Governance

In a significant diplomatic shift prompted by mounting climate risk, Nepal and China have agreed to begin sharing critical cross-border intelligence on glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) that threaten lives and livelihoods in the fragile Himalayan region.

Critics point to continued arbitrary detentions and institutionalised opacity, especially in Tamil-majority regions.

In one part of the world, floods inundate entire cities. In another, droughts silently wither crops. Glaciers, which took centuries to form, are disappearing in decades. Groundwater, hidden and unseen, is being depleted faster than it can be replenished.

The report says that US consumer spending slowed significantly in the first half of 2025, decelerating from the robust pace seen in late 2024.

Religious minority prisoners in Pakistan are subjected to systemic discrimination, harsh treatment and denial of basic rights compared to their Muslim counterparts.

Dhaka has for decades pressed Islamabad for three key steps: a formal apology for the atrocities committed by the Pakistani military during the 1971 war, repayment of an estimated USD 4.5 billion owed to Bangladesh since independence, and the repatriation of thousands of Pakistanis stranded in the country.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, 76, was arrested on August 22, ushering in the highest-profile detention amid President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign.

Nepal’s brick industry – valued at several million dollars and employing approximately 300,000 workers – thrives during its limited work season.