Asia

Kabul residents urge curbs on loudspeakers to cut noise pollution

Kabul residents are urging authorities to restrict loudspeakers used by street vendors, citing severe noise pollution, Tolo News reported. Officials say thousands of devices have been seized, but note change will take time. Residents suggest alternatives like displaying prices to reduce noise in the city's markets.

2025-09-21T09:41:55.285694+00:00 IST

Pakistan PM to meet Trump, attend UNGA session in New York: FO

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the UNGA in New York and join a meeting of Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump, the FO said. According to Dawn, Shehbaz will highlight Kashmir, Palestine, Gaza, and regional security, while also attending high-level UN events and bilateral meetings.

2025-09-21T09:27:37.852092+00:00 IST

China’s pressure on Taiwan faces pushback from allies at UN

Nine of Taiwan's allies wrote to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging the UN to resist China's pressure and allow Taiwan's meaningful participation. They argued Resolution 2758 has been misused to exclude Taiwan and warned its distortion threatens peace in the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific, Taipei Times reported.

2025-09-21T08:51:54.764830+00:00 IST

Indian Navy’s INS Nistar in submarine rescue drill in Singapore

The Indian Navy's INS Nistar is participating in Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 in Singapore with 17 partner nations. The indigenously built vessel will serve as a mothership for submarine rescue operations during the sea phase, showcasing India's maritime capabilities and commitment to safeguarding submariners worldwide.

2025-09-21T08:30:06.405532+00:00 IST

ADB warns Pakistan as it struggles to capitalise on digital trade

Pakistan is falling behind its regional peers in the digital trade sector due to fragmented regulations, inadequate infrastructure, and poor policy coordination, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned in a report released on September 19. The ADB's study, Digitally Connected Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC): Digital Trade, Emerging Regulatory Challenges, and Solutions, highlighted that despite Pakistan's strategic location linking South and Central Asia, the country has been slow to implement reforms needed for cross-border e-commerce and digitally delivered services, as reported by The Express Tribune.

2025-09-21T08:18:03.665835+00:00 IST

H-1B fee hike like ‘toothpaste back in the tube’: Former diplomat

Former diplomat Mahesh Sachdev criticised the US decision to raise the H-1B visa sponsorship fee to USD 100,000, calling it rushed and restrictive. He said the move hampers the flow of skilled Indian professionals, reflects pressure from US politics, and risks hurting innovation despite partial modifications.

2025-09-21T08:04:07.309026+00:00 IST

“The approach is quite negative”: Ex-diplomat KP Fabian

Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian termed the US H-1B visa fee hike as negative but noted it now applies only to fresh applications. He said current visa holders face no change, warned earlier proposals risked family separation, and added the US modified rules after corporate opposition.

2025-09-21T07:47:24.082161+00:00 IST

Corruption, mismanagement deepen PoGB’s suffering under Pakistan

Technical education, especially for the region's youth, who make up 70% of the population, is severely lacking. He stated the absence of a medical college, a functioning cardiac centre, and insufficient dialysis and cancer treatment facilities, describing the health infrastructure as inadequate for the region's 2.5 million people.

2025-09-21T06:51:32.054693+00:00 IST

Pak army accused of war crimes after Zehri drone strike

Locals accused forces of detaining the wounded, while rights groups disputed the army's claim that militants were targeted. BSO-Azad condemned the attack as "war crimes."

2025-09-21T06:21:50.809914+00:00 IST

Petition in IHC over Imran Khan’s X posts during imprisonment

A petition filed in the Islamabad High Court challenges alleged "provocative and malicious" posts from PTI founder Imran Khan's X account during his imprisonment. The petitioner urged probes by cybercrime authorities, blocking of such content, and restrictions on PTI redistributing posts, calling the activity "unconstitutional and illegal."

2025-09-21T05:26:21.699009+00:00 IST

Pak: Punjab curbs wheat movement, begins geotagging after floods

Punjab has imposed wheat movement restrictions and launched geotagging of stocks to prevent shortages after floods destroyed crops, Dawn reported. Authorities cracked down on hoarding, boosting flour mill reserves and lowering wheat prices from PKR 3,800 to PKR 3,000 per 40kg, as protests erupted in Sindh and KP.

2025-09-21T04:31:42.353785+00:00 IST

Ex Pacific Reach: INS Nistar to conduct deep-sea diving, rescue m

Speaking with ANI, Commanding Officer Amitsubhro Banerji highlighted INS Nistar's dual roles -- conducting deep-sea diving operations and serving as a mothership for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) for submarine rescue missions.

2025-09-21T04:30:42.519658+00:00 IST

Taiwan detects Chinese military activity

The frequent incursions and maritime operations reflect rising tensions between Taiwan and China, a relationship long fraught with geopolitical strain. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), governs itself independently with its own distinct political and economic systems.

2025-09-21T04:01:23.065248+00:00 IST

Karachi man confesses to sexually assaulting minor girls

A man accused of sexually assaulting several minor girls since 2016 in Karachi's Qayyumabad area has confessed to the crimes before a judicial magistrate on Saturday, reported Geo News.

2025-09-20T23:35:16.644493+00:00 IST

Pakistan: Feudal landlord cripples young camel for drinking water

A feudal landlord in Sindh's Saleh Pat area allegedly subjected a young female camel to brutal torture after it strayed into his farmland in search of water and damaged crops

2025-09-20T22:01:05.061197+00:00 IST

India should pick up this challenge: Ex Diplomat on H1B visa fee

Sikri, while talking to ANI on US President Donald Trump signing an Executive Order to raise the fee that companies pay to sponsor H-1B applicants to USD 100,000, said that US President Donald Trump appears to have taken the decision to appease his MAGA base.

2025-09-20T20:12:35.718339+00:00 IST

Delhi Airport advisory warns of disruptions post cyberattacks

The advisory asked passengers to contact their airlines for updates.

2025-09-20T19:46:04.809439+00:00 IST

Pak train hijack mastermind killed in Afghanistan

Notably, on March 11, 2025, the Jaffar Express passenger train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, with 380 passengers, was hijacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 64 people, including 18 soldiers. During the rescue operation, security forces killed 33 hijackers.

2025-09-20T18:27:43.358963+00:00 IST

Piyush Goyal to lead Indian delegation to US

Days after positive discussions were held on various aspects of the trade deal during Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch's visit to India, a delegation led by Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal is visiting the United States for meetings with the US side.

2025-09-20T17:06:12.501552+00:00 IST

'H1B visa holders don’t need to rush back to US'

According to the official, individuals currently holding H-1B visas, including those visiting India or abroad, don't need to rush back to the US before Sunday or pay the steep $100,000 fee.

2025-09-20T16:45:44.880604+00:00 IST

Rajnath to inaugurate Tata armoured vehicles facility in Morocco

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will embark on a visit to Morocco on Sunday, where he will inaugurate the Tata Advanced Systems' new manufacturing facility for the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 at Berrechid, the first-ever Indian defence manufacturing plant in Africa.

2025-09-20T16:18:34.798050+00:00 IST