BEIJING: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit China this week, Beijing said on Monday, as the two sides hope to boost cooperation. &quot;Russia&#39;s foreign minister Lavrov will pay an official visit to China from April 14 to 15,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference. Lavrov will hold talks with China&#39;s top diplomat Wang Yi in which the two will &quot;exchange views and coordinate positions on the development of bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of common concern&quot;, Guo said. The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement that the pair would discuss the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Beijing and Moscow are close economic and political partners, and the relationship has deepened further since Russia&#39;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Wang held a call with Lavrov on April 5, when the pair agreed Beijing and Moscow would work together to deescalate tensions in the Middle East.

China

Asia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit China on April 14-15 for talks with Wang Yi on bilateral ties, Ukraine and the Middle East, as Beijing and Moscow seek closer coordination.

Russian FM to visit China April 14-15: Beijing

SYDNEY: A woman will command Australia&#39;s army for the first time since its founding 125 years ago, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Monday as he unveiled the &quot;deeply historic&quot; appointment. Lieutenant general Susan Coyle was named Australia&#39;s Chief of Army following a three-decade career during which she has served in the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East. &quot;Her achievement means that she will be the first woman to command a service in Australian history,&quot; Marles told reporters. &quot;And it is a deeply historic moment. As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see.&quot; Australia&#39;s army is in the throes of a major transformation, equipping itself with long-range firepower, drones and other modern combat tools. Coyle stressed her experience in areas such as cyber-warfare. &quot;This breadth of experience provides a strong foundation for the responsibilities of command and the trust placed in me,&quot; she said.

This handout photo from the Australian Defence Force taken on July 4, 2024, shows Lieutenant general Susan Coyle reacting as she attends an official event in Canberra. Coyle will command Australia's army for the first time since its founding 125 years ago

Australasia

Lieutenant general Susan Coyle was named Australia's Chief of Army following a three-decade career during which she has served in the Solomon Islands, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Australia names Susan Coyle first woman to lead army 

HONG KONG: Oil prices surged and stocks sank Monday after US-Iran peace talks fell apart and Donald Trump announced a blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, adding to fears of energy supplies from the Middle East. Negotiations in Islamabad at the weekend fell apart with the US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance blaming Iran&#39;s refusal to give up its nuclear program and Tehran hitting out at &quot;maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade&quot;. The news dealt a blow to hopes for an end to the six-week conflict, which has sent crude prices soaring, pushing inflation up and sending shivers through the global economy. Oil prices which tumbled last week after the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire jumped around eight percent Monday, with both contracts topping $100 a barrel. Equities fell across Asia, with Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul off at least one percent, while Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Taipei and Jakarta were also down. In a lengthy social media post, US President Donald Trump said his goal was to clear the strait of mines and reopen it to all shipping. But he said that Iran must not be allowed to profit from controlling the waterway through which a fifth of global oil and gas usually passes. &quot;Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,&quot; Trump wrote on Truth Social. &quot;Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!&quot; He said the blockade would only apply to vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports. The US military said Sunday it will blockade all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, effectively seizing control of maritime traffic. Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards said its security forces had full control over the strait and warned enemies would be trapped in a &quot;deadly vortex&quot; in case of any &quot;wrong move&quot;. Iran&#39;s navy chief Shahram Irani called Trump&#39;s threat &quot;ridiculous and funny&quot;, according to state TV. After the talks the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic revolution Vance said Washington had made Tehran its &quot;final and best offer,&quot; adding: &quot;We&#39;ll see if the Iranians accept it.&quot; Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the rivals had been &quot;inches away&quot; from a deal, writing on X that &quot;Iran engaged with US in good faith to end war&quot;. But he added &quot;we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade&quot;. Nicole Grajewski, an assistant professor at the Center for International Research at Sciences Po in Paris, warned that a US blockade was &quot;not a minor coercive signal&quot; but would rather be considered an effective resumption of the war. Fawad Razaqzada, a market analyst at <a data-fr-linked="true" href="//Forex.com" id="isPasted" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">Forex.com</a> said: &quot;The fundamental issue remains trust or rather, the lack of it between two long-standing adversaries who still appear some distance from common ground.&quot; Investors are also keeping an eye on attempts to resolve the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, as Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he was pushing to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces. &quot;We will continue to work to stop this war, to ensure the Israeli withdrawal from all our lands, the return of all the prisoners, to rebuild our destroyed villages and towns, and the safe return of the displaced,&quot; Salam said. The prospect of the Middle East crisis continuing for the foreseeable future ramped up inflation fears and weighed on gold amid expectations interest rates would be kept elevated. Data Friday highlighted the impact of the conflict on prices, with the US consumer price index spiking at 3.3% in March, its highest since May last year. Key figures at around 0230 GMT West Texas Intermediate: UP 8.0% at $104.33 a barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 6.9% at $101.73 a barrel Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0% at 56,357.40 (break) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.0% at 25,627.75 Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1% at 3,981.08 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1686 from $1.1728 on Friday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3401 from $1.3463 Dollar/yen: UP at 159.67 yen from 159.19 yen Euro/pound: UP at 87.20 pence from 87.11 pence

A stockbroker walks past share prices on a digital board during a trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi

Business

Oil prices jumped and global markets fell after Donald Trump announced a Strait of Hormuz blockade following the collapse of US–Iran talks.

Oil surges, stocks fall as Trump says to blockade Strait of Hormuz

BUDAPEST: Viktor Orban, who has ruled Hungary for 16 years as a self-described &quot;thorn&quot; in the EU&#39;s side and a defender of &quot;illiberal democracy,&quot; on Sunday conceded defeat to conservative Peter Magyar, who won a thumping majority in parliamentary elections. Orban&#39;s defeat, in a vote that saw a record turnout, dealt a heavy blow to nationalists. It also deprives Russian President Vladimir Putin of his most sympathetic ear inside the European Union. Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters of Magyar&#39;s Tisza party cheered the results outside the party&#39;s election headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, waving Hungarian flags and dancing, as car horns sounded in the capital. &quot;I feel fantastic!&quot; Zoltan Sziromi, a 20-year-old student, celebrating in the crowd, told AFP. &quot;We&#39;ve finally got rid of that system, and it was about time.&quot; Magyar, who arrived waving the Hungarian flag, told the cheering crowd that voters had &quot;liberated Hungary,&quot; calling his party&#39;s win a &quot;miracle&quot; in the central European country of 9.5 million people. &quot;Today, the Hungarian people have said &#39;yes&#39; to Europe,&quot; the 45-year-old former government insider and political newcomer told supporters. He promised to &quot;restore the system of checks and balances..., guarantee the democratic functioning of our country&quot; and put Hungary &quot;back on track.&quot; Acknowledging it was an &quot;enormous&quot; task, he called for unity, saying the victory belonging to &quot;all Hungarians.&quot; &#39;Unambiguous&#39;&nbsp;With 98.15% of precincts counted, Tisza secured a two-thirds majority with 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament on 53.6% of the vote, according to official election results. Orban&#39;s Fidesz took 55 seats on 37.9% of the vote. Earlier Sunday, Orban, 62, conceded defeat. &quot;The election results, though not yet final, are clear and understandable; for us, they are painful but unambiguous,&quot; Orban, 62, told reporters. &quot;We have not been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to govern. I congratulated the winning party,&quot; he said. Turnout in the election reached a record 79.50%, according to the near-complete vote count. Orban, who was seeking a fifth straight term, has transformed his country into a model of &quot;illiberal democracy,&quot; clashing with Brussels over rule-of-law issues, as well as over support for war-torn Ukraine. Magyar burst onto the scene just two years ago, promising to fight corruption and offering better public services. He drew support against a backdrop of economic stagnation, and despite an electoral system skewed in favor of Orban&#39;s Fidesz party. Congratulations for Magyar poured in from around Europe, with France and Germany urging him to work together for a &quot;strong Europe.&quot; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to work with Magyar &quot;for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe.&quot; &quot;Hungary has chosen Europe,&quot; head of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, posted on X. Ahead of the vote, both Orban&#39;s and Magyar&#39;s camps had alleged foreign interference during the campaign. &#39;Defeat for authoritarianism&#39;&nbsp;Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, said Oran&#39;s defeat was a major blow to those who have looked to Viktor Orban&#39;s corrupt model as a blueprint. &quot;This is a resounding defeat for authoritarianism that echoes far beyond Hungary&#39;s borders,&quot; Tanden added. Orban had focused on making Ukraine the central topic of his campaign, portraying the neighboring country, which is fighting off a Russian invasion, as &quot;hostile&quot; to Hungary. He had also vowed to continue his crackdown against &quot;fake civil society organizations, bought journalists, judges (and) politicians.&quot; Fidesz supporters gathered for the results-watching event in Budapest were stunned. &quot;I am a Fidesz supporter with all my heart,&quot; Juliana Varga Szabo, a 58-year-old teacher, told AFP, tears in her eyes, saying that perhaps she had been living in a &quot;bubble.&quot; &quot;Now that bubble is burst. I won&#39;t change my values. We&#39;ll just have to see what the future brings,&quot; she added.

Europe

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters of Magyar's Tisza party cheer results outside the party's election headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, waving Hungarian flags and dancing, as car horns sounded in the capital.



Orban loses Hungary vote to pro-Europe newcomer after 16 years in power

MUMBAI: Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, died Sunday in Mumbai aged 92, her family said. Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital, where she was admitted with complaints of &quot;extreme exhaustion&quot; and chest infection. &quot;My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai,&quot; her son Anand Bhosle told reporters. Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven‑decade career. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was &quot;deeply saddened&quot; by her death. &quot;Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world,&quot; he said in a post on X. &quot;She will continue to inspire generations, and her songs will forever echo in people&#39;s lives.&quot; Born on September 8, 1933, to a musical family, Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father&#39;s death. Often compared to Mangeshkar &mdash; revered as &quot;India&#39;s nightingale&quot; who died in 2022 &mdash; Bhosle forged her own path, embracing genres from pop to folk. Her early life was marked by struggle, including a turbulent marriage at 16. She went on to become one of Indian cinema&#39;s most versatile and celebrated voices, receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and earning two Grammy nominations. Bhosle continued collaborating with global artists well into her later years, including a recent feature on British virtual band Gorillaz&#39;s album The Mountain (&quot;Parvat&quot;). Beyond music, she nurtured her passion for food, launching her &quot;Asha&#39;s&quot; restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain.

India

Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital, where she was admitted with complaints of "extreme exhaustion" and chest infection.



Legendary Indian singer Asha Bhosle dies aged 92

LONDON: The Irish government was on Sunday due to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to sign off on measures aimed at ending fuel cost protests that have endangered the functioning of the country&#39;s emergency services. Hauliers and agricultural contractors began a series of &nbsp;protests on Tuesday over spiralling petrol and diesel prices amid the Middle East war. Since then the protests have grown from slow-moving convoys on motorways and restricted access to Dublin&#39;s busiest streets, to a part blockade of Ireland&#39;s only oil refinery and restricted access to at least two other fuel depots. Finance Minister Simon Harris said later on Saturday ministers had held meetings with transport and agriculture sector representatives ahead of Sunday&#39;s meeting. The government was in the process of &quot;finalising a significant support package to address the ongoing crisis&quot;, a government statement added. Some protests rolled into a sixth day on Sunday. The government has urged the public not to panic buy as pumps at many fuel stations have run dry. Police on Saturday with the support of the armed forces deployed public order units to clear the blockade at Whitegate Refinery in southern Ireland. Irish police chief Justin Kelly said the action was taken as a last resort. The blockading of &quot;critical national infrastructure&quot; had &quot;resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service, and the fire service&quot;, he said. Elsewhere, police dismantled a makeshift barrier erected by protesters blockading western Galway docks. A late-night operation also targeted the blockade of the capital Dublin&#39;s main thoroughfare O&#39;Connell Street after multiple vehicles including tractors and lorries were removed. Justice Minister Jim O&#39;Callaghan said earlier the continuation of the protests despite the increasingly difficult situation had been &quot;unacceptable&quot;. &quot;While we all acknowledge the impact of higher fuel prices, and seek to minimise that impact, no groups are entitled in our republic to hold our people to ransom in such a manner,&quot; he said. In March, Dublin announced a 250 million-euro package to reduce fuel costs, notably including a diesel rebate for road haulier There were now the &quot;bones of an agreement&quot; with the government, the president Ger Hyland of the Irish Road Haulage Association said on Saturday. &quot;It is a substantial package and we hope to have this over the line either late tonight or tomorrow,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The Irish government was on Sunday due to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to sign off on measures aimed at ending fuel cost protests that have endangered the functioning of the country's emergency services

Irish ministers to hold emergency meet over fuel cost protests

PORT-AU-PRINCE: A stampede at historical fortress in Haiti has killed at least 30 people, a government minister told AFP on Sunday, with the crush reportedly involving several young visitors. &quot;The Minister of Culture and Communication has confirmed the deaths of 30 people at the Citadelle Henri on Saturday, April 11, 2026,&quot; culture minister Emmanuel Menard told AFP in a written message. &quot;The injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care, and a rescue team is searching for any missing persons,&quot; Menard said, without giving an exact figure of those injured. Citadelle Henri, also known as Citadelle Laferriere, is a 19th-century fortress and popular tourist spot. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was closed to visitors &quot;until further notice,&quot; Menard said. Haiti&#39;s prime minister&#39;s office expressed &quot;deep sadness&quot; in a government statement posted on Facebook, adding that the crush occurred during &quot;a tourist activity bringing together many young people.&quot; Jean Henry Petit, head of the civil protection office in Northern Haiti, told local newspaper Le Nouvelliste that the toll could rise due to the large number of people reported missing. Several dozen people were also injured and taken to hospital, the outlet reported. Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site. Other local media reports said the gathering took place after being advertised on TikTok. AFP was not able to immediately confirm the reports. The government urged citizens to &quot;be calm and cautious&quot; while it investigates. &quot;All competent authorities are fully mobilized and placed on maximum alert to provide, without delay, the necessary assistance, care and support,&quot; it added in its statement.

A view of Citadelle Laferrière, a 200-year-old fortress built by King Henri-Christophe of Haiti, near Cap-Haïtien. (UN Media)

Americas

Haitian authorities say dozens died in a stampede at the historic Citadelle Henri, with many young visitors involved, as rescue teams search for missing and treat injured.

Haiti fort stampede kills at least 30: Authorities

INDIO: With a minimalist set and a trip through his musical past, pop superstar Justin Bieber returned to the stage on Saturday night to headline the second day of Coachella. The Canadian singer has not performed at a venue of Coachella&#39;s size since 2022, when he appeared at Rock in Rio in Brazil before canceling the remainder of his international tour due to health issues. Last year Bieber released the album &quot;Swag,&quot; quickly followed by his eighth studio album &quot;Swag II.&quot; While Bieber has recently played smaller shows, Coachella was billed as the start of his full-scale comeback. Bieber earlier said in an Instagram post that &quot;We WILL be singing at the top of our lungs on Saturday.&quot; Dressed in a red sweater, shorts and black boots, the 32-year-old artist made good on his promise, playing the role of DJ and taking requests from online viewers. After opening with several tracks from &quot;Swag II,&quot; Bieber sat at a computer and began a journey into the past, searching for his videos on YouTube and singing snippets from &quot;That Should Be Me,&quot; &quot;Beauty and a Beat,&quot; &quot;Never Say Never,&quot; the teen pop anthem &quot;Baby&quot; and others hits. &quot;This is special,&quot; he told the crowd. &quot;This is a night I dreamed about for a long time, so to be here is amazing.&quot; Bieber also showed his old clips on YouTube, as well as moments captured by the ever-present cameras following him and his wife, Hailey Bieber. Eclectic offerings Earlier in the day, New York City rockers The Strokes took the stage and announced a new album for June, following a six-year hiatus for the band. They played anthems including &quot;Hard to Explain,&quot; &quot;Reptilia,&quot; &quot;Last Nite&quot; and &quot;Someday.&quot; Other acts in the spotlight Saturday included Nine Inch Noize &ndash; the collaboration between legendary industrial band Nine Inch Nails and German producer Boys Noize &ndash; who also have an album on the way. With dramatic lighting and intense sound, the band had fans jumping with versions of songs like &quot;Closer,&quot; &quot;Heresy,&quot; &quot;The Warning&quot; and &quot;Copy of A.&quot; The set by rising indie star Sombr featured Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, and together they performed the rock band&#39;s 1990s hit &quot;1979.&quot; With nine stages, the festival hosted a wide range of genres, including Brazil&#39;s Luisa Sonza, influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae, Britain&#39;s PinkPantheress, K-pop star Taemin and David Byrne, the legendary co-founder of the band Talking Heads. Coachella kicked off Friday with performances from headliner Sabrina Carpenter, Moby, Devo and surprise appearances from Lizzo, David Lee Roth and HUNTR/X, who performed their Oscar-winning &quot;Golden&quot; alongside KATSEYE. Carpenter&#39;s performance of hits like &quot;Manchild,&quot; &quot;Espresso&quot; and &quot;Please, Please, Please&quot; was helped by big-screen stars Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon and Will Ferrell, who rounded out her 90-minute set. The festival runs this weekend and next weekend, with a nearly identical lineup. It can be viewed on YouTube.

An employee shows a Justin Bieber shirt to a fan during during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California on April 11, 2026. (AFP)

Entertainment

The Canadian singer has not performed at a venue of Coachella's size since 2022, when he appeared at Rock in Rio in Brazil before canceling the remainder of his international tour due to health issues.

Justin Bieber reconnects with fans on Coachella's second day

Moscow/Kyiv: Russia on Sunday claimed that Ukraine had committed nearly 2,000 truce violations, as the warring neighbors traded accusations of breaching an agreement to temporarily halt hostilities for Orthodox Easter. &quot;A total of 1,971 ceasefire violations by units of the Ukrainian armed forces were recorded between 4:00 pm Moscow time on April 12 and 8:00 am on April 12,&quot; the Russian <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ukraine-reports-469-easter-truce-violations" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">defense ministry</a> said, as reported by the TASS news agency. Ukraine reports 2,299 Easter truce violationsMeanwhile, Russia has violated a truce in place for <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/easter-truce-between-russia-and-ukraine-begins" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Orthodox Easter</a> nearly 2,300 times since it came into effect, the Ukrainian army said on Sunday. &quot;As of 7:00 a.m. on 12 April, 2,299 ceasefire violations were recorded. Specifically: 28 enemy assault actions, 479 enemy shellings, 747 strikes by attack drones... and 1,045 strikes by FPV drones,&quot; the Ukrainian military&#39;s general staff said in a post on Facebook. &quot;There were no missile strikes, guided aerial bomb strikes, or Shahed-type UAV strikes,&quot; it added.

Russia on Sunday claimed that Ukraine had committed nearly 2,000 truce violations, as the warring neighbors traded accusations of breaching an agreement to temporarily halt hostilities for Orthodox Easter.

Russia, Ukraine accuse each other of nearly 2,000 Easter truce violations

NEW DELHI:&nbsp;Domestic migrants in India, who often travel thousands of kilometers for work are weighing up whether to leave New Delhi for good as energy resources choked by the US-Israel war on Iran war dwindle. Black market prices of cooking <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fuel-panic-deepens-indias-economic-strain" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">gas cylinders</a> have soared beyond what laborers living hand-to-mouth can earn and, even if energy flows resume soon, they worry it could take weeks for the impact to filter down to them. Crouched over smoky fires at dawn, using wood shavings to cook a breakfast of flat bread chapatis, dozens of construction workers say they are ready to return home. &quot;We will just leave when (the) money finishes,&quot; said Milan Kumar Mondal, who will make the 1,100-kilometer (685-mile) journey home to Katihar in <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/panic-and-chaos-in-india-as-lpg-supply-dwindles-and-prices-surge" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bihar state</a>, when the last of his savings runs out.&nbsp;Millions of internal migrants&nbsp;India has more than 450 million internal migrants, according to the last census in 2011 and government estimates, forming the backbone of its informal economy. Many move seasonally from poorer states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to cities in search of construction, factory and daily wage work. The South Asian nation, heavily dependent on imported energy, including roughly 60% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) needs, has seen supply chains strained by the war. And while the government says there is no overall LPG shortage, and is ensuring the most vulnerable receive cooking gas, migrants in informal settlements say they are left out. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Savings uncertain&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Government rules mean a household can have only one registered LPG connection.&nbsp; For domestic migrants, that is back in their home village. Incomes are volatile and savings minimal, making them particularly vulnerable to sudden price spikes or supply disruptions. Mondal earns around 600&ndash;700 rupees ($6.50-7.50) a day for construction work but, with LPG prohibitively expensive, he is barely breaking even.&nbsp;Surge in prices&nbsp;Prices of cooking gas have surged by as much as five times on the black market, the only source he can access without formal paperwork. &quot;Earlier cooking gas was 80&ndash;90 rupees ($0.86-0.97) per kilogram... Now it is 300&ndash;400 rupees, even 500 ($5.40),&quot; Mondal said. Workers&#39; union leader Rajiv Kumar Pandit said swaths of migrant workers had left the city already. &quot;The situation is very bad,&quot; he said. &quot;Wages are irregular, gas is not available, and prices are extremely high.&quot; Ramesh Kumar Mahto, also from Bihar, is ready to return home once he is paid. &quot;I don&#39;t think I will return to Delhi,&quot; he said. &quot;The crisis has made savings uncertain,&quot; he said.<h2 style="line-height: 2;">&nbsp;</h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;What is left?&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Many initially turned to firewood gathered from city forests or wood shavings from construction sites, but even the cost of that has now nearly doubled. &quot;We were cooking on firewood for the first 15 days of the crisis,&quot; said Suresh Kumar from Bhagalpur district, noting that they cannot cook when it rains.&nbsp; &quot;Now, even wood has become expensive.&quot; Electric stoves are not an option, since their power connection in tight-packed rooms is often only strong enough for a single charging point. &quot;If we use a heater or induction stove, the fuse goes off, the wiring burns,&quot; Kumar said. Food stalls are unaffordable -- or mean the worker spends all that they earn. &quot;A laborer needs three meals a day because the work is heavy -- lifting stones, working on multi-story buildings,&quot; construction worker Lalu Singh said. &quot;If we spend almost everything on food, what is left? It is better to go home and be with your family&quot;. Work is uncertain back in their villages -- farming on leased land or daily wage labor -- but living costs are lower and families share expenses. Five-month pregnant Naseema, in Delhi&#39;s Noor Nagar district, gathers wood from scrubland to cook for her six children and husband. &quot;If we can manage with the wood, we will,&quot; she said. &quot;After that, what option do we have -- than to return back to our village?&quot;

The South Asian nation, heavily dependent on imported energy, including roughly 60% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) needs, has seen supply chains strained by the US-Israel war on Iran.

Domestic Indian migrants weigh return home in energy crunch

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from Sanae Takaichi, the Prime Minister of Japan, today, during which the Japanese premier appreciated Islamabad&rsquo;s diplomatic role in facilitating the ceasefire and talks, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO) on Monday. During their warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders discussed the recently held Islamabad Talks between the United States and Iran, hosted by Pakistan. Prime Minister Takaichi appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic role in facilitating the ceasefire and talks.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2043602442844303697&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8654ef1b046cef633ea3e6d53eee44f27c4a12bc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 677px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2043602442844303697">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>She expressed Japan&rsquo;s full support for the peace process and its importance for regional stability and global energy security. While thanking the Japanese prime minister for her good wishes, Prime Minister Sharif said that he was grateful to both the US and Iranian delegations for their extensive discussions in Islamabad and said that Pakistan would continue with its efforts to ensure that the ceasefire is maintained. The prime minister expressed his desire to further strengthen Pakistan-Japan bilateral cooperation, which was reciprocated by the Japanese prime minister as well. Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination.

Foreign Affairs

Expresses Japan’s full support for the peace process and its importance for regional stability and global energy security.

Japanese PM appreciates Pakistan’s role in US-Iran ceasefire, talks    

ISLAMABAD: A Hindutva gathering in Kodagu district of Indian State of Karnataka &nbsp;was flagged by rights watch Clarion India on Sunday. The event triggered outrage after videos circulated online showed speakers urging Hindus to boycott Muslim businesses, in the latest incident to spotlight concerns over rising anti-Muslim rhetoric in India.&nbsp; The gathering, held in Napoklu on April 1 under the banner of &quot;Hindu Raksha Samiti&quot;, was described by organizers as an &ldquo;awareness drive&rdquo;.&nbsp; However the &quot;No Muslims allowed&quot; banner at the entrance and hate speeches calling on attendees to avoid trade with Muslims and other non-Hindus, drew sharp criticism.&nbsp; According to Clarion India, speakers at the event invoked terms such as &ldquo;love jihad,&rdquo; &ldquo;land jihad&rdquo; and &ldquo;economic jihad,&rdquo; and those present were asked to take a pledge not to engage in commercial dealings with Muslims.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2042886052050821226&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=df1af13ac48c3eb4ff9e018d480fbebacb50aae5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 743px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2042886052050821226"></iframe></div></div>Community members said such calls could damage livelihoods in an area where many families depend on small businesses and daily trade.&nbsp; One organizer, Kukkera Ajith, was quoted as saying the meeting was intended to raise awareness after a recent local attack on a Hindu man.&nbsp;The controversy comes against a wider backdrop of growing concern over Islamophobia in India.&nbsp; Hate speech in IndiaIn January, international media reported that anti-minority hate speech in India rose by 13% in 2025, citing data from India Hate Lab, a project of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH).&nbsp; The report documented 1,318 incidents, up from 1,165 in 2024, with 1,289 of those speeches targeting Muslims either explicitly or alongside Christians.&nbsp; The majority of incidents occurred in states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its allies.&nbsp; CSOH&rsquo;s 2025 report said hate speech in India continued to rely heavily on Hindu nationalist tropes portraying Muslims as outsiders and as an existential threat, often through conspiracy narratives built around various forms of &ldquo;jihad.&rdquo;&nbsp; Researchers also identified a sharp surge in such speeches during moments of political and communal tension.&nbsp; As of now, no public statement from the Kodagu district administration or police has come forward in connection with the Napoklu speeches.&nbsp; The episode has renewed demands from local residents and activists for legal action, with critics warning that calls for a Muslim boycott risk deepening communal divisions in a state long seen as socially diverse and commercially interdependent.&nbsp;

A Karnataka gathering urging Hindus to boycott Muslim businesses has sparked outrage in India, with critics warning it reflects deepening Islamophobia and a wider rise in anti-Muslim hate speech.

Anti-Muslim boycott call at Karnataka event stirs outrage in India

ISLAMABAD: A deadly attack in western Afghanistan has drawn strong international condemnation, after gunmen opened fire on families gathered near a religious site in Herat province. The attack took place on Friday in Deh Mehri village, located in the Injil district of Herat Province, where families had assembled for a picnic near a Shia shrine, according to local media.&nbsp; At least 11 people were killed and 11 others injured, including women and children. Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as the unidentified attackers began shooting into the crowd. Emergency responders transported the wounded to nearby medical facilities, where several remain in critical condition, local media reported. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed condolences to the victims and their families, describing the incident as a &ldquo;terrible crime.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;We express our condolences to the victims and to the families affected, and wish those injured a speedy recovery,&rdquo; said the UN&rsquo;s Officer-in-charge of Afghanistan Georgette Gagnon, who also called on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure the protection of all communities across Afghanistan.&nbsp; The UN&rsquo;s Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett, meanwhile. strongly condemned the attack, describing it as &ldquo;brutal&rdquo; and urged that those responsible be brought to justice.&nbsp; He noted that the victims were members of the Shia community and stressed that such targeted violence must not go unpunished. The European Union also denounced the killings, stating that violence against civilians is unacceptable under any circumstances. The bloc extended its condolences to the victims&rsquo; families and expressed solidarity with those affected.&nbsp;

Afghan men walk past shops closed in solidarity with victims killed in an attack by unidentified armed men on the outskirts of the Sayed Mohammad Agha Shia shrine, a day after the incident in Herat on April 11, 2026.

Afghanistan

Gunmen attacked families at a Shia shrine gathering in Herat, Afghanistan, killing at least 11 people and drawing strong international condemnation.

Deadly attack on civilians in Afghanistan draws international condemnation 

ISLAMABAD: &nbsp;Indian activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa has been continuing his protest atop a mobile tower in Samana (Indian Punjab), where he has been stationed since Oct. 12, 2024, demanding the implementation of an anti-sacrilege law in Punjab, according to Indian media.&nbsp; The protest has come under media spotlight as the Legislative Assembly (Punjab Vidhan Sabha) prepares to deliberate on the proposed anti-sacrilege law,&nbsp;Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026.&nbsp; The bill seeks to introduce strict penalties for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib, including imprisonment ranging from a minimum of 10 years to life, along with hefty fines and potential confiscation of property. Call for implementation of law&nbsp; Indian media outlet quoted the activist as saying, he would continue his protest atop the tower until the anti-sacrilege law is implemented.&nbsp; &ldquo;I have full faith in my Guru. Even last month, when Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, along with MLAs Inderbir Singh Nijjar and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, visited the protest site to persuade me to end the protest, I had made it clear that the Assembly and the Bill have no value until the government ensures the law is implemented,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; Although the speaker had assured him that he would return with the draft of the bill after the Assembly session, Khalsa rejected the assurances. &ldquo;I am neither a politician nor a leader. My fight is against religious bias and for a stricter law against sacrilege,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I am ready to continue this protest for days, months, or even years. I am in no hurry and remain in charhdi kala (high spirits),&rdquo; he added. The proposed bill also seeks to impose fines ranging from 0.5 million INR to 2.5 million INR on those found guilty of sacrilegious acts, along with provisions for confiscation of property of the accused.&nbsp; It broadens the definition of desecration to include spoken or written words, signs, or any visible representation, including electronic content, that hurt the religious sentiments of Sikhs.

Village Gurdwara, Patiala India (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa continues his prolonged tower protest in Punjab, demanding strict implementation not just passage of a proposed anti-sacrilege law.

Indian activist refuses to end ‘tower-top’ protest until anti-sacrilege law is implemented

Romesa Umar

Pakistani defender Kayla Siddiqui is chasing her professional dream while proudly representing her roots on the international stage.&nbsp; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">On the sidelines of the FIFA event in Abidjan, she opened up about her journey from growing up inspired by Sydney Leroux to now wearing Pakistan&#39;s colors.&nbsp; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">&quot;Keep putting Pakistan on the map and making a big name for itself&quot; is the mission she has set for herself.&nbsp;

Shorts

Pakistani Kayla Siddiqui is chasing her professional dream while proudly representing her roots on the international stage; the defender opens up about her journey from growing up inspired by Sydney Leroux to now wearing Pakistan's colors. 





'I have it rooted in my name': Pakistani defender on identity and representing her nation at FIFA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Sunday underscored that the two critical long-term challenges facing Pakistan were population growth and climate change.&nbsp; The finance minister departed for the United States to participate in the World Bank Group&ndash;IMF Spring Meetings 2026, scheduled to be held in Washington, DC from April 13 to 18, 2026, where he is set to meet senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) leadership and discuss the country&rsquo;s macroeconomic outlook, reform progress, and future cooperation on his Washington trip.&nbsp; While participating in a high-level panel discussion at Harvard University, the finance minister emphasized that sustained economic progress would not be possible without addressing rapid population growth, and highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks and the need for greater focus on resilience and adaptation. According to a statement issued on the Ministry of Finance&rsquo;s X account, the finance minister acknowledged that further work was required in areas such as regulatory reform and ease of doing business, noting that these remain key priorities for improving the investment climate. The minister reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to structural reforms, including taxation, which has shown progress but remained below desired levels. He highlighted the ongoing transformation efforts within the Federal Board of Revenue, further emphasizing the need to move away from a model of perpetual subsidies for industry, advocating instead for competitiveness and export-led growth.&nbsp; The minister also highlighted the trade liberalization measures, including tariff rationalization, aimed at encouraging efficiency and integration into global markets. According to the finance minister, Pakistan&rsquo;s solar generation had reached approximately 8,000 megawatts. He underscored the government&rsquo;s ambition to significantly increase the share of renewables in the energy mix over the coming decade. The session was moderated by former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Dr Reza Baqir, and included&nbsp;panelists such as Princeton University&#39;s Professor Atif Mian and Nobel Laureate and Massachusetts Institute of Technology&#39;s Professor Daron Acemoglu.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Climate & Environment

While participating in a high-level panel discussion at Harvard University, finance minister emphasizes sustained economic progress will not be possible without addressing rapid population growth, while also highlighting Pakistan’s increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks and the need for greater focus on resilience and adaptation.

Articles by AFP

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