Around 20 kids flung to the airport in Uttarakhand’s investment capital Dehradun on Wednesday following instructions from Hindu Raksha Dal, a border right-wing organization. The students claimed that if they did not leave area right away, the party would have severe consequences for Kashmiri Muslim students. Omar Abdullah, the chiefContinue Reading
From May 1 through May 31, FairPrice Group announced in a statement on Thursday ( Apr 24 ) that NTUC Union and Link members will once again be able to purchase 50-cent hot coffee or tea at 70 Kopitiam outlets islandwide. As part of the team’s May Day and SG60Continue Reading
What we adored in PST’s Tokyo branch were The , Bismarck ( S$ 32 ), and the super savoury 5 Formaggi ( S$ 34), which is stuffed with smoked mozzarella, gorgonzola, taleggio, grana padano, and mascarpone. The appetisers are also excellent, such as the savory anchovies-and-spinach dish with spinach, fennel, and pine nuts.  ,
A dessert that is very gentle and brimming with character and flavors is made from Tamaki’s and Tamaki’s unique blend of Japanese and American wheat, which is then baked briefly in a blisteringly hot wood-fired oven.  ,
Muhammad Ali Tabba, CEO of Lucky Cement and chairman of National Resources Limited ( NRL), revealed what he claimed are the Chagai district of Balochistan’s substantial gold and copper reserves at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025.
The discovery, which was made in the presence of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Muhammad Asim Munir, could pave the way for Pakistan’s lagging mining sector, at a time when global gold prices are at record peaks of over US$ 3,400 per gram.
NRL, a utterly Pakistani-owned company that operates under the banners of Fatima Fertilizer, Liberty Mills, and Happy Cement, obtained an inquiry force in Chagai in October 2023. Within the span of 18 months, it claims to have found 16 mineral-rich locations spread out over a 500-square-kilometer area, with cutting at the Tang Kor, Chagai site apparently proving the presence of significant deposits.
The largest state in Pakistan by area, Balochistan, is a geographical treasure. The Tethyan Magmatic Arc, a mineral-rich region that stretches from Europe to Southeast Asia and is renowned for its abundance of copper and gold, surrounds the Chagai place.
The nearby Reko Diq mine, which is estimated to have 5.9 billion tonnes of ore, grades 0.42 grams per kilogram of gold and 0.41 % brass, making it one of the largest untapped resources in the world.
First cutting on the NRL Tang Kor website revealed copper concentrations ranging from 0.23 to 0.44 percent, along with traces of gold and silver, to round out this. Three and a half of the three million diamonds drill holes apparently struck mineralized zones, underscoring the deposit’s enormous potential.
Making this finding a prospective lifeline, Pakistan is in a dire financial position with shrinking international currency reserves, mounting debt, and import dependence. The country’s$ 6 trillion in mineral wealth has been largely untapped.
Along with innovations like Reko Diq, where Barrick Gold plans to mine 200, 000 kilograms of brass and 250, 000 ounces of gold annually by 2028, NRL’s discovery had contribute billions to Pakistan’s business and Balochistan’s growth.
The discovery raises age-old questions about good revenue distribution and environmental impact in Balochistan, one of Pakistan’s least developed and generally restive regions.
Cultural Baloch insurgent groups generally target provincial resource and infrastructure investments, in part because they disproportionately favor local communities over Islamabad and its allies ‘ international interests, including Chinese companies.
The partnership between NRL and the Balochistan government and the Special Investment Facilitation Council ( SIFC), as well as a$ 100 million exploration budget for two new licenses, demonstrates a determined effort to make the most of this opportunity.
Balochistan’s abundance of resources contrasts striking with its poverty. The state still has the lowest fundamental human development indicators, accounting for 35 to 45 percent of Pakistan’s natural fuel and brimming with minerals. Around 85 % of the province’s residents lack access to clean water, 75 % have no electricity, and 63 % are impoverished.
However, if handled wisely and fairly, these newly discovered treasures could change Balochistan’s grave tale. The company’s stated goal is to fill these gaps, at least artistically, by promoting community engagement and local employment.
There is law to doubt business promises of trickle-down. For example, the Saindak plant, which has been operating since the 1970s, produces 15, 800 tonnes of brass, 1.5 tonnes of gold, and 2.8 tons of silver yearly, but the benefits are hardly ever felt by locals.
The upside is enormous. According to company estimates, Reko Diq could generate$ 70 billion in free cash flow and$ 90 billion in operating cash flow over the course of a decade. If NRL’s deposits be of this size, their extraction could boost GDP, lead to considerable well-paying jobs, and provide desperately needed infrastructure in Balochistan.
A local person like NRL may keep more money in-country, in contrast to earlier foreign-led initiatives. Its efforts to attract investors and its agreements with the Oil and Gas Development Company ( OGDC ) all point to a scalable strategy.
However, enthusiasm must be at a slack. Balochistan received only 2 % of Saindak’s earnings, despite controversy over revenue cuts and local carelessness in previous projects like Saindak and Reko Diq.
Fair policies, such as guaranteeing royalties, native work, and investments in health, education, and water, are essential for NRL’s victory. Although the Balochistan Development Plan and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ( CPEC ) Gwadar Port provide a blueprint, fair implementation will be important.
Of course, the financial gain comes with economic considerations. The climate in Baluchistan is as tough as it is delicate, with summers reaching 53°C and seasons reaching -20°C in higher elevations. In Balochistan, mine requires a lot of water and energy, both of which are limited resources.
Saindak has faced criticism for using effluent and residues to pollute water and deplete liquid. The possible processing and drilling by Tang Kor could make these issues worse, especially if NRL chooses to conduct downstream operations that may poison rivers, harm crops, and worsen health crises.
Mining produces 4 to 7 % of the world’s greenhouse gases, with metal production producing about 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per kilogram.
NRL’s production, on par with Reko Diq’s level, could add hundreds of thousands of kilos of emissions annually, straining a region already affected by climate change, such as desert and erratic rains. Mining-related debris could also be harmful to the environment and the general public.
Mine may contribute to Balochistan’s already shaky culture, which could worsen the situation. Severe weather has increased in the province; in 2022, floods destroyed crops and caused thousands of people to flee, and persistent droughts caused arable land to shrink. The drier ecosystem of Chaagai, which is home to sparse vegetation and endangered species like the Balochistan bear, is threatened by mining sprawl.
Water-intensive businesses run the risk of drying up springs and reservoirs, which are essential for nomadic landowners and small farmers. In a state with high tectonic activity, heavy machinery and blasting was destabilize the region’s rugged terrain, raising the risk of landslides.
NRL projects may crumble Balochistan’s delicate environmental balance without careful and thorough planning.
On the other hand, copper could potentially help the world decarbonization because it is so important for alternative technologies like wind farms and electric vehicles. Nearby command at NRL may impose stricter environmental laws than have been applied by foreign companies in the past.
Some advanced mine ‘ use of solar power or water reuse could reduce the damage. To achieve a balance between earnings and survival, the$ 100 million exploration fund could be used to fund conservation research. If NRL contributes perhaps a small amount to Balochistan’s Climate Resilience Fund, it was foster confidence and social cohesion among Chaghi’s indigenous populations.
A good and equitable outcome depends on learning from the past, but NRL’s Chagai consider has the potential to be a turning point for Pakistan and Balochistan. If significant profits remain nearby, the breakthrough may reduce trade dependence, boost foreign dollar reserves, and end Balochistan’s poverty.
The margins are highlighted by the 2025 Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, which immediately had the attention of Chagai. The potential 15 % interest in Saudi Arabia in Reko Diq and Barrick’s$ 2 billion funding imply that Pakistan’s mineral wealth is ideal for successful removal.
In the end, NRL’s gold and copper reserves are more than just a geographical windfall; they are essential to Pakistan’s effort to achieve equitable and sustained economic progress.
The finding could signal a future where wealth and the environment, not just local leaders or outsiders, are at play in Balochistan. Pakistan and Balochistan must make sure that this promise doesn’t turn into yet another tale of wasted claim.
Users of e-cigarettes was also face charges of getting seized goods.
PUBLISHED: 24 Apr 2025 at 11: 23
According to a official, the Thai government will get tougher measures against e-cigarette smoking who may face charges for bringing in seized products.
According to lieutenant government official Anukul Prueksa-anurak, the government has increased the number of e-cigarettes and related products being stopped, bringing on smoking as well as smugglers and distributors.
He claimed that “e-cigarette smoking you face charges if they are the victims of smuggled products.”
The offence is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a great equal to four times the importation’s total price plus any obligation.
E-cigarettes are forbidden in Thailand, but that does not prevent them from being freely available, even in neighborhoods close to schools, which has contributed to a worrying rise in fresh people’s smoking. Adolescents who have recently been hospitalized with heart damage have attracted more attention to the issue.
According to a study conducted by Ramathibodi Hospital, vaping-related illnesses cost the hospital about 306 million baht last year for health care, Mr. Anukul said. The illnesses included strokes, heart attack, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and obstructive pulmonary disease.
He said the percentage of vape users among people aged 15-29 years rose from 5.8 % in 2019 to 12.2 % in 2024.
A serious crackdown on e-cigarette sales, especially through online sales channels, was just mandated by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. According to Mr. Anukul, sales and the percentage of e-cigarette people have dropped by more than 80 % in the two decades since the assault first started.
If you have been religiously following the smash hit movie drama Emerald Hill, you will undoubtedly realize what we mean when we say it has been an emotional spiral.
We won’t exist, we promise. We have been eagerly awaited ( darn those cliffhanger endings ) for new episodes every Monday, and we have been just as invested in the story.
Which cast members yelled at our windows, stomping on us, and having heated meetings with us during meal and gatherings?
Here are the people who stole our hearts and the light. Additionally, there is the final installment of the Nyonya Kueh.
Previous South Korean president Moon Jae-in has been charged with corruption related to his ex-son-in-law’s employment at an airline, according to the prosecution.
Prosecutors contend that his past son-in-law, who was only identified by his nickname Seo, had much experience in the aviation sector but was hired in trade for the firm’s CEO leading a state-funded company.
Moon, who ruled the nation from 2017 to 2022, is best remembered for his efforts to broker a peace deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
He joins a long list of South Korean president whose political jobs have been ruined by incident, from death to death.
Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office this quarter as a result of his unexpected declaration of martial law, is also facing criminal charges.
Former senator Lee Sang-jik has also been charged, according to lawyers, in addition to Moon. He is facing charges of corruption and faith breach.
Lee was given a six-year prison sentence in 2022 for stealing business money.
Lee, the leader of the affordable ship Eastar Jet, was appointed in 2018 as the mind of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, the same year Seo was appointed senior director of Thai Eastar Jet, his firm’s company.
Seo received about 217 million won ($ 150, 000, or £113, 000 ) in salary and housing support between 2018 and 2020, which prosecutors claim are bribes intended for Moon.
In a Reuters report, prosecutors claimed that Seo was hired despite having “any related experience or qualifications in the airport industry.”
He “frequently left his job for extended times” and “doed not perform his duties in a way that was appropriate for the position,” the statement continued.
Moon Da-hye’s girl, the former president’s child, was the subject of a bribery investigation last September when her home was searched.
Moon’s accusation comes as part of a string of cases involving representatives in his presidency. Moon’s past national security advisor and defense secretary were charged earlier this month with reportedly leaking intelligence to activists.
When the government changes hands, rival politicians are frequently the target of political rivalry, which is frequently alleged to be politicised in the government’s prosecution services.
The People Power Party’s are currently in power under the leadership of acting president and prime minister Han Duck-soo.
The prosection is being condemned by Moon’s Democrat Party, which describes it as a “politically motivated move aimed at humiliating a former senator.”
No president has felt the sting of US President Donald Trump’s tax war as strongly as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite the fact that no other leader has. Caught in a high-stakes political connect, India is grappling with an philosophical problem: balancing its crucial economic ties with China against the beauty of the American business.
The Trump administration imposed a 26 % “reciprocal” tax on American goods on April 2, 2025, putting New Delhi in tense negotiations to gain access to the country’s largest export location, the US.
India’s response has betrayed a shocking respect, as evidenced by the rapid and significant trade work cuts on Harley-Davidson scooters and American-made whiskey liquor amid a large pledge  to lift down trade barriers. New Delhi has furthermore announced plans to buy more US strength and protection products in a bid to appease Trump.
The Trump administration has used a 90-day relief on the tariffs to pressure India into a more comprehensive National strategy to isolate China financially and carefully. US Vice President JD Vance made a notable four-day visit to Delhi on April 22 as part of this political unpleasant.
Ostensibly a family affair—Vance, with his Indian-origin wife and children, framed the trip as a nod to his Sasural ( “in-laws” ) and his kids ‘” Nana-Nani” ( maternal grandparents ) —the visit’s true purpose is to tighten the screws on India and secure its alignment against Beijing.
Trump uses the rod of tariffs to fudge Modi’s wishes in his second term, replacing the vegetable of American investment moving from China to India in his first.
Ajay Seth, the secretary of economic affairs, claimed this week that the” first order” hit from 26 % tariffs on India could reduce GDP by between 0.2 % and 0.5 %, which he said was” not a significant impact.” However, underscoring the urgency of the situation, New Delhi planned to transport both its chief trade communicator and finance secretary to Washington this week before the terrible Kashmir problems.
India’s plight is rooted in its divided financial fact. To produce ultimate products for trade, especially to the US, its business center, which is frequently just an “assembly line,” relies heavily on Chinese transitional goods, raw materials, funds equipment, technology, and investment.
In 2024-25, China accounted for over 14 % of India’s full international trade, while India’s goods contributed a simple 1.9 % to China’s international trade, highlighting a striking imbalance. India can import Chinese components, arrange them, and trade finished goods to the US now because a 35 % value addition there qualifies as enough for a “rules of origin” certificate.
Nevertheless, this type makes India susceptible to a proportion readjustment. Tilting toward the US challenges Chinese retribution that could drown its production ranges, leaning toward China threatens to renounce US market access.
India’s fundamental problem is this. Beijing may impose a bombardment of punitive measures, both explicit and implicit, that would deteriorate India’s economic trajectory, erode its security, and weaken its regional influence, much like it did in 2020 in a punitive response to the tensions in the Himalayas.
China’s most immediate tool would be business adjustment, exploiting India’s$ 100 billion deal gap in 2024-25. India’s exposure to Chinese and allied markets may be restricted by Beijing’s imposing steep tariffs or non-tariff obstacles, such as stringent quality checks, on American exports like agro products, textiles, and leather goods.
China might restrict exports of important inputs, including smartphone components, pharmaceutical precursors ( 70 % of India’s supply ), and industrial machinery, even more severely. In 2020, when India tightened attention on Chinese opportunities, Beijing retaliated by blocking engineers ‘ and technicians ‘ visits and technology shipments, a methodology it may rise to even more damaging effect immediately.
Such restrictions would stifle India’s tightly bound smartphone, pharmaceutical, and solar energy sectors, which are all closely linked to Chinese supply chains. China could further skew the trade balance, shrinking India’s export revenues, by selectively lowering imports of Indian goods.
With China constituting over a third of India’s foreign trade, these measures could precipitate a severe economic contraction, hobbling India’s industrial ambitions and global market competitiveness.
China has another means of squeezing India with financial leverage. Beijing could stifle trade financing for Indian businesses by tightening payment terms, putting off processing, or restricting credit flow through Chinese banks with$ 3.24 trillion in foreign exchange reserves and significant influence in global finance. After India’s 2020 ban on Chinese apps, Chinese investors curtailed funding to Indian startups, a precedent that could expand to broader sectors.
China might halt investments in recently approved joint ventures like Vivo, Suzhou Inovance, and ZNShine if India’s US alignment is further strained, undermining India’s plans for manufacturing growth and technology transfer.
By putting Indian projects prioritizing them, China may have a more subtle impact on India’s access to multilateral financial institutions like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank or the New Development Bank. These financial chokeholds could starve India’s industrial and infrastructure initiatives, limiting its ability to scale up domestic production or diversify away from Chinese inputs.
China might target India’s nascent digital and defense sectors in the technological sphere. Chinese tech companies like Huawei and ZTE have a share of the power behind India’s 5G networks and smart city projects. Beijing could derail India’s digital infrastructure by restricting access or withholding technical support.
In a report from the Harvard Belfer Center for 2021, China’s dominance in semiconductors, 5G, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence was highlighted. India’s newly established semiconductor industry and defense manufacturing, which depend on Chinese inputs for advanced electronics, could be hampered by an embargo on semiconductors or high-tech components.
China could also complicate operations for its tech firms in India, halting solar panels or telecom equipment supplies. Such alterations would halt India’s advancement in technology and weaken its strategic abilities, particularly in defense systems that are crucial for battling regional threats.
An even greater existential risk is posed by China’s stranglehold on critical raw minerals ( CRMs) and rare earth elements ( REEs ). In 2023, India identified 30 critical minerals vital for electric vehicles ( EVs ), semiconductors, defense equipment, and renewable energy, including lithium, cobalt, gallium, titanium, graphite, silicon, bismuth, tellurium, and REEs like neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium.
India is the fifth-largest store in the world with 6.9 million metric tons of REE reserves, but its processing and refining capacity is inestimable. It imports 60 % of its REE imports from China, and over 40 % of its six CRMs, including graphite ( 42.4 % ), lithium ( 82 % ), silicon ( 76 % ), titanium ( 50 % ), and lithium ( 85.6 % ), lithium ( 82 % ), and titanium ( 50.6 % ) ) and lithium ( 42.4 % ) of those products. Beijing controls 87 % of global REE processing, 58 % of lithium refining and 68 % of silicon refining.
India’s plans for 30 % EV penetration by 2030, its semiconductor manufacturing plans, and its defense production, which rely on REEs for missiles, radar, and guidance systems, could be devastated by a Chinese export ban. India’s smartphone sector, which relies heavily on Chinese components, and its pharmaceutical sector, which relies on China for 70 % of its precursors, would experience severe shortages.
While India seeks alternatives through the Mineral Security Partnership and Australian partnerships, decoupling from China’s dominance could take decades. Thus, India’s industrial and strategic goals would suffer a terrible blow if an embargo were to be implemented.
China might use its diplomatic position to isolate India from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO ) and BRICS by portraying its US support as a betrayal of collective interests. In 2024, China’s foreign ministry condemned such alliances, and Beijing could rally SCO members like Pakistan and Russia to obstruct India’s initiatives.
China might strengthen ties with Brazil, South Africa, and other newly incorporated nations in BRICS , which would marginalize New Delhi. Regionally, Beijing could intensify Belt and Road Initiative projects in India’s neighbors—Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Bangladesh—eroding India’s” Neighbourhood First” policy.
Chinese ambassador Chen Song emphasized BRI’s role in South Asia in 2023, signaling Beijing’s desire to encircle India. Such maneuvers would undermine India’s regional influence, isolate it diplomatically, and alienate it from its allies in the Global South, and make it appear as a Western proxy.
If India persists in antagonizing China, Beijing could escalate to hard measures. As seen in the 2020 Galwan clash, border tensions may rekindle with incursions in Ladakh or Arunachal Pradesh. China deployed 100 advanced rocket launchers along the Line of Actual Control in 2021, indicating its readiness to escalate.
Naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, leveraging ports like Gwadar, Hambantota and Chattogram, could challenge India’s maritime dominance. India’s telecom, energy, and banking sectors could be targeted by cyberattacks, such as the 2020 Mumbai power outage brought on by Chinese state-sponsored organizations, potentially suffocating its economy.
Proxy threats made by Pakistan or Myanmar, which are potentially armed by China, could put strain on India’s security apparatus on multiple fronts.
Soft power offers China a subtler tool to destabilize Modi’s domestic standing. A goodwill gesture was made in 2024 to allow Indian pilgrimages to begin at Tibet’s Kailash Mansarovar, a sacred site for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. These communities may react negatively to a new ban, putting strain on Modi’s political standing.
In Washington, India’s trade talks with the US this week will test Modi’s ability to navigate this minefield. Beijing clearly has the upper hand with its outsized role in India’s supply chains and minimal reliance on Indian trade.
Modi might have to balance the risks of defiance against the risks of dependence as a result of a mistake that could plunge India into economic turmoil, compromise its security, and weaken its reputation globally.
Bhim Bhurtel is on X at , @BhimBhurtel
Bangkok: Thailand’s exports increased for the ninth consecutive month in March, more than expected, and they reached their highest level in three years, but steep US tariffs are still a problem, according to the commerce ministry’s statement on Thursday ( Apr 24 ). Exports, a major force behind Southeast Asia’sContinue Reading
Indonesia’s finance minister stated on Thursday ( Apr 24 ) that a government delegation was still negotiating terms with Washington to avoid reciprocal tariffs, stressing that Indonesia’s economic growth this year will likely stay at 5 % despite trade tensions. The president’s outlook is almost the same as it wasContinue Reading