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Colombo, April 12 (IANS) The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), a 141-page document, formally adopted during China's National People's Congress (NPC) Two Sessions in early March 2026 appears to be a strategic blueprint for deepening Beijing's presence across the developing world, more so in South Asia, a media report said on Sunday.

The Two Sessions, which bring together the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, function as the institutional machinery through which the Communist Party converts political priorities into binding policy.

Under Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, these documents have shifted further away from high-speed growth toward technological self-reliance, national security, and state guidance of the economy, said a report in Asia News Post.

This year's sessions institutionalised that shift at scale, and South Asia is expected to feel the consequences across the next five years in ways that go well beyond conventional infrastructure lending.

China watchers have noted that Beijing is likely to leverage the overall planning process for the 15th Five-Year Plan, a 141-page document, to augment support for its Global Governance Initiative and Global Development Initiative from Global South countries, the media report added.

South Asian states except India are, for the most part, poorly positioned to resist this logic.

Their infrastructure financing needs remain enormous, their capacity to independently develop AI governance frameworks is limited, and the institutional alternatives, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Western bilateral lenders, move slowly and come with conditionalities that are politically costly.

Beijing's offer is quicker, cheaper to accept in the short term, and packaged in the language of South-South solidarity and shared development.

The Two Sessions and the 15th Five-Year Plan together signal that China's South Asia strategy has matured beyond the blunt instrument of loans for ports. It has become more subtle, more technology-dense and significantly harder to reverse.

"The question for Dhaka, Colombo, Kathmandu, and Islamabad is not whether they wish to engage with China, the trade and investment numbers make disengagement implausible," the media report said.

The question is whether they are building the institutional capacity to set terms on that engagement before the next five years lock in a new generation of dependencies.

On current evidence, most are not moving fast enough to answer that question confidently, the media report added.

--IANS

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Abu Dhabi, April 12 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar called on UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and conveyed greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar expressed gratitude to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in the UAE during the conflict in West Asia.

Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was also present during the meeting.

"Deeply honoured to call on President of UAE HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi today. Conveyed warm greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our gratitude for ensuring well-being of the Indian community during the West Asia conflict. Thank him for his guidance on further strengthening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," EAM Jaishankar posted on X.

In another post, he wrote: "Good to see HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum during the call. Conveyed the appreciation of our Government for ensuring the welfare of the Indian community in Dubai."

EAM Jaishankar is on a two-day official visit to the UAE. On Saturday, he held talks with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the evolving situation in West Asia and its wider implications.

The External Affairs Minister expressed confidence that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations will advance further.

"A real pleasure to meet DPM and FM of UAE Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi this evening. Our conversation focused on the evolving regional situation and its implications. Conveyed our deep appreciation for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in the UAE. Confident that our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will advance further," he wrote on X.

EAM Jaishankar also interacted with the members of the Indian community on Saturday. During his interaction, he highlighted the Indian government's ongoing efforts towards the security and well-being of its nationals amidst the West Asia conflict.

"Started my visit to the UAE interacting with the members of the Indian Community. Spoke about GOI's efforts towards their well-being and security amidst the West Asia conflict. Appreciated their contributions to the local society during these difficult times. As well as the support of the Government of the UAE in ensuring welfare of the Indian community," the minister posted on X after the meeting.

EAM Jaishankar arrived in the UAE on Saturday for a two-day official visit after concluding his visit to Mauritius, where he participated in the 9th Indian Ocean Conference and met the country's leadership.

--IANS

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Islamabad, April 12 (IANS) People are facing series of problems, from buying edibles to daily essentials in Pakistan's Rawalpindi as the markets have remained shut at the behest of district administration, local media reported on Sunday.

Markets in Rawalpindi remained shut due to the security reasons as US-Iran talks were held in Islamabad. The worst-impacted regions of Rawalpindi were Peshawar Road, Murree Road and areas which shared border with Islamabad, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. All shops, including milk shops, tandoors, and grocery shops, remained shut. The main grain market in Raja Bazaar of Rawalpindi also remained shut.

Rawalpindi Traders Association leader Shahid Ghafoor Paracha said that shopkeepers were told to keep their shops shut on Saturday and Sunday as per the district administration's instructions.

Meanwhile, residents faced problems in buying edibles as milk shops and bakeries remained shut. Mohammad Qamar, a resident, said, "I had to get roti from the inner streets of Raja Bazaar as the tandoor was closed."

Mohammad Riaz, a resident, said many vegetable shops were shut in the market and it was difficult to make chapati at home due to low pressure of gas in many parts of the city, Dawn reported.

Sajid Mehmood, a resident, said that shops had been shut for the past two days and it was difficult to buy vegetables and milk.

People also faced problems in commuting as there was a shortage of public transport on the roads. A passenger said, "Taxi cabs and rickshaw drivers are cashing in on the situation and charging higher fares."

The markets remained shut as the authorities asked traders to not open shops due to the security reasons for the negotiations between US and Iran, which failed to produce an agreement.

US Vice President J D Vance said negotiations with Iran failed to produce an agreement after more than 20 hours of talks in Islamabad, warning that Tehran’s refusal to accept Washington’s terms was “bad news for Iran much more than it's bad news for the United States of America.”

“We have been at it now for 21 hours, and we've had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That's the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance told reporters at a press conference in the early hours of Sunday morning .

The Vice President said US negotiators had clearly outlined their position but Tehran declined to accept the terms.

“We've made very clear what our red lines are, what things we're willing to accommodate them on, and what things we're not willing to accommodate them on, and we've made that as clear as we possibly could, and they have chosen not to accept our terms,” he said .

Vance emphasised that the core US objective remained preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability.

“The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” he said .

He added that Washington was seeking long-term assurances from Tehran, not temporary commitments.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) Pakistan’s National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has delivered a major shock to the country’s consumers with an increase in electricity tariffs by Rs 1.42 per unit under the monthly fuel cost adjustment, citing a variation in fuel charges for February 2026.

The Rs 1.42 per unit rise for February’s fuel adjustment will now be collected from consumers in April bills and, according to some reports, the overall additional burden consumers now have to shoulder comes to around Rs10.57 billion, according to an editorial piece in Pakistan’s The News International.

Aside from conserving fuel, the austerity measures the government has taken in the wake of the Middle East conflict can also be seen as a way to help people save money. However, in this country, be it the pump or the home, there does not appear to be anywhere people can hide from price and tariff hikes.

And for now, the global energy future remains murky. As such, Pakistanis could well find themselves paying more for fuel and for power through this month, the article laments.

There is also the impact on the country’s beleaguered industry to consider. A representative of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has reportedly said that the industrial sector has already borne an aggregate burden of Rs 564.7 billion over the past three years and that further increases would be detrimental to sustainability and industrial viability, the article observes.

However, Pakistan’s power malaise long pre-dates the Middle East turmoil. In FY2024-25, Pakistan’s power distribution sector bled a combined Rs 397 billion due to transmission and distribution losses and weak bill recoveries. If this is not in the control of the authorities, it should be. So should the hefty fixed payments made to power producers regardless of output and the low utilisation of power plants, the report points out.

--IANS

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Kabul, April 12 (IANS) Condemnations poured in after a gun attack occurred at a shrine in Afghanistan's Injil district, where gunmen opened fire on civilians, killing and injuring several people.

The European Union has condemned attack on civilians in Afghanistan's Herat and expressed solidarity with those affected.

"The EU condemns all acts of terror against civilians, in any form and by any actor. Such violence is never justified. Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the heinous attack in Herat. We stand in full solidarity with all those affected," the Delegation of the European Union to Afghanistan posted on X.

UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, called for a probe into the attack targeting Shia community members in Herat, calling for accountability for those responsible.

In a post on X, Bennett stated that the attack on Shia community members in Herat, "resulting in multiple civilian deaths & injuries, appears to fit a pattern and must be not only condemned but independently investigated and perpetrators brought to justice."

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai condemned attack on civilians by armed men in Herat and expressed sympathies with the families of the victims.

"Former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai strongly condemns the attack by armed individuals on ordinary people in Herat's Angil district, which resulted in the martyrdom and wounding of a number of our compatriots, including women and children, and considers it a crime against humanity. The former president extends condolences and sympathies to the families of the martyrs over this tragic incident and prays for the swift recovery of the wounded," Karzai posted on X.

The statement comes after an attack occurred at a shrine in Injil district on Friday, where gunmen opened fire on people, killing and injuring several people. Casualty figures differ as hospital sources report higher numbers than official accounts, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported.

According to the reports, armed men riding motorcycles targeted people from a close range after separating men from women, with many victims believed to be from the Shia community. According to local sources, the gunmen looted victims before firing on them and fleeing from the spot, Khaama Press reported.

In recent years, attacks targeting minority communities, especially Shiites, have been reported in western Afghanistan, sparking concerns about recurring violence.

--IANS

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Seoul, April 12 (IANS) A fire broke out at a cold storage warehouse in a southwestern county on Sunday, leaving two firefighters dead as the blaze intensified during rescue operations, South Korean authorities said.

The fire started at around 8:25 am at a fisheries processing company's warehouse in the county of Wando, South Jeolla Province, prompting authorities to mobilise more than 100 firefighters. It was extinguished after about three hours, according to the Wando Fire Station, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Two firefighters became trapped inside the warehouse and were later found dead, it noted.

According to fire authorities, the blaze is believed to have started while workers were using a torch to remove paint from the building as part of floor-levelling and repaving work.

A fishery company official inhaled smoke and was sent to a nearby hospital, but was not in life-threatening condition.

Lee Min-seok, chief of the Wando Fire Station, said the two firefighters were unable to escape after re-entering the site to extinguish residual flames following the initial operation.

"Oil mist presumed to have been floating near the ceiling exploded," Lee said at a press briefing. "The operations chief ordered seven firefighters to evacuate after spotting black smoke and flames via radio communication, but two were unable to exit."

Fire authorities said they plan to investigate the exact cause of the blaze.

Investigators suspect that epoxy flooring, which is highly flammable, may have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames, compounded by the presence of sandwich panels in parts of the structure, which likely hampered firefighting efforts.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was briefed on the incident and instructed fire authorities to mobilise all available resources to put out the fire and carry out rescue operations, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

In a post on social media platform X, Lee extended condolences to the deceased firefighters, aged 44 and 30, and their bereaved families.

"They rushed to the most dangerous scene to protect the lives and safety of the people, and fulfilled their duties to the very end," Lee wrote. "I bow my head in tribute to their courage and dedication."

Lee said the government takes the incident "seriously" and will make efforts to ensure a safer environment for firefighters to carry out their missions.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) Finance ministers and central bankers from the 191 member countries will attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank’s spring meetings, to be held from April 13-18 in Washington, DC, to take stock of the global economic uncertainties amid the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran and continuing uncertainties over the outcome of the peace talks.

IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva has warned that the new economic forecasts, to be published on Tuesday, along with a report on global financial stability, are likely to be downgraded amid the economic shocks of the Middle East conflict.

In January, world output was seen rising 3.3 per cent this year, with expansions of 2.1 per cent in the US, 1.4 per cent in the euro zone and 5.4 per cent across emerging Asia. These are likely to be scaled down when the new estimates are announced.

Georgieva has pointed out that the resilient world economy is being tested again by the war in the Middle East. The conflict has caused considerable hardship around the globe.

“When we welcome ministers and central bank governors to our Spring Meetings next week, our focus will be on how best to weather this latest shock and ease the pain on economies and people. This requires understanding the nature of the shock, the channels through which it affects the economy, the size of the impact, and the policies that can mitigate it,” she said,

The world’s daily oil flow has been cut by some 13 per cent, and its LNG flow by some 20 per cent, resulting in prices shooting up and disruption in supply chains across the world.

The annual and spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group each year bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives, civil society representatives, and academics to discuss the state of the global economy and issues of international concern, such as the growth outlook, financial stability, and poverty reduction.

The Board of Governors consists of a high-level representative from each of the 191 member countries, typically the finance minister, central bank governor, or minister of development. During the Meetings, the Governors participate in a plenary session and discuss the challenges for the global economy. They also decide on major policy issues related to the future work of the two organisations, which are subsequently implemented by their respective Executive Boards.

In addition, the IMF's International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the joint IMF-World Bank Development Committee (DC) meet to discuss progress on the work of the two organizations.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 12 (IANS) An exhibition titled 'Angels of Minab', showcasing drawings made by children, has been organised at the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi, featuring artwork retrieved from the debris of a girls' elementary school in Minab that was destroyed on February 28 following a series of joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.

The strike on the school took place during the early phase of the US-Israeli military offensive, resulting in the deaths of more than 165 children and staff members.

Reports suggest that a US Tomahawk missile struck the site near an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base. Subsequent US assessments acknowledged American responsibility, attributing the incident to a targeting error rather than a deliberate attack.

Through the exhibition, the Embassy sought to draw attention to the stark human cost of the conflict, presenting the recovered drawings as reflections of a world once filled with innocence and hope.

The initiative also aligns with Iran's broader diplomatic messaging, particularly in the aftermath of the collapse of peace talks with the United States in Islamabad.

In a post on X, the Embassy stated, "These are drawings that have been brought out from beneath the rubble of a school in Minab. A school that was destroyed following a military attack by the US and the Zionist regime."

"Pages that were recovered through the efforts of Red Crescent rescue teams, and have been restored only to the extent that they can be seen. The world depicted in them is still simple, bright, and trustworthy. But the world outside did not remain so. Children, in no war, should be victims; yet in every war, many worlds collapse with their extinguishing," it added.

Earlier on Saturday, a symbolic image from aboard an aircraft carrying Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf to Islamabad, showing portraits of children killed in the Minab school attack, was placed on aeroplane seats alongside backpacks and roses.

During the flight to Islamabad, Ghalibaf used the high-stakes journey to present a striking visual message. Inside the aircraft, several empty seats were arranged with photographs and personal belongings of victims of the Minab school strike.

Sharing the image on X, Ghalibaf wrote, "My companions on this flight, Minab 168", referring to the children and staff who lost their lives in the February 28, 2026, strike on an elementary school in Minab.

The Minab school strike has been widely described as one of the deadliest single incidents involving civilian casualties in the early days of the conflict, with children forming the majority of those killed.

The school was located less than 100 yards from the boundary of an IRGC naval base. However, satellite imagery and historical records indicate that the building was physically separated from the base by a wall and had been fully repurposed for civilian educational use between 2013 and 2016.

US officials have maintained that the strike on the school was unintended, describing it as a case of misidentification during targeting rather than an intentional effort to hit a civilian facility.

--IANS

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Washington, April 12 (IANS) US President Donald Trump was closely involved in high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran and has backed a “final and best offer” to Tehran after negotiations in Islamabad collapsed without agreement, Vice President J D Vance said.

“We leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We'll see if the Irans accept it,” Vance told reporters after 21 hours of negotiations .

The Vice President underscored Trump’s direct role in the talks, describing constant communication between the negotiating team and the White House.

“We were talking to the president consistently. I don't know how many times we talked to him. A half dozen times, a dozen times over the past 21 hours,” Vance said.

He said the President had instructed negotiators to pursue a deal in good faith but with clear limits.

“The president told us, you need to come here in good faith and make your best effort to get a deal. We did that,” Vance said .

Despite intensive engagement, the talks failed to bridge differences over Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We have been at it now for 21 hours… we've had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That's the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” he said .

Washington, he added, had clearly laid out its negotiating boundaries.

“We've made very clear what our red lines are… and they have chosen not to accept our terms,” Vance said .

At the core of the impasse is the US demand for a long-term guarantee that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons capability.

“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable 'em to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” he said .

Vance emphasised that Washington is seeking durable assurances, not temporary pledges.

“Do we see a fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon? Not just now, not just two years from now, but for the long term. We haven't seen that yet,” he said .

He also highlighted the broader national security coordination behind the negotiations, noting that the team remained in touch with senior officials throughout.

“We obviously also talked to… the entire national security team… because we were negotiating in good faith,” Vance said .

While declining to disclose specific sticking points, Vance maintained that the US side had shown flexibility.

“I think that we were quite flexible. We were quite accommodating… and unfortunately we weren't able to make any headway,” he said.

--IANS

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Islamabad, April 12 (IANS) US Vice President JD Vance is on board the aircraft departing Pakistan after marathon negotiations with Iran ended without a deal.

No agreement was reached between the United States and Iran in the latest round of talks held in Islamabad, US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday, as negotiations concluded without a breakthrough despite intensive engagement, Xinhua news agency reported.

Vance said the US side had presented its "final and best offer" after nearly a day of continuous communication, adding that a number of substantive discussions were conducted in "good faith," but the proposal had yet to secure acceptance.

He said Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities have been "destroyed," shifting the focus of negotiations to securing a long-term commitment from Tehran not to develop nuclear weapons.

The US vice president said the key question now is whether Iran is willing to demonstrate sustained intent to refrain from pursuing nuclear capabilities, not only in the immediate term but in the years ahead.

"The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon," Vance said. "That is the core goal of the president of the United States, and that's what we've been trying to achieve through these negotiations."

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency also reported on Sunday that negotiations between Iran and the United States in Islamabad have concluded without an outcome, as the US "excessive demands" hindered a common framework and agreement.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on X that in the past 24 hours, discussions with the United States were held on various dimensions of the main negotiation topics, including the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting of sanctions, and the complete end to the war against Iran and in the region.

He said that the success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran's legitimate rights and interests.

--IANS

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