Asia

Singapore PM wishes citizens a ‘bright and meaningful’ Deepavali

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong extended warm greetings to citizens on the occasion of Deepavali, sharing a heartfelt video wishing everyone a "bright and meaningful Festival of Lights ahead."

2025-10-19T16:02:36.892990+00:00 IST

China detains Taiwanese Taoists amid faith crackdown

Taiwan's SEF warned I-Kuan Tao followers against visiting China, citing arrests of at least 16 Taiwanese for practicing their faith since 2019. Luo Wen-jia said detainees were not involved in politics and urged caution, highlighting China's lack of religious freedom and repression of independent faiths.

2025-10-19T14:51:29.105845+00:00 IST

“Hypothetical Durand line was not discussed: Mohammad Mujahid

Speaking at an online press conference from Doha, Mujahid emphasised that the Durand Line is hypothetical and it was not discussed in any part of the agreement, stressing that the issue is a matter between nations, Tolo News reported.

2025-10-19T14:09:38.950606+00:00 IST

Air India to run special Milan-Delhi flight for passengers

Air India will operate an additional flight from Milan to Delhi today to accommodate passengers of flight AI138, which was cancelled on October 17 due to a technical issue.

2025-10-19T12:01:10.389260+00:00 IST

Pakistan: Sindh health dept reports 819 dengue cases

Sindh faces a major dengue outbreak, with hospital data showing over 12,000 cases in six weeks, far exceeding official figures of 819, Dawn reported. Experts blame poor drainage and weak fumigation, while the health minister said anti-dengue campaigns have been intensified across the province.

2025-10-19T10:20:45.185522+00:00 IST

Taiwan refutes China's “psychological warfare"; accuses Beijing

The Mainland Affairs Council dismissed the allegations as baseless and malicious, warning that such propaganda campaigns are part of China's wider psychological operations against Taiwan.

2025-10-19T09:33:19.893478+00:00 IST

Iran, China, Russia write to UN on nuke deal with Tehran ended

The UNSC Resolution 2231 concerns Iran's nuclear energy program. Resolution 2231, valid for 10 years, endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, China, Russia, France, Germany, and the UK), which limited Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions imposed by the Council.

2025-10-19T09:31:34.878633+00:00 IST

South Korea tightens security measures after detecting hacking si

The interior ministry of South Korea said on Friday that it has strengthened security measures for online systems of the government, after detecting signs of hacking of the government's administration platform, Yonhap news agency reported.

2025-10-19T09:30:47.179952+00:00 IST

“Putin cannot be stopped with words, pressure is needed": Zelensk

Zelenskyy accused Russia of "terrorising our people with airstrikes" and pointed out that Moscow has no intention to end the war.

2025-10-19T09:25:39.090397+00:00 IST

Lahore tops world's most polluted cities' list

In Lahore, pollution levels varied across different areas, with Allama Iqbal Town recording an alarming AQI of 459, followed by Gulberg at 396, Shadman at 384, Model Town at 362, and Lahore Airport at 398.

2025-10-19T08:48:18.611886+00:00 IST

China accused of torturing Tibetan monk

The London-based human rights group Tibet Watch has raised alarm over the worsening condition of Gonpo Tsering, the abbot of Yena Monastery in Shiba village, who is reportedly fighting for his life at a hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The 45-year-old religious leader was subjected to severe torture while in Chinese custody after participating in peaceful demonstrations against a controversial hydropower project in eastern Tibet, as reported by Phayul.

2025-10-19T08:46:13.486348+00:00 IST

IBSA Fund empowers rural Fiji women via skills training

India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations shared on the occasion of the recently concluded International Day of Rural Women how the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Fund has positively impacted the lives of rural women in Fiji through skill training.

2025-10-19T08:21:30.062392+00:00 IST

Pakistan’s economic recovery on shaky ground

The central bank's assessment reveals that the modest recovery achieved through disciplined policies could easily unravel due to both domestic frailties and global shocks, as reported by The Express Tribune.

2025-10-19T07:51:30.510510+00:00 IST

Japanese Envoy to India celebrates Diwali in premises

Japan's Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi on Sunday wished Happy Diwali, and said that the Embassy of Japan hosted a special Diwali lunch party.

2025-10-19T07:47:16.149039+00:00 IST

Pak: Govt apathy, data manipulation deepen Sindh’s medical crisis

Amid an escalating health emergency in Sindh, discrepancies between official dengue data and figures from major hospitals have raised serious questions over Pakistan's handling of disease surveillance, while the provincial health department reported only 819 dengue cases this year, data collected from three leading Karachi hospitals and a public-sector lab in Hyderabad point to more than 12,000 infections within just six weeks suggesting an outbreak far beyond official acknowledgment, as reported by Dawn.

2025-10-19T07:23:44.810254+00:00 IST

Earthquake of magnitude 4.0 strikes Pakistan

The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.

2025-10-19T06:18:12.036006+00:00 IST

Pakistan’s deadly siege in Balochistan lays bare military brutali

According to The Balochistan Post, in a statement shared on X, the HRCP condemned the alleged airstrikes that killed several civilians, including children, when a wedding ceremony came under fire.

2025-10-19T06:13:26.476411+00:00 IST

Pak FM lauds peace deal, blames Afghanistan for border skirmishes

Dar called on efforts to prevent any further loss of lives.

2025-10-19T06:12:28.182985+00:00 IST

Afghanistan launches polio vaccination drive

Afghanistan has launched the polio vaccination drive for the country's eastern provinces, as reported by Khaama News on Saturday.

2025-10-19T06:08:12.141280+00:00 IST

Pak PM blames Afghanistan for border clashes in talks with Malay

Sharif announced that Pakistan agreed for a ceasefire at the behest of Afghanistan and asked for tangible actions against terrorists.

2025-10-19T05:20:47.320187+00:00 IST

Afghanistan-Pakistan agree on comprehensive ceasefire

The spokesperson of Afghanistan shared on Sunday that a comprehensive ceasefire has been mutually agreed upon between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Qatar with the signing of a bilateral agreement.

2025-10-19T04:51:34.541873+00:00 IST