Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Jazz has launched 5G services in Pakistan after obtaining a Next Generation Mobile Services license from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, according to a press release issued on Thursday. A ceremony was held in Islamabad, where the license awarding agreement was signed by DG Licensing, PTA, Brig (retired) Aamir Shahzad, and the CEO of JazzWorld, Aamir Ibrahim. The ceremony was attended by Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and PTA Chairman Maj Gen (retired) Hafeezur Rehman. In the initial phase, 5G services are live at approximately 180 sites across major cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, and Faisalabad, according to the press release. Jazz has acquired spectrum in the 700 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz bands during the recent auction. The company has announced a $1 billion investment commitment related to its network and digital services, in addition to more than $11 billion invested in Pakistan over the past three decades. Through its platform JazzWorld, the company reports serving over 100 million users across services including telecommunications, financial services, and digital applications.

Economy

The launch follows the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's award of a license to mobile operator Jazz.

Pakistan launches 5G services 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s and T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s foreign ministers discussed evolving regional developments in a meeting, reaffirming their commitment to close coordination and to strengthening the Pakistan-T&uuml;rkiye bilateral partnership. A Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs post on X on Thursday stated that Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar met late last evening with Hakan Fidan, Foreign Minister of Turkiye, on the sidelines of the Consultative Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh. &ldquo;Both sides discussed evolving regional developments and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination and strengthening Pak-T&uuml;rkiye bilateral partnership.&rdquo;<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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2034496034387239246&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8d334dc59eb73c935824fa120059f6a38bd11a4a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2034496034387239246">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Earlier, on Wednesday, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X that Dar spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. &ldquo;They discussed the evolving regional situation and expressed serious concern over the rising tensions,&rdquo; the post said. &ldquo;DPM/FM underscored the urgent need for de-escalation and emphasised that constructive dialogue and diplomacy remain the only effective means to resolve issues and promote peace and stability in the region.&rdquo;<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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2034169832979976354&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8d334dc59eb73c935824fa120059f6a38bd11a4a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 770px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2034169832979976354">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Meanwhile, Dar held a meeting on Wednesday with Jeyhun Bayramov, foreign minister of Azerbaijan, on the sidelines of the Consultative Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh. They exchanged views on the evolving regional developments and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepening bilateral ties across all areas of mutual interest.<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-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2034541710987206964&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8d334dc59eb73c935824fa120059f6a38bd11a4a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2034541710987206964"></iframe></div></div>

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry says, ‘Both sides discussed evolving regional developments and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination and strengthening Pak-Türkiye bilateral partnership.’

Pakistan, Turkiye discuss regional developments, reaffirm close coordination 

ISLAMABAD: A new report by Azim Premji University reveals a worsening employment crisis among India&rsquo;s youth, with unemployment rates approaching 40% among those aged 15-25 and around 20% for those aged 25-29, despite decades of rising educational enrollment. The State of Working India 2026 report highlights a growing disconnect between education and job creation in one of the world&rsquo;s youngest economies. &nbsp;India&rsquo;s youth population (15-29 years) stands at 367 million, roughly one-third of the working-age population.&nbsp; Of these, 263 million are currently out of education, representing a vast potential workforce. However, with the country&rsquo;s median age at 28, the report warns that India&rsquo;s demographic advantage could begin to fade after 2030 if job creation does not accelerate. The transition from education to employment remains particularly challenging. In 2023, 11 million out of 63 million graduates aged 20-29 were unemployed.&nbsp; While about half of young male graduates manage to find work within a year, only 7% secure stable, salaried positions. Notably, graduate unemployment has remained persistently high between 35% and 40% since 1983. This comes even as access to education has expanded significantly. Tertiary enrolment has reached 28%, comparable to countries with similar income levels.&nbsp; Female enrolment rose sharply from 38% in 1983 to 68% in 2023, while male enrolment increased from 49% to 73%. Gains were also recorded among historically disadvantaged communities, though their participation still lags behind the national average. However, the report flags a worrying reversal among young men, with enrolment dropping from 38% in 2017 to 34% in 2024. Financial pressures appear to be a major factor, with 72% of those leaving education citing the need to support household incomes. The rapid expansion of private institutions has driven much of the growth in education.&nbsp; The number of higher education institutions surged from 1,644 to over 69,000 since liberalization. Yet this expansion has raised concerns about quality, with significant teacher shortages reported far exceeding recommended student-teacher ratios. A similar trend is evident in vocational training. Industrial Training Institutes have nearly quadrupled since 2005, with private providers dominating the sector. However, many of these institutions struggle with quality issues and weak links to industry employment. Cost remains another major barrier. Professional degrees are increasingly out of reach for poorer households, with medical education costing nearly ₹97,400 annually and engineering degrees costing an average of ₹2.3 million. These expenses often exceed household incomes, reinforcing inequality in access to high-paying jobs. Despite these challenges, graduates continue to enjoy a wage advantage, earning roughly twice as much as non-graduates at the entry level. However, entry-level salaries for young male graduates have stagnated since 2011. Encouragingly, the gender pay gap among graduates has narrowed, with young women now earning on par with men. The report also notes shifts in employment patterns. Young workers are moving out of agriculture, though women&rsquo;s participation in the sector has risen since 2017. Meanwhile, young women are increasingly entering modern sectors such as IT, manufacturing, and business services. For young men, employment remains concentrated in trade, transport, and construction. Migration continues to play a critical role in balancing labour markets, with youth making up around 40% of informal migrant workers. States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are major sources of migrant labour, while Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab are key destinations. Commenting on the findings, university president Indu Prasad said that while more young Indians are educated and ambitious than ever before, the challenge now lies in ensuring meaningful employment opportunities. Lead author Rosa Abraham added that improving the transition from education to work will be crucial for India&rsquo;s economic future.

India

A report by Azim Premji University finds youth unemployment in India remains high despite rising education levels, highlighting a widening gap between schooling and job creation.

Nearly 40% of Indian graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed

ISLAMABAD: Claims in the US Intelligence Community&#39;s 2026 Annual Threat Assessment that Pakistan&rsquo;s ballistic missile programme could evolve into intercontinental capabilities capable of striking the US mainland are contradicted by available data. The annual report details worldwide threats to US national security and identifies risks from foreign entities. Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, presented the report at the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Hearing on Wednesday.&nbsp; In her opening statement, she said that, &ldquo;... Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our Homeland within range.&rdquo; She added: &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with the range capable of striking the Homeland.&rdquo; Facts belie Gabbard&rsquo;s claim &nbsp; According to figures by South Asia Times, Pakistan&rsquo;s missile inventory is built around the Hatf series, with ranges progressing from short- to medium-distance systems.&nbsp; These include Hatf-I (around 65 km), Hatf-II (180 km), Hatf-III (300 km), Hatf-IV (750 km), Hatf-V (1,500&ndash;1,800 km), and Hatf-VI (up to 2,750 km). The same dataset lists additional systems such as Ghauri (1,500 km), Shaheen-1 (750 km), Ghaznavi (300 km), Abdali (200 km), Nasr (60 km), Babur (700 km), and Ra&rsquo;ad (350 km). Not grounded in strategic reality: former Pakistan foreign minister&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s former foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, in a post on X on Thursday, stated that Tulsi Gabbard&#39;s &quot;assertion at the Senate hearing that the US homeland is within range of Pakistan&rsquo;s Nuclear/Con missiles is not grounded in strategic reality.&quot; He said &quot;Pakistan&rsquo;s N doctrine is India specific aimed at maintaining credible deterrence in S Asia, not projecting &nbsp;power globally.&quot;<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" 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=2034379652568076743&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8d334dc59eb73c935824fa120059f6a38bd11a4a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> On missile delivery systems&nbsp;Meanwhile, the assessment report states: &ldquo;The US&rsquo;s secure nuclear deterrent capability continues to ensure our safety here at home. However, China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads, that can strike the Homeland. The IC projects threats to the Homeland will expand to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035, from the current figure of more than 3,000 missiles.&rdquo; It further notes: &ldquo;In spite of the growing proliferation of one-way attack UAVs that perform missile-like functions, China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and Russia will continue to prioritize advanced missiles that can threaten the US. However, their militaries almost certainly will plan to pair their high-end missiles with cheaper, expendable systems to stress US missile defenses.&rdquo; On weapons development, the assessment says: &ldquo;Countries with WMD capabilities are modernizing, expanding, and testing those capabilities and delivery systems. With varying degrees of success, China, North Korea, Pakistan, and Russia probably will continue to research, develop, and field delivery systems that will increase their ranges and accuracy, challenge US missile defenses, and provide new WMD-use options. India also is developing new and longer-range nuclear delivery systems.&rdquo; On South Asia&nbsp;Addressing South Asia, the report states: &ldquo;During the past year, South Asia remained a source of enduring security challenges for the US. India&ndash;Pakistan relations remain a risk for nuclear conflict given past conflicts where these two nuclear states squared off, creating the danger of escalation. The terrorist attack last year near Pahalgam, in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrated the dangers of terrorist attacks sparking conflict.&rdquo; It adds: &ldquo;Pakistan continues to develop increasingly sophisticated missile technology that provides its military the means to develop missile systems with the capability to strike targets beyond South Asia, and if these trends continue, ICBMs that would threaten the US.&rdquo; On Pakistan and Afghanistan&nbsp;The report also highlights regional tensions: &ldquo;Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have been tense, with intermittent cross-border clashes, as Islamabad has become increasingly frustrated with anti-Pakistan terrorist groups&rsquo; presence in Afghanistan while Islamabad faces growing terrorist violence. On 26 February, the Afghan Taliban launched strikes against Pakistani military positions along their shared border, claiming retaliation for prior Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan responded within hours by bombing Afghan border provinces and the capital Kabul &mdash; the first time Pakistan has struck Afghanistan&rsquo;s urban centers.&quot; &quot;The fighting has continued since it erupted. Pakistan&rsquo;s army chief warned this month that lasting peace requires the Taliban to sever ties with militants targeting Pakistan. The Taliban&rsquo;s public posture has been to call for dialogue, but it has denied harboring anti-Pakistani militants,&rdquo; the report states. On partners to counter terrorismOn terrorism, the assessment notes: &ldquo;In response to setbacks to their capabilities that have mitigated the threat of large-scale, complex attacks and reinforced the regional focus of the largest groups, Islamist terrorists have shifted attention to executing information operations to spread propaganda and inspire or enable individuals located in or with access to the West.&rdquo; It adds: &ldquo;US military operations and collaboration with international partners in Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria during 2025 removed key terrorist leaders and operatives, degrading the capability of al-Qa&lsquo;ida.&rdquo; The report further states: &ldquo;Even if the great powers refrain from conflict, many regional and smaller powers are growing much more willing to use force to pursue their interests. Countries such as Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Turkey, and the UAE are using a mix of lethal aid, proxy forces, or their own military assets to provoke or undermine their rivals or to tilt nearby conflicts in their favor.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s position&nbsp;On concerns raised in the past by the US, Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office spokesperson, in a statement back in 2024, had stated: &ldquo;The alleged threat perception from Pakistan&rsquo;s missile capabilities and delivery means, raised by the US official are unfortunate. These allegations are unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history.&rdquo; &ldquo;We wish to reiterate that Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia.&rdquo; &ldquo;Pakistan cannot abdicate its right to develop capabilities that commensurate with the need to maintain credible minimum deterrence as well as evolving and dynamic threats,&rdquo; the FO spokesperson had stated.

Americas

Presenting the report, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says, 'Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our Homeland within range.'

Facts belie Tulsi Gabbard’s claim about Pakistan’s missiles

ISLAMABAD: In a joint statement issued after the Gulf Cooperation Council&#39;s ministerial consultative meeting, Arab and Islamic countries condemned Iran&#39;s deliberate use of ballistic missiles and drones targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Ministers of Foreign Affairs from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Lebanese Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of T&uuml;rkiye, and the United Arab Emirates held a consultative ministerial meeting on March 18 in Riyadh regarding the Iranian attacks, Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday. &quot;Participants discussed the Iranian attacks on GCC countries, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of T&uuml;rkiye, condemning the deliberate use of ballistic missiles and drones targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential facilities and diplomatic missions,&quot; the statement said. &quot;They affirmed that such attacks cannot be justified under any circumstances and reiterated the right of states to defend themselves in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations,&quot; it said. &lsquo;Immediately cease attacks&rsquo;&nbsp;The ministers called on Iran to immediately cease its attacks, respect international law and international humanitarian law, and adhere to the principles of good neighborliness as a first step towards de-escalation, enhancing regional security and stability, and advancing diplomatic solutions. &ldquo;They stressed that the future of relations with Iran depends on respecting state sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, refraining from aggression against territories, and not using military capabilities to threaten regional countries.&rdquo; According to the statement, &ldquo;Participants also urged Iran to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), cease all attacks, avoid provocative actions or threats against neighboring countries, and stop supporting, financing and arming affiliated militias in Arab states.&rdquo; &ldquo;They further called on Iran to refrain from actions that could obstruct international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or threaten maritime security in Bab Al Mandeb,&rdquo; it added. Support for Lebanon, Israeli aggression condemned &nbsp;The ministers reaffirmed their support for the security, stability and unity of Lebanese territories, the full sovereignty of the Lebanese state, and the Lebanese government&rsquo;s decision to restrict weapons to the state. They also condemned Israel&rsquo;s aggression against Lebanon and its expansionist policies in the region, the statement said. &ldquo;They reiterated their commitment to continued consultation and coordination to monitor developments, assess emerging situations and formulate unified positions, while taking necessary legitimate measures to protect their security, stability and sovereignty and to end the Iranian attacks.&rdquo;

Middle East

According to a joint statement, ‘Ministers called on Iran to immediately cease its attacks, respect international law and international humanitarian law, and adhere to the principles of good neighborliness as a first step towards de-escalation.’

Islamic countries including Pakistan condemn Iranian targeting of civilian infrastructure

HELSINKI: Heavy social media use is undermining youth wellbeing in many countries, according to a UN-sponsored report published Thursday that put Finland at the top of its &quot;happiness&quot; index for the ninth year running. This year&#39;s World Happiness Report highlighted the impact of social media as many countries impose or mull legislative restrictions on social media use for young people. &quot;Dramatic declines&quot; in happiness were recorded among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and &quot;especially among girls&quot;, the report said. By contrast, young people in other parts of the world felt better about their lives. &quot;Most of the world&#39;s young people are happier today than they were 20 years ago, and that&#39;s a trend that deserves attention,&quot; Jon Clifton, chief executive of Gallup which contributed to the report, said in a statement. Social media has a &quot;complex&quot; affect on wellbeing, the report noted. Impacting factors included time spent on social media sites, the type of platform, how it was used, as well as demographic factors such as gender and socio-economic status. &quot;Heavy usage is associated with much lower wellbeing, but those deliberately off social media also appear to be missing out on some positive effects,&quot; said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the report&#39;s editors and an economics professor at Oxford University and director of its Wellbeing Research Centre. Among 147 countries listed, the lowest levels of life satisfaction were reported from war-torn Afghanistan, where Taliban rulers, who returned to power in 2021, have been accused of human rights violations and mistreatment of women. Based on a three-year average, the happiness index considers six factors: GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Nordic nations continue to dominate the rankings, with Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway joining Finland in taking five of the top six spots this year. Costa Rica ranked fourth, entering the top five for the first time and the highest ranking ever for a Latin American country. &#39;Pristine nature&#39;&nbsp;Finland kept its top position with a score of 7.764 on a 10-point scale. Juho Saari, a social and healthcare policy professor at Tampere University, noted that Finland had challenges with record high unemployment and large cuts of social and welfare benefits but said &quot;despite of all this, we are still the happiest country in the world&quot;. &quot;It tells us that politics do not matter that much,&quot; he added, explaining that people&#39;s private lives were more important in determining happiness. Known for its thousands of lakes, sauna culture and extensive welfare system, the country&#39;s 5.6 million inhabitants generally report a high level of trust in authorities and low levels of inequality. &quot;We have pristine nature, and the peace and quiet here is probably our trump card for why it&#39;s nice to be here,&quot; said 30-year-old Karolina Iissalo who spent her birthday at a public sauna in downtown Helsinki.

This image shows a number of social media platforms on a phone screen. (X/@AFP)

Fact Check

"Dramatic declines" in happiness were recorded among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and "especially among girls", the report said.

Social media impacts youth wellbeing: UN happiness report

MUMBAI: The chairman of India&#39;s biggest private bank has quit, the lender said in a stock exchange filing Wednesday, with his resignation letter citing differences in &quot;personal values and ethics&quot;. Atanu Chakraborty did not provide further details in quitting HDFC Bank, India&#39;s largest private-sector lender by assets and the second-biggest Indian company by market capitalization. &quot;Certain happenings and practices within the bank, that I have observed over last two years, are not in congruence with my personal values and ethics,&quot; wrote Chakraborty, whose term was to end in May 2027. &quot;This is the basis of my aforementioned decision,&quot; he wrote. First appointed in May 2021 for three years, Chakraborty was named to a second term in May 2024. His tenure coincided with HDFC Bank merging with its parent company, a mortgage lender, in 2023 to create a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-faced-failures-setbacks-in-2025-financial-times" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">financial</a> giant. Chakraborty said in his resignation letter that while the initiative was &quot;strategic&quot;, the &quot;benefits of the merger are yet to fully fructify&quot;. HDFC Bank said that with Chakraborty&#39;s exit, it had received approval from India&#39;s central bank to appoint Keki Mistry as &nbsp;interim chairman for three months.

A HDFC Bank branch in Mumbai, India, on Friday, April 14, 2023 (Photo: Bloomberg/File)

The chairman of India's biggest private bank has quit, the lender said in a stock exchange filing Wednesday, with his resignation letter citing differences in "personal values and ethics".

India's HDFC Bank chairman quits over 'ethics' differences

Iranian lawmakers have proposed charging tolls and taxes on ships using the Strait of Hormuz, as officials say shipping there will not return to pre-war conditions following US-Israeli strikes on Iran beginning February 28

Iran MPs propose tolls on shipping through Strait of Hormuz: Media

Aleena Zara Malik

The internet has a lot to say about Ramadan, most of it wildly inaccurate. From the idea that Muslims don&rsquo;t eat for an entire month to the belief that everyone spends the day fainting dramatically on sofas, this episode of Debunkistan puts the biggest Ramadan myths on trial with satire, sarcasm, and a little reality check.

Debunkistan

From the idea that Muslims don’t eat for an entire month to the belief that everyone spends the day fainting dramatically on sofas, this episode of Debunkistan puts the biggest Ramadan myths on trial with satire, sarcasm, and a little reality check.

Things the internet gets wrong about Ramadan | Debunkistan

WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Wednesday said foreigners from an additional 12 countries -- including Cambodia, Ethiopia and Georgia -- would be required to pay a $15,000 deposit to receive some visas. The latest additions will bring the Trump administration&#39;s &quot;visa bond program&quot; to 50 nations when it takes effect on April 2, the State Department said. The program, which applies to both short-term business and tourism visas, was launched last year in a bid to stem overstays, as part of the Trump administration&#39;s mass crackdown on illegal immigration. The funds will be returned if the applicant complies with all visa terms. If the applicant remains in the United States past the deadline, the funds will be forfeited. &quot;Nearly 1,000 foreigners have been issued visas under the program, and 97 percent of bonded travelers have returned home from the United States on time,&quot; a State Department&#39;s fact sheet said. The new nations added to the program are: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. The 38 other countries are: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

US President Trump participates in a lunch with the Trump Kennedy Center Board Members on March 15, 2026. (Photo: White House/YouTube)

The latest additions will bring the Trump administration's "visa bond program" to 50 nations when it takes effect on April 2, the State Department said.

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