The iconic seaside resort and favourite destination for surfers is at the centre of an environmental emergency. Night-time parties with loud music disturb the herds, causing them to move and putting the lives of residents at risk. Complaints to the police, who often collude with hoteliers hosting tourists, have so far been in vain. Environmentalists are calling for the establishment of protected areas.
The closure of 72 factories has left 73,000 people unemployed, pushing many young people into drugs and crime. In six months, 1,600 people have been arrested for crimes such as robbery and assault, half of them unemployed. Experts call for action in what was an Awami League stronghold, where some groups are now sowing chaos to destabilise the entire region.
Thousands of children, wives and parents have been waiting for years for news about the fate of their family members who disappeared in mysterious circumstances. War, political motives and terrorism are among the reasons behind the kidnappings, from the north to the south of the island. The story of the family of Madushka Haris de Silva, originally from Anuradhapura, who disappeared on 2 September 12 years ago.
The official death toll from the earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has risen to 800, with over 2,800 injured, while rescue workers struggle to reach remote areas affected by the disaster. The emergency comes on top of the nearly two million refugees forced to return from Pakistan and Iran in recent months. In addition to the lack of infrastructure, the shortage of female doctors, a consequence of the bans imposed by the Taliban after their return to power, is further complicating assistance.
The Peace Center Lahore unites Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs, where people share iftars, perform joint celebrations, and carry out relief efforts during floods for a peace that requires concrete action, not just talk, understanding, not just the absence of conflict. The project puts forward a different Pakistan with communities that listen to one another, where friendships grow, and young people lead the change.
The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation condemns last April’s attack in Kashmir that sparked border fighting between India and Pakistan, but also terrorist attacks in Balochistan, which Islamabad blames on New Delhi. Modi, unlike his Pakistani counterpart Shahbaz Sharif, avoided expressing support for the Belt and Road Initiative. For China, despite tensions in South Asia, multilateralism remains the best option for building an anti-US bloc.
