Democracy

The number killed in violence last year was the highest since the military coup in 2021. Over 1,800 civilians were killed in 2024, many in indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery shelling, with attacks on schools, places of worship and healthcare facilities having become routine.

During a fiery exchange in the Oval Office, Trump accused Zelensky of “overplaying his hand” and dismissed Ukraine’s appeals for defined security guarantees.

Khan used the article to highlight what he described as an ongoing erosion of democracy in Pakistan. He labelled the current period as one of the most challenging in the country’s history and stressed that his imprisonment was part of a broader attempt to suppress democratic principles.

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party held an extended meeting to strategise its electoral approach and reinforce party discipline.

These measures, which followed executive orders aimed at “reevaluating” US foreign assistance and terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, risk undermining the freedoms that are vital to democratic societies.

Minister of state for agriculture Ashish Jaiswal, who also attended the Nagpur event, emphasised the critical role of these assured funds in providing relief to farmers facing persistent financial challenges.

In contrast, when Trump had said on Wednesday in Miami that USAID had spent $21 million in India, most papers not only latched on to the news but also displayed it well on Page 1.

One of the primary concerns raised during the meeting was the role of the Special Investigations Unit of Sri Lanka Police, which is responsible for investigating law enforcement officers accused of torture and enforced disappearances.