China, Pakistan and Bangladesh are in advanced talks to establish a new regional cooperation framework that could serve as an alternative to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), according to a report by Pakistan’s Express Tribune.
Citing diplomatic sources, the report said high-level discussions took place on 19 June in Kunming, China, where officials from the three countries explored the groundwork for a broader regional alliance. The aim, reportedly, is to create a platform that could include other South Asian states frustrated by SAARC’s prolonged inactivity.
SAARC, founded in 1985 in Dhaka, has been largely dormant since 2016, when its 19th summit was cancelled following withdrawals by India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The boycott was in protest over security tensions in the region, particularly between India and Pakistan.
The proposed new bloc would prioritise economic integration, infrastructure connectivity and regional cooperation. Sources quoted by the Express Tribune suggested that Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Afghanistan could be invited to join. India, while likely to receive an invitation, is not expected to participate due to ongoing strategic rifts with both Pakistan and China.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi ...
The 25th World Petroleum Council (WPC) Energy Congress began in Riyadh on Sunday (11 October), running from 11 to 15 October under the theme &ldquo...
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment