TAIPEI: The leader of Taiwan&#39;s main opposition party accepted an invitation from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to visit in April, her party and Chinese state media reported Monday. Kuomintang (KMT) chairperson Cheng Li-wun &quot;gladly accepted&quot; the invitation to lead a delegation to China, her party said in a statement, confirming a Xinhua report. The KMT advocates closer relations and more exchanges with China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it. Cheng &quot;looks forward to joint efforts by both parties to advance the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and work for peace in the Taiwan Strait and greater well-being for people on both sides,&quot; the statement said. Xinhua said the delegation would visit &quot;the Chinese mainland&quot; from April 7-12, but did not specify where in China or if Cheng would meet with Xi, which she has been publicly pushing for. The KMT statement also offered few details.

China

The KMT advocates closer relations and more exchanges with China, which claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it.

Taiwan opposition leader accepts Xi's invitation to visit China

BEIJING: China announced two separate investigations on Friday into US trade practices in response to Washington&#39;s probes this month of Beijing, including over alleged forced labour. The probes into alleged disruptions to the global supply chain and trade of &quot;green products&quot; were &quot;in response to the two US Section 301 investigations against China&quot;, a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement. The United States launched trade investigations this month into dozens of countries, including China, centred on overproduction and importing goods made with forced labour. The efforts came weeks after the US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump&#39;s global tariffs, saying he had exceeded his authority in tapping emergency economic powers to impose them on virtually all countries. China had called those &quot;Section 301&quot; investigations which target foreign trade &quot;political manipulation&quot;. Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry said on Friday it would &quot;take corresponding measures in accordance with the investigation situation (and) firmly safeguard its own legitimate rights and interests&quot;. Both investigations would &quot;conclude within six months&quot; but may be extended up to three months, it added. The White House has said Trump will visit Beijing from May 14-15, with the timing postponed by several weeks as a result of the war in the Middle East.

China launched two trade investigations against the U.S. in retaliation for Washington’s probes into Chinese goods and practices.

China announces two reciprocal trade investigations against US

PARIS: China and the US held what both sides described Monday as constructive talks aimed at addressing volatile trade ties that have been upended by President Donald Trump&#39;s tariffs and the Middle East war. The talks in the French capital &quot;were constructive and they show the stability of the relationship&quot;, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told journalists. Chinese state media described the Sunday talks between Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng as &quot;candid, in-depth and constructive&quot;. He said the exchange would inject &quot;greater certainty and stability&quot; into bilateral trade ties and the global economy, according to Xinhua. The Paris meeting was widely seen as setting the stage for Trump to visit China for a summit with its President Xi Jinping. The trip was initially planned from March 31 to April 2, but US officials confirmed Monday that it was likely to be delayed due to Washington&#39;s war on Iran. Beijing said Monday it was in talks with Washington over the visit by Trump, who has pressured NATO allies including China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, Trump had suggested he could delay a meeting with Xi if Beijing does not assist in reopening the strait. The waterway, critical to oil transportation, has been effectively closed by Iran in retaliation over the US and Israeli war against Tehran. Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry said on Monday that Beijing and Washington &quot;are maintaining communication regarding President Trump&#39;s visit to China&quot;. &quot;Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,&quot; spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference. Lin did not address Trump&#39;s recent pressure on NATO allies and China to assist in Hormuz. The &quot;tense situation&quot; in the strait has &quot;disrupted international trade routes for goods and energy&quot;, Lin said when asked about Trump&#39;s comments. Probes and tariffsThe Paris talks follow a turbulent year in US-China economic ties since Trump returned to the presidency. The United States announced new trade investigations last week into excess industrial capacity, targeting 60 economies including China and other key partners. The prospect has fuelled the possibility of further tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down Trump&#39;s global duties. The probes will look into &quot;failures to take action on forced labour&quot; and whether these burden or restrict US commerce, according to US officials. Greer said his team gave the Chinese &quot;a preview of what we&#39;re doing on US trade policy as we adjust to the Supreme Court&quot;. &quot;The president&#39;s trade policy hasn&#39;t changed, our tools may change, and we&#39;re conducting these investigations,&quot; he added. &quot;We don&#39;t want to prejudge them, and we had a good conversation with our counterparts about that process.&quot; Beijing said on Monday that it &quot;lodged representations&quot; and urged Washington to &quot;correct its erroneous&quot; trade practices. &quot;We urge the US side to immediately correct its erroneous ways, meet China halfway... and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations,&quot; Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry said in a statement. The latest round of investigations &quot;is extremely unilateral, arbitrary and discriminatory&quot;, it said, accusing Washington of &quot;attempting to construct trade barriers&quot;. Li also reiterated on Monday that China firmly opposed such &quot;unilateral&quot; probes, Xinhua reported. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent since the war began, with Hormuz choked off and Iran&#39;s attacks on energy and shipping industry targets in its Gulf neighbours. Experts say that China, which maintains large oil reserves, is better equipped than many other nations to deal with the impact of the war. But it has reason to be concerned about the consequences of the situation in the Middle East on trade. China&#39;s official trade data for January and February, before the war in Iran began, showed that the country&#39;s economy is largely buoyed by exports and international trade.

 US President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch with the Trump Kennedy Center Board Members in the East Room of the White House on March 16, 2026, in Washington, DC (AFP)

Washington and Beijing say dialogue remains ongoing after high-level discussions in Paris, as tensions persist over tariffs and trade probes. Meanwhile, uncertainty grows over a potential Trump-Xi summit amid the Middle East conflict and Hormuz disruption.

US, China hold 'constructive' talks on trade, but Trump visit in doubt 

TEHRAN:&nbsp;President Donald Trump urged NATO partners and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical conduit for crude that Iran has effectively closed, as major economic players began releasing oil reserves on Monday to ward off supply disruptions. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent after Iran choked off the waterway and attacked energy and shipping industry targets in the Gulf in retaliation for the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic. Crude prices were hovering around $100 on Monday as the Middle East war entered its third week, with Israel saying it still has &quot;thousands of targets in Iran&quot;, where it was also &quot;identifying new targets every day&quot;. Trump said the United States was in discussions with Iran but that Tehran was not ready for a deal to end the war, although the Islamic republic&#39;s foreign minister had earlier denied any talks with Washington. &quot;I don&#39;t think they&#39;re ready. But they are getting pretty close,&quot; Trump said. The US president had called on countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain at the weekend to send ships to escort tankers through the strait. &quot;It&#39;s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,&quot; Trump told the Financial Times on Sunday.&nbsp;Unlike the United States, Europe and China are heavily dependent on the Gulf for oil imports. Trump threatened to delay a planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month if Beijing does not assist with reopening the strait. He also warned that no response or a negative reply to his request would be &quot;very bad for the future of NATO&quot;. But Tokyo and Canberra both said they were not planning deployments.<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">Iran warning</h2>Trump&#39;s comments came after Iran warned other countries against getting involved in the war, which has spread across the Middle East. In a phone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, Tehran&#39;s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi called on other countries to &quot;refrain from any action that could lead to escalation and expansion of the conflict&quot;. Arguing that the US security umbrella in the region was &quot;inviting rather than deterring trouble&quot;, Araghchi on X urged neighbouring countries &quot;to expel foreign aggressors&quot;. Iran has launched waves of attacks on countries in the Middle East that host US forces, and Italy&#39;s military said a drone attack at Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait -- which hosts both US and Italian forces -- destroyed an unmanned aircraft belonging to Italy but caused no casualties. Italy&#39;s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, sought to play down the attack -- the second on an Italian base in the Middle East this week -- insisting: &quot;We are not at war with anyone.&quot; Iraqi authorities meanwhile said rockets wounded five people at Baghdad&#39;s airport, which houses a US diplomatic facility, while Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards said about 700 missiles and 3,600 drones had been fired at US and Israeli targets so far. Saudi Arabia intercepted more than 60 drones since midnight, according to a tally of defence ministry figures released on Monday, while Dubai airport suspended flights briefly after a &quot;drone-related incident&quot; sparked a fire nearby. And French President Emmanuel Macron told Iran&#39;s President Masoud Pezeshkian it was &quot;unacceptable&quot; to target French interests after an Iranian-designed drone killed a French soldier in Iraq&#39;s Kurdistan region. The war has also spread to Lebanon, where Israel launched a new strike on Beirut&#39;s southern suburbs late on Sunday.<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">Energy markets</h2>On the economic front, the International Energy Agency said members will begin releasing 400 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves, with Asia Oceania nations to make stocks available immediately, and Europe and the Americas follow in the weeks to come. Japan, which depends on the Middle East for 95 percent of its oil imports, said Monday in a notice in its official government gazette that the level of oil reserves in the country &quot;is being lowered&quot;. The issuance of the notice compels managers of oil reserves to release part of their stockpile to meet the new standard. The blockade of Hormuz has been felt across the globe, with Australia officials urging the public against price-gouging and panic buying as prices soar, while India restaurants were forced to adapt their menus to save cooking gas. On the outskirts of Sydney, landscaper Emma Futterleib, who drives up to 500 km a week, told AFP &quot;there&#39;s definitely some penny pinching going on&quot;.&quot;It hurts the budget, that&#39;s for sure,&quot; she said, adding she was &quot;trying to be a bit careful on how much we are spending on groceries.&quot; In Tehran, some residents sought to restore some normalcy at the weekend compared to the start of the war on February 28. Traffic was busier than last week and some cafes and restaurants had reopened, as had more than a third of stalls in the Tajrish bazaar, a popular shopping hub, with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, just days away. Some shoppers queued at ATMs to withdraw cash. Online operations at Bank Melli, one of the country&#39;s largest, had been paralysed in recent days. It was a similar story outside the capital. In an interview from Tonekabon, a city in Mazandaran province on the Caspian Sea, 49-year-old Ali told AFP that shops were open and crowded despite steep price rises. &quot;Only the main square is closed every night, and government demonstrations take place,&quot; he said, adding that only Iran&#39;s domestic intranet was working, without outside connections. More than 1,200 people have been killed by US and Israeli strikes, according to Iranian health ministry figures that could not be independently verified. The UN refugee agency says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced in Iran.

Donald Trump urges allies and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran blocks the key oil route, sending global crude prices soaring and prompting major economies to release emergency reserves.

Trump pressures NATO, China over Iran's closure of key waterway

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ISLAMABAD: China, at the UN Security Council Briefing on Monday, said that the local and transnational terrorist groups that remain &ldquo;active in Afghanistan&quot; pose serious threats not only to Afghanistan but also to neighboring countries. Speaking about the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Permanent Representative of the People&#39;s Republic of China to the United Nations, Fu Cong, highlighted a recent terrorist&ensp;attack in January this year on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul that caused multiple casualties,&ensp;including Chinese nationals. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (IS-KP), which, as per the UN monitoring reports, is largely situated across Afghanistan.&nbsp;According to the statement, China strongly condemns and firmly&ensp;opposes terrorism in all its forms and urged the Afghan government to&ensp;conduct a &ldquo;thorough investigation&rdquo; to establish the facts as soon as possible to bring the perpetrators to justice.&nbsp;Referencing the UN report, the representative highlighted terrorist groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan, Al-Qaida, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan,&ensp;and Balochistan Liberation Army remain active in Afghanistan, posing serious threats to&ensp;Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries. &ldquo;We call on the Afghan side to&ensp;recognize the grave harm posed by terrorism, strengthen counterterrorism cooperation with regional countries, and resolutely eliminate all&ensp;terrorist forces operating in Afghan territory in order to maintain regional&ensp;stability and security,&quot; it added. Afghan girls not been able to receive modern educationTalking about women&#39;s education in Afghanistan, the Chinese representative stated that safeguarding the basic rights and interests of the people is a&ensp;&rdquo;necessity.&rdquo; &ldquo;In recent years, Afghan girls have not been able to receive&ensp;modern education beyond the sixth grade, and women&#39;s basic rights and&ensp;interests, such as employment and access to health care, public services,&ensp;and participation in social life, have become increasingly restricted,&quot; he added. The envoy stated that this&ensp;not only harms the physical and mental well-being of Afghan women but&ensp;also undermines social stability and economic development.&nbsp; &ldquo;We hope that&ensp;the Afghan authorities will demonstrate openness, inclusiveness, and a&ensp;sense of responsibility by listening to the legitimate aspirations of their&ensp;people and the reasonable concerns of the international community,&ensp;promptly adjusting relevant policies, and effectively safeguarding the&ensp;basic rights of all people, including women, so as to gain greater trust and&ensp;support from the international community,&quot; it added

China highlights the local and transnational terrorist groups that remain 'active in Afghanistan,' posing serious threats to neighboring countries.

China highlights terrorist groups in Afghanistan at UN

ISLAMABAD: China on Monday denied US allegations it had conducted secret nuclear explosive tests, accusing Washington of making excuses to start up its own trials. At the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on Friday, Thomas DiNanno, US under secretary of state for arms control, accused China of conducting the tests, including one on 22 June 2020, and of preparing for more tests with massive yields. &quot;The US allegations are completely groundless and are outright lies. China firmly opposes the US attempt to fabricate excuses for its own restarting of nuclear tests,&quot; China&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to AFP on Monday. It also urged the United States to &quot;immediately stop its irresponsible actions&quot;. US President Donald Trump said in October that Washington would start testing nuclear weapons &quot;on an equal basis&quot; with Moscow and Beijing, but without elaborating or explaining what kind of nuclear testing he wanted to resume. DiNanno&#39;s comments came as he was presenting a new US plan calling for three-way talks with Russia and China to set new limits on nuclear weapons, after the expiration of New START -- the last treaty between top nuclear powers Washington and Moscow, which expired last Thursday. China has already rejected joining disarmament negotiations &quot;at this stage&quot;.

President Donald Trump steps off of Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport on February 6, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Corum / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Beijing dismissed US claims of covert nuclear testing as baseless, accusing Washington of seeking justification to resume its own trials, while rejecting calls for trilateral arms control talks following the expiry of the New START treaty.

China rejects US claims of secret nuclear tests

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said he will host Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House late this year, as the world&#39;s top two economies look to reset ties marred by a roiling trade war. Trump made the comment in an interview with NBC News taped Wednesday &mdash; the same day he and Xi had a wide-ranging conversation about trade, Taiwan, Russia&#39;s war in Ukraine, and the situation in Iran. Trump is expected to go to China in April, before Xi visits the United States. &quot;He&#39;s coming to the White House, yeah &mdash; toward the end of the year,&quot; Trump said in the interview, parts of which aired Sunday. &quot;These are the two most powerful countries in the world, and we have a very good relationship.&quot; Since Trump returned to the White House a year ago, he has been a prolific purveyor of tariffs, unveiling sector-specific levies on steel, autos, and other items as well as broader measures to achieve a variety of policy objectives. The White House has <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-says-will-fight-to-the-end-in-us-trade-war" style="color:#0073e6;">jousted</a> with Beijing on trade but reached a broad truce with China after a major escalation last spring. Despite moves from the United States intended to lessen its dependence on Chinese manufacturing, the two countries remain deeply entwined economically. Xi, who last visited the United States in 2023, on Wednesday warned Trump to proceed with &quot;caution&quot; on selling arms to self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory. The Chinese leader also voiced hope that bilateral issues, including trade, could be resolved amicably between Beijing and Washington. &quot;By tackling issues one by one and continuously building mutual trust, we can forge a right way for the two countries to get along,&quot; Xi said, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Trump, meanwhile, said the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/xi-holds-call-with-trump-chinese-state-media" style="color:#0073e6;">conversation</a> with Xi was &quot;excellent&quot; and that &quot;we both realize how important it is to keep it that way.&quot; On Friday, the United States urged three-way talks with Russia and China to set new limits on nuclear weapons, but Beijing so far has rejected joining disarmament negotiations &quot;at this stage.&quot;

US president is expected to go to China in April, before Xi would then visit the United States; White House has jousted with Beijing on trade but reached a broad truce with China after a major escalation last spring.

Trump says China's Xi to visit US 'toward the end of the year'

BEIJING: An explosion on Saturday at a biotech factory in northern China has left at least eight people dead, AFP reported, quoting Chinese state media. State news agency Xinhua had previously reported that seven people died and one person was missing after the Saturday morning explosion at the Jiapeng biotech company in Shanxi province, citing local authorities. Later, Xinhua said eight were dead, adding that the firm&#39;s legal representative had been taken into custody. The company is located in Shanyin County, about 400 kilometres west of Beijing. Xinhua said cleanup operations were ongoing, noting that reporters observed dark yellow smoke emanating from the explosion site. Authorities have established a team to investigate the cause of the blast, the report added. Industrial accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards. In late January, an explosion at a steel factory in the neighbouring province of Inner Mongolia left at least nine people dead.

In this file photo, taken on November 21, 2025, the local fire and rescue detachment is working to extinguish the fire in Anyang, Central China's Henan Province. (CCTV News/File)

The cause is under investigation, amid ongoing concerns over industrial accidents and safety standards. 

North China factory explosion kills 8: State media

GENEVA: A senior US official on Friday criticised the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-urges-new-nuclear-treaty-after-russia-agreement-ends" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">last nuclear treaty </a>between Russia and the United States for <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/last-usrussia-nuclear-treaty-ends-in-grave-moment-for-world" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">failing to include Beijing</a>, speaking at the United Nations a day after the New START deal expired.&nbsp;&quot;In a nutshell, New START was flawed,&quot; said Thomas G. DiNanno, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, pointing out that it had not covered all nuclear weapons, &quot;and it didn&#39;t include China&quot;.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters in Geneva before addressing the Conference on Disarmament, he said US President Donald Trump &quot;has been pretty clear that he wants a better agreement&quot;, and &quot;clarified again last night that he wants a new treaty&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;He&#39;s been crystal clear. He&#39;s been consistent on it too, since his first administration,&quot; DiNanno said.&nbsp;&quot;So we&#39;ll see how it plays out.&quot;&nbsp;Asked if China had agreed to anything, DiNanno said: &quot;We&#39;re always willing to talk to them.&quot;&nbsp;China said on Thursday it would not join nuclear talks &quot;at this stage&quot; after the treaty&#39;s expiry that day triggered fears of a new global arms race.&nbsp;Campaigners have warned that the expiry, which ended decades of restrictions on how many warheads Russia and the United States deploy, could encourage China to expand its own arsenal.&nbsp;The New START treaty ended at the turn of the calendar on February 5, after Trump did not follow up on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin&#39;s proposal to extend warhead limits in the agreement for one year.&nbsp;Russia and the United States together control more than 80 percent of the world&#39;s nuclear warheads, but arms agreements have been withering away.&nbsp;New START, first signed in 2010, limited each side&#39;s nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads -- a reduction of nearly 30 percent from the previous limit set in 2002.&nbsp;It also allowed each side to conduct on-site inspections of the other&#39;s nuclear arsenal, although these were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since.&nbsp;The Conference on Disarmament negotiating forum, which is comprised of 65 member states and meets in Geneva.

A senior US official says the expired New START nuclear treaty is flawed for excluding China, as Washington pushes for a new deal and Beijing refuses talks, raising fears of a renewed global arms race.

New START nuclear treaty 'was flawed': senior US official

ISLAMABAD: More than 1 billion people worldwide affected by neglected tropical diseases are experiencing a largely invisible mental health crisis, according to a new World Health Organization (<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/who-regrets-us-notification-of-withdrawal-rejects-accusations-over-covid19-response" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">WHO</a>) report. The WHO&#39;s &quot;Essential Care Package to Address Mental Health and Stigma for Persons with Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)&quot; reveals stark findings. People with these conditions experience depression, anxiety, and suicidal behaviors at rates significantly higher than the general population. &quot;Over 1 billion people worldwide are affected by neglected tropical diseases and a similar number are affected by mental health conditions,&quot; the report noted. &quot;These independently burdensome conditions are significantly interlinked.&quot; Stigma drives the crisis as people with NTDs face discrimination and social exclusion. They encounter barriers to employment and marriage. These experiences create distress. Worry, fear, sadness and insecurity contribute to isolation and worsening&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/over-million-users-talk-about-suicide-weekly-to-chatgpt-open-ai" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">mental health</a>. The stigma prevents affected persons from seeking treatment. Many delay care or avoid it entirely, worsening both their physical rehabilitation and mental well-being. &quot;Stigma creates barriers to participation in society,&quot; the report warned, leading to decreased quality of life and delayed help-seeking. Some NTDs directly affect the brain, including human African trypanosomiasis and neurocysticercosis. Others cause visible disfigurement. Leprosy, cutaneous leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis make affected people particularly vulnerable to social&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/former-australia-great-gillespie-faces-backlash-over-bangladesh-t20-world-cup-exclusion" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">exclusion</a>. Women and girls suffer more severe stigma than men. Existing societal disadvantages compound the problem. Female genital schistosomiasis is wrongly associated with sexual misconduct, leading to social ostracism. Suicide rates are elevated among people with stigmatizing conditions like leprosy while increased substance use has also been documented. Addressing this crisis requires more than health services. Social, psychological and socioeconomic factors must be tackled. This ensures inclusion and improved well-being. &quot;Historically, the intersection of mental health and NTDs has been neglected,&quot; the document states. &quot;Without its adoption the broader agenda of eliminating NTDs will be hindered.&quot; The essential care package outlines evidence-based interventions. These cover prevention, identification and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/german-president-enjoys-royal-treatment-on-uk-state-visit" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">treatment</a> of mental health conditions. The package provides strategies to reduce stigma through education, social contact and advocacy. Health workers need training to screen for mental health conditions. They must provide basic psychological support. The report recommends integrating mental health indicators into routine NTD data collection. Community-level interventions matter. Peer support groups can reduce self-stigma. They promote physical and mental self-care. The WHO calls for multisectoral collaboration. This involves education,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ai-risks-mass-unemployment-in-london-mayor" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">employment</a>, and water and sanitation services. Policy reforms must eliminate discriminatory laws and practices. These perpetuate structural stigma. &quot;A person-centered approach is essential,&quot; the report states. This ensures people&#39;s multiple specific needs are addressed effectively. WHO developed the document through collaboration. Partners included civil society organizations and representatives of people affected by NTDs. The Coalition for Research on NTDs and UK Aid provided financial support.

More than 1 billion people worldwide affected by neglected tropical diseases are experiencing a largely invisible mental health crisis, the World Health Organization warned. (WHO)

More than 1 billion people with neglected tropical diseases face a hidden mental health crisis driven by stigma and discrimination, a new WHO report reveals. The conditions cause depression and anxiety at rates far higher than the general population.

One billion people with neglected diseases face mental health crisis warns WHO

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday issued its first-ever presidential statement on closer cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)&nbsp;to address regional challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, and food and water security.&nbsp; The statement, submitted by Bahrain&#39;s UN representative in his capacity as Council President for April, recognizes the GCC&rsquo;s &quot;position and expertise&quot; in promoting regional peace and security, and acknowledges its &quot;contributions to regional and international stability through mediation, preventive diplomacy, technical and financial support, and humanitarian engagement.&quot; The Council requested that the UN Secretary-General, Ant&oacute;nio Guterres, include recommendations on strengthening institutional ties with the GCC in his next report, and encouraged regular briefings by the GCC Secretary-General. &quot;The ongoing escalation underlines the urgent need for coordinated multilateral action,&quot; said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General, stressing the importance of &ldquo;strengthened&rdquo; UN-GCC cooperation. He highlighted the GCC&#39;s role in de-escalating regional tensions, supporting mediation in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, and its cooperation with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. &#39;Cornerstone of the global economy&#39;GCC Secretary-General Jassim Albudaiwi told the Council the bloc is a &quot;cornerstone of the global economy&quot;, noting its combined output exceeded $2.3 trillion in 2024 and its members&rsquo; major contribution to global oil and gas supplies. He warned that instability in the Gulf carries global consequences. &quot;Stability in the Arabian Gulf is not merely a regional concern, but is rather a global necessity,&quot; he said. Bahrain&#39;s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al Zayani announced that his country had submitted a separate draft resolution to the Council addressing what he described as Iran&#39;s &quot;unlawful and unjustified&quot; attempts to control navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, with a vote expected Friday. Delegates from the United Kingdom and France backed GCC states&#39; right to defend their sovereignty, with France stating Iran &quot;bears the primary responsibility for the current escalation.&quot;&nbsp; Russia countered that the conflict was &quot;the direct result of an unprovoked act of aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran&#39;s territory.&quot; China and Pakistan jointly called for an immediate ceasefire and the launch of peace talks. The GCC, founded in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Middle East

The statement, submitted by Bahrain's UN representative, recognizes the GCC’s 'position and expertise' in promoting regional peace and security, and calls for deeper UN-GCC coordination on terrorism, maritime security, water and food security.

UNSC backs stronger cooperation with Gulf bloc in first-ever presidential statement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday extended Good Friday greetings to the Christian community at home and abroad, emphasizing the values of compassion, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Prime Minister Sharif in a post on X on Friday stated: &quot;On the occasion of Good Friday, I extend sincere greetings to our brothers and sisters of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-extends-heartfelt-greetings-on-joyous-blessed-christmas" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christian community</a>&nbsp;in Pakistan and members of the Christian faith across the world.&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-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=2039943098672025844&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cf1149a8b3beaafec088d9fab9bb7e3150ffa371&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;May this sacred day, marked by sacrifice and reflection, strengthen our shared commitment to compassion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence,&quot; the prime minister added.

Culture

Says, ​'May this sacred day, marked by sacrifice and reflection, strengthen our shared commitment to compassion, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence'. 

Pakistan's PM Sharif extends Good Friday greetings, urges compassion and tolerance

PARIS:&nbsp;Iran should make a deal with the United States to end the war by offering to curb its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief, a former Iranian foreign minister said. Mohammad Javad Zarif, who served as foreign minister from 2013-2021, claimed in an op-ed for American journal Foreign Affairs that Tehran had the &quot;upper hand&quot; in the conflict against the US and Israel, but argued Iran needed to stop the war to prevent the loss of more civilian lives and damage to infrastructure. &quot;Iran should use its upper hand not to keep fighting but to declare victory and make a deal that both ends this conflict and prevents the next one,&quot; Zarif said in the piece published late Thursday. &quot;It should offer to place limits on its nuclear program and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to all sanctions a deal Washington wouldn&#39;t take before but might accept now,&quot; he added. &#39;Nonaggression pact&#39;&nbsp; Iran should also be prepared to accept a mutual &quot;nonaggression pact&quot; with the United States, as well as economic relations, he said. Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic ties since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution. Zarif, one of the architects of the now moribund 2015 deal over the Iranian nuclear program, is seen as a relative moderate within the Islamic republic elite, but has no official post in the current government. However this is one of the first times during this conflict that a high profile figure in Iran has called for a deal and an end to the war, with top military and political officials urging daily for fighting to continue until the US is defeated. &#39;Back to the stone ages&#39;US President Donald Trump has evoked ongoing talks with Tehran without giving details but also threatened to send the country &quot;back to the stone ages&quot; if it fails to agree terms. &quot;As an Iranian, outraged by Donald Trump&#39;s reckless aggression and crude insults, yet proud of our armed forces and resilient people, I am torn about publishing this peace-plan in Foreign Affairs,&quot; Zarif wrote in English on X Friday. &quot;Yet I&#39;m convinced that war must end on terms consistent with Iran&#39;s national interests,&quot; he added. Zarif in the Foreign Affairs piece warned that &quot;although continuing to fight the United States and Israel might be psychologically satisfying, it will lead only to the further destruction of civilian lives and infrastructure&quot;.

Mohammad Javad Zarif (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Mohammad Javad Zarif urges Iran to end the conflict with the US by negotiating a deal to limit its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief.

Iran's former top diplomat urges deal with US to end war

ISLAMABAD: Congress&rsquo; National spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed renewed scrutiny of alleged RSS backing for propaganda-style films in an X post, on Thursday.&nbsp;Dr. Shama said producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah had &ldquo;openly admitted&rdquo; that the RSS supported &ldquo;Kerala Story 2&rdquo; and arguing that this showed the organisation had backed a film meant to defame Kerala. Her post brought fresh attention to a wider debate over how the BJP and the RSS ecosystem support politically aligned cinema through ideological links, endorsements, tax breaks and promotion.<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=2039579655645348127&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=c92d3faf5176e582d37f5cad3e26fa7ac3e0dbe2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>At least ten films have been produced or directed by individuals linked to the BJP, the RSS, or affiliated Hindutva organisations, an Indian news outlet, The Quint, reported on Friday. The films named in the report include The Kerala Story, The Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond, Bastar: The Naxal Story, Razakar, Swatantra Veer Savarkar, PM Narendra Modi, Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, Bengal 1947, The Accidental Prime Minister, and Jahangir National University.&nbsp;One of the most striking claims in that report concerns producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The Quint said Shah acknowledged at the 2023 World Hindu Congress that The Kerala Story could not have been made without RSS &ldquo;guidance and support.&rdquo; The report said he described the RSS as the film&rsquo;s &ldquo;guardian angels.&rdquo;&nbsp;Political endorsement has also come from the top. Reuters reported that Indian PM Narendra Modi publicly praised The Kashmir Files in 2022. BJP-ruled states then moved to make the film tax-free, helping widen its reach.&nbsp;A similar pattern was seen with The Kerala Story and Article 370. NDTV reported that BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh made The Kerala Story tax-free. NDTV also reported that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh made Article 370 tax-free.&nbsp; Taken together, the reporting suggests these films are not just cultural products. They are increasingly part of a political ecosystem where cinema, ideology, and state patronage intersect.

India

The BJP and the wider RSS ecosystem are backing a string of ultra-nationalist and propaganda-style films in India; the support is not always visible as direct funding but through political links, public endorsements, tax breaks, and coordinated promotion by party leaders and allied networks. 

Scrutiny grows over BJP-RSS backing of propaganda films

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the suicide attack on a police station in the Domel area of District Bannu, said a press release issued by Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office on Friday. The prime minister expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the incident that took place in the northwest of the country. Sharif prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, the press release said. &ldquo;We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country&rdquo;, the prime minister said.

Security

‘We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country,’ the prime minister said, according to a press release.

PM Sharif strongly condemns suicide attack in northwest Pakistan  

JINJA: Giggles and songs ripple across a field in rural eastern Uganda where elderly women swing cricket bats as a way to reshape what ageing, health and sports can look like in later life. The so-called &quot;cricket grannies&quot; are bound together by a growing love of a game they initially knew nothing about but is now helping them manage age-related health conditions, stress and loneliness. Clad in floor-length dresses and mostly barefoot, the women, aged 50 to 90, gather weekly at a playground in Jinja district, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the capital, Kampala. Each swing draws cheers from teammates as the women turn Saturday morning practice into a lively spectacle. &quot;With the exercises I&#39;ve been doing, my legs used to hurt, but they no longer do,&quot; Jennifer Waibi Nanyonga, 72, told AFP. &quot;I spent the whole of last year without seeing a doctor for my back, yet it had previously been paining me,&quot; added the grandmother of 29. The initiative began in 2025 with just 10 grandmothers in the remote village of Kivubuka and has since grown more than tenfold. The programme was initially aimed at children, but when cricket coach Aaron Kusasira realised their caregivers had little knowledge of the game and often kept them from joining, he decided to involve the elderly women, too. &quot;We come here, we jog, we move around, we do some stretches,&quot; Kusasira, 26, said. They &quot;unknowingly have to run because they have to compete,&quot; he added. Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for deaths from noncommunicable diseases and, according to the World Health Organization, it is more common among women globally. International health data estimates that sedentary lifestyles are costing public health systems roughly US$27 billion per year and will continue to rise if activity levels are not improved. Fresh start&nbsp; Beyond physical activity, cricket has also fostered a sense of community among the Ugandan grannies. &quot;When at home, you have no company and spend your time buried in your thoughts,&quot; said an elderly woman who only gave her first name, Patriciah. For others, the weekly meetings have proved cathartic. &quot;When I arrive here and see my friends, we get together and talk about our problems, we counsel each other,&quot; said Jennifer Waibi Nanyonga. &quot;By the time we return home, everyone is lighter and with a fresh start,&quot; she added. For coach Kusasira, training the women has been a win-win, giving him the opportunity to coach children in the area without opposition. &quot;From the kids to the elders, provided I see the smiles it&#39;s enough. I know that is a day well spent,&quot; he said.

In eastern Uganda’s Jinja district, groups of older women have embraced cricket as a way to stay physically active and socially connected later in life. Often referred to locally as “cricket grannies”, they take part in informal games and training that co

Africa

The so-called "cricket grannies" are bound together by a growing love of a game they initially knew nothing about but is now helping them manage age-related health conditions, stress and loneliness.

From bats to bonds: Uganda's 'cricket grannies'

DHAKA: The Bangladesh government has introduced a series of measures aimed at addressing the impact of global disruptions and ensuring stability in fuel oil supply, following a high-level cabinet meeting held at night at the Cabinet Room in the Parliament Secretariat.&nbsp; Under the new directives, all government and private offices will operate from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Banking hours for public transactions will run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, while banks will officially close at 4:00 pm, Bangladeshi state media Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported.&nbsp; In an effort to conserve energy, shopping malls and markets nationwide must shut down by 6:00 pm. However, essential services including kitchen markets, food outlets, and pharmacies will remain exempt from this restriction. The decisions were taken by the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday night. Later, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani briefed the journalists at the media centre of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, saying that the government took measures considering fuel supply disruptions caused by the Middle East war.&nbsp;&nbsp;Prime Minister&rsquo;s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly was present at the briefing. Noting that several steps have been taken for the next three months to reduce government expenditure, the cabinet secretary said, &ldquo;No new vehicles, watercraft or aircraft will be purchased during this period&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;Procurement of new equipment, including computers, will also remain suspended, he said, adding, internal training has been reduced by 50 percent, while all foreign training under government funding will remain suspended until further notice.&nbsp;&nbsp;Expenditure on meetings and seminars has also been cut by 50 percent, Ghani said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Besides, he said, government spending in the power, energy and gas sectors will be reduced by 30 percent. The meeting issued a directive to reduce unnecessary travel expenses by 30 percent, the cabinet secretary added.&nbsp;&nbsp;He said new directives will be issued for the education sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ministry of Education will start issuing instructions in phases from Sunday, considering the needs of different levels, so that the measures do not have a negative impact on the education system, Ghani said.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a bid to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city during the school hour, he said, the government has decided to introduce electric buses for school students instead of private cars.&nbsp;&nbsp;Educational institutions joining the initiative will be able to import buses duty-free, the cabinet secretary said, adding, the private sector will also get this facility, but a 20 percent duty will apply for commercial purposes.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, only new buses will be allowed for import, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Noting that imports from alternative sources are also being increased to maintain normal fuel supply, Ghani said initiatives have already been taken to import fuel from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.

Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani briefed the journalists at the media centre of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (Photo : BSS)

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh government has introduced reduced working hours, spending cuts, and energy-saving measures to manage fuel shortages caused by global disruptions.

Bangladesh cuts expenditure, reduces office hours, orders markets shut after 6pm

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday and named his former personal lawyer to serve as the acting chief of the Justice Department. The US president announced the move in a social media post. &quot;Pam Bondi is a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend, who faithfully served as my Attorney General over the past year,&quot; Trump said on Truth Social. &quot;Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country.&quot; Bondi &quot;will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector,&quot; the president said, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who Trump described as &quot;a very talented and respected Legal Mind.&quot; According to The New York Times, Trump may name former Republican congressman Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to be the next attorney general.In the meantime, the post will be filled by Blanche. &#39;Honor of a lifetime&#39;Bondi, in a post on X, said serving as attorney general had been &quot;the honor of a lifetime&quot; and said she will &quot;continue fighting for President Trump&quot; in her unspecified new private sector job. &quot;Over the next month I will be working tirelessly to transition the office of Attorney General to the amazing Todd Blanche,&quot; she said. &quot;I remain eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again.&quot; Bondi&#39;s ouster comes nearly a month after Trump fired Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers welcomed Bondi&#39;s firing. Bondi served as a prosecutor for 18 years before being elected Florida&#39;s attorney general in 2010, the first woman to hold the post.&nbsp;She was reelected to a second term in 2014.

Bondi 'will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector,' the president said, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who Trump described as 'a very talented and respected Legal Mind.'

Trump sacks attorney general Pam Bondi, replaces with lawyer Todd Blanche

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s digital economy could contribute between 5%-7% of gross domestic product by 2030, provided structural constraints are addressed and reforms accelerate, according to a new report by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI).&nbsp;Titled &ldquo;Recommendations for Pakistan&rsquo;s Digital Future,&rdquo; the OICCI Digital Report 2025 presents a detailed assessment of the country&rsquo;s digital landscape, highlighting both measurable gains and persistent bottlenecks shaping future growth.&nbsp;The report frames Pakistan&rsquo;s digital sector as a rapidly expanding but uneven ecosystem, where strong growth in connectivity, exports and digital finance is being tempered by infrastructure gaps and slow policy execution, raising the stakes for reforms needed to unlock its full economic potential.&nbsp;The report identifies the digital sector as an emerging driver of productivity, exports and financial inclusion, supported by a growing user base and rising adoption of digital services.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) exports have reached $3.8 billion, while the freelance economy contributes $779 million in earnings.&nbsp;Digital access continues to expand, with more than 150 million broadband subscriptions and over 200 million telecom connections. The broader mobile ecosystem contributes an estimated $17 billion to the national economy.&nbsp;The report also underscores rapid growth in digital finance.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has made notable strides in digital payments and financial inclusion. The Raast instant payment system processed Rs18 trillion in peer-to-peer transactions in FY26, demonstrating the rapid adoption of digital financial services,&rdquo; said OICCI President Yousaf Hussain.&nbsp;However, infrastructure limitations remain a key constraint.&nbsp;Only 18% of cellular towers are connected through fiber, well below the global benchmark of around 40%, limiting network capacity and readiness for next-generation technologies.&nbsp;Policy execution is another concern.&nbsp;While engagement on digital policy has improved, implementation remains slow. The report notes that only about one-quarter of recommendations from OICCI&rsquo;s 2022 Digital Report have been carried out.&nbsp;&ldquo;Only about one-quarter of OICCI&rsquo;s digital policy recommendations issued in OICCI&rsquo;s Digital Report 2022 have been implemented so far. Faster execution, improved fiber penetration and a more investment-friendly regulatory environment will be essential to unlock Pakistan&rsquo;s digital potential,&rdquo; said M. Abdul Aleem, Secretary General of OICCI.&nbsp;To address these gaps, the report recommends reducing taxes on broadband services and digital devices, accelerating fiber deployment, ensuring regulatory clarity in data protection and cybersecurity, and strengthening public-private collaboration.&nbsp;The government has set a target of $5 billion in IT exports for FY26, while analysts project exports could reach around $4.5 billion, implying annual growth of 18% to 20% from the $3.8 billion recorded in FY25.&nbsp;Under the broader Uraan Pakistan framework, policymakers are targeting $10 billion in IT exports by FY29, requiring a compound annual growth rate of approximately 27%.&nbsp;The report concludes that while Pakistan&rsquo;s digital economy is expanding and foundational elements are in place, closing infrastructure gaps, accelerating policy implementation, and investing in advanced skills such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will determine whether current momentum translates into sustained economic impact

Economy

Pakistan’s digital economy is growing fast and could reach 5–7% of GDP by 2030, driven by rising IT exports, digital payments, and increasing internet and mobile use.

Pakistan digital economy seen reaching 7% GDP by 2030: Report

Web Desk/AFP

'Multiple attacks on health have been reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in recent days amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X.