Author: News Desk

Laws in 12 Indian states criminalize conversions deemed coerced or induced, while broadly casting suspicion on religious outreach and proselytism News Desk WASHINGTON: The Wall Street Journal has highlighted growing concerns over the treatment of religious minorities in India, reporting that Christians—who make up just 2.3% of the population—are increasingly being targeted under state-level “anti-conversion” laws. These laws, enforced in 12 Indian states, criminalize conversion carried out through alleged coercion, fraud, or inducement, while broadly casting suspicion on religious outreach. Recent incidents have intensified scrutiny. In Uttar Pradesh, crowds gathered outside churches on Christmas Eve, shouting hate slogans against Christian…

News Desk TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said the country will not bow to its enemies and warned that Iran would force its adversaries to their knees, as tensions with the United States continue to rise. Responding to comments by US president Donald Trump about intervention in Iran, Khamenei said Tehran would never retreat under pressure. “Iran will not submit to the enemy. We will never step back,” he said, according to state media. Abbas Araghchi also hit back at Trump’s remarks, warning that attacks on public property could not be tolerated. He described the US president’s…

News Desk JEDDAH: An extraordinary open-ended session of the OIC executive committee has strongly condemned Israel’s unilateral and unlawful recognition of the so-called Somaliland region as an independent state, reaffirming full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The meeting, held at the OIC secretariat in Jeddah, was convened to address the situation arising from Israel’s move. Pakistan was represented by its permanent representative to the OIC, Ambassador Syed Mohammad Fawad Sher. In his remarks, Sher reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for Somalia’s unity and internationally recognised borders, describing Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as a…

News Desk KARACHI: A man who filed a multimillion-rupee fraud case has appealed to the courts and police for protection, saying he and prosecution witnesses face serious threats from the accused and his associates. The complainant, Ghul­sher Unar, submitted applications to the Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate 13 West, the SSP City, SSP Keamari, the SHO City Court and other authorities in connection with FIR No. 158/25 registered at Mochko police station under sections including fraud, cheating and 420. In his application, Unar said that during the last court hearing, the sons of the accused, Nawab Sheikh son of Siddique…

News Desk DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has announced the voluntary end of its counterterrorism mission in Yemen, state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday. The defence ministry said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of recent developments and potential risks to the safety and effectiveness of its operations. In a statement shared in Arabic on X, the ministry added that the UAE’s remaining presence in Yemen had been limited to specialized personnel working in coordination with international partners. The announcement comes after a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla targeted what Riyadh described as foreign…

By our correspondent WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, had played a decisive role in developments related to Syria, praising him for actions he said others had failed to take for centuries. Speaking in remarks focused on regional dynamics, Trump said Erdoğan had provided “a lot of help” but had never sought public credit for it. “The truth is, he really deserves a great deal of credit,” Trump said, adding that the Turkish leader should be widely recognized for what he described as removing “some very bad people”. Trump said many had wanted to achieve the same…

News Desk ISLAMABAD: A supreme court judge has questioned the unrestricted use of mobile phones by children while hearing a bail plea in a case involving the posting of obscene and abusive content against women on social media. The remarks were made by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail during proceedings before a two-member bench of the supreme court, comprising Justice Mandokhail and Justice Musarrat Hilali, as it heard a bail application filed by the accused, Tayyab Dar. During the hearing, the complainant’s counsel, Rizwan Abbasi, told the court that the offensive material allegedly circulated by the accused was still available online.…

News Desk MOSCOW: Russia has accused Ukraine of launching an attack on President Vladimir Putin’s official residence, a claim firmly denied by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to Russian news agencies, Moscow alleged that Ukrainian forces targeted the Russian president’s residence located in the Novgorod region. It was not confirmed whether Putin was present at the residence at the time of the alleged attack. Following the incident, Russia said it was reviewing its approach to ongoing peace talks with Ukraine. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukraine attempted to strike the president’s residence using long-range drones. Lavrov said that…

News Desk DHAKA: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday. The meeting took place at the State Guest House in Dhaka. Both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment and aviation. They also explored options to scale up cultural, educational and medical exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two South Asian countries. He said bilateral trade had recorded a 20% increase compared with last year. He noted that business communities in both countries were actively exploring new investment opportunities. The Pakistani high commissioner also…

News Desk BANGKOK: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a 72-hour temporary ceasefire in an effort to halt escalating border clashes that have claimed dozens of lives, officials said on Sunday. According to a news agency report, authorities from both countries committed to suspending all armed activities during the ceasefire period. The agreement applies across the entire border region and covers military targets, civilian populations and critical infrastructure. In a joint statement, the two sides said the ceasefire was intended to de-escalate tensions and create space for further dialogue. Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to cooperate in countering sabotage, cybercrime…