Last week, a Pakistani court sentenced a 22-year-old student to death and a 17-year-old student to life imprisonment on blasphemy charges. The court accused them of posting images and videos that hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims. Human Rights Watch reported that Pakistan's use of blasphemy provisions in recent years to prosecute people has increased and constitutes a "dangerous escalation."
In an interview with The New Indian Express, Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that India-US relations are at an all-time high. Crediting Indian PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden for the “consequential ties,” Sandhu noted that India-US ties have become bipartisan, with both Republicans and Democrats supporting it.
Indian Ambassador to the UN Ruchira Kamboj, on Monday, took a veiled swipe at China, condemning it for using its veto powers to block evidence-based terrorist listings at the UN Security Council (UNSC). Kamboj called it “a disguised veto,” which is even more impervious than the direct veto that ignites a discussion amongst the wider membership. She noted that when it comes to the council’s commitment to combating terrorism, blocking terror listings without providing any justification is “uncalled for” and reeks of “doublespeak.”
The Chinese legislature is set to pass a bill reinforcing Communist Party influence over the State Council — China’s cabinet. The amendment to the Organic Law of the State Council, anticipated to be approved on Monday during the National People’s Congress, outlines clauses emphasising the council’s alignment with the Communist Party’s ideology, leadership, and instructions.
China’s leadership concluded a week-long conclave on Monday, acknowledging the need for additional measures to rejuvenate a slowing economy facing challenges from a declining housing market, weak domestic demand, and record-high youth unemployment. Officials openly recognised the complexities, including the difficulty of achieving a modest 5% growth goal and the impact of “hidden risks,” but specific measures for tackling these issues were not addressed.
On Tuesday, the Philippine Foreign Ministry revealed that it had received several maritime-related proposals from China, including one on actions implying recognition of China’s control over the Second Thomas Shoal. However, Manila emphasised that these proposals were incompatible with the Philippines’ national interests and could not be considered, as it deemed them to be a violation of its constitution and international law.