SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Wednesday, February 5, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
UN warns maternal deaths in Afghanistan may rise after US funding pause (Reuters)
Reuters [2/4/2025 8:52 AM, Emma Farge, 48128K, Neutral]
A U.N. aid official said on Tuesday that a U.S. funding pause would cut off millions of Afghans from sexual and reproductive health services, and the continued absence of this support could cause over 1,000 maternal deaths in Afghanistan from 2025 to 2028.
U.S. President Donald Trump last month ordered a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance, pending assessment of efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy, setting alarm bells ringing among aid groups around the world that depend on U.S. largesse.
Trump has also restored U.S. participation in international anti-abortion pacts, cutting off U.S. family planning funds for foreign organisations providing or promoting abortion.
Pio Smith, regional director for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA), said that over 9 million people in Afghanistan would lose access to services and over 1.2 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan due to the closure of health facilities.
Afghanistan has one of the highest death rates in the world for pregnant women, with a mother dying of preventable pregnancy complications every two hours, he said.
"What happens when our work is not funded? Women give birth alone, in unsanitary conditions...Newborns die from preventable causes," he told a Geneva press briefing. "These are literally the world’s most vulnerable people.".
"If I just take the example of Afghanistan, between 2025 and 2028 we estimate that the absence of U.S. support will result in 1,200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies," he said.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, UNFPA receives about $94 million in U.S. funding, he added.
Riva Eskinazi, director of donor relations at the International Planned Parenthood Federation told Reuters it, too, would have to halt family planning and sexual and reproductive health services in West Africa as a result of the pause.
"We can foresee an increase in unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths. There is going to be a problem sending contraceptives to our members. It’s devastating," she said.
IPPF, a federation of national organisations that advocates for sexual and reproductive health, calculates that it would have to forego at least $61 million in U.S. funding over four years in 13 countries, most of which are in Africa. Taliban threaten to use US arms to thwart attempts to retake them (VOA)
VOA [2/4/2025 7:37 AM, Ayaz Gul, 2717K, Neutral]
The Taliban have warned that the military weapons left behind by the United States in Afghanistan now belong to them as "spoils of war" and will be utilized to defend against any attempts to reclaim them.
The statement marks the first official response from the internationally unrecognized government in Kabul to President Donald Trump’s pledge on the eve of his Jan. 20 inauguration to retrieve U.S. arms from the de facto Islamist Afghan leaders.
"The weapons that America abandoned in Afghanistan, as well as those provided to the former Afghan regime, are now in the possession of the Mujahideen [or Taliban forces] as spoils of war," claimed Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesperson, while participating in an X space session late on Monday.
"The Afghan people now own these weapons and are utilizing them to defend their independence, sovereignty, and Islamic system. No external force can compel us to surrender these weapons, nor will we accept any demands for their surrender," Mujahid stated. "We will use these weapons to repel invaders who dare to seize them.".
U.S.-led Western troops were stationed in Afghanistan for nearly two decades to counter terrorist groups and protect the internationally backed government in Kabul at the time. They hastily and chaotically withdrew in August 2021, just days after the then-insurgent Taliban stormed back to power.
A U.S. Department of Defense report in 2022 found that about $7 billion worth of military hardware was left behind in Afghanistan after the military withdrawal was completed. The equipment, including aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, military vehicles, weapons, communications equipment, and other materials, was subsequently seized by the Taliban.
Trump stated in his pre-inauguration remarks at a rally in Washington last month that his predecessor, Joe Biden, "gave our military equipment, a big chunk of it, to the enemy." He went on to warn that future financial assistance to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan would be contingent upon the return of U.S. military arms.
"If we’re going to pay billions of dollars a year, tell them we’re not going to give them the money unless they give back our military equipment," Trump said then, without elaborating.
Mujahid, while speaking on Monday, rejected Trump’s assertions, saying the Taliban have not received "a single penny" from the U.S. in financial aid since regaining control of the country. He stated that Kabul has neither anticipated nor sought any assistance from Washington.
The Taliban have displayed U.S. military gear in their so-called victory day celebrations since returning to power in Afghanistan.
The U.S. troop exit from Afghanistan stemmed from the February 2020 Doha Agreement that the first Trump administration negotiated with the then-insurgent Taliban. Biden completed and defended the military withdrawal, saying the choice he had was either to follow through on that agreement or be prepared to go back to fighting the Taliban. Taliban holding on to $7 billion of U.S. military equipment left behind after withdrawal (CBS News)
CBS News [2/4/2025 8:15 PM, Imtiaz Tyab, 52225K, Neutral]
More than three years after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the country’s new leaders insist they have improved people’s lives, but for years the Taliban has ruled with an iron fist — aided by abandoned U.S. military hardware.
Last year, the Taliban put on a parade showing off its massive haul, including assault rifles and Humvees.
According to a 2022 Department of Defense report, 78 aircraft, 40,000 military vehicles and more than 300,000 weapons were among some of what was left behind.
On the eve of his inauguration, President Trump accused the Biden administration of handing over U.S. military assets to the Taliban following the 2021 withdrawal — a withdrawal that Mr. Trump negotiated. Now, he’s demanding the Taliban give back the hardware valued at $7 billion.
The Taliban has refused.
"These are the assets of the state of Afghanistan. They will continue to be in the possession of the state of Afghanistan," Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Taliban’s spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told CBS News.
"People don’t make deals on the assets of their states," he said. "They make agreements through dialog and engagement to find spaces and areas of common interest.".
The 2021 takeover triggered desperate scenes of Afghans trying to escape as Taliban fighters celebrated their return to power.
Years later, the city of Kabul is noticeably different.Gone is the claustrophobia of two decades of war — with most concrete blast walls and checkpoints being removed — and market traders told CBS News they feel safer now than ever before.
The Taliban’s leaders say they want a reset with Mr. Trump following his reelection.
"We would like to close the chapter of warfare and open a new chapter," Balkhi said.
That new chapter may be written in Afghanistan’s mines, where the country has an estimated $1 trillion in untapped mineral reserves.
Mr. Trump has had his eye on those reserves for years, and recent studies have found the country has the potential to be what a 2010 Pentagon memo described as the "Saudi Arabia of lithium," a critical metal used to power cellphone and electric car batteries.
But competition will be fierce, with China and Russia having already made huge investments in Afghanistan. The Taliban suspend Afghan women’s radio station for providing content to overseas TV channel (AP)
AP [2/4/2025 4:31 PM, Staff, 14282K, Negative]
The Taliban’s information and culture ministry said Tuesday it suspended an Afghan women’s radio station, citing “unauthorized provision” of content and programming to an overseas TV channel.It’s the second time authorities have shuttered an outlet for allegedly working with foreign media.The ministry said Radio Begum violated broadcasting policy and improperly used its license. “This decision comes after several violations, including the unauthorized provision of content and programming to a foreign-based television channel,” the ministry said, adding it will review all necessary documents to determine the station’s future.Radio Begum launched on International Women’s Day in March 2021, five months before the Taliban seized power amid the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops.The station’s content is produced entirely by Afghan women. Its sister satellite channel, Begum TV, operates from France and broadcasts educational programs that cover the Afghan school curriculum from seventh to 12th grade.Rights groups, including Reporters without Borders, condemned Tuesday’s suspension and demanded it be reversed.Since their takeover, the Taliban have excluded women from education, many kinds of work, and public spaces. Journalists, especially women, have lost their jobs as the Taliban tighten their grip on the media landscape.In the 2024 press freedom index from Reporters without Borders, Afghanistan ranks 178 out of 180 countries. The year before that it ranked 152.The information ministry did not identify the foreign TV channel it said Radio Begum was working with.Last May, the Taliban warned journalists and experts in Afghanistan to cease their collaboration with Afghanistan International TV.It was the first time they had told people not to cooperate with a specific outlet. Taliban raid women’s radio station in Afghanistan: broadcaster (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [2/4/2025 1:16 PM, Aysha Safi and Susannah Walden, 57114K, Negative]
Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities raided well-known women’s radio station Radio Begum on Tuesday, arresting two employees, the broadcaster said, calling for the speedy release of its staff.The Taliban information ministry said the broadcaster had been suspended for "multiple violations", in the latest search by the government of local media outlets in Afghanistan."Officers from the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) assisted by representatives of the Ministry of Information and Culture raided today Begum’s compound in Kabul," a statement from Radio Begum said.The station said Taliban authorities held back staff as they searched the office, seizing computers, hard drives and phones, and detaining two male employees "who do not hold any senior management position".It said it would not provide further comment, fearing for the security of the detained employees, and asked that the authorities "take care of our colleagues and release them as soon as possible".In a statement on social media site X the Taliban information ministry said the station had been suspended."Besides multiple violations, it was providing materials and programmes to a TV station based abroad," it said."Due to the violation of the broadcasting policy and improper use of the license (from the ministry), the radio station was suspended today so that the related documents can be carefully evaluated and the final decision can be taken," it added.Radio Begum said it has never been involved in any political activity and was "committed to serving the Afghan people and more specifically the Afghan women".The station was founded on March 8, International Women’s Day, 2021, five months before the Taliban swept to power, ousting the US-backed government and implementing a strict interpretation of Islamic law.The Taliban authorities have imposed sweeping restrictions on women, squeezing them out of public life with rules the United Nations has labelled "gender apartheid".Women have been barred from secondary school and university as well as squeezed from certain types of work.The few women who still appear on TV channels are covered except for their eyes. Many radio stations have ceased broadcasting women’s voices.Radio Begum station staff have broadcast programming for women, by women, including educational shows, book readings and call-in counselling.In 2024, Radio Begum’s Swiss-Afghan founder Hamida Aman also launched a satellite television station, Begum TV, broadcasting educational programmes from Paris to help Afghan girls and women continue their education.Thousands of videos covering the Afghan national curriculum have also been uploaded on a sister website, available for free to anyone with an internet connection.The suspension of Radio Begum is the latest such action against local media in Afghanistan.In December last year, Afghan station Arezo TV was shut down and seven employees detained after Taliban authorities said its office was used for dubbing "vulgar" programmes for banned media.The Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (PVPV) accused people working within Arezo TV of providing content to Afghan media based outside the country, which have been heavily restricted and criticised by the Taliban authorities. Afghan Allies Risked Everything for US Missions. Urgent Action Is Needed to Protect Them. (The Diplomat – opinion)
The Diplomat [2/4/2025 10:50 AM, Demi Hester, 857K, Neutral]
The safety of Afghan allies who stood by U.S. military and diplomatic efforts in Afghanistan is in immediate jeopardy. These individuals risked their lives to support American forces under dangerous and life-threatening conditions. Yet, despite their bravery, they are now facing immense obstacles in securing their safety through the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. Years of bureaucratic delays, policy changes, and geopolitical instability under both the Biden and Trump administrations have left these individuals stranded and vulnerable. The recent suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has compounded their plight, putting their futures at grave risk.
The SIV program was created to offer a safe pathway to the U.S. for Afghan nationals who worked closely with U.S. forces, whether as interpreters, drivers, or in other critical roles. These individuals placed themselves and their families in great danger to assist the U.S., yet many are now caught in an endless bureaucratic cycle. Systemic delays and inefficiencies within the program have meant that many have been left waiting for years without the safety they were promised. The U.S. government took on the obligation to help these allies, but that promise is now at risk.
Afghan applicants for the SIV program faced years of delays even before the fall of Kabul. Lengthy background checks, security clearances, and processing time kept them waiting for months, even years, while the clock ticked down on their safety.
Despite assurances to expedite evacuation and resettlement efforts, the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 left tens of thousands of Afghan allies behind. The withdrawal was uncoordinated, with little organization to ensure that approved SIV applicants were safely evacuated. While the Biden administration aimed to bring as many people to safety as possible, the hasty nature of the withdrawal meant that over 40,000 SIV applicants were left stranded.
Many of these individuals are now hiding from the Taliban, fearing for their lives, as they wait for a chance to reach safety. Bureaucratic delays have left families without the protection they were promised, and now many are trapped in limbo, unable to escape the danger they face.
Afghan refugees who managed to arrive in the United States under humanitarian parole were placed in temporary housing, often for months, with little access to long-term solutions. Nonprofit organizations, which stepped in to support these refugees, were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people, leading to difficulties in meeting even basic needs.
In 2025, the Trump administration’s actions exacerbated the plight of Afghan allies, particularly through a series of executive orders and policies that severely limited aid to refugees and delayed SIV processing.
The Trump administration ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign aid, which halted vital funding for refugees in transit countries such as Pakistan, Qatar, and Albania. This freeze effectively stalled SIV processing, leaving approved applicants in a state of legal limbo as they wait for resettlement in the U.S.
Afghan refugees who are waiting in countries like Pakistan now face the threat of deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan due to the suspension of resettlement programs. This places many refugees in grave danger, as they could be forcibly returned to a country where they face persecution and death.
Funding cuts for housing and resettlement programs have left Afghan refugees who have made it to the United States struggling to integrate into their new lives. With fewer resources for housing assistance, job placement, and language services, many Afghan families have been forced into homelessness or unstable living situations.
The current situation demands urgent action. U.S. leaders – especially those with direct experience in Afghanistan, like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz – have a unique understanding of the risks Afghan allies face. These leaders have the power to drive policy changes and use their influence to ensure that Afghan allies are not left behind.
Hegseth and Waltz know firsthand the sacrifices Afghan allies made, often at great personal risk. Their leadership in ensuring that U.S. policy reflects the promises made to these allies will be crucial to keeping the U.S. government accountable and to protecting the safety of those who supported the United States’ efforts in Afghanistan.The failure to protect Afghan allies is more than just a humanitarian issue; it has serious implications for U.S. national security and international relations.
If Afghan allies are abandoned, it will erode trust in the U.S. commitment to its allies. This loss of trust could discourage future cooperation with U.S. forces in conflicts around the world, as potential allies will hesitate to offer support if they fear their own safety is not guaranteed.
U.S. counterterrorism efforts rely heavily on local partnerships and cooperation. Without the support of Afghan allies, future counterterrorism operations will be far more difficult, and the U.S. will face more challenges in combating extremism effectively.
Countries like Pakistan, Albania, and other nations that have hosted Afghan refugees have already borne significant costs. If the U.S. fails to honor its commitments to these allies, it risks damaging important diplomatic relationships that are critical for future cooperation.
Immediate Actions Needed to Safeguard Afghan Allies.
Advocacy groups, U.S. veterans, and bipartisan lawmakers are calling for immediate action to address the crisis faced by Afghan allies. Here’s what needs to be done.
The U.S. must urgently restart SIV processing and evacuations for Afghan allies who are still waiting in Afghanistan and third countries. Delays in their resettlement are not only a moral failure but also a grave national security risk.
Afghan refugees currently residing in countries like Pakistan, Qatar, and Albania must be protected from deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The U.S. must provide necessary support to help them transition to safety, which means restoring aid to third-country partners sheltering SIV applicants.
Afghan allies who risked their lives in support of U.S. efforts deserve a clear and accessible pathway to permanent U.S. residency. These individuals have already demonstrated their loyalty to the United States, and we must ensure that they are not left in a state of uncertainty.
Afghan refugees need the support of the U.S. government to successfully integrate into American society. This includes funding for housing, employment assistance, and language services, all of which are critical to ensuring they can build stable lives in the United States.
The U.S. made a solemn promise to protect those who supported its missions in Afghanistan. The time to act is now. We urge Secretary of Defense Hegseth, National Security Adviser Waltz, and other senior U.S. officials who served in Afghanistan to raise their voices and demand that the U.S. government fulfill its commitment to these Afghan allies.
Their lives depend on it. The credibility of the United States on the world stage depends on it. Let’s act now before it’s too late. Pakistan
American woman in Pakistan finally returning home after her planned marriage to a teen fell through (The Independent)
The Independent [2/4/2025 8:27 AM, Madeline Sherratt, 57769K, Negative]
A disillusioned woman is reportedly on her way home to the U.S. from Pakistan after being jilted by a teenager she met online and made several pleas on social media to be sent thousands of dollars.
Onijah Andrew Robinson, 33, from New York, traveled to Karachi in October 2024 to meet and marry Nidal Ahmed Memon – a 19-year-old Pakistani man.
But upon arrival, Memon rejected her and explained that his family was opposed to the marriage – leaving her "stranded" for several days in Karachi as her tourist visa expired, she claims. It was reported that money was raised for her to return home but she refused.
Now, she has taken social media by storm with her wild tale, becoming a sensation on TikTok.
After facing the rejection from her alleged lover, Robinson had nowhere to go, so began aimlessly wandering around Karachi. She lingered around Mamon’s home for a while but found that the entire family had vacated and locked up the house.
Since her story appeared online, Robinson even appeared to organize a press conference in Pakistan, where she was heard brazenly stating demands such as: "I’m asking for 100K or more. I need 20K by this week, in my pockets, in cash.“That’s a demand to the government.”
At first, it appeared she was asking for the money so that she could stay and start a life in Pakistan. But amid the flurry of thousands of videos, it was unclear as to who she was demanding the money from, and for what purpose.
In several clips, she is heard adamantly expressing her desire to improve vital services in Pakistan such as infrastructure and local bus services.
In another, she is captured asking for "two thousand or more every week", "more than five thousand dollars in USD", "I want 20K up front, 5K-10K to stay here every week, and I want those demands from the government right away", according to the spate of videos in circulation on TikTok.
At one stage, she announced she had plans to travel with Memon to Dubai and was planning on starting a family – despite being rejected, stating: "Make sure you get this on your camera, I’m married to Nidal Ahmed Memon, we are moving to Dubai very soon. We’re going to have our baby in Dubai.".
When probed further on her declaration, she refused to explain any further, stating it was against her religion to "tell you [the world] my business".As of Monday, Robinson is believed to be on her way home to the U.S., but it is unclear how, and who is enabling her to get there.
According to News18, she even received help from a non-governmental organization (NGO) while in Pakistan – though it is unclear who – and they reportedly offered to pay for her return ticket to the U.S. – an offer she is said to have turned down.
Meanwhile, man claiming to be her son, Jeremiah Robinson, gave an interview to Pakistani TV where he said his mother suffers from a "mental bipolar disorder", and said the marriage to Memon never occurred.
"I’m trying to help her as her son to come back to the U.S. She was only supposed to go to Pakistan to meet him and his family", he states in the clip.
The woman has previous with trespassing too. Robinson was arrested and faced charges for entering a premises post warning in an unrelated incident four years ago, according to Charleston County, South Carolina, court records.
The Independent has contacted Robinson to hear her story and the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi for comment. Pakistan Sets Deadline For West To Relocate Afghan Refugees (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [2/5/2025 5:58 AM, Rashid Khattak, 235K, Neutral]
Afghan journalist Mahmood Kochai and his family had plane tickets to the United States, where they hoped to make a fresh start after spending more than three years in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.
But their travel plans were canceled after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration announced that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) would be suspended for at least three months starting on January 27.
Kochai is among the thousands of Afghans who had been approved to resettle in the United States. Once the family of five -- Kochai, his wife, their daughter, son, and daughter-in-law -- were cleared to take their flights, he resigned from his job with the Afghanistan International news channel.
Their temporary visas in Pakistan were to expire on February 5, and they say they now have no place to go.
"Everything is going from bad to worse," Kochai told RFE/RL on February 4. "Afghan refugees in Pakistan are caught between a rock and a hard place: The [Pakistani] police are chasing us out of their country; it’s not safe for us to return to Afghanistan, and we cannot go to other countries."
Afghan journalist Mahmood Kochai and his family had plane tickets to the United States, where they hoped to make a fresh start after spending more than three years in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.But their travel plans were canceled after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration announced that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) would be suspended for at least three months starting on January 27.
Kochai is among the thousands of Afghans who had been approved to resettle in the United States. Once the family of five -- Kochai, his wife, their daughter, son, and daughter-in-law -- were cleared to take their flights, he resigned from his job with the Afghanistan International news channel.
Their temporary visas in Pakistan were to expire on February 5, and they say they now have no place to go.
"Everything is going from bad to worse," Kochai told RFE/RL on February 4. "Afghan refugees in Pakistan are caught between a rock and a hard place: The [Pakistani] police are chasing us out of their country; it’s not safe for us to return to Afghanistan, and we cannot go to other countries."
If implemented, the decision will affect Afghans in Pakistan who are seeking asylum in third countries because of their affiliation with U.S. and NATO forces and other Western and international organizations.
Tens of thousands of at-risk Afghans left for neighboring Pakistan fearing retribution after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan recently said that nearly 80,000 Afghan refugees have left Pakistan to be resettled in various countries, while about 40,000 are still in Pakistan.
That includes some 15,000 Afghans waiting to be approved for resettlement to the United States.
Left In Limbo
Journalist Ezzatullah Mahjur is waiting for a visa through the Special Visa Program (SIV) that has been available for Afghans who worked with the U.S. military as translators between the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 and the withdrawal in 2021.
He is hopeful the refugee resettlement process will eventually resume.
"Since the suspension of flights, some people who have gotten visas through the SIV have tried to reach the United States at their own expense. But some of them were turned back from Dubai, and I know at least one person who was turned away from a Washington airport," Mahjur told RFE/RL on February 4.
It is not clear if the Trump administration will resume the resettlement program.
In his January 20 order, Trump said the secretaries of homeland security and state must submit a report every 90 days "regarding whether resumption of entry of refugees into the United States under the USRAP would be in the interests of the United States."
Beside those waiting for relocation to the West, Pakistan also hosts about 1.45 million Afghan citizens registered as refugees with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Their stay in Pakistan has been extended until June.
Some 800,000 Afghans have either been deported or returned voluntarily to their home county since Pakistan began a major crackdown on refugees in November 2023.
Pakistan continues to track down and deport Afghans who are neither registered with the UNHCR nor awaiting resettlement to a third country. Death toll from last week’s gas tanker explosion in Pakistan rises to 18 (AP)
AP [2/4/2025 5:47 AM, Staff, 33392K, Negative]
The death toll from a gas tanker truck explosion that happend last week in central Pakistan has jumped to 18, police and hospital officials said on Tuesday.
Police initially said five people were killed and about two dozen others were injured when a truck carrying liquified petroleum gas caught fire near an industrial area in Multan, a city in the country’s most populous Punjab province.
Mohammad Wasim, a doctor at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital, said another 13 people have died in the week since the Jan. 27 blast. He added that another seven people who were injured in the blast were still in critical condition.
Mohammad Bashir, a senior police official, said the blast also damaged nearby shops and homes, and the deaths were caused by the fire and the collapse of several roofs.
He said an initial police investigation showed that the gas tanker truck had exploded while some people were transferring LPG from the truck to cylinders after bribing the driver, who has been arrested. Pakistan’s Cyber Crimes Law Amendments Strike a Blow Against Free Speech (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [2/4/2025 9:27 AM, Osama Ahmad, 857K, Neutral]
The Pakistani government recently passed new amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). While these amendments have reduced the jail term for intentionally spreading fake news online from seven years to three, they also include several concerning new provisions. The amendments require the federal government to establish four bodies to combat fake news online: the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, the National Cybercrime Investigation Authority, the Social Media Complaint Council, and the Social Media Protection Tribunal(s). Appeals from these tribunals will go directly to the Supreme Court, effectively bypassing the high courts, which has raised concerns among observers.
In addition to the three-year jail term, the amendments also stipulate that a person found spreading fake news online would be fined 2 million rupees.
PECA was first enacted by the National Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 2016, during the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. This law was made to create a legal framework for addressing electronic crimes. However, it was widely perceived, even at that time, as a tool for suppressing free speech.
More than 200 incidents of journalists and media persons being investigated have been recorded since PECA became law in 2016.
The update to PECA has only raised further concerns. The new amendments specify that members of the proposed bodies will be appointed by the federal government, which has raised concerns that it will grant them absolute authority over all social media matters, potentially allowing the authorities to suppress free speech under the pretext of combating fake news.
In a statement, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) warned that the bill could target journalists, as well as political and social activists, especially "[g]iven the state’s poor record on protecting freedom of digital expression." The commission criticized the legislation for imposing unnecessary restrictions on fundamental human rights, particularly regarding provisions related to fake or false news. The HRCP called the three-year jail term "excessive" and expressed concern over the establishment of four new regulatory authorities to oversee digital content.
Prior to the bill’s approval, several media organizations urged parliament not to pass the amendments. For example, the Joint Action Committee of media organizations, which includes the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), the All Electronic Media Association of North District (AEMEND), and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), sent a letter to the chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on the Interior. In this letter, they expressed their concerns regarding the PECA bill.
Despite these objections raised by journalists and civil rights activists, the bill was approved by both houses of parliament and subsequently signed by President Asif Ali Zardari. Ironically, Zardari belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), a party known for its advocacy of democracy and the rights of the people.
Jibran Khalil*, a 34-year-old social media influencer, expressed his dismay over the revised law. "I am unable to accept the news… This is horrifying beyond imagination," he told The Diplomat. "Now, anyone could become a victim of state repression under the so-called fake news narrative.".
"Such laws are created solely to suppress dissent and silence opposing voices," Khalil concluded.
Protests erupted against the new amendments, accompanied by a wave of condemnations, shortly after they were passed in the National Assembly. Journalists and media workers across Pakistan, led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), staged the first wave of protests and rallies on January 28 against the controversial amendments.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt labeled the PECA Amendment Bill a "black law" and said, "We reject this law outright. Journalists and media workers must unite and stand against this injustice by organizing rallies and processions." The PFUJ has pledged to continue its protests against the controversial amendment bill until it is repealed. On January 31, they observed a black day.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also joined the protest against this oppressive law. In a press release, it stated: "The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), in demanding the immediate repeal of this draconian legislation and urging the government to protect freedom of expression as guaranteed in the country’s constitution.".
A lawyers’ group, the Karachi Bar Association, condemned the amendments, describing them as "regressive." It said, "The PECA 2025 amendments, designed to stifle independent media and curtail the constitutional rights enshrined in Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, pose a grave threat to the democratic framework of the state.".
Civil rights activists also condemned the amendment bill. Ammar Ali Jan, a prominent civil rights advocate, tweeted: "Another dark moment for Pakistan. The PECA Amendment Bill is the Deep State’s attempt to silence critics by criminalizing dissent. PDM legislators are collaborators who are undermining the decades-long struggle for democracy. Fighting back against this cabal is a moral imperative!".
PDM refers to the Pakistan Democratic Movement, the coalition that banded together to oust former Prime Minister Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a no-confidence movement in April 2022. The parties that led the PDM are now in government in Pakistan.
The PTI expressed solidarity with journalists and others concerned about the bill. Lawmaker Asad Qaiser of PTI said, "We are forming a political alliance to challenge this bill. Media and civil society will be key partners in this effort to uphold the rule of law. The only aim of this [PECA] law is to suppress media and social media.".
Other parties and their leaders, including Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), also voiced strong opposition to the new amendments to PECA.
The recent amendments to PECA present a significant threat to freedom of speech or expression in Pakistan. In a country already facing restrictions on social media platforms, such as X, as well as traditional news media and frequent internet shutdowns, these new amendments further undermine the right to free speech.
What is particularly concerning is the current government’s attitude toward such matters. It appears to have a vested interest in blocking or suppressing anything it cannot regulate or confront. For instance, the Punjab information minister, Azma Bukhari, suggested that social media should be blocked if it cannot be controlled.
Moreover, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has remained ambiguous about his stance on such issues, fueling suspicions of ulterior motives. For instance, when the PTI government introduced the PECA Ordinance in 2021 – later struck down by the Islamabad High Court in April 2022 for violating fundamental rights – Sharif, then in opposition, vehemently condemned it in a tweet. However, under his own leadership, the same controversial bill has now been passed. Many users on X quote tweeted his earlier statement, calling Sharif out for hypocrisy.There is some hope, however, that, just as the judiciary challenged the ordinance during the PTI government’s tenure, it will defend the fundamental rights of Pakistanis once again.
Sibghat Ali, a 28-year-old journalist from Abbottabad working with a local newspaper, told The Diplomat, "I hope the bill will be repealed because it violates the constitution and the right to freedom of expression. However, I remain uncertain about whether that will happen, given the strong authoritarian forces at play this time.".
As social media restrictions increase and oppressive laws are enacted, there is a growing belief that Pakistan no longer qualifies as a free and democratic society, but is instead on the path to becoming a strictly authoritarian regime.
"We are becoming another North Korea," Ali lamented.
Pakistan already has a poor reputation worldwide for suppressing free speech and media rights. The country ranked 152nd out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2024 World Press Freedom Index, and its image could deteriorate further with the introduction of such oppressive laws.
While the government rushed to introduce amendments to PECA, it should be noted that once the PML-N-PPP coalition is out of office, it could become a target of this very law. History has shown this to be true; for example, the laws hastily enacted by the PTI in its glory days are now being used against it. India
Migrants Are Deported to India on U.S. Military Plane (New York Times)
New York Times [2/5/2025 3:47 AM, Suhasini Raj, 831K, Neutral]
A U.S. military plane with at least 100 aboard landed in India on Wednesday, officials said, the longest such deportation flight since President Trump took office and a sign that countries whose leaders he favors will not be spared his immigration crackdown.
It appeared to be the first use of an American military aircraft to deport people to India, which is one of the top sources of unauthorized immigration to the United States. More than 1,000 Indians were sent back to the country last year on commercial flights.
Officials in the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who enjoys a close relationship with President Trump, have expressed confidence that India is better positioned than most countries to deal with the Trump administration, and they have publicly expressed a willingness to accept deportees.
But Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, a minister in the state government of Punjab, where the plane landed on Wednesday, criticized Mr. Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration and suggested that Mr. Modi’s government should do more to resist him.“The Indian federal government must take this very seriously — after all, there are people from many Indian states who have been deported,” he said in an interview on Tuesday. “And what is their crime? They may have gone illegally, but it was for their livelihoods. I am greatly disheartened. President Trump must give these people another chance and, on humanitarian grounds, do a rethink of his decision.”
Mr. Dhaliwal said that he would be at the airport to receive the deportees and ensure that they were not treated as criminals.
The Pew Research Center estimated in 2022 that more than 700,000 undocumented Indian immigrants were living in the United States, more than from any country but Mexico and El Salvador. Recent reports in Indian news media said that just under 20,000 migrants were scheduled for imminent deportation.
Indians are among the migrants from around the world who have illegally entered the United States through Mexico in growing numbers in recent years. Last year, more than 25,000 Indians were arrested while trying to cross the southern border illegally, according to U.S. government data. Indian migrants also contributed to rising numbers of arrests at the northern border with Canada last year. US Deports Indian Migrants as Trump Follows Through With Threats (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [2/4/2025 5:26 AM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, 21617K, Negative]
The US began deporting the first batch of undocumented Indian migrants since President Donald Trump returned to office threatening trade action against countries who didn’t comply with his immigration policies.An aircraft with around 200 people residing illegally in the US will land on Wednesday in Amritsar in India’s northern state of Punjab, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the details aren’t public.Like several other nations, India is working behind the scenes to appease the Trump administration and avoid the brunt of its trade threats. In the last few weeks, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered a series of concessions to the White House on issues core to Trump’s agenda. Modi is expected to meet Trump in Washington next week.India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not offer an immediate comment. Bloomberg earlier reported that the South Asian nation is willing to take back 18,000 undocumented Indian migrants from the US.While the total number of undocumented Indian migrants in the US isn’t certain, a report published last year by the Department of Homeland Security pegged the number at around 220,000 as of 2022.In his first weeks in office, Trump has urged federal and local authorities to ramp up detention and deportations of undocumented migrants, deployed the US military to the southern border and carried out deportation flights. U.S. military plane deporting Indian immigrants lands in India (Reuters)
Reuters [2/5/2025 3:57 AM, Aftab Ahmed, 5.2M, Neutral]
A U.S. military plane carrying illegal Indian immigrants landed in India’s northern city of Amritsar on Wednesday, a Reuters witness said, deporting an unspecified number of people as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
Some local media reported that the flight was bringing 205 people back, while others put the number at 104, and that they were mainly from the northern state of Punjab, where Amritsar is located, and the western state of Gujarat.
The Trump administration has increasingly turned to the military to help carry out its immigration agenda, using military aircraft to deport migrants and opening military bases to house them.
Although illegal Indian immigrants have been deported home by previous U.S. administrations, it is the first time Washington has used a military aircraft for the purpose. It is also the farthest destination so far for such flights using a military aircraft.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that the C-17 aircraft with migrants on board had departed for India but would not arrive for at least 24 hours. The flight did not show up on public flight trackers but local news TV channels showed the aircraft taxiing after it landed in Amritsar.
Migration has been among the key issues discussed by India and the U.S. since Trump took charge last month, and is also expected to come up during Trump’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, likely to take place in Washington next week.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also ‘emphasised’ the Trump administration’s desire to work with India to address "concerns related to irregular migration" when he met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar last month.
New Delhi has since said it will take back such illegal immigrants after verifying their details.
The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner and the two countries are forging deeper strategic ties as they look to counter China.
India is also keen to work with the U.S. to make it easier for its citizens to get skilled workers visas.
The Pentagon has said it plans to deport more than 5,000 migrants held by U.S. authorities, and Reuters reported last week that a flight to Guatemala used for the purpose likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant. India looks on nervously as Trump wields tariff threat (BBC)
BBC [2/4/2025 6:27 PM, Soutik Biswas and Nikhil Inamdar, 57114K, Neutral]
Last week India further slashed import duties on motorcycles, cutting tariffs on heavyweight bikes with engines above 1,600cc from 50% to 30% and smaller ones from 50% to 40%.
A pre-emptive move designed to further smoothen the entry of Harley Davidsons into India – and, Delhi hopes, ward off any threat of tariffs. US motorcycle exports to India were worth $3m last year.
Donald Trump has marked his return to the White House by brandishing trade measures against America’s neighbours and allies as well as its big rival China.
India hopes it is ahead of the game – but will its tariff cuts satisfy Trump, or is trade action still on the table?
"Canada and Mexico are literally two arms of the US. If he has acted against them, he could easily act against India too," says Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI).
In their phone conversation late last month, the US president pressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to buy more US arms and for there to be a fairer trade balance, keeping the pressure on.
And during his first term, Trump fixated on India’s steep tariffs. He repeatedly slammed the then 100% duty on Harleys as "unacceptable", making it a rallying point in his crusade against what he saw as unfair trade practices.
In the past he repeatedly branded India a "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties.
India enjoys a trade surplus with the US, its top trading partner. Bilateral trade crossed $190bn (£150bn) in 2023. Merchandise exports to US have surged 40% to $123bn since 2018, while services trade grew 22% to reach $66bn. Meanwhile, US exports to India stood at $70bn.
But beyond bikes, India has zeroed out import taxes on satellite ground installations, benefiting US exporters who supplied $92m worth in 2023.
Tariffs on synthetic flavouring essences dropped from 100% to 20% ($21m in US exports last year), while duties on fish hydrolysate for aquatic feed fell from 15% to 5% ($35m in US exports in 2024). India also scrapped tariffs on select waste and scrap items, a category where US exports amounted to $2.5bn last year.
Top US exports to India in 2023 included crude oil and petroleum products ($14bn), LNG, coal, medical devices, scientific instruments, scrap metals, turbojets, computers and almonds.
"While Trump has criticised India’s tariff policies, the latest reductions signal a policy shift that could enhance US exports across various sectors," says Mr Srivastava.
"With key tariff cuts on technology, automobiles, industrial and waste imports, India appears to be taking steps towards facilitating trade even as the global trade environment remains tense.".
Meanwhile India’s exports span a diverse range – from textiles, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods to petroleum oils, machinery and cut diamonds. It also ships smartphones, auto parts, shrimp, gold jewellery, footwear and iron and steel, making it a key player in global trade.
"This diverse range of products reflects India’s broad export base and its strong trade relationship with the US," says Mr Srivastava.
India was once among the world’s most protectionist economies. In the 1970s, American political scientist Joseph Grieco described it as having one of the "most restrictive, cumbersome… regimes regulating foreign direct investments".
This inward-looking approach led to a steady decline in India’s export share of global trade, from 2.42% in 1948 to just 0.51% by 1991. As Aseema Sinha, author of Globalizing India: How Global Rules and Markets are Shaping India’s Rise to Power, observed, this period was marked by "a self-driven industrialisation drive, export pessimism, and suspicion of global alliances".
India finally opened up in the 1990s and 2000s, cutting average tariffs from 80% in 1990 to 13% in 2008.
But after Modi launched his "Make in India" policy to boost manufacturing in India tariffs have climbed again to about 18% - higher than those set by other Asian nations such as China, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand.
Trade expert Biswajit Dhar believes India is now a prime target under Trump’s "America First" policy, which seeks reciprocal action against high import taxes and reassesses trade with large US deficits.
Agricultural market access remains a sticking point for the US, he says.
India dropped retaliatory tariffs on US-made almonds, apples, chickpeas, lentils and walnuts in 2023, but Trump will likely demand more. However, India may hold firm given domestic political sensitivity around farming.
"This is where we will drive a hard bargain, and problems could arise," cautions Mr Dhar.
That said, India’s strategic ties with the US – as a Quad member countering China – could help ease friction. India’s willingness to accept the deportation of undocumented Indian migrants in the US without pushing back has also sent a positive signal, Mr Dhar notes.
Experts also point to Modi’s warm personal rapport with Trump as an advantage. Some clarity will come when the Indian prime minister visits the White House – this month, according to some reports – at Trump’s invitation. Modi Faces First Major Electoral Test After Historic Tax Cuts (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [2/4/2025 8:30 PM, Swati Gupta, 21617K, Negative]
India’s capital holds local elections Wednesday, in a crucial test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose party has failed to wrestle control of Delhi from a small but formidable rival for over a decade now.More than 15 million voters will head to the polls in Delhi — the administrative heart of the country — to elect candidates for 70 seats in the local assembly. The Aam Aadmi Party, which means the Common Man’s Party, has been in power since 2015, and is widely credited with overhauling education and medical care in the capital region. It faces stiff competition from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which is riding a wave of popularity with the middle class after making record tax cuts in the country’s annual budget last week.Both parties are betting on cash handouts, particularly for women, and other freebies to help them win the election. For the past decade, the incumbent party has made welfare measures the focal point of its administration, capturing the support of low-income groups in a city with extreme wealth disparity. However, AAP’s leader Arvind Kejriwal, who made a name for himself as an anti-corruption crusader, has been embroiled in bribery allegations for several years now, impacting the party’s ability to govern.“BJP has gained,” while the perception of AAP has been “dented,” said Sanjay Kumar, a professor at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, a Delhi-based think tank. Modi government’s tax relief on Saturday will help his party make inroads in the capital region, which it hasn’t won since 1998. At an election rally on Sunday in Delhi, Modi said “the entire middle class is saying that in India’s history, this is the most middle-class friendly budget,” a remark that was accompanied with loud chants of his name by the crowd.According to Kumar, “Delhi is a city where middle-class people are in a very large number,” so the tax cuts will “certainly have some impact.” However, it may not bring about a significant change in voting pattern as that section of the society is already “tilted in favor of BJP,” he said.If the BJP pulls off Delhi, it would be yet another electoral success for the party in the last four months after winning the states of Haryana and Maharashtra, helping it recover from the setback in national elections last year. If Kejriwal prevails, it would mean that support for his welfare agenda is still enough to win elections, despite the damage to reputation his party has suffered in recent months.Corruption or Witch-HuntFor the last 10 years, the two parties have been in the midst of a bitter feud, which has impacted governance in the capital.The AAP has been under pressure amid allegations of impropriety in a liquor license distribution case. Multiple leaders of the party, including Kejriwal and the former deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, have spent months in prison without trial. In September, Kejriwal resigned from his post as Delhi’s chief minister, vowing to return this year.The party has consistently denied the allegations and described them as a political witch-hunt by the BJP-led government that controls the country’s federal investigative agencies. If AAP wins, analysts say, the tension between the two parties is likely to remain intact, and could likely lead to administrative inertia in the capital.Though the government in Delhi is drawn from an elected assembly, its powers are restricted. It doesn’t control the police and a federal government-appointed official controls most of the administrative appointments and expenditure.“I don’t think BJP ever moves on. I don’t think that’s the modus operandi. Especially if there’s a big win for the Aam Aadmi party, they’re more likely to be aggressive,” said Neelanjan Sircar, professor at Ahmedabad University.The poll results are scheduled to be announced on Feb. 8. India PM Modi’s party seeks to oust anti-corruption crusader in New Delhi state elections (AP)
AP [2/4/2025 11:50 PM, Ashok Sharma, 33392K, Neutral]
Thousands begin voting in the Indian capital’s state legislature election on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party trying to unseat a powerful regional group that has ruled New Delhi for over a decade.
Voters walked to polling booths on a cold, wintry morning to cast their ballots across the sprawling capital. Manish Sisodia, a key Aam Aadmi Party leader, and others offered prayers in a temple before voting.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is up against the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, which runs New Delhi and has built a vast support base on its welfare policies and an anti-corruption movement. Kejriwal, a popular crusader against corruption, suffered a setback as he himself faced graft allegations.
The AAP won 62 out of 70 seats in a landslide victory in the last election, held in 2020. leaving BJP with only eight and the Congress party with none. The AAP had also swept the 2015 state elections, winning 67 seats, with the BJP taking three.
Modi and Kejriwal have both campaigned vigorously in roadshows with thousands of supporters tailing them. They have offered to revamp government schools and provide free health services and electricity, and a monthly stipend of over 2,000 rupees ($25) to poor women.
Voting ends later Wednesday, with results due on Saturday. More than 15 million people are eligible to vote in New Delhi’s election.
Arati Jerath, a political commentator, predicted a tight contest between the two parties, saying, "Even since the AAP rose to prominence, it has been a one-sided contest.".
Delhi, a city of more than 20 million people, is a federal territory that Modi’s party has not won for over 27 years despite having a sizable support base there.
Kejriwal and other AAP leaders recently faced graft allegations in a liquor license case.
Neerja Chowdhury, a political analyst, said the liquor policy case — in which several AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, went to jail — had dented Kejriwal’s clean image.
Kejriwal was arrested last year along with two key leaders of his party ahead of national elections on charges of receiving bribes from a liquor distributor. They have consistently denied the accusations, saying they are part of a political conspiracy. The Supreme Court allowed the release of Kejriwal and other ministers on bail.
Kejriwal later relinquished the chief minister’s post to his most senior party leader.
The BJP, which failed to secure a majority on its own in last year’s national election but formed the government with coalition partners, has gained some lost ground by winning two state elections in northern Haryana and western Maharashtra states.
Modi’s party hopes to benefit after last week’s federal budget slashed income taxes on the salaried middle class, one of its key voting blocks.
Opposition parties widely condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, accusing Modi’s government of misusing federal investigation agencies to harass and weaken political opponents, and pointed to several raids, arrests and corruption investigations of key opposition figures in the months before the national election.
Kejriwal vowed to be an anti-corruption crusader and formed the AAP in 2012 after tapping into public anger against the then-Congress party government over a series of corruption scandals. His pro-poor policies have focused on fixing state-run schools and providing cheap electricity, free health care and bus transport for women.
The BJP was voted out of power in Delhi in 1998 by the Congress party, which ran the government for 15 years. In the 2015 and 2020 elections in Delhi, the AAP won landslide victories. India’s Modi takes ‘holy dips’ at Maha Kumbh, week after stampede killed dozens (Reuters)
Reuters [2/5/2025 3:19 AM, Sakshi Dayal, 5.2M, Neutral]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took holy dips in sacred river waters in the northern city of Prayagraj on Wednesday as he joined millions of people at the Maha Kumbh Mela, a week after dozens died in a stampede at the event.
Authorities said 30 people were killed in the stampede on the six week-long Hindu festival’s most auspicious day on Jan. 29, as more than 76 million people converged on the river to take a ‘royal dip’. Sources said the death toll was more than 50.
Devout Hindus believe that taking a dip during the Maha Kumbh at the confluence of three sacred rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati, which is believed to flow underground -absolves people of sins and brings salvation from the cycle of birth and death.
Live visuals broadcast on state and private news channels showed Modi - dressed in a saffron sweatshirt and black sweat pants with saffron stripes on the side - holding on to a thick yellow rope for support as he took three dips in the knee-deep water.
"I had the supreme fortune of worshipping at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj today," Modi later posted on X. "Receiving the blessings of Mother Ganga has brought immense peace and contentment to my heart. I prayed for the happiness, prosperity, health, and well-being of all countrymen."
Security personnel stood in the water nearby while thousands of people crowded the banks to watch the prime minister perform the rituals.
Modi arrived on a boat with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and changed his clothes on a floating enclosure before wading into the water. Holy men chanted religious verses as he performed the dips.
Modi attended the smaller Kumbh Mela in 2019.
More than 400 million people are expected to attend this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela, making it the world’s largest gathering, officials say. More than 380 million have already attended in its first three weeks, they said.
An investigation has been launched into last week’s stampede, which happened as devotees thronged the confluence of the rivers where a dip is believed to be particularly special.
Opposition parties have blamed the tragedy on mismanagement and accused the state government of Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of hiding the real death toll.
Authorities have denied the claims and have since taken additional safety measures, including deploying more security personnel to manage the mammoth crowds.
The Maha Kumbh Mela is taking place at a 4,000 hectare (9,900 acre) temporary township - the size of 7,500 football fields - created on the river banks in Prayagraj.
Home Minister Amit Shah, industrialist Gautam Adani, Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Coldplay’s Chris Martin have also joined this year’s festival. Legal challenges await OpenAI chief as he visits India on global tour (Washington Post)
Washington Post [2/5/2025 1:00 AM, Karishma Mehrotra, 6.9M, Neutral]
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman visits India this week as his company fights off a major copyright lawsuit in its second-largest market — yet another legal headache for the creator of ChatGPT as it seeks to cement itself as the global leader in artificial intelligence.
The lawsuit is led by one of the country’s largest news wires and has united players across a diverse, often fragmented Indian media landscape. Mirroring similar legal challenges facing the company worldwide, the suit alleges that OpenAI has illegally used copyrighted content to train the algorithms that power its popular chatbots.“If the Indian court becomes one of the first courts to decide on this issue, it could be a trendsetter,” said Aditya Gupta, an expert in Indian copyright law. “The size of the Indian market is impossible for OpenAI to ignore. They can’t just say, ‘I’ll exit India; it doesn’t matter.’”
OpenAI has argued in court that India lacks jurisdiction over the issue. “We are actively engaged in constructive partnerships and conversations with many news organizations around the world, including India, to explore opportunities, listen to feedback, and work collaboratively,” OpenAI spokesman Jake Wilczynski said in a statement to The Washington Post. “We build our AI models using publicly available data, in a manner protected by fair use and related principles, and supported by long-standing and widely accepted legal precedents.”
Since the release of ChatGPT, OpenAI has become entangled in legal battles with artists, actors and authors, as well as media companies. The New York Times filed a closely watched copyright infringement suit in a federal court in Manhattan in late 2023; eight other daily U.S. newspapers sued the company in April.
Increasingly, the fight over copyright and artificial intelligence has become global in scope. Asian News International (ANI) launched its legal challenge in November, the same month that a group of Canadian news organizations filed suit again OpenAI in Ontario Superior Court.
Courts and governments around the world are scrambling to set boundaries around the development of generative AI, which is developed by running complex algorithms on huge datasets often taken from the public internet. OpenAI could face a particularly acute challenge in India, analysts say, because copyright laws here provide content creators with stronger protections than in the United States.
The Indian lawsuit, filed by ANI, argues that OpenAI operates as an unfair competitor and that its language models attribute false responses to ANI. OpenAI is “diverting traffic” from the agency to ChatGPT by offering itself as a free “convenient alternative” to paying for the original content, the complaint alleges.
ANI declined to comment for this story.
Other news associations such as the Digital News Publishers Association, whose members include the Indian Express and the Hindustan Times, have attempted to join the lawsuit.
Included in ANI’s legal complaint is a series of WhatsApp messages sent last year by the news agency’s director, Ishaan Prakash, to a top OpenAI executive, providing a window into high-level communications before the lawsuit.“My apologies if this comes across as threatening but it stems from worry and frustration,” Prakash wrote in a July message to Pragya Misra, OpenAI’s public policy chief in India. “Worry - ANI IPR is being used without our authorisation. Frustration - After unauthorised used, we have documented misinformation stemming from an incorrect interpretation of ANI work.”
As its legal challenges have mounted, OpenAI has struck licensing deals with major publishers, including the Associated Press, the Financial Times, Time magazine, Condé Nast and Politico owner Axel Springer. ANI — whose subscribers include major outlets such as the BBC — claims its repeated requests to enter into a similar arrangement have been rejected.“OpenAI has entered into agreements with various big media houses in the West to train its models on, why not with India’s largest news agency if you are present in this country too?” Prakash wrote to Misra, according to the complaint.
Altman’s trip to India, where he is due to meet with members of civil society and government officials, is the latest stop on an international tour. Earlier this week, he was in Japan, where SoftBank pledged billions of dollars to OpenAI. After India, Altman will head to Paris to attend a summit co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The global charm offensive by OpenAI coincides with the recent appearance of an unexpected rival, the Chinese company DeepSeek, which stunned Silicon Valley and Wall Street last month with the release of a new chatbot it claimed was cheaper to develop.
In December, Altman donated $1 million to Donald Trump’s inaugural fund and has sought to pitch his company to decision-makers in Washington as a bulwark against China’s AI ambitions. Analysts say the growing competition from DeepSeek may push OpenAI to double down on global relationships and seek commercial advantages abroad.
Gupta, the copyright lawyer, said Altman’s stop in India could be part of an effort to convince the country to move in the direction of Japan and Singapore, where there have been new legal carve-outs for the company’s algorithmic training.
In considering the ANI case, India’s judiciary must wrestle with fundamental questions about the future of AI, legal experts say, in ways that go beyond the American legal challenges. While the New York Times, for example, alleges OpenAI violated its paywall, ANI argues that even its publicly available material should be protected from scraping.“The case will not only decide whether generative AI tools are made available to Indian users ... but is also likely to determine whether India becomes a favorable destination for the training of LLMs,” Gupta said, using the shorthand for large language models.
The lawsuit also has the potential to open up a “geopolitical can of worms,” said Meghna Bal, a technology lawyer and director of the Esya Center, a think tank based in New Delhi. “Trump has signaled pretty clearly that you better learn to play ball with our companies and not target them with regulation — or else.” NSB
Is India’s regional clout waning over Bangladesh cosying up to China? (South China Morning Post)
South China Morning Post [2/4/2025 7:56 PM, Vasudevan Sridharan, 9355K, Neutral]
As Bangladesh continues to strengthen its ties with China and Pakistan, India risks being shut out from wielding any influence on Dhaka and the broader South Asian region.
Since the downfall of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, China has held several talks with Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. In contrast, contacts between India and Bangladesh were put on the back burner amid tensions between two neighbours that previously enjoyed a close partnership under the Hasina regime, analysts said.
Bilateral ties have worsened in recent months over New Delhi’s decision to grant shelter to Hasina, its inertia over Dhaka’s request to extradite the former prime minister and reports of mounting violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
"The fact that the interim government is cosying up to countries with which India has historically had difficult relations – not only China but also Pakistan – has deepened mutual suspicions," said Chietigj Bajpaee, a senior research fellow at the London-based policy think tank Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific programme.
Last month, Md Touhid Hossain, Bangladeshi foreign affairs adviser, met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.
"China supports Bangladesh in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and national dignity, exploring a development path that suits its national conditions, respects the choice of the Bangladeshi people, and is willing to continue to provide assistance for Bangladesh’s economic and social development," Wang Yi told Touhid Hossain, according to a report by the Deccan Herald.Rakshith Shetty, a China-focus research analyst with the think tank Takshashila Institution, said: “The Yunus-led interim government has deepened economic cooperation with Beijing, notably proposing to relocate Chinese solar panel factories to Bangladesh to boost green exports.”Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast and South Asia at the US-based Council on Foreign Relations, said Yunus would likely visit Beijing soon with prospects of more aid and investment for Dhaka.“Yunus has been aggressive in recruiting new Chinese aid and investment. He is also seeking loan forgiveness from China and lower interest rates on new Chinese projects in Bangladesh,” Kurlantzick said.Hundreds of Chinese companies have invested billions of dollars in projects in Bangladesh for more than a decade, ranging from power plants to bridges, under the Belt and Road Initiative.Dhaka’s growing alignment with Chinese development models and the Belt and Road Initiative might further weaken Delhi’s bargaining power, Shetty said.China is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling 168.4 billion yuan (US$23.6 billion) in 2023, mostly comprising Chinese exports to Bangladesh.Ties between the two countries have also deepened on the defence front in recent years. Bangladesh is China’s second-biggest weapons buyer after Pakistan and is reportedly looking to upgrade its air force by acquiring the Chinese J-10C fighter jets.Shetty told This Week in Asia that Bangladesh’s closer military ties with China “could complicate India’s security calculus”, particularly along its eastern frontier.In a sign of rising tensions between India and Bangladesh, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday halted construction work by its Bangladeshi counterparts, citing treaty violations.The recent release of jailed Islamists by Yunus’ administration has also fuelled security concerns in India.Meanwhile, high-level military engagements between Bangladesh and Pakistan, India’s arch-rival, have also raised alarms in Delhi.Last month, S M Kamrul Hasan, a senior officer of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, made a rare visit to Pakistan, where he met the country’s Defence Secretary Muhammad Ali and top military officers. A Pakistani military delegation also visited sensitive areas along the India-Bangladesh border in the same month.Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a war of liberation that was supported by Indian troops.Bajpaee said Dhaka was not hesitant to warm up to Islamabad as a result of the “bad blood” with Delhi over the Hasina regime. “Evidence of this can be seen in Dhaka’s recent relaxation of visa rules for Pakistani nationals and the docking of a Pakistani cargo vessel at a Bangladeshi port in November,” he added.India’s diminishing influence in Bangladesh could have significant geopolitical consequences in South Asia, according to analysts.Kurlantzick noted China’s “pragmatism” in working with the “autocratic Hasina” and Yunus’ government. “India, on the other hand, is struggling as it was closely linked to Hasina and her party, who are now widely despised,” he added.Bajpaee said that along with Pakistan, “China moving closer to Bangladesh while relations remain strained between New Delhi and Dhaka will complicate India’s eastward engagement. Bangladesh is a key node in New Delhi’s ‘Act East’ policy”. Edward and Sophie welcomed to Nepal by president of Himalayan nation (The Independent)
The Independent [2/4/2025 8:41 AM, Katie Dickinson, 63029K, Positive]
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have joked that posing in front of a photo of Everest would be the closest they get to the famous mountain as they started an official royal tour in Nepal.The couple met the president of the south Asian country as they arrived on Tuesday for a six-day stay to celebrate its close ties with the UK.The duke and duchess were greeted by President Ram Chandra Paudel and his wife Sabita Paudel at the Presidential Palace in Kathmandu, where they discussed their first visit to the Himalayan nation.Sophie, who celebrated her 60th birthday a fortnight ago, and her husband, the King’s youngest brother, signed a guest book in front of a photo of Mount Everest.Edward said: “That is rather special isn’t it,” while the duchess joked: “That’s as close as I’m going to get, sadly… this time.”The annual report on the Brigade of Gurkhas was handed to the president by Major General Gerald Strickland, the Colonel Commandant of the military unit.The Edinburghs will attend the Attestation Parade for new Gurkha recruits at the British Gurkha Camp in the lakeside city of Pokhara.It marks young Nepali service personnel formally joining the British Army, and celebrates the long tradition of collaboration between the two nations.They will also travel to the village of Ghandruk, perched in the foothills with views of the Annapurna mountain range.Before leaving Kathmandu they will meet organisations providing healthcare and support to survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence.The couple will meet young people taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, women’s rights activists and people campaigning for a more equal and inclusive society.Buckingham Palace said: “The visit will celebrate the close ties between the UK and Nepal, and reinforce shared interests including youth opportunity, healthcare, equality for women and girls, and conservation and biodiversity.”The King visited Nepal in 1998 as the Prince of Wales, and his and Edward’s parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, travelled there in 1986.The late Queen and Philip also visited Nepal in 1961, when they rode on elephants to watch a tiger shoot arranged by King Mahendra in a jungle near Kathmandu.Philip was unable to join in with the shoot because of an infected finger.King George V was pictured tiger shooting in Nepal in 1912.The last major royal visit to the now-republic was by the Duke of Sussex.Harry made an official trip in 2016 to mark the bicentenary of the Nepal-UK relationship, four years before he stepped down as a senior working royal. Sri Lanka set to finalise debt restructuring deal with Japan (Reuters)
Reuters [2/5/2025 3:20 AM, Uditha Jayasinghe, 5.2M, Neutral]
Sri Lanka said on Wednesday that cabinet approval has been given to finalise a debt restructuring deal with Japan, a move that follows a preliminary agreement reached last June with key bilateral lenders.
"After multiple rounds of negotiations, this is an important step for Sri Lanka to complete its debt restructuring process and emerge from a severe financial crisis. This is an important step for Sri Lanka to rebuild its economy," Cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters.
Sri Lanka’s economy crumpled under a severe foreign exchange crisis in 2022 but it has made a faster-than-expected recovery, aided by a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
The South Asian island nation owes $2.52 billion to Japan, government data shows.It needs to sign similar agreements with China for about $4.75 billion and with India for $1.4 billion to successfully complete the fourth stage of the IMF programme after which a new tranche of $333 million will be released to the country.
China and Sri Lanka agreed on more investment and economic cooperation last month when Chinese President Xi Jinping met recently elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing.
In addition to the preliminary $10 billion bilateral debt restructuring agreement with key lenders, Colombo secured a $12.5 billion bondholder deal in December. Central Asia
EU-Central Asia Leaders’ Summit Back on the Agenda (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [2/4/2025 1:29 PM, Catherine Putz, 857K, Positive]
The first-ever EU-Central Asia leaders’ summit is back on the schedule.
According to media reports, the EU-Central Asia leaders’ summit was originally planned for 2024. An April 2024 briefing by the European Parliamentary Research Service stated that "formalizing the C5 + EU cooperation at the highest political level… will be an opportunity to match the EU’s political relevance in the region with its status of major donor and investor.".
European politics, namely the June 2024 European Parliament election and its aftermath, apparently derailed the 2024 plan for a big summit, but in November 2024 European leaders expressed hopes to organize the summit in the first half of 2025.
In a January 21 Telegram post, Saida Mirziyoyeva, assistant to the president of Uzbekistan (her father, Shavkat Mirziyoyev), recounted a meeting with Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan Toivo Klaar. In their meeting, Mirziyoyeva said that preparations for a summit in Samarkand, to be held in April 2025, were discussed.
The EU mission confirmed the plans to Gazeta.uz, with Klaar stating: "We believe that the upcoming EU-Central Asia summit will significantly strengthen our ties. The new EU leadership is truly committed to expanding relations with Uzbekistan and Central Asia. We are grateful to President Mirziyoyev for proposing Samarkand as the venue for this first-ever EU-Central Asia summit.".
Europe may seem late to the leaders’ summit party, but it is also coming to Central Asia, arguably a demonstration of respect for the region’s centrality in its own affairs that contrasts with China and the United States. The May 2023 and September 2023 China- and U.S.-Central Asia leaders summits took place in Xi’an, China and New York City, the United States, respectively. The U.S.-Central Asia Leaders Summit was a sideline event during the United Nations General Assembly that year. That the European leadership is traveling to Samarkand for the summit is an important detail.
Systemic differences mean that assorted top EU leaders have already met, several times, with the Central Asian presidents. For instance, in October 2022 then-European Council President Charles Michel met with the Central Asian presidents in Astana, Kazakhstan. At the time, he congratulated Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev "on hosting the first EU-Central Asian leaders’ meeting." Michel met again with the Central Asian presidents in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan in 2023.
The upcoming meeting has been referred to in Uzbek media as the "first full-scale EU-Central Asia summit." Specific attendees have not been reported, but Ursula von der Leyen secured another five year term as president of the European Commission following the June 2024 elections.
European interest in Central Asia has intensified since the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but it certainly did not begin there. In 2019, the EU released an updated strategy for Central Asia. It did not offer many new positions writ large – as I wrote in 2019: "Ultimately, the new EU Central Asia strategy is the old EU Central Asia strategy in a fresh PDF" – but it did offer a sustained vision for relations.
Over the last several years, various European leaders have traveled to the region and a number of projects and programs were eventually floated that filled in some of the blank spaces when it came to how Europe would engage with Central Asia. For example, the Global Gateway (GG) – the EU’s response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – was launched in 2021. At its inception, the GG aimed to put 300 billion euros toward investments in digital and transport infrastructure, energy generation and transmission, and health projects by 2027. Although the program is bigger than Central Asia, the region is a core focus, with particular interest in developing the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. The Russian war in Ukraine, and the Eurasian fallout, further intensified interest in this area.
In January 2024, European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis announced an overall commitment to invest 10 billion euros in sustainable transport connectivity in Central Asia following an investor forum.
The upcoming leaders summit will serve to solidify these plans amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The veritable implosion of U.S. foreign assistance, and its utterly unclear future under the second Trump administration, serves to further heighten Europe’s importance as a partner in Central Asia.
Finally, the EU’s plans in Central Asia remain naturally tethered to Uzbekistan. The country is literally central in Central Asia and boasts the region’s largest population and its second-largest economy. For all the complexities and hypocrisies of Mirziyoyev’s "New Uzbekistan," Tashkent’s commitment to regional cooperation and connectivity has been unwavering.
Following the planned April 2024 leaders summit, Uzbek President Mirziyoyev is expected to make a visit to Brussels in return. Kun.uz reported in early February that the Uzbek president discussed the summit preparations in a recent phone call with current European Council President António Costa.
Costa, the report stated, expressed expectations that Mirziyoyev would visit Brussels later in 2025 to sign an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) with the EU, an upgrade to the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which has been in place since 1999. Crashed Azerbaijani plane was riddled with holes after incident over Russia, report says (Reuters)
Reuters [2/4/2025 1:10 PM, Staff, 48128K, Negative]
An Azerbaijani passenger plane that crashed in December after being diverted from Russia to Kazakhstan had suffered external damage and was riddled with holes in its fuselage, according to a report published on a Kazakh government website on Tuesday.
Thirty-eight people were killed when the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crashed on Dec. 25 near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after re-routing across the Caspian Sea from southern Russia.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said in December the plane had been damaged by accidental shooting from the ground in Russia. Moscow has not confirmed this.
Following the crash, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a rare apology to Aliyev for the "tragic incident" in Russian airspace, but the Kremlin did not say Russia had fired at the plane, only noting that a criminal case had been opened.
The preliminary report was issued under global aviation rules designed to draw lessons to prevent future accidents, rather than assigning blame or liability.
It was cautiously worded and did not say what had caused the extensive damage to the plane, including its stabilisers, hydraulics and trim systems.
But it included photographs showing the port side of the tail section was punctured with numerous holes. Also pictured were fragments that it described as "foreign metal objects" removed from the left stabiliser and hydraulic system.
A senior Azerbaijani government official told Reuters that the external impact referred to in the report was from a Russian surface-to-air missile.
"The Azerbaijani side possesses a fragment of a Pantsir-S missile, which was extracted from the aircraft and identified through international expertise," the source said.
It was the first time that a Baku government source has claimed to have physical proof that Russia shot down the plane, a Brazilian-manufactured Embraer (EMBR3.SA) E190. No comment was immediately available from Russian officials late on Tuesday evening.
Russia says it has assigned its own investigation to the most experienced experts and that actions are being taken to establish the cause and circumstances of the incident.‘PASSENGERS ARE LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS’.
The plane had been flying from Baku to Grozny in southern Russia, where the Kremlin said Ukrainian drones had been attacking several cities at the time.
Twenty-nine people survived the crash-landing in Kazakhstan. Aliyev has hailed the pilots, who died, as national heroes. The Azerbaijani leader has said that blame lies with Russian individuals, and that Baku demands justice.
The report said that at the start of the incident, the cockpit voice recorder identified the sound of two impacts in the space of 25 seconds. Two minutes later, the pilot reported to air traffic control that he thought the plane had suffered a bird strike.
After a further five minutes, he said the aircraft was losing control.
Several other airports were discussed as possible landing sites for the stricken plane before the crew decided to head to Aktau in Kazakhstan, which required them to fly east across the Caspian Sea.
"So, we have this situation, oxygen is running out in the passenger cabin, which means an oxygen tank exploded there, I think," the pilot reported. "So there is a smell of fuel, some passengers are losing consciousness, give us permission to go at a lower altitude.".
The plane transmitted a distress signal while approaching Aktau. It collided with the ground there an hour and 12 minutes after the pilots first reported a problem.
Azerbaijan’s transport ministry, commenting on the report, said the plane had been fully airworthy but was damaged due to the impact of "external objects".
It highlighted the report’s finding that it was not until eight minutes after the initial impacts that Russian air traffic controllers initiated a protocol that bans aircraft from flying in areas which are being subjected to drone attacks. Kyrgyzstan resists Russian pressure to give sanctions-busting firms lenient treatment (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [2/4/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
Russia is pressing Kyrgyzstan to ease up on the enforcement of Western sanctions covering bilateral trade, especially dual-use items with military applications. Kyrgyz officials aren’t showing signs, at least outwardly, of caving to the Kremlin’s wishes.
Both countries have used coded language in public statements when discussing the sanctions issue, never referring to sanctions explicitly. During a January 31 intergovernmental session, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called on the Kyrgyz government to stop “unfairly targeting” Russian businesses operating in Kyrgyzstan.“We ask that the leadership of Kyrgyzstan stop the administrative pressure on our companies and ensure the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of Russian investors,” Mishustin said during the session. Mishustin went on to indicate that some Russian entities had been subjected to extortion attempts by Kyrgyz officials he did not name. The Russian prime minister also claimed that the businesses operating in Kyrgyzstan were “honest” and “conscientious,” and among the highest tax contributors to Kyrgyz state coffers.Kyrgyz officials at the meeting said they would study the issue and get back to Mishustin. The response came the next day, delivered by Almambet Shykmamatov, the chief of Kyrgyzstan’s State Taxation Service, or GNS.
Using the taxation issue as cover, Shykmamatov politely, but effectively told Russia not to expect more lenient enforcement. “In Kyrgyzstan, all legal conditions have been created for foreign investors and entrepreneurs, and no one can be given an unreasonable advantage,” the Kabar news agency quoted the GNS head as saying.
Kyrgyzstan has long been suspected of acting as a back door for Russia-bound illicit trade. Accordingly, many Russian entities in the country are viewed as enabling sanctions-busting commerce. Gaps in trade data help support Kyrgyzstan’s image as a sanctuary for sanctions-busting. For example, official statistics for 2024 published by Georgia show that $964 million worth of vehicles were shipped from Georgia to Kyrgyzstan, but Kyrgyz data recorded only $50 million-worth of vehicles entering the country from Georgia. The missing vehicles are widely presumed to have ended up in Russia.
Russian-connected entities in Kyrgyzstan are showing up on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list. The latest entity to be designated is OJSC Keremet Bank. In a statement issued January 15, the Treasury Department asserted that the bank “coordinated with Russian officials and US-designated Russian bank Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company (PSB) to implement a sanctions evasion scheme.”
According to the Treasury Department, the Kyrgyz government in 2024 sold a controlling interest in Keremet Bank to a firm “strongly linked” to an unnamed Kremlin-connected oligarch for the purpose of creating a “sanctions evasion hub for Russia to pay for imports and receive payment for exports.”
The Russian government nationalized PSB in 2018 to provide financing for the defense sector, according to the statement. “Since its transformation into the Russian state defense bank, PSB has issued billions of dollars of financial support for Russian military-industrial base companies,” the statement adds.
US pressure on Kyrgyzstan in late 2024 played a role in prompting Kyrgyz leaders to tighten trade rules designed to contain sanctions-busting, including a requirement that Kyrgyz importers must take delivery of goods within 60 days. Uzbekistan: Where reforms can put on Janus face (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [2/4/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K, Neutral]
The authoritarian-minded leadership of Uzbekistan is promoting reforms that may have decidedly progressive outcomes in such areas as love and crime.
The watchdog group Freedom House describes Uzbekistan as “an authoritarian state with few signs of democratization” in which the “the legislature and judiciary effectively serve as instruments of the executive branch.” Yet, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s desire to modernize the Uzbek economy occasionally prompts authorities to embrace social concepts that seem out of sync with the authoritarian playbook.
Recent legislative proposals highlight this seeming contradiction. A bill proposed by the country’s Legislative Chamber, for example, would crack down on the practice of polygamy, which is permitted under Islamic law. The legislation would also require the “obligatory, voluntary consent of both parties to a marriage,” confirmed during a civil ceremony. State recognition of a marriage also requires a civil ceremony under the bill. A religious wedding could occur after the civil nuptials.
The administration’s motive for proposing the bill may well be a desire to extend its control over spiritual life in the country, whose citizens are predominantly Muslim. But an outcome of the legislation, if enacted and enforced, would be enhanced protection for women’s rights.
Another initiative, proposed by a pro-government political party, would enable convicted criminals to shave time off their prison sentences by reading books, the British newspaper The Telegraph reports. Under the proposed rule, a prisoner could reduce his/her sentence by up to 30 days annually by reading 10 books within a year, passing a test on each book to confirm that the contents were read and understood.
Prisoners would not be able to read just any book to qualify for sentence reduction; they would have to choose from a list approved by Uzbek government’s Center for Spirituality and Enlightenment. That probably means more Dale Carnegie than Dan Brown. Indo-Pacific
The Aga Khan IV, Wealthy Leader of the Ismaili Muslims, Dies at 88 (New York Times)
New York Times [2/4/2025 4:14 PM, Alan Cowell, 831K, Neutral]
The Aga Khan IV, who as the leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims fused entrepreneurship and philanthropy in becoming one of the world’s wealthiest hereditary rulers, died on Tuesday in Lisbon. He was 88.
His death was confirmed by his Aga Khan Development Network in a post on X, the social media site. No cause was given.
Urbane, cosmopolitan and often media-averse, the Aga Khan — born Prince Karim Al-Hussaini — rejected the notion that expanding his personal fortune would conflict with his charitable ventures. He said his ability to prosper complemented his duty to enhance the lives of Ismaili Muslims, a branch of the Shiite tradition of Islam with a following of 15 million people in 35 countries.
An imam, or leader of his faith, was “not expected to withdraw from everyday life,” he once said after becoming the Aga Khan. “On the contrary, he’s expected to protect his community and contribute to their quality of life. Therefore, the notion of the divide between faith and world is foreign to Islam.”
His projects included developing the island of Sardinia’s ritzy Costa Smeralda resort area, breeding thoroughbred racehorses and establishing health initiatives for the poor in the developing world.
He took issue with descriptions of his lifestyle as lavish, though he traveled on his own private jets and a luxury yacht, owned a private Caribbean island and shuttled among a variety of residences, including Aiglemont, a sprawling estate north of Paris that became the headquarters of his development network and a training center for his horses.“The role and responsibility of an imam,” he said in a speech in 2006, “is both to interpret the faith to the community and also to do all within his means to improve the quality, and security, of their daily lives.”
Even though he had no inherited realm in the manner of other hereditary rulers, the Aga Khan’s fortune was variously estimated at $1 billion to $13 billion, drawn from investments, joint ventures and private holdings in luxury hotels, airlines, racehorses and newspapers, as well as from a kind of Quranic tithe levied on his followers.
Unusually, the Aga Khan — the name is often translated as a blend of Turkish and Persian meaning commanding chief — inherited his title from his grandfather the Aga Khan III, who bypassed his other descendants to name his grandson as his successor. With his assumption of the leadership as 49th imam of Ismaili Muslims in 1957, the Aga Khan IV took the reins of a Shia Muslim lineage that claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad and imposed what he said were clear responsibilities on him.
At the time, he was a 20-year-old student of Islamic history at Harvard. That same year, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain conferred on him the nonhereditary title of His Highness, a reflection of the close ties between the two dynasties, bonded in a shared fascination with fine horses.
In his will, his grandfather Sultan Mohamed Shah said he had chosen to skip a generation in part because the “fundamentally altered conditions in the world” — including advances in atomic science — required a “young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age, and who brings a new outlook on life to his office.”
Indeed, the Aga Khan IV confronted several modern-day crises afflicting his followers, who are concentrated in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and East Africa. Many of them faced upheavals, like the 1972 decision by the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin to expel Asians and the turmoil in Tajikistan following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Aga Khan was long known as a well-connected person. As such, he was able to persuade Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau of Canada, whom he had met in the 1960s, to permit thousands of Ismaili Muslims to emigrate to Canada when they were forced to leave Uganda.
His friendship with Mr. Trudeau reflected an ambiguous relationship with Canada, where he became an honorary citizen in 2010. In 2017, Mr. Trudeau’s son, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, drew censure from Canada’s ethics commissioner after he and his family accepted the Aga Khan’s hospitality with an unannounced vacation at the prince’s private residence in the Bahamas.
The trip was deemed to represent a conflict of interest, because the Aga Khan Foundation had recently received $38 million worth of federal support from the Canadian authorities. For his part, the Aga Khan was officially exonerated.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Aga Khan’s followers in the mountainous Pamir region of Tajikistan were among those embroiled in a ruinous civil war in the 1990s against the government led by Emomali Rahmon. In response, the Aga Khan accelerated investments in power generation and a cellphone company in Tajikistan and later built health care, microfinance and other facilities, as well as the University of Central Asia in Khorog.
But the Aga Khan’s revered status among Ismaili Muslims, living mainly in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, reportedly stirred resentments and resistance among the country’s secular leaders, who sought to block demonstrations of support for the Aga Khan.
Prince Karim Al-Hussaini was born in Geneva on Dec. 13, 1936. He was the eldest son of the noted playboy Prince Aly Khan and his first wife, Joan (Yarde-Buller) Khan, a descendant of British aristocracy. His younger brother, Amyn Aga Khan, was born the next year.
In 1949, their parents divorced, and Prince Aly went on to marry the American actress Rita Hayworth, with whom he had a daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan.
Known in his youth as Prince Karim, the Aga Khan grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, before attending school at the exclusive Institut Le Rosey in Geneva. In his late 20s, he competed for pre-revolutionary Iran in skiing at the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
He went on to Harvard, where he was studying Islamic history when he became Aga Khan IV on the death of his grandfather.“It was a shock,” he said in an interview in 2013 with Vanity Fair magazine, “but I don’t think anyone in my situation would have been prepared.”
His new status, he said, meant that the course of his life was henceforth set on immutable coordinates. “I was an undergraduate who knew what his work for the rest of his life was going to be,” he said.
Some of his followers ascribed divine status to him, but he rejected such notions of godliness.
In 1969, he married Sally Croker Poole, a British model and former debutante who became Salima Aga Khan. The couple had three children, Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim and Prince Hussain, before they divorced in 1995. All three siblings went on to work in the Aga Khan’s organizations.
In 1998, the Aga Khan married Gabriele Thyssen zu Leiningen of Germany, who became Inaara Aga Khan. They had a son, Prince Aly Muhammad. The couple broke up a few years later and spent a decade negotiating a divorce settlement said to be worth about $60 million when adjusted for inflation.
He is survived by his children; his brother, Prince Amyn Muhammad; his half sister, Princess Yasmin; and four grandchildren.
Over the years, the Aga Khan’s business ventures were eclectic. He was a prime mover in the 1960s in building the resort of Porto Cervo, complete with a yacht club and polo tournaments, as part of the development of Sardinia’s northern Costa Smeralda as a playground for the superrich. He showed a liking for Maserati sports cars, but he also invested in the developing world in basic industries that made fishnets, plastic bags and matches.
In Uganda, following the overthrow of Idi Amin and the later rise of Yoweri Museveni, he joined private equity giants like the Blackstone Group in a $750 million hydroelectric scheme.
In 1960, Prince Aly, the Aga Khan’s father, died in a car crash at Suresnes, outside Paris, and his children inherited his lucrative equestrian empire, which included nine farms in Ireland and France. “The three of us found ourselves with this family tradition none of us knew the first thing about,” he told Vanity Fair in 2013.
Since then, the Aga Khan had owned, trained and bred many champion horses. In France, his filly Valyra won the prestigious Prix de Diane in 2012, to establish a new owners’ record of seven wins. In the 1980s, his stallion Shergar was abducted in Ireland and never seen again. (He refused to pay a ransom demand.)“I’ve come to love it — it’s so exciting, a constant challenge,” he once said of the equestrian business. “Every time you sit down and breed, you are playing a game of chess with nature.” Twitter
Afghanistan
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 86 retweets, 256 likes]
The pause on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) isn’t just a bureaucratic delay—it’s a death sentence for Afghan women and girls. Most female principal applicants are in the refugee track, which means they are disproportionately impacted.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 6 retweets, 23 likes]
Since the fall of Kabul, Afghan women have been systematically erased from public life—banned from education, work, and even basic freedoms. For many, #USRAP was the only viable path to safety. With the pause, that door has slammed shut.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 3 retweets, 21 likes]
While there were many women serving in the Female Tactical Platoon (FTP) and other units within the Afghan military, police, etc, they would not be eligible for SIV. Afghan government officials are not eligible for SIVShawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 5 retweets, 20 likes]
Unlike men, most Afghan women weren’t working alongside U.S. forces as interpreters or contractors. They were military, journalists, activists, judges, teachers, elected officials—leaders in their communities. Their only pathway to safety? #USRAP. A program now frozen.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 3 retweets, 22 likes]
Women who fought for their country’s future are now being hunted. The Taliban has arrested, tortured, and disappeared female leaders. Many live in hiding, unable to work or even leave their homes. #USRAP was their lifeline—but now, it’s been taken away.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 4 retweets, 21 likes]
The pause disproportionately affects female-led households, leaving mothers and their children in dire conditions—without work, without legal protections, and without hope. Without USRAP, these families have nowhere to go.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 5 retweets, 41 likes]
This isn’t just a humanitarian failure—it’s a betrayal. The U.S. promised to protect those who stood for democracy and equality in Afghanistan. Afghan women took that promise seriously. Now, we are abandoning them.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/4/2025 11:09 AM, 30.3K followers, 10 retweets, 53 likes]
The solution? Restart USRAP immediately. Women’s lives are on the line. We must honor our commitments and ensure that Afghan women and girls have a pathway to safety. Silence is complicity. Speak up. Act now. #AfghanWomen #USRAP
Amrullah Saleh@AmrullahSaleh2
[2/4/2025 1:23 PM, 1.2M followers, 46 retweets, 161 likes]
In 2024, the Taliban spent: US$ 108 million on economic development. US$ 1.8 billion on sustaining militia formations, implementing repressive policies, and consolidating clerical dictatorship. The expenses for the civilian sector were covered by cash shipments from Washington. The costs for Operation Enduring Sentinel (OES) are not included in these figures. The cost of dignified repatriation of Afghans to a constitutionally governed Afghanistan is far less and more viable than evacuation efforts, managing the refugee crisis, or yielding to Taliban blackmail. Supporting the Afghan people in establishing a constitutional process and an accountable state system fully integrated into the international community is a noble endeavor. This approach helps keep the crisis at bay from your shores, cities, and alleviates any sense of guilt in your parliaments or conference rooms. It is puzzling why there are tens of billions allocated for evacuation but zero for securing Afghanistan for all Afghans.
Lina Rozbih@LinaRozbih
[2/4/2025 8:50 AM, 425.2K followers, 1 retweet, 3 likes]
In regard to #USAID here is a report from 2021: U.S. Spending on Afghanistan Reconstruction at Risk of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse https://www.gao.gov/blog/u.s.-spending-afghanistan-reconstruction-risk-fraud%2C-waste%2C-and-abuse
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[2/4/2025 9:29 AM, 247.5K followers, 272 retweets, 700 likes]
Afghanistan is the only country where girls’ education is banned. It has been 1,235 days since the Taliban barred teenage girls from school, depriving 1.4 million of their right to learn.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[2/4/2025 11:21 PM, 5.5K followers, 5 retweets, 4 likes]
#Heartbreaking: These girls in Herat, Afghanistan, are denied education beyond primary school and forced to weave carpets instead. “I only finished 5th grade, but my dream is still to become a doctor,” one told me. This is an intolerable denial of their fundamental human rights.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[2/4/2025 12:07 PM, 5.5K followers, 7 retweets, 14 likes]
The suspension of “Begum” Radio by the Taliban is a direct attack on freedom of expression and women journalists in Afghanistan. Silencing their voices means erasing stories that matter. We urge the global community to stand with Afghan women journalists and defend press freedom.
Lynne O’Donnell@lynnekodonnell
[2/4/2025 11:11 AM, 27.4K followers, 2 likes]
#Taliban minister ‘forced to flee #Afghanistan’ after speech in support of girls’ education https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/feb/03/mohammad-abbas-stanikzai-taliban-minister-flees-afghanistan-over-support-girls-education?CMP=share_btn_url Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[2/4/2025 12:41 PM, 3.1M followers, 53 retweets, 262 likes]
President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Beijing on an official visit. He was welcomed by China’s Finance Minister Lan Fo’an and top diplomats from both countries. The visit, from Feb 4-8, will strengthen bilateral ties and boost economic cooperation. #Pakistan #China #Diplomacy
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[2/4/2025 10:44 AM, 3.1M followers, 24 retweets, 99 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif attending Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation’s Convention.
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[2/4/2025 9:47 PM, 6.7M followers, 151 retweets, 543 likes]
I join the Ismaili community in mourning the colossal loss from the passing away of Prince Karim Aga Khan. A man of vision, faith, and generosity, his enduring legacy will continue to inspire generations. His contributions transcended borders, bringing hope and progress to communities in need. He was a remarkable leader whose life was dedicated to uplifting communities across the world. Through his tireless efforts in poverty alleviation, healthcare, and gender equality, he championed the cause of the marginalized, leaving an indelible mark on countless lives.
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[2/4/2025 7:56 AM, 6.7M followers, 131 retweets, 420 likes]
Thank you @DrTedros for your warm and supporting message. My government remains steadfast in its resolve to eradicate polio from Pakistan. While we lament the loss of our brave frontline polio workers and police officials in this mission, we shall continue to persevere until the job is done.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus@DrTedros
[2/4/2025 6:06 AM, 2M followers, 49 retweets, 130 likes]
I join Prime Minister @CMShehbaz in condemning yesterday’s attack on #polio workers, which resulted in the death of a policeman who was protecting them. The safety of polio workers is paramount to #EndPolio. We very much appreciate #Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring every last child receives the life-saving vaccine. https://radio.gov.pk/03-02-2025/prime-minister-strongly-condemns-attacks-on-polio-teams-in-kp
Imran Khan@ImranKhanPTI
[2/4/2025 4:53 AM, 21.1M followers, 13K retweets, 20K likes]
An Open Letter from former Prime Minister Imran Khan to the Chief of Army Staff - February 3rd, 2025 "Pakistan is my country, and its military is mine too!! Our soldiers are sacrificing their lives for Pakistan. Success in the war against terrorism requires the nation to stand behind their army. However, unfortunately, the gap between the military and the public continues to widen because of the establishment’s policies. There are several fundamental reasons for this. In order to restore public sentiment towards the military and bridge the widening gap between the people and their armed forces, the establishment must reconsider its policies.- The biggest reason is the historic rigging of the 2024 elections and the blatant theft of the people’s mandate, which has fueled public anger. The way agencies engaged in pre-poll rigging and political engineering to control results has severely damaged public trust. A party that won only 17 seats was handed the reins of power, imposing a “puppet government” on the nation.- The second reason is the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The way the Constitution and laws have been violated, and this amendment has been used to control the judiciary has caused intense resentment in public. Nasser Javed Rana deliberately delayed decisions so that my cases could be assigned to "pocket judges." The ongoing "court packing" is aimed at ensuring that cases against me are heard by favored judges, who will deliver desired verdicts. This entire exercise is meant to secure selective rulings against me and to cover up violations of human rights and electoral fraud so that no fair judicial decisions can be made.- The third reason is the draconian PECA Law. Electronic media is already under control, and now, through PECA amendments, restrictions have been imposed on social media and the internet. This threatens Pakistan’s GSP+ status. Disruptions to internet services have caused the IT industry more than 1.72 billion dollars in losses, destroying the careers of young professionals.- The fourth major reason is the continued state terrorism against Pakistan’s largest and most popular political party. Violating the sanctity of private homes, over 100,000 raids have been conducted, more than 20,000 party workers and supporters have been either arrested or abducted, and their families harassed. Human rights violations continue in an effort to crush PTI, which has deeply hurt the public.- The fifth major reason is the economic crisis caused by political instability, forcing people to leave Pakistan, along with their capital, at an alarming rate. Economic instability is at its peak. The growth rate is zero, and investment in Pakistan is nearly non-existent. No country can attract investment without the rule of law and justice. No one would willingly invest their capital in a country where there is a risk of terrorism. Investment only flows in when there is a government in place that represents the people’s will — anything else is futile.- The sixth major reason is that all state institutions have abandoned their duties and are instead focused on politically persecuting PTI. Military officers at the major and colonel levels continue to blatantly defy court orders. Judicial rulings are being ignored, and as a result, the entire military is facing a backlash. Just two days ago, an ATC [Anti-Terrorism Court] judge ordered my wife to appear for an investigation, and despite her willingness, some unseen force sabotaged the process. 1/2
Imran Khan@ImranKhanPTI
[2/4/2025 4:53 AM, 21.1M followers, 5.9K retweets, 7.6K likes]
As a former Prime Minister, it is my duty to highlight the issues that are tarnishing the army’s reputation. My stance has always been the same: Pakistan is my country, and its military is mine too. It is essential for the stability and security of Pakistan to bridge the growing gap between the army and the people. The only way to achieve this is for the military to return to its constitutional role, withdraw from politics, and fulfill its defined responsibilities. And the armed forces must take this step themselves; otherwise, this growing divide will turn into fault lines threatening national security.” 2/2
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[2/5/2025 2:01 AM, 8.6M followers, 13 retweets, 64 likes]
Pakistan must come up with a clear roadmap for Kashmir to build trust between the state of Pakistan and Kashmiris. Pakistanis always condemn human rights violations in IIOJK, but they should also respect human rights, at least in AJK. My take on #Kashmir India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/5/2025 2:01 AM, 105.1M followers, 2.7K retweets, 14K likes]
Blessed to be at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. The Snan at the Sangam is a moment of divine connection, and like the crores of others who have taken part in it, I was also filled with a spirit of devotion. May Maa Ganga bless all with peace, wisdom, good health and harmony.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/4/2025 6:35 AM, 105.1M followers, 7.4K retweets, 32K likes]
Speaking in the Lok Sabha. https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1ynJODMlzXqxR
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[2/4/2025 11:24 PM, 26.4M followers, 599 retweets, 4.6K likes]
President Droupadi Murmu voted in the Delhi Legislative Assembly elections 2025. The President cast her vote at the polling station in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Kendriya Vidyalaya inside Rashtrapati Bhavan complex.
Dr. S. Jaishankar@DrSJaishankar
[2/4/2025 12:23 PM, 3.3M followers, 187 retweets, 1.3K likes]
Prime Minister @narendramodi’s reply in Lok Sabha to the Motion of Thanks on Honourable Rashtrapatiji’s address truly reflected the dreams and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. His vision for building a #ViksitBharat, driven by good governance, inclusive growth & women-led development, is inspiring. Carrying forward the transformative initiatives of last 10 years, Modi Sarkar will be committed to the welfare of ‘Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata and Nari’ with sensitivity, empathy and a spirit of service. In this journey, keeping Nation First will be our conviction, strengthening India’s security will be our resolve and the spirit & ideals of the Constitution will be our guiding light.
Ashok Swain@ashoswai
[2/4/2025 2:52 PM, 621.2K followers, 369 retweets, 1K likes]
Trump has deported 205 Indian illegal immigrants back to India chained and handcuffed. The military aircraft carrying these Indians, mostly Gujaratis is expected to land soon in India. Modi and Hindutva Gang have gone silent about it. NSB
President of Nepal@OOP_Nepal
[2/4/2025 7:39 AM, 2.2K followers, 30 retweets, 111 likes]
The Rt. Hon. President also received the Annual Report-2024 of British Gurkhas presented by the Chief of Brigade of Gurkhas of the British Army, Major General Gerald Strickland on the same occasion.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[2/4/2025 3:02 AM, 145.1K followers, 76 retweets, 684 likes]
This Independence Day, instead of just reflecting on the past, we choose to embrace the future! Our duty as humans is to build a world of higher humanity, one where everyone has the space to thrive in true freedom. Let’s dream together, and let’s make it a reality!
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[2/4/2025 3:26 AM, 145.1K followers, 33 retweets, 359 likes]
Participating in the inaugural Independence Day celebration aligned with national revival…
Namal Rajapaksa@RajapaksaNamal
[2/4/2025 5:27 AM, 436.8K followers, 36 retweets, 154 likes]
USAID, who funded many projects worldwide, is now in center of controversy with western media alleging that it’s funds were used to cause chaos and destabilization in other countries under the pretext of humanitarian aid. Sri Lanka alone received millions of dollars in funds & grants from USAID in recent years. Over 100 NGOs were direct recepients of these funds while politicians, media personalities all benefitted from USAID. They had diversified into many sectors, through their grants and aid but there has been no clear accounts of how these funds were utilized. I call upon the govt. to conduct a probe on these projects and grants operated under USAID and present a detailed report to Parliament. A detailed account on these NGOs who benefitted from them must also be submitted. Regulations for financing NGO’s has been on the cards for many years but it has not yet been done. I request the govt. to bring in these regulations to maintain transparency. Central Asia
Asel Doolotkeldieva@ADoolotkeldieva
[2/4/2025 12:04 PM, 14K followers, 3 likes]
It seems like the only site for rebellion left in Tajikistan’s present day dictatorship is prison. Another prison rebellion yesterday
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[2/5/2025 3:06 AM, 211.5K followers, 1 like]
Today an official welcoming ceremony for President of Uzbekistan Shavkat #Mirziyoyev was held at the Perdana Putra government complex in Kuala Lumpur. A guard of honor was presented, the national anthems were played, and the leaders greeted official delegates and diplomats.
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[2/3/2025 9:41 PM, 24K followers, 1 retweet]
#HumanTrafficking Kyrgyzstan "investigated more potential trafficking crimes, identified and referred trafficking victims to services, and increased international partnerships to combat trafficking; however, the government did not prosecute or convict any traffickers, increase funding or in-kind support for victim services, or resume unannounced labor inspections." Tajikistan "provided support services to trafficking victims, trained government officials in collaboration with international organizations, and increased public awareness activities; however, the government did not adopt and implement pending standard operating procedures for victim identification and referral to care or increase efforts to identify victims." Report to Congress on 2025 Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment Pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act https://state.gov/report-to-congress-on-2025-trafficking-in-persons-interim-assessment-pursuant-to-the-trafficking-victims-protection-act/{End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.