Asia

Exiled Tibetans cast ballots in preliminary polls

Tibetans in exile voted in the first phase of elections to choose their government-in-exile and parliament. Voters and candidates stressed unity, cultural survival and freedom, while expressing hopes of returning to a free Tibet amid concerns over shrinking communities worldwide.

2026-02-02T03:27:27.520198+00:00 IST

Pakistan: Over 600 child abuse videos seized in major network

Pakistani authorities have busted a major network involved in the production, distribution, and sale of obscene videos featuring children, arresting a key suspect and recovering more than 600 videos, The Express Tribune reported, citing officials.

2026-02-01T23:30:38.224948+00:00 IST

Pakistan: 4 killed, 28 injured as wedding bus overturns

Four people, including a child, were killed and 28 others injured when a bus carrying wedding guests overturned after colliding with a truck in the Mandhali Mor area of Lodhran district in Pakistan's Punjab province, Dawn reported, citing officials.

2026-02-01T23:01:34.565986+00:00 IST

Iran FM says Tehran lost "trust" with US as negotiating partner

Despite stating that Iran had lost its "trust" with the US as a negotiating partner, the country's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran seeks a "fair and equitable" deal with Washington over nuclear weapons, amid escalated tensions between the two sides.

2026-02-01T22:50:08.255434+00:00 IST

Tirah operation opposed by KP CM; Islamabad protest possible

Chief Minister of Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Sohail Afridi, strongly opposed any proposed security operation in the region's Tirah Valley, alleging that the federal government was planning action without consultation and warning that his party could stage a sit-in in Islamabad, The Express Tribune reported.

2026-02-01T21:50:49.622147+00:00 IST

Algerian delegation visits Maha, Goa, Gujarat defence headquarter

The General Officer Commanding interacted with the officers, highlighted the role of such engagements in enhancing mutual understanding, interoperability and India Algeria Defence Cooperation.

2026-02-01T17:52:52.576024+00:00 IST

India invited for observing B'desh polls, Adviser's statement say

In a statement, the Chief Adviser said, "330 International Observers confirmed for upcoming elections. Invited countries yet to confirm their delegates include India, Nepal, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, and Romania."

2026-02-01T17:10:38.873114+00:00 IST

Consul General to Shanghai attends Air India's inaugural ceremony

Mathur highlighted the 'three Kartavyas' underlined by the Union Budget 2026 and how India has booming opportunities for growth.

2026-02-01T15:31:10.053729+00:00 IST

Operation Herof Phase II continues across Balochistan; arrested o

As stated by Jeeyand Baloch, the operation remained active in several districts, including Shaal and Noshki, where BLA fighters were said to be exerting pressure on Pakistani security forces and local administration. He claimed that fighters were still present in various locations and that Pakistani forces were facing what he described as decisive pressure.

2026-02-01T13:38:25.613029+00:00 IST

Tibetans vote in first phase of Sikyong, parliament-in-exile elec

Polling was held across the world, including in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, where the Central Tibetan Administration set up three polling booths at different locations to facilitate voting by Tibetans residing in the state.

2026-02-01T12:41:22.818947+00:00 IST

One of Nepal’s longest fast of “Madhav Narayan” ends with rolling

Among the different faces of Lord Vishnu, Madhav Narayan refers to one who is worshipped during the month of Magh, the ninth month as per the Lunar calendar.

2026-02-01T12:29:28.413575+00:00 IST

Enforced disappearance of Baloch women signals escalation of stat

Mahrang Baloch wrote that for decades the Baloch have been treated as a "suspect population," governed through coercion and exclusion rather than citizenship, consent or inclusion.

2026-02-01T11:39:08.326845+00:00 IST

EAM Jaishankar congratulates FM Sitharaman on budget

Jaishankar said that the budget proposals will be crucial in shaping India's prospects.

2026-02-01T11:23:29.874218+00:00 IST

Legal team flags coercive relocations, pastureland disputes in Qinghai's Tibetan nomadic regions

The visit came after appeals from local residents who raised long-standing concerns over pastureland ownership disputes, forced relocations, and the lack of fair compensation, according to a report by Tibet Times, as cited by Phayul.

2026-02-01T09:48:51.720731+00:00 IST

WUC urges OIC to raise Uyghur rights

The meeting, held on January 26, focused on enhancing dialogue and cooperation between the OIC and China. However, the WUC said there was no public reference to the ongoing human rights situation in East Turkistan, where it alleges China continues policies amounting to genocide against Uyghurs. The organisation urged Secretary-General Taha and the OIC to use such engagements to publicly raise the issue of Uyghur rights and hold China accountable for what it described as "egregious crimes," as cited by the WUC press release.

2026-02-01T09:42:31.729554+00:00 IST

India reject Pak's "baseless allegations" on Balochistan violence

This response comes after Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi alleged India's involvement in the attacks. India emphasised Pakistan's poor human rights record and suppression in the region.

2026-02-01T09:22:54.638314+00:00 IST

Pakistan: Punjab healthcare crisis as 431 ICU ventilators

Official government data shows that shortages of ventilators and malfunctioning equipment remain a serious problem in both tertiary and district hospitals. Patients suffering from major trauma, strokes, accidents, respiratory failure and other complex medical conditions frequently need immediate ventilator assistance. The lack of working machines leads to avoidable fatalities and delays in treatment, as cited by the TET report.

2026-02-01T09:17:16.334156+00:00 IST

Pakistan’s policies cripple PoGB tourism

According to the PoGB tourism department, no foreign climbers or trekkers visited the region this winter. No foreign expeditions or trekking groups were granted permits during the winter expedition season, which generally runs from November to February.

2026-02-01T09:08:01.147401+00:00 IST

Armed groups, Baloch leaders back BLA’s ‘Operation Herof 2.0’

In a revised statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said activities were continuing in "different cities and key locations" and that the movement of Pakistani troops remained "under severe pressure." He stated that fighters retained "control in several areas," noting that the situation on the ground was "continuously changing," as cited in the TBP report.

2026-02-01T08:57:06.154276+00:00 IST

Dr Bhargav Mallappa gets conferred with Indonesian royal title

With this honour, Dr Bhargav Mallappa becomes only the third Indian national to receive the distinguished title under the Kutai Mulawarman royal tradition, placing him among a select group of global recipients acknowledged for exceptional merit and leadership. The title was formally bestowed through Sabda Panditha, the official royal decree issued by Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sripaduka Baginda Berdaulat Agung Maharaja Kutai Mulawarman, in strict accordance with centuries-old adat istiadat, or customary law.

2026-02-01T08:35:05.971283+00:00 IST

BISAG-N, QNu Labs join hands

The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry and Electronics & Information Technology Jitin Prasada, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) S. Krishnan, senior MeitY officials, and leadership teams from both BISAG-N and QNu Labs. Officials underlined that as quantum technologies evolve globally, conventional encryption systems could face vulnerabilities, making early preparedness a strategic necessity.

2026-02-01T08:34:35.419132+00:00 IST