amid bitter cold, all to escape an impending army operation targeting the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants who dominate the strategic border region near Afghanistan, media reports said.