SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Tuesday, March 11, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
GOP holdouts push for Afghan visa changes in funding bill (Politico)
Politico [3/10/2025 8:58 PM, Meredith Lee Hill, 11.6M]
House Republicans are set to adjust their stopgap spending bill in a bid to win over holdouts, stripping a planned increase in the number of available visas for Afghan allies who fought alongside U.S. troops.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), one of the holdouts, said in an interview Monday that he’s pushing for the change to the provision on Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans, citing concerns about properly vetting the Afghans that have been resettled in the U.S.“It’s a sticking point for me,” Ogles said, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Monday night. Another GOP holdout, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), also raised concerns about the SIV provisions in the package.
Eight to 10 GOP lawmakers wouldn’t vote for the funding bill if the SIV change wasn’t made, two other Republicans who were granted anonymity to speak candidly estimated. With Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) a no on the spending bill and Democratic leaders whipping against it, Johnson can’t afford that many defections. A shutdown deadline looms on Friday, and there are still several other Republicans who are undecided on the spending package.
GOP leaders are attaching the SIV changes to a manager’s amendment that is set to clear the Rules Committee Monday evening. The amendment specifically strips a slated increase in the Afghan SIV visa cap, from 70,500 back down to 50,500. The change also eliminates a provision that would have extended the application deadline for another two years, but it keeps the program operational through this year.“The amendment extends the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program through this year in its current form until the Administration concludes its review of the program,” said a senior GOP leadership aide. US-bound Afghans left ‘without options’ as Trump travel ban looms (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [3/10/2025 9:43 PM, Staff, 2923K]
As a young man, Muhammad Ilyas stood side-by-side with US soldiers as they took on the Taliban in his native Afghanistan, working as an interpreter and driven by a need for "revenge" for attacks on his family.
Now, with his sister stranded in Qatar ahead of an expected ban on the entry of Afghan nationals by the administration of President Donald Trump, he wonders what it was all for.
"When I first heard it, you cannot explain the kind of thoughts that go through your head and the emotions that you have after so much hard work, back and forth, this lengthy and exhausting process of vetting and screening," he said, of the almost three years it took his sister to get a US visa.
The 22-year-old mother of three is among about 2,000 Afghans at a US-run center in Qatar, where those in the final stage of their arduous journey to a new life in the United States are housed.
"She had a ticket in her hand to fly to the States. They had a ticket and on the 25th they got hit with the executive order and everything just stopped," said Ilyas, who has lived in Colorado for several years.
As one of his first acts in office, Trump froze the United States’ refugee admission program and almost all foreign aid.
Trump ordered the US government to identify countries whose nationals should be banned from entering on security grounds, a move akin to the so-called "Muslim ban" of his first term.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a US government official told AFP an executive order banning the entry of all nationals from Afghanistan, among other countries, is expected this week.
There are estimated to be up to 15,000 Afghan US-visa holders awaiting resettlement under a strict program designed to provide protection to those Afghans who worked with the United States during its 20-year war.
Another 200,000 are awaiting visa application processing, many still living in hiding in Afghanistan.
If the travel ban goes into place, many fear those en route would be forced to return to a home that is no longer safe.
"For them to go back is our biggest fear," said Ilyas. "I wish that they had not left the country at all.".‘Extremely unsafe’
After Trump’s orders, US "relocation operations are essentially paused," the US official said.
"We have to drastically curtail the services we provide. We are only providing food and emergency medical services.".
Asrar Umed, who received a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) in 2022 for his years of service on narcotics and migration programs, was given 20 days to vacate his US-funded housing in Kabul.
"The Taliban is aware of my work on US projects… it is extremely unsafe for me to be in public or to work in Kabul," said the father of five. "I fear for my life and the lives of my family members every day.".‘Most robustly vetted’
Trump’s move cites national security, but US officials say the 200,000 Afghans who have gone through the resettlement process, and those being processed, face rigorous screening.
"We have more information about Afghans than we do about most Americans," said Shawn VanDiver, a US military veteran who runs the non-profit #AfghanEvac.
"We had a massive intelligence operation there for years. We know who they are.".
The US government official said Afghans undergoing the years-long process for SIVs or other visas "are the most robustly vetted immigrant population in our history.".
Hamida Halimi, a 26-year-old midwife who fled to neighboring Pakistan after the Taliban came to power, said it took more than two years for her visa.
She was cleared for travel to the United States, with a flight booked for February 3.
"When we found out that our flight is canceled due to Trump’s executive order, I felt so lonely and horrible I can’t explain my feelings in words," she said.
Halimi now feels trapped, with no path forward to the United States, and Pakistani authorities threatening Afghan migrants with deportation.
"We are constantly being harassed by Pakistani police," she said. "Also finding a home and accessing basic needs of life has become very challenging.".
Pakistani authorities say they are enforcing the law by removing "undocumented" Afghan migrants.
For many, however, going back — or staying in Afghanistan any longer — is not an option.
"Our future looks very uncertain, and we may be left without options," said Umed.
All of the Afghans who spoke to AFP did so on condition of using pseudonyms, fearing reprisals.
The Taliban says there is an amnesty for those who fled, but the UN says it has documented reports of summary executions and enforced disappearances targeting such people.
VanDiver described the situation in more stark terms: "These are death sentences that President Trump is carrying out.". Pakistan
Pakistan Travel Advisory Issued For Americans (Newsweek)
Newsweek [3/10/2025 11:44 AM, Chloe Mayer, 52220K]
Americans planning a trip to Pakistan have been told to "reconsider" after the State Department updated its travel advice.
The country has been slapped with a level 3 risk advisory because of "terrorism and the potential for armed conflict." However, some parts of the country are subject to the highest level 4 risk, which carries a stark "Do Not Travel" warning.
Newsweek has reached out via email to the Pakistani government’s Press Information Department, seeking comment on the American advisory.
Why It Matters
The State Department regularly assesses countries around the world to offer advice to citizens before they travel abroad. A variety of factors are taken into consideration when issuing advisories, such as crime, terrorism, civil and political unrest, healthcare and the likelihood of a natural disaster.
Pakistan has been hit by a wave of violent clashes in recent months caused by warring factions and the prosecution and imprisonment of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges. The spate of violence and terrorism appears to have prompted the U.S. to update its travel advisory to the region.
What to Know
The Pakistan travel advisory was reissued on Friday (March 7), after the State Department said it had undergone a "periodic review with minor edits.".
The advisory says: "Reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. Some areas have increased risk…Do Not Travel to: Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, which include the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism." Travelers were also warned not to travel to the "immediate vicinity of the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict.".
What Else Does the Travel Advisory Say?
The State Department’s general summary for the country of Pakistan says: "Violent extremist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan. Terrorist attacks are frequent in Balochistan Province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KP), which include the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, and small-scale attacks are frequent.
"Terrorism and ongoing violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian, as well as local military and police targets. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist attractions, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities. Terrorists have targeted U.S. diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past.
"Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near a protest can draw scrutiny from Pakistani security forces. U.S. citizens have been detained for participating in protests and for posting content on social media perceived as critical of the Pakistani government, military, or officials.".
The agency also warned that: "The U.S. Embassy and Consulates have a limited ability to provide consular services to dual U.S.-Pakistani citizens who have been arrested or detained. Pakistani law considers such individuals to be exclusively citizens of Pakistan.".
In addition, the agency added: "The U.S. Embassy and Consulates require U.S. government personnel to use armed escorts and armored vehicles when traveling in certain parts of the country, both for official and personal travel.".
What is a Level 1 Travel Advisory?
Level 1 is the lowest advisory level in terms of safety and security risks. Travelers are encouraged to exercise normal precautions as the State Department notes that there is some risk in any international travel and conditions can change at any time.
Countries currently under a level 1 travel advisory include Australia, Japan, Greece, Iceland, South Korea and Canada.
What is a Level 2 Travel Advisory?
Level 2 advisories urge travelers to exercise increased caution and be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. Current level 2 countries include the U.K., France, Germany, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Albania, and Brazil.
What is a Level 3 Travel Advisory?
Level 3 advisories urge travelers to reconsider travel because of serious risks to safety and security. Besides Pakistan, other level 3 countries include Guatemala, Jamaica, Nigeria and Egypt.What is a Level 4 Travel Advisory?
A level 4 travel advisory warns U.S. citizens not to travel to a nation or region. It is the highest advisory level issued by the State Department and indicates a greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. Parts of Pakistan fall into this category, while other countries currently on the level 4 list include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Russia and North Korea.
What People Are Saying
Most parts of Pakistan are considered a level 3 risk, but the State Department said some areas carry a level 4 risk, adding: "Do not travel to Balochistan Province for any reason. Extremist groups, including an active separatist movement, have conducted deadly terrorist attacks against civilians, religious minorities, government offices, and security forces.
"Do not travel to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which includes the former FATA, for any reason. Active terrorist and insurgent groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, non-governmental organizations, government offices, and security forces…Do not travel to the India-Pakistan border, including areas along the Line of Control for any reason. Militant groups are known to operate in the area.".
What Happens Next
Would-be travelers should monitor the State Department’s website for the most up-to-date information and advice, and should speak to their travel company and travel insurers if they have any questions or concerns. Husain Haqqani on Trump 2.0 and Pakistan-US Relations (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [3/10/2025 1:36 PM, Sudha Ramachandran, 777K]
Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. president has evoked concern in Pakistan for several reasons. Analysts have pointed out that with China and the Indo-Pacific likely to be the focus of Trump’s foreign policy, the United States would prioritize ties with India as part of its efforts to contain China. Pakistani apprehensions that Trump 2.0 would tilt toward India intensified after the India-U.S. Joint Statement issued at the end of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Trump in February named Pakistan in relation to cross-border terrorist attacks in India. The U.S. also offered to sell India F-35 fighter aircraft.
With India being the focus of Trump’s attention, would Pakistan be sidelined?
Here to make sense of Trump’s Pakistan policy is Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the U.S. and currently a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. In an interview with The Diplomat’s South Asia editor Sudha Ramachandran, Haqqani said that Pakistan could regain U.S. attention if al-Qaida and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) are seen to pose a "serious threat" to the U.S., and if the U.S. decides to initiate military operations targeting the Iranian regime.
Pakistan-U.S. relations over the past decade have been defined by declining U.S. interest in Pakistan. What underlies this trend? And what could change this?Geopolitics was the reason why U.S.-Pakistan relations were strong during the Cold War and the war against terrorism. Changes in U.S. geopolitical priorities are the reason for declining American interest in Pakistan. The U.S. needed Pakistan for espionage operations targeting the Soviet Union and China in the 1950s and 1960s, and later as a base for Jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan. The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has also ended the need for Pakistan in supplying American troops there.
Checking the economic and military rise of China as a peer competitor is now the central U.S. concern in its Indo-Pacific strategy. Successive U.S. presidents have also deepened a strategic partnership with India in the hope of building up India as a rival to China. Over the past two decades, India, not Pakistan, has become the preferred American partner in the region.
Still, Pakistan could regain U.S. attention due to its location at the confluence of South, Central, and West Asia. It could be a counterterrorism partner if the U.S. senses a serious threat from al-Qaida and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan, and could be important if the U.S. decides to initiate military operations targeting the Iranian regime. The Trump administration can also possibly view Pakistan as a source of critical minerals.
Although Pakistan is not seen as a priority for U.S. interests as it was earlier, that does not mean it is unimportant. The U.S. simply cannot ignore a nuclear-armed Muslim country with 240 million people.
The India-U.S. Joint Statement issued at the end of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington appears to have rattled Pakistan far more than have previous statements. Why? After all, the Modi-Trump Joint Statement of June 2023 also mentioned Pakistan by name and called on it to "ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks.".
Over the last three decades, every American president has championed a strong strategic partnership with India. Successive joint statements over the last decade, both at bilateral summits and at Quad meetings, have referred to "cross-border terrorism" as a joint American and Indian concern. So, the current statement naming Pakistan was not new. It just reiterated that the new American administration, right at the start, was continuing to tell Pakistan what previous ones had done.
Pakistan was rattled because the statement came so soon after the inauguration of the new president. But the Trump administration is unconventional, and joint statements mean less under this president, who will act in a transactional manner. That is why, soon after the statement that criticized Pakistan by name, President Trump thanked Pakistan by name in his State of the Union address to Congress.
Following Modi’s visit and the offer of F-35s to India, Trump approved a $397 million package for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jet fleet. It appears that the U.S. is not favoring India over Pakistan but is back to its old game of arming both sides against each other. Your comments?
The $397 million package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet was not unexpected and is the leftover from a $450 million package approved under the Biden administration. It does not reflect a resumption of military aid to Pakistan, as many in India believe, but rather a long-standing American commitment to ensure life-cycle maintenance of any American equipment that has been sold to a foreign country.
The current Indian leadership wants the rest of the world, including the U.S., to adopt its own attitude of totally shutting Pakistan out until India’s concerns about terrorism are addressed to India’s satisfaction. That is unlikely to happen. As for arming both sides, Trump is interested in improving the U.S. economy and that involves selling weapons to whoever wants to buy them.
Like India, Pakistan also has reservations about strict U.S. restrictions on use of its military equipment in conflict. But while India buys U.S. weapons under Foreign Military Sales, Pakistan is dependent on Foreign Military Funding or aid due to its economic situation. The Trump administration is unlikely to resume large-scale Foreign Military Funding.
The Pakistan Democracy Act is set to be introduced in the U.S. Congress. What is its likely impact on Pakistan’s politics and Pakistan-U.S. relations?
Whether the Pakistan Democracy Act is actually passed and, if passed, becomes more than a symbolic piece of legislation will depend upon whether the Trump administration is really concerned about democracy in other countries. So far, this administration does not seem as keen on democracy promotion abroad as the previous one. Even when the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution in support of democracy and human rights in Pakistan in June 2024, it had little impact on the Biden administration’s policy towards Pakistan.
In his State of the Union speech on March 4, President Trump thanked Pakistan for arresting the ISKP militant who was responsible for the Kabul airport bombing that killed American soldiers in 2021. This affirms my view that President Trump’s approach will be strictly transactional — "do something for us, and we might do something for you.".
To secure further cooperation in counterterrorism or in addressing other administration priorities, the Trump team will need better relations with the existing government and the military establishment of Pakistan. It would not be the first time that democracy and human rights take a back seat in U.S.-Pakistan relations. After all, international relations are less about ideology and more about interests.
Some analysts have said that Trump’s freezing of foreign aid could open up or expand space for China. Could this happen in Pakistan? Is China interested in funding USAID-like projects?
While China is unlikely to start giving aid in the form of grants like USAID, space has certainly been created for China. Options for all aid-dependent countries, not just Pakistan, are now limited. Instead of access to USAID-like projects, they may be forced to take high-interest loans under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The challenge will come in the areas of public health, education, and human development, for which China does not give loans or aid. If the U.S does not offer aid for human development, then countries like Japan, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE will probably have to step in. For many countries, India will be an option but that might not be the case for Pakistan.
China has historically provided little developmental aid to countries, preferring loans, and economic investment. Pakistan, like other developing countries, has received limited aid from China, normally after natural disasters. Additional Chinese investment is likely to come in the fields of energy and infrastructure.
Currently, around a quarter of Pakistan’s debt is owed to China and it is unlikely that Pakistan would seek to increase that proportion and risk becoming a Chinese dependency. We must not forget that Pakistan’s decision to seek Chinese assistance was primarily motivated by a desire to avoid total dependence on the U.S. A lot depends on Pakistan’s ability to manage its economy better, so that the perennial need for aid diminishes.
Could Pakistan emerge as an important partner of the U.S. as Trump’s targeting of Iran gathers momentum?
Pakistan could leverage its strategic location vis-à-vis Iran, especially if required to do so by its Gulf Arab partners. But any overt involvement against Iran will have an impact on Pakistan’s domestic politics and could instigate sectarian conflict. If Pakistan decides to partner with the U.S. and Arab countries in targeting Iran, it will have to calibrate its support to avoid domestic blowback. There could be intelligence cooperation and covert assistance while officially proclaiming neutrality in a conflict involving an immediate neighbor. India
Gabbard Begins Trip to Visit Japan, Thailand and India (New York Times)
New York Times [3/10/2025 4:14 PM, Julian E. Barnes, 41523K]
Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, is heading to Asia on a trip that will include an appearance at a security conference in India next week.Ms. Gabbard announced in a social media post on Monday that she was traveling to Japan, Thailand and India and would visit France on the way back to the United States.It is Ms. Gabbard’s second international trip as a top Trump administration official. Immediately after she was confirmed a month ago, she traveled to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference.On Wednesday, Ms. Gabbard arrived in Hawaii, which hosts a large National Security Agency office as well as the military’s Indo-Pacific Command headquarters, officials said. Ms. Gabbard, who represented the state for eight years in Congress, will meet with military and intelligence officers while in Hawaii, according to her social media post, in which she also said she would watch U.S. troops train.The Asia leg of Ms. Gabbard’s trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Rasina conference, a multinational gathering of security officials in New Delhi, to which she was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There, Ms. Gabbard will hold bilateral meetings with Indian officials and officials from other countries, a senior Trump administration official said.The Rasina conference is often attended by senior Russian security officials and experts. It is not clear, however, whether Ms. Gabbard will have bilateral meetings with Russian officials on the conference’s sidelines.The Trump administration is pushing for a cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia and has been pressuring the Kyiv government to make concessions to end the war.Trump administration officials’ comments at the Munich conference in February left many European diplomats reeling, particularly Vice President JD Vance’s rebuke of Europe for what he said was abridging conservatives’ free speech.But Ms. Gabbard’s remarks, which focused on counterterrorism cooperation between Europe and America, were well received by European diplomats eager for any sign that U.S. intelligence agencies intend to preserve their partnerships with longstanding allies.The senior administration official said Ms. Gabbard intended to strike similar themes in India and would address counterterrorism, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and intelligence sharing. American tourist is among those attacked by brutal gang who raped Israeli traveler, 27, and killed her companion in horrific assault in India (Daily Mail)
Daily Mail [3/10/2025 9:08 AM, Taryn Pedler, 62527K]
An American tourist is among those attacked by a gang who raped an Israeli traveler and killed her companion in southern India.On Thursday night, two women were gang-raped and a man was killed in a brutal attack by a group of men near a lake in the city of Hampi, Karnataka.The two women - an Israeli woman, 27, and her Indian host - were stargazing with three male tourists, one of which was an American, when the violent assault took place.Police superintendent Ram Arasiddi told Reuters that the three assailants pushed the men into the Tungabhadra River canal before beating and raping the women.Two of the men survived the attack, and the third man’s body was discovered on Saturday morning, he added. The deceased victim was an Indian male.The US State Department said it was ‘aware of reports that a US citizen was among a group of victims of violent crime’ near Hampi.
‘Five people - two women and three men - were attacked near Sanapur,’ Arasiddi said.‘Two of them are foreigners, an American [man], and another a woman from Israel.’Police have since arrested two of the men accused of the attack and an investigation into the case is ongoing, Arasiddi said.‘I was bleeding heavily. Two of the attackers joined forces and dragged me to the side of the canal. One of them strangled me and removed my clothes. One after another, they beat me and raped me,’ the Indian guesthouse owner told Indian media.She said the Israeli woman was dragged away by one of the men before he raped her. She added: ‘When we screamed and cried, the three fled on their motorcycle.’The horrifying attack has caused hundreds of terrified holidaymakers visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Karnataka to flee.One Israeli traveler, 21, told Indian media that she and her friends were ‘concerned’ for their safety following the incident and decided to check out of their guest house to leave the area.Another tourist, a 23-year-old also from Israel, said his group decided not to leave their accommodation at night out of fear of another attack.‘The information about the gang rape spread like wildfire on WhatsApp groups and about 400 people, mainly Israelis, have left since March 7,’ a homestay host told local media. The man added that he and other hosts are worried about their livelihoods as the attack could have lasting effects on tourism in the area. Thursday’s attack saw the three suspects arrive on a motorbike around 10.30pm as the group of five was stargazing and playing the guitar, according to the female host.The men asked the group for directions to a gas station, but the Indian woman told them there was no gas station nearby. One of the men then demanded 100 rupees (less than £1). She said: ‘They didn’t know us, so I told them I didn’t have any money. But they kept demanding and demanding until one of the male tourists gave them 20 rupees (£0.18).’An argument ensued when the tourists refused to give the men more money, with the suspects threatening the group before pushing the men into the canal and hitting them with stones as well as raping and beating the women.The host said that the attackers stole her bag and fled with two mobile phones and 9,500 rupees (£85). Police identified the man who died after being pushed into the canal as Bhibas Nayak, 26, and the surviving Indian man who swam to safety as a Maharashtra resident named Pankaj. A special investigation team arrested two of the suspects on suspicion of attempted murder, gang rape and robbery on March 8. The third remained at large until March 9, when police also took him into custody after looking through CCTV from the area where the attack happened.Two of the men in custody have also been pictured by police and named as Sai Chetan and Mallesh, both reportedly residents of the Gangavathi region.The incident has left the country reeling as Karnataka state President B.Y. Vijayendra dubbed the authorities ‘delusional and indifferent’.
‘Our government is committed to providing protection to everyone, including tourists, coming to the state’, he said, adding that measures will be put in place to prevent future attacks. The chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah said: ‘The horrific attack and rape of an Israeli citizen and a guesthouse owner are heinous crimes.’While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not address the gang rape attack directly, he said in a statement on International Women’s Day on the weekend: ‘When a daughter comes home late, her parents ask questions. But they do not ask similar questions when a son comes home late.
‘Over the past decade, we have prioritized women’s safety and security. To stop crimes against women, we have changed laws and established the death penalty for heinous acts like rape.’ Sexual assaults on women have become more commonplace in India, where police recorded more than 31,000 cases of rape in 2022 - a 20 per cent increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. It is thought the true figure may be higher still due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence. Tourists leave India temple town after gang rape-murder (BBC)
BBC [3/10/2025 8:12 AM, Imran Qureshi, 52868K]
Hundreds of foreign tourists have left a Unesco heritage site in southern India in the past few days after two women - an Israeli tourist and an Indian homestay owner - were gang-raped and a man was murdered.The three were stargazing with two other male tourists near the town of Hampi in Karnataka state last Thursday when they were attacked by three men following an argument over money, police said.All three suspects wanted in connection with the crime have been arrested.The incident, which made global headlines, sparked fear among tourists and sent shockwaves through India.Once the capital of the Hindu Vijayanagara kingdom, Hampi is described as an open-air museum, filled with magnificent stone ruins on the banks of Tungabhadra river. It was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1986.Thursday’s assault took place in Sanapur village, which is about 28km (17 miles) from the main ruins of Hampi.Located on the other side of the river from Hampi, the village is "a very isolated area", says Ram Arasiddi, the superintendent of police of the district.Many tourists, especially from Israel and Europe, who visit Hampi stay at Sanapur, which also has towering ruins and a famous Hindu temple."Overall, about 100,000 or more foreign tourists visit the area every year,’’ says Virupaksha V Hampi, general secretary of the Karnataka tourist guides’ association.However, since the news of the attack, most visitors have either cancelled bookings or left."Almost 90% of the tourists, most of whom are Israelis, have vacated homestays and left the area after Thursday," Syed Ismael, a tour guide, told BBC Hindi.Mr Ismael added that those who were staying had been advised to move in groups and avoid venturing too far out.Some said they’ve had to make last-minute changes to their plans."The incident is really scary and we are concerned about our safety. We had plans to stay here until [the Hindu festival of] Holi, but now we will be heading to Rajasthan state," Talia Zilber, a 21-year-old Israeli tourist, told The Indian Express newspaper. Mr Zilber left the guest house where he was staying with his five friends on Sunday.State minister Shivaraj Tangadagi has also cautioned people against travelling late at night in the area.According to one survivor’s testimony, the group was stargazing near a temple when three men arrived on a motorcycle and asked where they could get petrol.They gave them directions but the men then demanded 100 rupees ($1.15; £0.90) from them.The group initially refused as they didn’t know the men, but one male tourist eventually gave them 20 rupees.The men then began arguing with the tourists which led to a confrontation.The attackers pushed the three men into a nearby river canal before raping the women, Mr Arasiddi said on Saturday.Two men swam to safety while the third, from Odisha state, drowned.Police say they have filed a case for attempted murder, robbery and rape based on the survivors’ testimony.Two suspects were arrested on Saturday while a third man was arrested from neighbouring Tamil Nadu state on Sunday. He is being brought to Karnataka on Monday.Violent crimes against women continue in India despite tough laws. The 2012 gang rape and murder of a medical student by a group of men in the capital Delhi drew global attention and triggered large-scale protests.The incident prompted authorities to introduce stricter rape laws in 2013. Yet, tens of thousands of cases are reported each year. The National Crime Records Bureau reported nearly 32,000 rapes in India in 2022.Experts believe many rapes go unreported because of social stigma, distrust of police and lack of confidence in the justice system.In 2023, public outrage followed the alleged gang rape of a Brazilian-Spanish tourist in Jharkhand state. The victim and her husband shared their ordeal on Instagram, but later removed their posts. US legal troubles for tycoon Adani expose shortcomings in India’s booming solar sector (AP)
AP [3/10/2025 3:19 AM, Aniruddha Ghosal and Sibi Arasu, 456K]
President Donald Trump’s decision to freeze a law banning business bribes overseas could offer Indian tycoon Gautam Adani, one of Asia’s richest people, a reprieve from American corruption allegations linked to a major solar project in India.
U.S. prosecutors allege that one of Adani’s companies duped investors by hiding that its project was backed by a $265 million bribery scheme. The case now may be reviewed, and enforcement of any potential decision against it is uncertain. Whatever its fate, the case has highlighted vulnerabilities in India’s solar sector that are hindering its capacity to switch to clean energy, help limit climate change and cut heavy pollution in many of its cities.
The Adani Group, whose business interests span much of the economy from ports and airports to energy and media, has denied the U.S. allegations. It declined requests from The Associated Press for comment.
Earlier this month, Trump suspended the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, raising expectations among some in India that the allegations against Adani might be put on ice. Shares in Adani’s companies surged but then fell just days later when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sought help from Indian authorities in serving its complaint against Adani.
The allegations have had wider repercussions outside India. Adani Green Energy has withdrawn its wind energy projects from Sri Lanka after the island nation sought to renegotiate prices. Kenya canceled energy and airport expansion deals with the company, while investor TotalEnergies, a French oil giant, has paused new investments.
Adani’s energy projects
Adani Green Energy, or AGEL, is India’s largest renewable energy company. It is building one of the world’s largest clean power projects in salt deserts bordering Pakistan in the Western Indian state of Gujarat. Once completed, they would produce 30 gigawatts of clean power, enough to power nearly 18 million Indian homes.
AGEL has projects in 12 Indian states, with 11.6 gigawatts of clean power capacity. It aims to generate 50 gigawatts of renewable power by 2030, a tenth of India’s clean energy goal for the same time period.
In November, Adani said his company would invest $35 billion over five years in large-scale solar, wind, and hybrid power plants across India. It is also one of the country’s few large-scale producers of solar and wind power components. But the industry itself is struggling.
Cash-strapped Indian states
India’s state-owned electricity companies are chronically short on cash. By 2022-23 their losses totaled $7.8 billion — 2.4% of India’s GDP, according to government data. Operations are plagued by bad planning, fears of public anger over higher electricity rates and large electricity losses during transmission.“Waiving the costs upfront makes it cheap for those building power plants, but ultimately the system has to bear that cost,” said Rohit Chandra, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi.
Accommodating inevitable fluctuations in solar and wind power is also costly, said Vibhuti Garg, an energy economist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis or IEEFA. That means keeping expensive coal power on standby.
Renewable energy is cheaper than coal in India, but utilities still view clean power as just a “statutory obligation,” said Alexander Hogeveen Rutter, an energy analyst in Bengaluru.
A backfiring federal scheme
To troubleshoot state utilities’ financial woes, the federal government agency established the Solar Energy Corporation of India, or SECI, to help manage risks.
SECI awarded a contract of 12 gigawatts of solar energy to the Adani Group and another New York Stock Exchange-listed company, Azure Power, at a specific price. The U.S. indictment alleges that state utilities balked at buying power at that rate and that the bribery was aimed at getting them to sign on.
Azure Power said in a statement in November that it was cooperating with American agencies and that it had ceased to employ the people mentioned in the indictment. SECI didn’t respond to queries from The Associated Press.
SECI doesn’t buy clean power but facilitates sales to Indian states. That cuts risks of power developers going unpaid but it has raised administrative costs, Rutter said. “This whole scheme, which was supposed to drive down costs is actually driving up costs,” he said.
Rising manufacturing costs
India restricts imports of cheap Chinese solar modules and is subsidizing local manufacturers. That helped raise domestic production by six-fold in 2021-2023, according to the Press Trust of India, though Indian-made solar components are more expensive than Chinese one.
But India lags behind countries like Brazil and Australia in rooftop solar, having installed only 11 gigawatts so far -– far less than the 40 gigawatts it aimed to have by 2022. Policies favoring large installations have constrained growth of solar, which mainly comes from football-field-sized farms, Rutter said.
Many large renewable energy companies, like Adani’s, manufacture parts like solar panels and cells to help reduce their own costs and remain profitable while selling power at lower prices acceptable to the state-owned utilities, Garg said. But this limits competition since small companies — considered vital for India’s clean energy ambitions — can’t match the prices set by corporate giants that make the equipment used to generate solar power.
A weak regulatory framework
The U.S. indictment has exposed weaknesses spots in India’s regulatory framework, which is prone to “crony relationships” between companies and the government, said Joe Athialy, executive director of the New Delhi-based Centre for Financial Accountability.
Most government bids are conducted transparently, with some even driving down prices to unviable levels, said Vinay Rustagi, an independent energy consultant. But occasional “one-off tenders” are poorly publicized or slip under the radar, limiting competition.
The fraud allegations against Adani reflect “an extreme example of trying to combine solar project development with solar manufacturing,” he said.
Slowing solar
Slower progress for India’s transition away from fossil fuels matters. It’s the most populous nation, with 1.4 billion people in 2023, and its electricity demand is projected to grow by at least 6% annually for the next few years, according to the International Energy Agency.
India’s solar capacity has been growing rapidly with record-high solar power installations reported in 2024. But while solar makes up 16% of India’s total generating capacity, it accounts for only 4% of the electricity used, according to government data compiled by IEEFA. The global average was over 5% in 2023, according to the London-based think tank Ember.
By late 2024, SECI still didn’t have buyers for 9 gigawatts or more than a third of the 24.5 gigawatts of solar power capacity it can offer.
As is true in many places, insufficient storage capacity means solar projects struggle to find buyers since the utilities prefer to purchase stable, ready-to-use power. This is why only 16% of last year’s new solar projects had found buyers by November, compared to 44% the year before, according to a report by the financial services firm JM Financial Institutional Securities.“India’s solar story, while still growing, is slowing down,” said Chandra. ‘Whatever you charge, I’m charging’: Donald Trump forces India’s hand on tariffs (Financial Times)
Financial Times [3/10/2025 10:43 PM, John Reed, Andres Schipani, and Haohsiang Ko, 14.6M]
US President Donald Trump is pushing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do what India for decades could not or would not do: lower the high tariff walls that have surrounded the world’s largest developing economy since independence.
Piyush Goyal, India’s commerce minister, was in Washington last week for discussions on a bilateral trade agreement meant to fend off Trump’s threat last month of reciprocal tariffs.
While Indian officials say discussions are “advancing”, Trump on Friday said New Delhi had agreed to cut its tariffs “way down”. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick said India needed to buy more defence products and lower its tariffs for the two countries to sign a “grand” bilateral deal.
The US ultimatum has prompted what some analysts say is a broader realignment on trade by New Delhi, which has traditionally been a tough negotiator. India in February relaunched its long-running free trade agreement talks with the UK and pledged to complete an FTA with the EU within the year. “India’s political leadership understands the Trump disruption and the opportunity for reworking our relationships with the US, the EU and the UK,” said Raja Mohan, a visiting professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore. “If there is political will, it is possible that India will soon have these three trade agreements that will reshape our ties with the west.”
Already, Modi has promised to buy more US oil and gas, though it has closer and cheaper suppliers in the Middle East and Russia. The two countries also agreed to conclude the first tranche of a “mutually beneficial, multisector” bilateral trade agreement by autumn.
But India, which has protected its industries fiercely since independence in 1947, has some of the world’s highest average tariffs, and the cost of cutting them will be politically sensitive, particularly in agriculture, where nearly half of Indians work.
The negotiation could well fail, which could bring retaliatory tariffs as soon as April, Indian analysts said. Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity after his February 13 meeting with Modi, Trump said he told India’s prime minister: “Whatever you charge, I’m charging”.
The Modi government has since 2014 signed FTAs with Australia, the United Arab Emirates and the European Free Trade Association.
However, it has also since 2020 introduced tariffs to protect emerging industries such as solar equipment and electronics and support what Modi calls Atmanirbhar Bharat (“self-reliant India”), in an echo of past protectionist governments.
In FTA talks with EFTA and the UK, the Modi government has been a hard negotiator, analysts said, demanding that its trading partners reduce their tariffs more than India does on the basis that it is growing faster and presents rich economies a bigger future market opportunity than they do.
However, they noted that India’s trade stance vis-à-vis Washington has been meeker, perhaps reflecting America’s status as a strategic defence and economic partner.The US is India’s largest trading partner, with $129bn of mutual trade in 2024, though EU countries collectively account for more. The US’s India trade deficit reached more than $45bn last year — less than half of the “almost $100bn” deficit Trump claimed at the White House, but the 10th largest of America’s trade partners.
The tariffs India imposes on US goods are higher than America’s, in some cases by a big margin. While the gap for industrial products is 3.3 per cent, for agricultural products it stands at 32.4 per cent, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a New Delhi think-tank.
Before and after Modi’s Washington visit, India announced a round of largely symbolic tariff cuts on bourbon whiskey, luxury cars, and large motorcycles, the last to address a long-running Trump complaint about tariffs on Harley-Davidson.
The two sides also agreed to increase US exports of industrial goods to India and Indian-manufactured products to the US and pledged to “work together to increase trade in agricultural goods”, reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers and deepen supply chain integration.
It is in agriculture that Modi faces the most politically sensitive challenges.
India’s protected dairy industry, which enjoys import tariffs of 30-60 per cent, played a critical role in prompting the country to pull out of talks to form the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership the year before its ratification by 15 Asia-Pacific countries, including China, in 2020.
The biggest dairy company Amul petitioned Modi’s government, warning that RCEP would hurt India’s approximately 100mn dairy farmers, many of them smallholders. India’s powerful farming lobby also forced New Delhi into a rare retreat on three farming bills meant to overhaul agriculture by staging mass protests in 2020-21. “There are certain sectors in which cutting tariffs could be problematic, notably agriculture,” said Biswajit Dhar, a former negotiator for India with the World Trade Organization and distinguished professor at the Council for Social Development.“The US-India joint statement mentions agricultural products, but the onus is on India to cut,” Dhar said.
Lutnick said India had to “open up” its agriculture market.
While India’s agricultural goods tariffs are higher, the US spends much more on subsidies, Dhar added.
Indian analysts also believe that Washington may push New Delhi to open government procurement to US companies and remove restrictions on data flows — sensitive demands for a developing country that values its economic sovereignty.
The trade talks promise to be fraught, they said. “The best option for India is that we make tariffs on almost all industrial tariff lines ‘zero for zero’,” said Ajay Shrivastava, founder of GTRI, the research group. “But any discussion of agriculture has to be very nuanced, because it’s a livelihood issue for us.” India’s Modi to back Mauritius sovereignty over Chagos, upgrade security ties (Reuters)
Reuters [3/10/2025 7:25 AM, Rupam Jain, 41523K]
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Mauritius on Tuesday for talks on upgrading strategic ties, days after U.S. President Donald Trump signalled support for a deal between Mauritius and Britain over the future of a U.S.-British military base.Modi will be the chief guest at the country’s national day and hold talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who returned to office for his third stint in 2024.Last month, Trump said he would support a deal between Mauritius and Britain over the future of a U.S.-British base in the Chagos Archipelago, a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean.Diego Garcia, the largest island of the archipelago, has been used as a joint British-U.S. military base since the 1970s.Indian officials organising Modi’s trip to the island nation said the settling of the Chagos sovereignty issue was welcome news for New Delhi, which has historically backed Mauritius claims over the islands, and more recently supported America’s presence in the Indian Ocean to check China’s influence."During the (Modi’s) visit there will be an opportunity perhaps for the Mauritius side to update us on any issues that might still be outstanding... we continue to support Mauritius in its efforts to reach a mutually satisfactory and mutually beneficial deal," India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi.Mauritius became independent in 1968 but London retained control of the Chagos, and forcibly displaced up to 2,000 people to make way for the Diego Garcia military base, which it had leased to the U.S. in 1966.Samuel Bashfield, an expert on Indo-Pacific security at the Australia India Institute, said it was in India’s interest to retain the U.S. presence on Diego Garcia as a counterweight to China.India, in its bid to expand its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, helped Mauritius develop sea and air links on the remote Agalega Islands."Diego Garcia could be a useful runway for Indian surveillance aircraft in the Indian Ocean to use periodically," said Bashfield.A source close to Prime Minister Ramgoolam’s office said: "Mauritius sees India and the U.S. sharing the same interest of containing the Chinese influence within the region."China has invested millions of dollars in recent years building seaports and highways in countries stretching from the Maldives to Sri Lanka. India brings home nearly 300 citizens rescued from Southeast Asian scam centres (Reuters)
Reuters [3/11/2025 4:07 AM, Hritam Mukherjee, 5.2M]
India has brought home nearly 300 of its nationals who were lured to various southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, with fake job offers and made to engage in cybercrime and other fraudulent activities in scam compounds, the government said.
Thousands of people have been freed from cyber scam centres along the Thailand-Myanmar border this year as countries work together to crack down on the criminal networks.
China and Indonesia repatriated some of their citizens last month.
"Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand have coordinated with local authorities to secure the repatriation of 283 Indian nationals today by an IAF (Indian Air Force) aircraft from Mae Sot in Thailand," India’s foreign ministry said late on Monday.
Thailand arrested 100 people last week as a part of its crackdown on the scam centres.
Criminal gangs have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to the centres, which generate billions of dollars a year from illegal online schemes, according to the United Nations.
India also warned its citizens against the scams, advising them to "verify" the credentials of foreign employers and check the "antecedents" of recruiting agents and companies before taking up job offers. Tibetans scuffle with police outside the Chinese Embassy in India as they mark uprising anniversary (AP)
AP [3/10/2025 11:11 AM, Rishi Lekhi and Ashwini Bhatia, 456K]
Dozens of Tibetan protesters clashed with police outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on Monday as Tibetans living in exile marked the 66th anniversary of their uprising against China that was crushed by Chinese forces.
As in past years, police blocked the protesters from entering the embassy and briefly detained some of them after wrestling them to the ground.
Hundreds also marched in the north Indian town of Dharamshala, the seat of the exiled Tibetan government and home of Dalai Lama, their 89-year-old spiritual leader. Separately, about a hundred Tibetan women gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, an area designated for protests close to Parliament.
The protesters shouted anti-China slogans, carried Tibetan flags and played the national anthems of Tibet and India.
India considers Tibet to be part of China, although it hosts the Tibetan exiles. The 1959 independence uprising was quelled by the Chinese army, forcing Dalai Lama and his followers into exile in India.
Many had their faces painted in colors of the Tibetan national flag. The demonstrators observed a minute of silence to remember Tibetans who lost their lives in the struggle against China. Monks, activists, nuns and schoolchildren marched across the town with banners reading, “Free Tibet” and “Remember, Resist, Return.”
Penpa Tsering — the president of the Central Tibetan Administration, as the exiled Tibetan government calls itself — accused China’s leadership of carrying out a “deliberate and dangerous strategy to eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people.”“This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet,” Tsering told the gathering. “As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honor our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government.”
The Tibetan government-in-exile in India accuses China of denying the most fundamental human rights to people in Tibet and trying to expunge the Tibetan identity.
China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but the Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent until China occupied it in 1950.
The Dalai Lama denies China’s claim that he is a separatist and says he only advocates substantial autonomy and protection of Tibet’s native Buddhist culture. Why Modi’s plan to redraw India’s political map has sparked a backlash (The Independent)
The Independent [3/11/2025 2:20 AM, Namita Singh, 44.8M]
India is set for a major political upheaval in 2026, redrawing parliamentary constituencies to reflect changes in population.
While proponents claim this will ensure fair representation based on demographic realities, critics argue it will punish southern states that have followed national guidelines to control their populations and reward provinces – mostly in the north – that haven’t.
They also point out the move will be electorally advantageous to Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP party, which draws its core support from the Hindi-speaking heartland in the north.
By increasing the number of seats in this region, the critics say, the prime minister is looking to strengthen the ruling party’s grip on power for the foreseeable future.
What is delimitation?
Delimitation is the exercise of redrawing parliamentary and state assembly constituencies to reflect changes in population.
It is conducted periodically by the Delimitation Commission, an independent body established by an act of Parliament. The goal is to ensure more populous states get more seats in the legislature.
The exercise was previously undertaken in 1951, 1961 and 1971.
In 1976, when the population was at around 550 million, the number of seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament, was capped at 543 so as not to penalise states that had reduced their population growth rates, The Hindu reported.
The freeze was meant to encourage all states to adopt population control measures without fearing a loss of parliamentary representation.
In 2002, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, led by the BJP, extended the freeze until at least 2026.
Mr Modi is in no mood to keep the status quo.
There is now concern that his government will revert to using the most recent census figures for the exercise, giving more seats to northern states with higher population growth like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and few, if any, to southern states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Opposition to delimitation
Tamil Nadu is at the forefront of the political opposition to delimitation, fearing an unfair reduction in its political influence.
State chief minister MK Stalin convened an all-party meeting last week to discuss strategies to counter the potential impact of the exercise.
The consensus among the parties attending the meeting, which the state chapter of the BJP notably skipped, was clear: states that have successfully controlled their populations should not be penalised with reduced political representation.
“I thank all the parties that attended the meeting and unanimously supported the proposal brought by the chief minister regarding the delimitation process,” state finance minister Thangam Thennarasu said afterwards. “Except for a few, most political parties have aligned with the state government to protect their rights.”
How Modi and BJP stand to gain
A key reason why delimitation is controversial is its potential political impact. The BJP has struggled to gain traction in southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana, where regional parties and the Congress hold sway.
In contrast, the party enjoys wide support in the north, especially in Hindi-speaking states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
If parliamentary seats are allocated based on the latest population figures, the BJP stands to gain significantly from the additional representation that the Hindi heartland is set to land.
The main beneficiary states of delimitation — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan — are already BJP strongholds. Increasing their parliamentary representation will likely give the party an even bigger share of Lok Sabha seats, making it harder for opposition alliances to challenge Mr Modi’s dominance in future elections.
Uttar Pradesh, for example, could see its share of Lok Sabha constituencies jump from 80 to 128 and Bihar from 40 to 70.
In contrast, Tamil Nadu with 39 seats, Karnataka with 28 and Andhra with 25 may not see significant changes, limiting the ability of opposition parties to balance out the BJP’s widening numerical advantage in the north.
Impact on South India
Political analysts argue that delimitation could entrench the BJP’s electoral supremacy for the next several decades. If the number of seats in northern states rises significantly, the party could win elections even with a lower overall vote share.
This could make it virtually impossible for opposition parties to unseat Mr Modi’s government, even if they perform well in southern India and other non-BJP strongholds.
“The states that scrupulously followed population control measures are now at a disadvantage versus states that did not,” A Saravanan, a spokesperson for Tamil Nadu’s governing DMK party, said.
“The population control measures contributed to the economy of this country; we contributed to its growth; we listened to you. But now you want to penalise us.”
Federal home minister Amit Shah, Mr Modi’s chief lieutenant, has sought to reassure critics saying “not a single seat” will be lost due to delimitation.
But critics point out that while southern states may not lose seats, the significant increase for northern states will effectively dilute their political power.
“He has not mentioned how many seats he is going to increase in the northern states,” Anbumani Ramadoss, leader of Pattali Makkal Katchi, a regional party in Tamil Nadu, said. “So, our question is: why are you penalising us when we have done well in the government of India’s programmes of population stabilisation?”
Air India flight to New York diverted back to Mumbai after hoax bomb threat found in plane bathroom (The Independent)
The Independent [3/10/2025 10:35 AM, Natalie Wilson, 44838K]
An Air India flight bound for New York was forced to return to Mumbai mid-flight after a bomb threat was found in the aircraft toilets.
Flight AI119 was around four hours into its almost 16-hour journey from India to the US when the "potential security threat" was discovered on Monday (10 March).
A Sahar police official said that one of 322 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777 aircraft spotted a note with the message "there is a bomb in the flight" in the bathroom, reported The New Indian Express.According to data from Flightradar24, the flight departed Mumbai International Airport for New York’s JFK at around 2am local time before turning around in the airspace above Azerbaijan.
Security agencies found the threat to be a hoax following "mandatory checks" upon the flight’s safe landing in Mumbai at 10.25am.
The flight has been rescheduled to depart at 5am tomorrow (11 March), with the airline offering affected passengers overnight accommodation and meals on Monday.
A spokesperson for Air India said: "A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119 operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, 10 March 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai, in the interest of the safety and security of all on board.".
It added: "Our colleagues on the ground are making sure to minimise the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew.".
It’s not the first time the Air India flight has been thrown off course by a bomb threat.
In October, flight AI119 was again diverted soon after takeoff and evacuated following a bomb threat.
The AI119 flight from Mumbai, carrying 239 passengers, made an emergency landing at the Delhi airport on 14 October.
The bomb threat was made via a post on X, Usha Rangnani, a senior police officer in charge of security at the Delhi airport, said at the time. NSB
UN to rent Bangladesh property owned by former regime associate (Financial Times)
Financial Times [3/10/2025 4:14 PM, Susannah Savage and John Reed, 14.6M]
The UN is relocating its agencies in Dhaka to a building complex owned by one of the families accused by Bangladesh’s interim government of illegally funnelling millions of dollars out of the country, the Financial Times has learnt.
The UN Common Premises, which will soon house UN agencies in the Bangladeshi capital, is owned by the Bashundhara Group, a property and industrial group controlled by the Sobhan family.
The Sobhans are one of the families in the sights of Muhammad Yunus’s interim government as it seeks to recover billions of dollars that it believes were embezzled under Sheikh Hasina, the authoritarian leader who was deposed in mass protests last year.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating allegations of unexplained wealth, including overseas assets, against Bashundhara chair Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and a number of his family members, the government agency told the FT.
The FT reported last month that members of the Sobhan family had purchased at least $65mn worth of properties in the UK, acquiring 26 assets in total.
Bashundhara, established in the 1980s by Sobhan, has grown into a dominant force in Bangladesh’s economy, with interests spanning property, cement, paper, steel and shipping. But its expansion has at times attracted allegations of land grabbing and financial misconduct.
In September, Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department also named the company, Sobhan and Sayem Sobhan Anvir, managing director of Bashundhara, as subjects of an investigation into alleged money laundering.
The Sobhans did not respond to a request for comment made via Bashundhara.
The UN resident co-ordinator’s office in Dhaka told the FT that the world body was “very much aware” of the allegations against Bashundhara, Sobhan and his family members.
According to the UN, the decision to relocate to the complex in Dhaka’s upscale Gulshan district was made last year, before the wave of student-led protests that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule in August.“All preparations and decision-making related to the UN Common Premises in Bangladesh have been carried out in accordance with UN rules and regulations and best practices on due diligence, and a rigorous due diligence process has been conducted,” the UN said, adding that it was “unable to comment on ongoing investigations”.
A UN report last month found that government security and intelligence agencies “systematically engaged in a range of serious human rights violations” in a crackdown against last year’s protests that killed more than 1,400 people.“We hope the UN will reconsider its decision,” Asif Nazrul, the Yunus government’s adviser on justice, told the FT.
UN employees in Dhaka said the move was part of a broader global cost-cutting initiative aiming at consolidating agencies in the city under one roof for the first time.
However, the decision could intensify scrutiny over the UN’s financial dealings and ethical considerations, particularly as Bangladesh’s interim authorities step up efforts to recover assets linked to the country’s elite, said experts.
A report on Bangladesh’s economy commissioned by the interim government in December estimated that the country lost $16bn annually to money laundering during Sheikh Hasina’s rule from 2009 to 2024.
Yunus has described the alleged looting by elites as “highway robbery” and insisted the money “has to be brought back”.“Bangladesh needs to recover the billions embezzled under the previous regime to ensure macroeconomic stability and long-term growth,” said Mushfiq Mobarak, an economics professor at Yale University who has worked for the World Bank and IMF.“International partners, including the UN, have important roles to play to facilitate this.” Nepalese want the return of the king, 17 years after deposing him (The Times)
The Times [3/10/2025 10:06 AM, Amrit Dhillon, 810K]
Under the faded portraits of kings, watched over by the same stuffed Bengal tigers that stood sentry to his forebears, Gyanendra Shah bowed to the inevitable, handing over his crown made from yak’s hair and emeralds.Almost 17 years later, however, the king has returned, despite fleeing Nepal’s royal palace to live the life of a commoner in the face of widespread protests against his rule.Over the weekend, crowds of about 10,000 people cheered as Gyanendra arrived in the Himalayan country, demanding the immediate restoration of its monarchy. “Vacate the royal palace for the king. Come back king, save the country. Long live our beloved king,” the crowds chanted.“We are here to give the king our full support and to rally behind him all the way to reinstating him in the royal throne,” Thir Bahadur Bhandari, 72, said. Kulraj Shrestha, 50, a carpenter who took part in the 2006 protests, added: “The worst thing that is happening to the country is massive corruption and all politicians in power are not doing anything for the country.“I was in the protests that took away monarchy hoping it would help the country but I was mistaken and the nation has further plunged so I have changed my mind.”The route was so packed with supporters that other passengers arriving at the airport were forced to walk home with their luggage. It was a remarkable turnaround for the country that had forced Gyanendra to give up his crown before abolishing the monarchy in a parliamentary vote in 2008.Analysts say that the revived emotion for the king derives from disenchantment with the country’s ruling political class, many of whom do not represent the changing face of the nation. Gyanendra, who has yet to publicly comment on the clamour for his return, became the king in 2002, after his brother and family were massacred in the palace.Within five years, he had disbanded the government and parliament, jailed politicians and journalists and cut off communications, declaring a state of emergency and using the army to rule the country.“We are fed up. We want development but this lot are not up to it, which is why more and more of us than ever before are leaving to work not just in India but in Malaysia and the Gulf,” said Atul Ghimere, a travel agent in Kathmandu.The exodus has hollowed out Nepal. Men have fled the villages, where there is no way to earn an income, leaving settlements of only women and children. About a third of the country’s population of 30 million lives and works abroad. In 2022, just over a fifth of Nepalese lived below the national poverty line.Yet, despite the anger with the regime, it is hard to gauge the popularity of the king. If the ballot box is anything to go by, he is hardly poised for a triumphant comeback. In the 2022 general election, the monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party won only 14 seats in parliament. Ranjit Rae, the former Indian ambassador to Nepal and author of Kathmandu Dilemma, Resetting India-Nepal Ties, said Gyanendra was not beloved when he was in power, unlike his popular elder brother, Birendra Bir Bikram Shah.Birendra was killed in the palace massacre in 2001 that wiped out most of the royal family. For reasons that remain unclear, on one summer’s night, the crown prince, Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah, who had been drinking, stormed into a royal family gathering, opened fire and killed nine people, including his father, the king. Later he turned the gun on himself.After inheriting the throne, Gyanendra gradually descended into dictatorial rule. Rae believes that the pro-monarchy rallies are less to do with any real expectation of Gyanendra’s return than the expression of a desire for change. He does not seriously expect, as he put it, “a reversal of Nepal’s political evolution”.He said: “In the last election, people voted for many newer politicians, new faces, because they want a break with the status quo and it is this feeling of disenchantment that people around the king are trying to mobilise.” Sri Lanka ‘welcomes’ investment opportunities from Adani, says official (Reuters)
Reuters [3/11/2025 3:11 AM, Uditha Jayasinghe, 5.2M]
Sri Lanka has not changed its stance on doing business with India’s Adani Group and welcomes investment opportunities from the conglomerate, the country’s cabinet spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Gautam Adani, the chairman of the ports to power business group, and top executives of Adani Green were indicted by U.S. prosecutors last year for their alleged role in a $265 million scheme to bribe Indian officials to secure solar power deals.
Adani and the executives have denied any wrongdoing.
Sri Lanka, however, had said it was "unconcerned" by the group’s dealings with other countries.
"But Sri Lanka remains firm on negotiating purchasing costs of power generated from the wind power projects," the cabinet spokesperson said, referring to the two proposed wind power projects Adani has withdrawn from. Sri Lankan Defense Budget Grows Despite Troop Reductions (The Diplomat)
The Diplomat [3/10/2025 12:18 AM, Rathindra Kuruwita, 777K]
In its 2025 budget, the Sri Lankan government has allocated its Ministry of Defense (MoD) 442 billion Sri Lankan rupees (around $1.5 billion), a 3 percent increase from $1.45 billion in 2024, and up 15 percent from $1.3 billion in 2023.Only the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Economic Development ($2.41 billion), Health and Mass Media ($1.71 billion), Public Administration, and Provincial Councils, and Local Government ($1.68 billion) received bigger budgets. The Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation got $1.42 billion, while the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, under which the Police Department falls, has been allocated $600 million.
While the Sri Lankan Army has been allocated $761 million, the Sri Lanka Navy and the Air Force will receive $313 million and $244 million, respectively. These represent an increase of 3 percent, 12 percent, and 4 percent over last year, respectively.
As noted here in the past, the bulk of the MoD budget goes for recurrent expenditure, and this year $1.29 billion was allocated for that purpose. Only about $203 million has been allocated for capital expenditure. The bulk of the Ministry of Public Security budget (about $540 million) has also been earmarked for recurrent expenses.
During his speech in Parliament as the minister of defense, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that his government is committed to the decision taken by the previous government to reduce troop numbers.
"Our vision is to develop a technologically advanced military with a smaller yet more effective force by 2030. We plan to limit the size of our army to 100,000, the Air Force to 18,000, and the Navy to 40,000," he said.
While technically this should mean that the government can reduce defense expenditure, a demand by certain sections, given that the bulk of the allocation is for recurrent expenditure and salaries and other allowances for troops, it is highly unlikely that the National People’s Power government will reduce defense expenses in the coming years. In fact, there are a number of indications that the defense budget will grow.
For one, the reduction of the troops under the so-called "rightsizing" of the military isn’t as large as people assume. The Sri Lankan Army, which was about 300,000 strong in 2009, when the decades-long civil war ended, declined to around 135,000 in 2024. By December 31, 2023, the Navy had 44,532 personnel, and the Air Force had 17,567 regular airmen and 9,076 volunteer airmen.
Interesting, over the past 16 years, while Sri Lanka has reduced its troop numbers drastically, the defense budgets have only risen.
The NPP government has also indicated that it will create a more professional force that uses modern technology, and this essentially means that they would keep recruiting young men and women who are better qualified academically. The government has announced plans to recruit 4,000 airmen and 20,000 new police officers in the coming years. While the president did not mention new recruits to the navy, I believe they too will be allowed to take a few thousand more sailors in the coming years, given the importance the NPP government is giving the maritime domain.
The government has also decided to give a substantial salary increase to the police force, and it is quite likely that a similar salary hike would be given to the tri-force personnel, which is essential to attract better talent.
Another reason why the defense budget is destined to increase is the president’s promise to transform the military into "a more technologically advanced force." Dissanayake has promised to modernize the naval and air force fleet, boost spending on foreign training, and provide better rest and recreation facilities for the troops. These are welcome developments given that from 2009, successive Sri Lankan governments neglected military modernization. The Sri Lankan Navy and Air Force operate fleets that should be in military museums, and the training, both local and international, received by military personnel has dropped.
Last month, Air Force Commander Udeni Rajapaksa revealed plans to modernize Sri Lanka’s aging fleet. Last year, the Navy launched its NAVSTRAT–2030, a proposal for the Navy’s strategy up to 2030 and beyond, a strategy aligned with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s development strategy.
However, questions remain about the sourcing of new military technology and training. What would be the origin of the new technologies Sri Lankan forces would use in the coming years? Asia is not only the leading consumer of arms, but also a significant producer of armaments.
While the security forces may have a vision of ideal troop/aircraft/vessel composition, ultimately all these are subjected to politics. A state, especially a small island nation like Sri Lanka, cannot purchase equipment based on purely financial or operational factors. Geopolitical considerations play a big role in defense procurement. For example, most countries would only sell weapons to nations they see as allies and states procure weapon systems, for the most part, to demonstrate their allegiance to the manufacturing nation. In the case of Sri Lanka, previous attempts at buying aircraft from Pakistan were thwarted by Indian objections. Sri Lanka has kneecapped its marine research because of U.S. and Indian objections to Chinese research vessels docking in the country.
In the past few decades, many countries in Asia have invested considerable resources in developing their own domestic arms industries. China, and to a lesser extent India and South Korea, have moved from producing relatively simple kinds of weaponry to military equipment of greater complexity and sophistication.
In 2025, China is virtually self-sufficient in armaments and a world leader in future defense technologies. Beijing also exports nearly every category of conventional military equipment, from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to naval vessels and fighter aircraft at cheaper prices and with less political strings. India too has imported sizable amounts of foreign military technology – mostly from the Soviet Union/Russia but also from France and the United Kingdom – to establish and expand its indigenous military-industrial complex. In the 2023-24 financial year, India sold weapons worth $2.63 billion; Business Standard reports that Indian defense exports grew 31 times between 2014 and 2024.
Despite Sri Lanka downsizing its military force, necessary personnel enhancements, and technological modernization suggest that the defense budget will continue to increase. Moreover, the defense purchases it makes will be intertwined with geopolitical considerations, especially given that India fears that the NPP is ideologically pro-Chinese. The selection of partners for weapons and training will be a significant strategic decision for the NPP government. Central Asia
Exclusive: Suspected Russian Spy Seeks Top Security Post In Serbia, Central Asia (Radio Free Europe)
Radio Free Europe [3/11/2025 1:00 AM, Carl Schreck, Mark Krutov, Riin Aljas, and Sergei Dorbrynin, 235K]
A Russian diplomat recalled from Brussels amid a spy purge by Belgian authorities has been nominated to head the Belgrade mission of Europe’s largest security body, a joint investigation by RFE/RL and several European media outlets has found.
Moscow has nominated Dmitry Iordanidi, a former deputy head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina with deep experience in the Balkans, to lead the organization’s mission to Serbia, internal OSCE records obtained by RFE/RL show.
His candidacy comes amid mounting accusations from the United States and European governments in recent years of “malign” Russian activities across the region covered by the 57-nation regional security body based in Vienna.
Iordanidi, 55, is one of 20 Russian diplomats who quietly left Brussels in 2023 due to allegations by the Belgian State Security Service (VSSE) that they were spies working under cover, according to a list compiled by Belgian intelligence and authenticated independently by three Western intelligence sources, the joint investigation by RFE/RL, the Brussels-based news site EUobserver, the Belgian daily De Morgen, the Belgian weekly Humo, and the French daily Le Monde found.
One intelligence source called the spy purge an “occasion to empty our drawer” in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
While the Belgian government does not publish lists of accredited diplomats in the country, and Russia’s diplomatic mission in Brussels does not publish the names of its personnel, RFE/RL independently verified the presence of several of the expelled Russian diplomats in Belgium in 2023.
The Russian diplomats, who have not been publicly identified until now, were alleged in the list to be affiliated with Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) or its military intelligence directorate, known as the GRU.
Iordanidi, whom the Belgian intelligence list identifies as affiliated with the SVR, is the only diplomat among the 20 who was not declared persona non grata, according to one intelligence source. The source said Russia recalled Iordanidi after Belgium communicated that Iordanidi would be declared persona non grata if Moscow did not recall him.
Now, Moscow is trying to place Iordanidi back with the OSCE, the Vienna-based multilateral organization that, until Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, had played a central role in monitoring Russian aggression in Ukraine and attempting to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv.Iordanidi was listed as one of eight nominees for OSCE mission head in Serbia following the December 1, 2024, deadline for candidate submissions, according to the document obtained by RFE/RL.
Russia also nominated him to head an OSCE program office in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, and for the same position in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.
The OSCE said in an e-mailed statement that the recruitment for all three of these positions is still ongoing and that it could not comment on the matter, citing confidentiality.
The positions are appointed by the OSCE chairperson-in-office -- currently Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen -- in consultation with senior current and former OSCE officials and the host countries of the respective missions, OSCE spokesperson Alexandra Taylor said.
"We follow a rigorous recruitment process for all of our positions at the OSCE,” Taylor said.
Western officials and governments have accused Moscow of acting as a saboteur of the OSCE and abusing the organization’s consensual politics, including in connection with Russia’s war on Ukraine – now the largest and bloodiest in Europe since World War II.
Russia has criticized the OSCE as “being reformatted to become an appendage of NATO and the EU.”
Following RFE/RL investigations into suspected Russian intelligence influence on the OSCE, the organization’s parliamentary assembly, which facilitates dialogue among member states, called on OSCE leadership “to initiate relevant discussions and security checks to rid the organization of the Russian destructive influence.”
Russia has previously sent its diplomats expelled by EU states for alleged espionage to its embassy in Serbia, where President Aleksandar Vucic has sought to maintain Belgrade’s traditionally strong ties with Russia, a March 2023 investigation by RFE/RL revealed.
Neither Iordanidi nor the Russian Embassy in Brussels responded to requests for comment. The VSSE also did not respond to a request for comment.
Balkan Journeys
Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of Russian diplomats were expelled by the United States and EU governments, including those posted at Russia’s diplomatic mission to Belgium and to the EU in Brussels.
Among those was Aleksandr Studenikin, who was expelled by the EU for "illegal and disruptive actions" but resurfaced as an OSCE election observer for December 2023 parliamentary and local elections in Serbia, an RFE/RL investigation found.
Iordanidi’s public footprint in the Belgian capital was negligible, though he appears to have arrived at some point in 2023 in a geographic break from a diplomatic career rooted largely in the Balkans.
Publicly available records show that, as of 2009, he was serving as the first political secretary at the Russian Embassy in Sarajevo and, several years later, as head of the OSCE field office in Banja Luka, the administrative center of Bosnia’s Serb entity, Republika Srpska.
In May 2013, Iordanidi sat between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting with then-Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic at the Russian president’s summer residence in the southern resort town of Sochi. Vucic, at the time Serbia’s defense minister and first deputy prime minister, was present as well.
Iordanidi later became deputy head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina in Sarajevo and appears to have left that post at some point toward the latter half of 2022 or early 2023.
An OSCE source who spoke on condition of anonymity recalled Iordanidi leaving Sarajevo for Belgium, and one of the intelligence sources contacted for this report said he arrived in 2023 and left under pressure the same year.
Reporters could find no open-source evidence of Iordanidi’s posting with the Russian Embassy in Brussels during his brief sojourn there, a stark contrast from his time with the OSCE in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he gave frequent interviews and made public appearances.
Much of his earlier public work with the OSCE in the Balkans was related to environmental issues and the promotion of civil liberties.
Leaked Russian government databases -- such as residential, vehicle, and tax records -- reviewed by RFE/RL do not reflect any clear connection on paper between Iordanidi and Russian intelligence. They do, however, for other Russians blacklisted in the Belgian spy purge that Iordanidi was swept up in.
GRU Men In Brussels
Among the 19 other Russian diplomats on the Belgian intelligence list of alleged spies along with Iordanidi was Aleksandr Kovalchuk, who formally served as a counsellor with the Russian Embassy in Brussels.
Leaked residential records list Kovalchuk’s registered home address as Ulitsa Narodnogo Opolcheniya 50 in Moscow, the same address as the Russian Defense Ministry’s Military Academy. The academy is widely known as the “GRU Conservatory” -- an acronym referring to Russia’s military-intelligence directorate.
Also on the list of alleged spy diplomats is Sergei Cherepanov, who served as second secretary at the Russian Embassy in Brussels. Leaked Russian government records show he previously worked at the Strategic Missile Forces Academy in Moscow and was registered at an address tied to Military Unit 46179, which specializes in seismic and infrasound surveillance via satellites under the 12th Main Directorate, responsible for nuclear security.
The listed residential address of another expelled Russian diplomat, Dmitry Zamogilnykh, who worked as part of the embassy’s technical staff, is linked to Military Unit 92154, a GRU special forces division.
Meanwhile, one of the expelled diplomats, Sergei Gudilin, photographed a military-related facility near the Belgian capital, according to publicly available data on his account with the fitness app Strava.
In July 2021, he posted a photograph on his Strava account of the Bertem radar station, part of Belgium’s air-traffic control network that provides radar data to the Belgian military.
Inquiries sent to listed e-mail addresses for Kovalchuk, Cherepanov, Zamogilnykh, and Gudilin went unanswered.
Belgium’s crackdown resulted altogether in the expulsion of 20 alleged Russian spies, according to the list, adding to 48 prior expulsions of members of Russian delegations to the EU and NATO.“Belgium wishes to maintain normal diplomatic relations with Russia but cannot allow these relations to be abused for espionage purposes,” Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pierre Steverlynck said.
Evolving Threats
While European countries have collectively expelled more than 700 Russian diplomats -- including alleged spies -- since Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Western experts warn the threat from Moscow is evolving.
"We saw…a diminishment for a little while in [Russian intelligence services’] ability to conduct malign intelligence operations in our countries, but it has been reconstituted," James Appathurai, a senior NATO official specializing in hybrid warfare, said in an interview with EUobserver.
Appathurai said Russia has shifted its focus to online recruitment, increasingly enlisting criminal gangs and unwitting individuals for sabotage.
"These recruits often don’t even realize who they are working for," Appathurai said. "They carry out acts of arson, train derailments, even attacks on politicians’ properties -- all with Russian intelligence pulling the strings from the shadows."
The German magazine Der Spiegel reported last month that German investigators suspect a spate of car-vandalism incidents in the country were bankrolled by a Russian client and carried out by low-level accomplices under the guise of climate activism.
Prosecutors in the southern German city of Ulm said four suspects had been detained in connection with more than 100 vandalism incidents in which hardening foam was used to block exhaust car pipes. The suspects included natives of Romania, Serbia, and Bosnia.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in January accused Russia of plotting terror attacks against unspecified targets utilizing aircraft after two separate incidents in which DHL cargo ignited in Lithuania and Britain, respectively.
"I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland but against airlines around the world," Tusk told a news conference.
Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations by Western governments of its involvement in terror attacks, including arson, poisoning, and attacks on individuals in the West. Kazakhstan in talks with oil majors to cut output, energy minister says (Reuters)
Reuters [3/10/2025 4:54 PM, Georgina Mccartney, 41523K]
Kazakhstan is in discussions with oil majors to cut output to bring the country’s supply back in line with targets set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+), its energy minister Almasadam Satkaliyev said on Monday.
"We are in phases of discussions with the majors, we are having an open dialogue", Satkaliyev said on the sidelines of the CERAWeek conference in Houston.
OPEC+ member Kazakhstan raised its crude and gas condensate output in February to a record high of 2.12 million barrels per day (bpd).
Speaking at an online briefing last week, officials from Kazakhstan, which has frequently exceeded the OPEC+ production quotas, pledged to cut output in March, April and May to compensate for pumping above targets in previous months.
Last week, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak suggested OPEC+ could reverse the output increase after April, if there are market imbalances.
"There is no final decision (on that) and it depends on the situation with the market," Satkaliyev said.
The OPEC+ April hike will see output increase by 138,000 bpd, according to Reuters calculations.
"All of the figures depend on how much we will cut, for Kazakhstan," Satkaliyev said. Kyrgyz and Tajik presidents to sign border agreement on March 12 (Reuters)
Reuters [3/10/2025 11:55 PM, Lidia Kelly, 62527K]
The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will sign on Wednesday a border agreement resolving a decades-old dispute, the press service of Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov said.
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon will visit Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday for bilateral talks with Japarov and other officials, Japarov’s press service said.
"It is planned to .... sign an agreement between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan on the state border," the press service said in a statement on the Kyrgyzstan president’s website. Loss of US assistance hampering Tajikistan’s efforts to contain HIV – UN agency (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [3/10/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
The suspension of US foreign assistance could have a devastating effect on efforts to contain the spread of diseases in Tajikistan, including HIV, according to a report issued by a United Nations agency.
The United States, via the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was a key funder of Tajikistan’s national HIV program, a recent country report issued by UNAIDS stated. The Trump administration’s decision to suspend foreign assistance programs and effectively shut down USAID as an independent agency already has had a “profound impact” on the ability of Tajik government entities and local non-governmental organizations to deliver critical services to HIV sufferers, as well as mount information campaigns to contain the spread of the disease, which causes AIDS.
The UNAIDS report described the United States as a “critical partner” for Tajikistan in “strengthening laboratory services, introducing and informing the population about best practices in HIV prevention, integrating HIV with other services, and collecting and providing statistical data for decision-making.”
The loss of US funding means that Tajiks with HIV are likely to struggle “to maintain antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens, leading to increased viral loads and poorer health outcomes.” It will also hinder efforts to engage “hard-to-reach populations” in prevention efforts and testing, the report added. The high number of Tajiks who work abroad as labor migrants every year has helped catalyze steady growth in HIV cases over the past two decades, according to a 2024 academic study.
The resulting diminution of local capacity could result in a surge in HIV cases. “The loss of participation in regional networks will disconnect Tajikistan’s HIV response from global and regional best practices, reducing opportunities for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and resource mobilization,” the UNAIDS report concluded. Uzbekistan launches drive to develop minerals & mining sector (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [3/10/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
Uzbekistan has announced a $2.6-billion initiative to develop the country’s substantial mineral resources, setting the Central Asian nation up to potentially become an important source of rare earths for US businesses.
During a March 7 presentation in Tashkent, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced a three-year investment plan to develop 76 projects covering 28 different elements used in the production of durable goods. Uzbekistan has identified significant deposits of critical minerals, such as tungsten, lithium, titanium and vanadium, an element used in the construction of nuclear reactors. But to date, the deposits have not been aggressively developed, in part due to lagging investment.
The initiative aims to stimulate a home-grown industrial base, in which minerals mined in Uzbekistan are used to manufacture cars, electronics and high-tech items at plants located in the country. The plan also opens the door for new trade and investment opportunities for the United States.“The main task is to extract valuable raw materials directly from ore using modern technologies, increase the purity of minerals and create products with high added value,” read a statement issued by Mirziyoyev. “For example, enrichment of tungsten concentrate from the Ingichka deposit will double the added value.”
The Uzbek initiative will involve funding for geological prospecting to identify new deposits, as well as the development of technology hubs in the Tashkent and Samarkand regions to train specialists in the use of new technologies and promote best mining practices.
That is where the United States can play a significant role.
The Trump administration’s foreign policy has prioritized expanding US access to rare earths around the world, aiming to reduce a heavy reliance on China for critical supplies. Uzbekistan appears to be seen in Washington as an important node of opportunity.
In a February 21 phone call with his Uzbek counterpart, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that the United States is eager to take advantage of “mutually beneficial opportunities for investment in critical minerals.” Within that context, the March 7 Uzbek initiative seems like an invitation to the Trump administration to back up its words with action. Uzbekistan presently lacks the know-how and technology to make Mirziyoyev’s vision a reality.
US interest in Uzbekistan’s mineral wealth predates Trump’s return to the White House. During the Biden administration, the two countries, as part of the C5+1 format, established a dialogue in September 2023 to explore collaborative opportunities concerning Uzbek deposits.
In September 2024, Uzbekistan and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding covering the development of mineral resources. “The document serves as an important step in continuing the US-Uzbekistan dialogue on exploration, mining, and value-added product chain development,” stated a press release issued by the Uzbek Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology.
Last November during a visit to Tashkent, then-US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu highlighted cooperation on critical minerals as a key part of a developing strategic partnership between the two states. “Both sides declared the importance of continuing close consultations and celebrated new areas of cooperation, including in critical minerals production,” Lu stated. “The United States and Uzbekistan have seen significant progress in the critical minerals sector with the recent signing of the Critical Minerals MOU in September and Uzbekistan joining the Minerals Security Partnership.” Indo-Pacific
Only seven countries met WHO air quality standards in 2024, data shows (Reuters)
Reuters [3/10/2025 11:08 PM, David Stanway, 62527K]
Only seven countries met World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standards last year, data showed on Tuesday, as researchers warned that the war on smog would only get harder after the United States shut down its global monitoring efforts.
Chad and Bangladesh were the world’s most polluted countries in 2024, with average smog levels more than 15 times higher than WHO guidelines, according to figures compiled by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir.
Only Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia and Iceland made the grade, IQAir said.
Significant data gaps, especially in Asia and Africa, cloud the worldwide picture, and many developing countries have relied on air quality sensors mounted on U.S. embassy and consulate buildings to track their smog levels.
However, the State Department has recently ended the scheme, citing budget constraints, with more than 17 years of data removed last week from the U.S. government’s official air quality monitoring site, airnow.gov, including readings collected in Chad.
"Most countries have a few other data sources, but it’s going to impact Africa significantly, because oftentimes these are the only sources of publicly available real-time air quality monitoring data," said Christi Chester-Schroeder, IQAir’s air quality science manager.
Data concerns meant Chad was excluded from IQAir’s 2023 list, but it was also ranked the most polluted country in 2022, plagued by Sahara dust as well as uncontrolled crop burning.
Average concentrations of small, hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 hit 91.8 micrograms per cubic metre (mg/cu m) last year in the country, slightly higher than 2022.
The WHO recommends levels of no more than 5 mg/cu m, a standard met by only 17% of cities last year.
India, fifth in the smog rankings behind Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, saw average PM2.5 fall 7% on the year to 50.6 mg/cu m.
But it accounted for 12 of the top 20 most polluted cities, with Byrnihat, in a heavily industrialised part of the country’s northeast, in first place, registering an average PM2.5 level of 128 mg/cu m.
Climate change is playing an increasing role in driving up pollution, Chester-Schroeder warned, with higher temperatures causing fiercer and lengthier forest fires that swept through parts of South East Asia and South America.
Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Clean Air Program at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), said at least 34 countries will lose access to reliable pollution data after the U.S. programme was closed.The State Department scheme improved air quality in the cities where the monitors were placed, boosting life expectancy and even reducing hazard allowances for U.S. diplomats, meaning that it paid for itself, Hasenkopf said.
"(It) is a giant blow to air quality efforts worldwide," she said. (Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan). The list of the world’s top 20 most polluted cities is out. All but one are in Asia (CNN)
CNN [3/11/2025 12:38 AM, Rhea Mogul, 126906K]
All but one of the world’s top 20 most polluted cities last year were in Asia, a new study shows.
The majority of these cities – 13 – are in the world’s most populous country, India, where booming economic growth is fired largely by coal and where hundreds of millions live in traffic-clogged and congested megacities.
Another four are in neighboring Pakistan, with one in China and Kazakhstan respectively.
The only city outside of Asia featured on the list is N’Djamena, the capital of Chad in central Africa – which was named the country with the worst air pollution.
Meanwhile the cities with the worst pollution in North America were all in California.
The report by IQAir, a Swiss company that tracks global air quality, looked specifically at fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, one of the smallest but most dangerous pollutants.
PM2.5 comes from sources like the combustion of fossil fuels, dust storms and wildfires. It is so tiny – 1/20th of a width of a human hair – that it can travel past your body’s usual defenses into your lungs or bloodstream.
The particles cause irritation and inflammation and have been linked to respiratory problems and chronic kidney disease. Exposure can cause cancer, stroke or heart attacks and has been associated with a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says average annual levels of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Byrnihat, an industrial town in northeast India recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 128.2 last year – more than 25 times the WHO’s standard.
"It feels very sad and helpless that Byrnihat keeps topping the list ," Suman Momin, 26, who lives in the city of around 70,000, told CNN.
She blamed factories around the town and a booming construction industry and trees being felled as contributing to the toxic air.
"The pollution is particularly bad right now, visibility is not great, there is dust everywhere, my eyes also burn," she said.Twelve other cities in the top 20 are in India.
Its capital New Delhi featured as the world’s most polluted capital for the sixth consecutive year, with a PM2.5 concentration of 91.8. The report also listed six satellite cities – Faridabad, Loni, Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Greater Noida – making the list.
Just last November, a throat-searing blanket of smog settled over Delhi, disrupting flights, blocking buildings from view and prompting the city’s chief minister to declare a "medical emergency.".
But overall, India – the world’s most populous nation with 1.4 billion people dropped from third to fifth place from the previous year, according to the report.
But the report said air pollution "remains a significant health burden… reducing life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years.".
India’s neighbors Bangladesh and Pakistan – together home to some 400 million people – were second and third-most polluted countries globally in terms of PM2.5 molecules, according to the report.
China – which used to dominate global rankings of the world’s worst air – noted a small improvement, the report said.
Its national annual average PM2.5 concentration decreased from 32.5 micrograms per cubic meter to 31, with air quality improving in megacities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the report said.
China is the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter but in recent years has waged a campaign against air pollution, particularly in the cities that have fuelled its economic growth, and has pushed a massive expansion in solar and wind power.
But last month two clean-energy groups raised alarm over what they said were plans by China’s power industry to build nearly 100 gigawatts of new coal plant capacity last year, the most in nearly a decade.
All 20 of the world’s most polluted cities last year exceeded WHO PM2.5 guidelines by over 10 times, the IQ Air report showed.
Data gaps
"Air pollution remains a critical threat to both human health and environmental stability, yet vast populations remain unaware of their exposure levels," said Frank Hammes, Global CEO of IQAir.
Iran and Afghanistan did not feature in this year’s report due to a lack of data availability.
Air quality monitoring in Southeast Asia is also a problem, with nearly all countries having "significant gaps in government-led initiatives," the report found.
In 2024, 173 out of 392 cities in the region lacked government monitoring stations, while Cambodia had none, it said.
Those problems are likely to be exacerbated after the US announced earlier this month that it would stop sharing air quality data gathered from its embassies and consulates worldwide due to "funding constraints" the Associated Press reported.
"Air quality data saves lives," said Hammes.
"It creates much needed awareness, informs policy decisions, guiding public health interventions, and empowers communities to take action to reduce air pollution and protect future generations.".
Worst cities in North America
Only 17% of 8,954 cities analyzed globally by IQAir recorded air quality which met WHO pollution guidelines, the report said.
The cities with the worst air pollution in North America were Ontario, Bloomington and Huntington Park – all in California, the report said.
Overall the United States saw a significant reduction in PM2.5 levels last year, with the annual average dropping 22% from 2023.
Northern America has long boasted vigorous air quality monitoring systems, contributing 56% of the total number of ground-based air quality monitoring stations included in the IQ Air report – helping scientists with their continued research on air quality and aiding policymakers to make decisions about public health.
Only 12 countries, regions, and territories recorded PM2.5 concentrations below the WHO guidelines, most of which were in the Latin America and Caribbean or Oceania region.
The report called on governments to dedicate funding for renewable energy projects and "strengthen emission limits for vehicles and industrial activities.".
Advice Suman wishes authorities in Byrnihat would take to save her city from appearing at the top of the most polluted list again next year.
"People around have developed breathing issues over the years as well," she told CNN.
"This is my birthplace. I am a local. I do not want to leave this area. We want the governments to do more, come together and work for us.". Twitter
Afghanistan
Sara Wahedi@SaraWahedi
[3/10/2025 3:23 PM, 96.9K followers, 4 retweets, 38 likes]
A critical oversight in combating the Taliban’s decrees on Afghan women has been the exclusion of Afghan men from these conversations. Their dominance, though uncomfortable, is a societal reality - one that will fuel passivity if they remain outside the discourse.
Sara Wahedi@SaraWahedi
[3/10/2025 3:26 PM, 96.9K followers, 2 retweets, 12 likes]
Most Afghan men aren’t engaging in conversations or efforts against the Taliban’s decrees - not necessarily out of opposition, but because women-only dialogue has left them without a clear role. Strategic engagement is needed to guide and maneuver their involvement.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[3/10/2025 8:47 PM, 32.2K followers, 15 retweets, 107 likes]
If this passes, we are poised to get an additional 20,000 principal applicant SIVs (and more time to qualify/apply) but these guys want to demand our allies be de-prioritized. I hope @SpeakerJohnson holds out. https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/10/congress/gop-holdouts-push-afghan-visa-changes-funding-bill-00222993
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[3/10/2025 8:16 AM, 32.2K followers, 15 retweets, 173 likes]
Big week!- Government shutdown is looming; silver linings in the proposed fix.- @statedept is sending a report to @WhiteHouse this week that may shut down travel for Afghan nationals globally- Afghans with VALID U.S. Visas / green cards may consider traveling now.
More here. https://x.com/i/status/1899086882010484870
AAN Afghanistan@AANafgh
[3/11/2025 12:30 AM, 167.9K followers]
Our latest dossier reveals the challenges Afghan women & girls face every day under the Emirate. As restrictions tighten, their struggles intensify. Dive into our reports and see how these policies mark a drastic shift. #Afghanistan #WomenRights https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/dossiers/deepening-discrimination-a-dossier-of-reports-about-afghan-women/ Lina Rozbih@LinaRozbih
[3/10/2025 6:52 AM, 427.1K followers, 15 retweets, 64 likes]
Afghan women have started a new campaign to protest against the Taliban—this time using their lipstick, one of the most basic symbols of femininity. #WomensDay #WomensHistoryMonth
Beth W. Bailey@BWBailey85[3/10/2025 7:01 AM, 8.1K followers, 18 retweets, 74 likes]
Julie Pacheco-Toye joined me on The Afghanistan Project Podcast to discuss Afghan foster daughter "Kara," whose family’s P-3 case remains unfulfilled after she was listed under the incorrect age on entry in summer ‘21. We discuss Kara’s family’s future and her struggles in the U.S. Please listen, share, and subscribe: https://youtu.be/EqlEyN_hRkw?si=70Z9DbLzhdyZvdLB
Beth W. Bailey@BWBailey85
[3/10/2025 7:13 PM, 8.1K followers, 4 likes]
I expect to hear a lot of these arguments in the coming months.
1) Neither I nor anyone else forced governments to allow "anyone with an education" to leave. We advocated for governments to uphold their promises to our allies.
2) Afghan women can’t get midwife or nursing training because the Taliban banned it. Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[3/10/2025 1:07 PM, 3.1M followers, 27 retweets, 170 likes]
A delegation of the Pakistan People’s Party, led by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today. Upon arrival, the Prime Minister welcomed the delegation.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[3/10/2025 11:06 AM, 3.1M followers, 17 retweets, 104 likes]
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif interacts with MNA, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the Joint session of the Parliament.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[3/10/2025 8:01 AM, 3.1M followers, 2 retweets, 8 likes]
PM Shehbaz Sharif visits the headquarters of National Telecommunication Corporation to review the monitoring of PM Ramadan Package 2025. The inititative ensures transparent distribution of 20 billion rupees to 4 million deserving families, eliminating corruption and quality issues previously seen in essential goods distribution. The package would benefit all parts of the country through a well-devised digital system.
Dr. Arif Alvi@ArifAlvi
[3/10/2025 11:13 PM, 4.4M followers, 639 retweets, 1.9K likes]
Today, I had the privilege of engaging in an extraordinary & profoundly meaningful meeting with Senator Jacky Rosen (@SenJackyRosen) from Nevada.
What struck me most was our shared, unwavering passion for human rights—a commitment that transcends borders and unites us in our concern for oppressed people worldwide, particularly those in Pakistan. We found common ground in our dismay over the alarming state of affairs in Pakistan, where democracy has been violently derailed, and the very pillars of a free society—the constitution, the judiciary, and the media—have been trampled upon with impunity.
During our discussion, I emphasized the critical need for the international community to turn its gaze toward Pakistan, where the situation has deteriorated to a point of grave humanitarian crisis. It is unconscionable that citizens are being killed simply for raising their voices in protest against an oppressive government. Homes are being ransacked and looted with no regard for basic decency, while thousands of individuals—men, women, and even entire families—are being arrested on baseless, fabricated charges. The brutality doesn’t end there: women and families are subjected to beatings and torture, all in a sinister effort to coerce parliamentarians into voting against their conscience or abandoning the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). For the people of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world, this relentless assault on their rights and dignity is a source of deep trauma that reverberates through every corner of society.
One of the most egregious injustices we discussed is the plight of @ImranKhanPTI, a leader who commands an astounding 91% popularity in Pakistan and whose party secured a 75% mandate in elections—an outcome that was shamelessly stolen through electoral fraud. For 582 days, he has languished in prison, ensnared in a web of trumped-up charges designed to silence him.
Perhaps most outrageous is the seven-year sentence handed down to him & his wife Bushra Bibi in the so-called ‘Iddat’ marriage case, a perverse legal farce that hinges on intrusive and humiliating calculations of a woman’s menstruation cycle. When I shared this with Senator Rosen, she was as stunned and appalled as anyone who values justice and human dignity would be.
On a personal note, our conversation also turned to fond memories of Senator Rosen’s mentor, my dear friend, the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Jacky, a proud protégé of his, carries forward his legacy with grace and determination. In her role as the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on South Asia, she has made it her mission to champion human rights, freedom, and democracy—values that Harry held dear and that resonated deeply in our dialogue about Pakistan. It was a bittersweet moment to reflect on his contributions while addressing such pressing contemporary challenges.
Let me be clear: Pakistan is a sovereign nation that has already endured the indignity of a regime change orchestrated from abroad. We will tolerate no further interference in our affairs. Yet, the world must not turn a blind eye to the turbulent struggle for democracy unfolding within our borders—a fight against tyranny that pits ordinary citizens against a ruthless machinery of oppression. Our voices, the voices of Pakistanis yearning for justice and liberty, deserve to echo across the globe, amplified by those who stand in solidarity with us.
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[3/10/2025 3:25 AM, 76K followers, 14 retweets, 70 likes]
Pakistani authorities are currently ascertaining facts on the recent arrests of 10 Pakistani nationals in Spain and 01 in Italy in connection with alleged link to an organised criminal group — based on extremist ideologies — that issued violent directives through online messaging platforms.
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[3/10/2025 1:05 PM, 76K followers, 632 retweets, 3.2K likes]
A Pakistani Ambassador being denied entry into a third country is definitely a new low for Pakistani diplomacy. India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/11/2025 12:25 AM, 105.7M followers, 2.3K retweets, 19K likes]
Deeply touched by the warm welcome from the Indian community in Mauritius. Their strong connection to Indian heritage, culture and values is truly inspiring. This bond of history and heart continues to thrive across generations.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[3/10/2025 7:53 AM, 105.7M followers, 6.3K retweets, 50K likes]
Raising Day wishes to all personnel of CISF! This force is admired for its professionalism, dedication, and courage. They play a key role in our security system by protecting essential infrastructure and ensuring the safety of countless people every day. Their unwavering commitment to duty is truly commendable. @CISFHQrs
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/10/2025 9:16 AM, 26.5M followers, 211 retweets, 1.7K likes]
Governor of Punjab Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Haryana Shri Bandaru Dattatraya, Chief Minister of Punjab Shri Bhagwant Mann and Chief Minister of Haryana Shri Nayab Singh Saini received President Droupadi Murmu in Chandigarh. The President was accorded a guard of honour on her arrival.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/10/2025 7:56 AM, 26.5M followers, 160 retweets, 854 likes]
President Droupadi Murmu launched a state-level campaign, ‘spiritual education for holistic well-being’ of Brahma Kumaris, Hisar on its golden jubilee. The President said that the real utility of spiritual peace is not in remaining in isolation, it should be used in building a healthy, strong and prosperous society and nation.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[3/10/2025 5:10 AM, 26.5M followers, 218 retweets, 1.6K likes]
President Droupadi Murmu graced the convocation ceremony of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana. The President urged students to adopt the mindset of generating employment instead of the mindset of getting employment. As an entrepreneur, they could find solutions to social problems through their innovative ideas and contribute to the progress of society.Tanvi Madan@tanvi_madan[3/10/2025 3:43 PM, 91K followers, 2 retweets, 17 likes]
India’s been participating in this US anti-submarine warfare exercise (often with its Quad partners + ROK) annually since 2021… NSB
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[3/10/2025 1:45 PM, 8K followers, 1 retweet, 8 likes]
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, is scheduled to visit the #Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar on 14 March as the UN chief is set to embark on a #Bangladesh visit as part of his annual Ramadan solidarity tour.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[3/11/2025 12:11 AM, 146.2K followers, 6 retweets, 52 likes]
I participated in the ceremonial awarding of the ‘Sri Sannas Patra’ to the newly appointed Supreme Mahanayaka Thera of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithree Moorthi Maha Nayaka Thera, at the BMICH yesterday (10). It was a profound moment to present this recognition and emphasize the vital role of the Maha Sangha in rebuilding a morally just society. Together, we must foster compassion and strong national discourse for the well-being of all.
UN in Sri Lanka@UNSriLanka
[3/11/2025 2:10 AM, 42.4K followers, 1 retweet]
From extended parental leave to hiring women in non-traditional roles, Sri Lankan companies are breaking barriers for gender equality in the workplace. Learn how these businesses are driving change and advancing #GenderEquality with @globalcompact: https://bit.ly/4k7HdAd Central Asia
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