Bangladesh — election, erasure, empathy and victory

As Bangladesh approaches the 2026 elections, a question yet to be raised by political commentators is: who speaks for the communities who have been invisible for over fifty years? Are any human rights scholars, renowned journalists and activists examining the enduring marginalisation of Biharis (Non-Bengali Urdu-speaking communities) in Bangladesh, highlighting the risks of exploitation in […]

Modi’s BJP eyes youth vote to elect youngest-ever president

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday chose a little-known legislator from India’s poorest state as the party’s youngest president, marking a generational shift aimed at retaining young voters. Nitin Nabin, 45, takes over from outgoing president JP Nadda, 65, months ahead of key state elections, including in West Bengal, a state […]

Echoes of Baldia Factory tragedy in Gul Plaza inferno

As rescue operations and investigations progress, the Gul Plaza tragedy is increasingly beginning to resemble the Baldia Factory disaster. Survivors of the Gul Plaza fire and rescue personnel who carried out an initial internal inspection of the damaged building repeatedly mentioned that many routes were locked. To determine which routes had been locked, the building’s […]

SBCA cracks down on fire safety in Karachi commercial centres after Gul Plaza blaze

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) on Tuesday moved to tighten fire safety compliance across Karachi, issuing notices to all commercial centres and making functional fire-fighting equipment mandatory in the aftermath of the deadly Gul Plaza fire. SBCA Additional Director General Farhan Qaiser told The Express News that the authority had begun issuing notices to all […]

UAE becomes early supporter of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ with formal acceptance

The United Arab Emirates has accepted an invitation to join United States President Donald Trump’s newly proposed “Board of Peace”, the UAE foreign ministry said on Tuesday, making Abu Dhabi one of the first governments to publicly endorse the initiative. The ministry said the UAE stood ready to “contribute actively to the mission of the […]

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until Feb 24

The Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA) on Tuesday extended restrictions on the use of the country’s airspace by Indian-registered aircraft by an additional month, maintaining a ban that applies to all civilian and military flights linked to India. Under the new official Notice to Airmen, the PAA said Pakistan’s airspace would remain closed to all aircraft registered in India, […]

PSX hits all-time high of 188,000 points on back of improved investor sentiment

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) stretched its positive momentum on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index rising by 860 points, or 0.46%, to close at an all-time high of 188,621.78 on the back of improved investor sentiment. The market remained active throughout the session, supported by sustained buying interest. However, trading was marked by volatility, […]

Israel orders Gaza families to move in first forced evacuation since ceasefire

Israeli forces have ordered dozens of Palestinian families in the southern Gaza Strip to leave their homes, residents and Hamas officials said on Tuesday, marking the first forced evacuation since a ceasefire brokered by the United States took effect in October. Residents of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis, said Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets on […]