India has dismissed Pakistan's recent announcement of a seven million rupees bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a "gimmick," demanding concrete action against terrorism. India highlighted Pakistan's history of similar "phoney announcements" and its alleged sheltering of Azhar, while Pakistan faces international pressure from the FATF to crack down on terror financing.
The Taliban helmed attack on the Afghan parliament on Monday, ended with all six gunmen killed, the interior ministry said.
Militants fired four rockets at the Afghan Parliament on Monday with one impacting the new building that was built with India's assistance, media reports said.
Maharana Pratap became a hero not because he won a battle, but because he continued fighting after he lost one, asserts Harishchandra.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the suicide bomber involved in the deadly Islamabad bombing was an Afghan national. The announcement follows a suicide bombing in Islamabad and another attack in South Waziristan.
The UK has imposed a study visa ban on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan due to a surge in asylum applications, with further restrictions on skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals.
But there was some disappointment among sections of the gathering since many in those sworn-in are accused of serious rights abuses and links to the drugs trade.
If Trump wants peace with Iran, Pakistan will offer to help. If Trump seeks Pakistan's aid to spy on Iran, then too Munir will not hesitate to chip in. At the same time, the ISI will not hesitate to tip off Iran now and then, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
Iran was the chance to arrange a concert of nations, to actually be a Vishwaguru. Instead, we are watching from the sidelines as Pakistan, the same country that is apparently still at war with Afghanistan, hosts talks between US-Israel and Iran. The irony is hard to miss, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
'Pakistan wanted India out of Afghanistan to which again the Taliban told Pakistan to take a walk.' 'Six months after they came back to power in 2021 India was back in Afghanistan at the request of the Taliban.' 'The Taliban realised that India has no agenda of its own in Afghanistan.'
The MHA's decision came about a fortnight after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and many Afghans arriving in India fearing retribution from that country's new rulers.
Glimpses from India and around the world that will make you smile and cry.
The election seem to have been conducted without any major security lapses. However, in the coming weeks, the military situation in Kandahar could tilt in the Taliban's favour, notes Aveek Sen.
The elections to the Wolesi Jirga (the Lower House of Afghan Parliament) scheduled September 18 has raised crucial questions on the feasibility of holding elections in a warring nation.
He was a storyteller who made me feel the pulse of history, the stakes of human ambition, and the thrill of a well-told tale. Prem Panicker recalls his debt to Frederick Forsyth, who passed away on Monday.
'If there is a military standoff eyeball to eyeball on the western border, the Chinese could create problems by making movements in the north, in our northeast, which could involve us tying down some forces there so that could stretch our military actions.'
In a tweet on Sunday, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said, 'Recent developments in our volatile neighbourhood & the way Sikhs & Hindus are going through a harrowing time are precisely why it was necessary to enact the Citizenship Amendment Act.'
Kabul was rocked by twin blasts near the Afghan Parliament, claimed by Taliban.
Make no mistake, the Bangladeshi and Afghan missions in Chanakyapuri would report verbatim to their capitals the abrasive remarks attributed to the Indian leadership, casting a slur on their countries' political culture and national honour, warns Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The embassy cited the rescue of the engineers in fresh security advisory while calling upon all Indians in Afghanistan to strictly adhere to the measures advised by it in view of a spike in violence in that country.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has blamed Afghan refugees living in Pakistan for the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani and said they are responsible for various other problems.
Ustad Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Afghan president Hamid Karzai's first choice as the speaker of the new Afghan parliament, is at once the perfect bridge the latter needs to reach out extensively in the Islamic world and Pakistan, says former diplomat MK Bhadrakumar, possibly the first and last India to have met Sayyaf in his native village
The Pakistan-based Haqqani network is suspected to have carried out the brazen suicide attacks on western embassies and Parliament in Kabul, Afghanistan Interior Minister Bismillah Mohammadi has said.
India, the largest democracy, lags much behind other countries including its neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan when it comes to participation of the fair sex in politics.
'India's treatment to a member of parliament of Afghanistan was not good and I am very upset about this action.'
A total of 168 people, including 107 Indians and 23 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, were flown from Kabul to the Hindon airbase in a C-17 heavy-lift military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
PM Modi is likely to visit Kabul on December 25 where he will inaugurate the new building of the Afghan Parliament constructed by India at a cost of about USD 90 million.
Denouncing terrorism and extremism, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Friday said such ideologies provide no answers to problems of the people and their flames should not be allowed to be fanned once again.
Afghanistan is part of Modi's five-nation trip beginning June 4 which will also cover Qatar, Switzerland, the United States and Mexico.
Here's a collection of some of the best photos from around the world shot by ace Reuters photographers in the last 24 hours.
The memorable portrayal of a pathan 'Sher Khan' by actor Pran in Bollywood movie 'Zanjeer' on Friday found its way into diplomacy as Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned it to underscore how Indians view Afghans as true and magnanimous friends.
The sources said India may be building small libraries as part of the community development initiative, but most of its investments in Afghanistan were on mega infrastructure projects including the 218 km road from Zaranj to Delaram, the Salma Dam and the new Afghan Parliament building.
India Tuesday pledged an additional assistance worth $50 million to Afghanistan, raising the total amount of aid provided to the war-ravaged country to $600 million.
A closure of the Indian mission in Kabul will be a Himalayan blunder at this historic juncture when the wheels of diplomacy and politics are set to accelerate in Afghanistan, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wrapped up his two-day visit to Russia, during which the two nations signed 16 pacts to expand cooperation in various sectors.
With the Afghanistan government in Kabul approaching Islamabad for help in opening "reconciliation" talks with the Taliban, a Pakistani role in shaping the political landscape in Afghanistan is now an uncomfortable likelihood for New Delhi.
According to a Union home ministry notification, those Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians residing in the districts of Anand and Mehsana in Gujarat will be allowed registration as a citizen of India under Section 5 or will be granted certificate of naturalisation under section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
