The protest camp run by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has entered its 6,337th day, with families continuing their long-running campaign to learn the whereabouts of relatives they say have been subjected to enforced disappearance. Among those seeking answers is 90-year-old Moria Mary, who said her relatives, Dad Muhammad Mary and Muhammad Saleh Mary, were allegedly taken from Quetta on March 23, 2013. More than 13 years later, she said the family still has no information about what happened to them.

Speaking at the protest camp, Mary appealed to authorities to provide information about the two men and take steps to secure their recovery. She said the families use the camp to bring their grievances to the attention of senior officials and seek information about their missing relatives. VBMP chairman Nasrullah Baloch said families had spent years pursuing what he described as a peaceful and legal campaign for the recovery of their loved ones. He said cases of alleged enforced disappearance had continued in Balochistan for years, leaving affected families facing prolonged emotional distress and psychological pressure.

The camp continues to receive relatives of people who they allege have been forcibly disappeared. Families have called for the immediate recovery of those missing and urged authorities to take measures to prevent further disappearances. The parents of Hammad Khan and Babar Qumbrani also visited the camp. They alleged that although Hammad Khan's arrest was known, his family had not been allowed to meet him. They said Babar Qumbrani continued to remain missing and called for his immediate recovery. Hammad Khan's family also sought permission to meet him.

Relatives of Rafiq, Shakir and Shakir's wife, Gul Bano, who they said disappeared from Awaran, have also approached the VBMP for assistance. Nasrullah Baloch told the families that their concerns would be raised through available forums and urged authorities to take immediate action to locate the missing people.

The issue of missing persons has remained a longstanding human rights concern in Balochistan. Rights groups have repeatedly raised allegations of enforced disappearances and other violations in the province. The VBMP maintains that thousands of Baloch people, including students, intellectuals and political activists, have reportedly disappeared after allegedly being taken by security agencies.

The organisation has claimed that some missing people could be held in detention facilities across Pakistan, while others are feared dead. It has repeatedly called on Pakistani authorities to establish the whereabouts of all missing persons, ensure due legal process and take concrete steps to prevent further alleged enforced disappearances. For the families gathered at the protest camp, the campaign remains focused on one basic demand: information about their loved ones and answers about what happened to those who have been missing for years.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from VBMP.

China is moving ahead with an ambitious aircraft carrier programme, adding increasingly advanced warships to a navy that is rapidly expanding its reach. But as the fleet grows, another question is becoming harder to ignore: does China have enough trained personnel to operate all these carriers effectively? The People's Liberation Army Navy currently has three aircraft carriers, with the Fujian representing a major technological leap over its predecessors. Unlike the Liaoning and Shandong, the Fujian uses electromagnetic catapults, allowing it to launch a broader range of aircraft and operate a more capable air wing. That technological progress, however, also increases the demand for skilled manpower.

An aircraft carrier is effectively a floating military base requiring thousands of sailors, engineers, aircraft technicians, weapons specialists, aviation crews and support personnel. Carrier aviation is particularly demanding because pilots and deck crews need specialised training that can take years to develop. China has been working to build that talent pipeline. The navy has expanded recruitment through schools, universities and dedicated aviation programmes, while also seeking science and engineering graduates for pilot training. The effort is intended to ensure that China's growing carrier fleet is matched by a growing pool of qualified personnel.

The challenge is that numbers alone do not create experience. Operating fighter jets from an aircraft carrier requires skills that are difficult to develop on land. Pilots must learn to land on a moving deck, often under demanding weather and operational conditions. At the same time, deck crews must coordinate aircraft launches, recoveries, refuelling and weapons handling within a highly restricted space.

China has accumulated more than a decade of carrier experience since the Liaoning entered service, but its carrier aviation community remains much younger than those of countries such as the United States. The problem could become more significant if China continues expanding its fleet. More carriers would mean more pilots, instructors, engineers and maintenance crews, along with additional personnel for the destroyers, frigates and supply ships that operate alongside carrier groups.

China's demographic situation could add another layer of difficulty. The country is facing a declining working-age population and increasing competition for technically skilled young people from its civilian technology and manufacturing sectors. The military therefore has to compete for some of the same engineering and scientific talent needed by China's broader economy. Technology may ease part of the pressure. Automation, unmanned aircraft and increasingly sophisticated ship systems could reduce certain manpower requirements. But advanced technology also demands highly trained specialists capable of maintaining and operating complex equipment.

The carrier programme is consequently becoming more than a shipbuilding exercise. The country has demonstrated that it can construct increasingly sophisticated warships at a rapid pace. The bigger test will be whether it can build the human infrastructure needed to keep those ships fully operational. The success of China's carrier ambitions may ultimately depend not simply on how many carriers it launches, but on how many it can crew, train and deploy at the same time. As Beijing expands its naval presence, finding enough experienced people could prove just as important as building the ships themselves.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has granted jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan limited judicial relief by ordering authorities to facilitate proper medical treatment for him amid concerns over his health. The development has brought renewed attention to Khan’s prolonged imprisonment and the legal battles surrounding his detention. The court’s intervention, however, does not mean that Khan has been released or that his convictions have been overturned.

Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023, has repeatedly faced legal challenges involving several criminal cases. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and family have maintained that he has not been given adequate access to medical care and have raised concerns about his health while in custody. Pakistani authorities have rejected allegations of deliberate medical neglect.

The Supreme Court’s order requires authorities to ensure that Khan receives appropriate medical evaluation and treatment. The intervention has been viewed by his supporters as an important judicial development, particularly because access to medical care has become one of the most contentious issues surrounding his detention.

The government, meanwhile, has raised objections to aspects of the court’s direction, particularly over arrangements for treatment outside the prison system. Officials have argued that medical care for prisoners must also take security and administrative considerations into account. Khan was subsequently taken for medical assessment under tight security before being returned to Adiala Jail. The episode has further highlighted the difficulties authorities face in implementing court directions involving a high-profile political prisoner.

The dispute also comes against the backdrop of Khan’s wider legal battle. Although some convictions against him have been overturned or suspended, he continues to face serious cases that keep him behind bars. His supporters argue that the legal proceedings are politically motivated, while the government maintains that the cases are being handled through the judicial system.

The latest Supreme Court intervention offers relief over his treatment and prison conditions rather than a clear path to freedom. Whether the development eventually leads to broader judicial relief will depend on the outcome of his pending appeals and other legal proceedings. The case remains significant for Pakistan because it brings together three highly sensitive issues: the rights of prisoners, the authority of the judiciary and the political future of one of the country’s most influential opposition leaders. The Supreme Court’s intervention has eased one part of Imran Khan’s legal battle, but the larger question of when, or whether, he will walk out of prison remains unanswered.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.

The United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) has appealed to the United Nations and the international community to intervene over what it described as a deteriorating human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK). The party urged Pakistan to immediately stop what it called the excessive and lethal use of force against peaceful protesters and civilians. In a post on X, UKPNP spokesperson Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan expressed serious concern over reported civilian deaths and injuries, arbitrary arrests, alleged enforced disappearances, communication blackouts, movement restrictions and actions against political activists and human rights defenders.

According to Khan, information attributed to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), along with reports in international media, suggests that dozens of Kashmiris have been killed since June 5, 2026. The UKPNP also claimed that hundreds of people have been arrested or detained, while families remain unaware of the whereabouts of some of their relatives.

The party has called for the immediate restoration of mobile networks, internet services and other communication facilities, arguing that the restrictions have isolated communities and prevented Kashmiris living abroad from maintaining contact with their families. The UKPNP also raised concerns over what it described as punitive measures against individuals, including their placement under Schedule IV, suspension or blocking of passports and identity documents, deactivation of SIM cards, restrictions on bank accounts, limitations on movement, arrests and alleged intimidation of activists and human rights defenders.

Khan said the party wants authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of all detained and reportedly missing individuals. It also demanded that detainees be allowed to meet their families and lawyers and receive necessary medical treatment, while being provided access to an independent and impartial judicial process.

The UKPNP further called for the release of people it said had been detained solely for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights. It also demanded the immediate return of the bodies of deceased protesters that it alleged were still being withheld by authorities, saying families should be allowed to conduct dignified funerals without intimidation or pressure.

The party has additionally called for independent investigations into allegations of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, unlawful detention and excessive use of force. It also sought inquiries into allegations involving the destruction or vandalism of homes, shops, businesses and private property, saying anyone found responsible for criminal acts should face accountability through credible and impartial legal proceedings.

The UKPNP said Pakistan, as a member of the United Nations and a party to major international human rights instruments, has an obligation to respect and protect fundamental rights. It urged authorities to restore freedom of movement, expression, peaceful assembly and association, along with access to communications, healthcare, legal assistance and essential services. The party also demanded the restoration of blocked passports, identity documents, SIM cards and bank accounts. It maintained that such documents and services should not be used as instruments of political pressure or retaliation against individuals exercising peaceful political rights. The allegations made by the UKPNP could not be independently verified from the information provided. The situation remains politically sensitive, with competing claims surrounding the protests, security measures and the treatment of civilians in the region.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.

As floods continue to affect communities across Nepal and Tibet, the Red Cross is assessing the urgent humanitarian needs, efforts to locate missing people and the difficulties involved in delivering assistance to hard-hit areas. Elakeyaa Selvaraji and Hairianto Diman also examine how the Singapore Red Cross’s S$50,000 humanitarian contribution will aid relief operations, the circumstances that could lead to a deployment in Nepal and how members of the public in Singapore can support the response. They discuss these issues with Benjamin William, Secretary General and CEO of the Singapore Red Cross.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Singapore’s prison population is ageing, with one in six inmates now aged 60 or above, compared with one in 10 in 2019. Daniel Martin spoke with Quentin Lee, Assistant Director and Lead Psychologist at the Singapore Prison Service’s Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division, who is part of a National Committee sub-group focused on preventing offending and re-offending among older adults. They explored the factors driving the rise in elderly inmates and examined the support needed to help older offenders and ex-offenders break the cycle of crime and reintegration into society.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Rescue teams in Japan have continued their search operations overnight as they race to find survivors following a powerful earthquake that struck Kyushu Island. Several people remain unaccounted for after the 7.1-magnitude quake caused buildings to collapse, with many feared trapped beneath the debris of a shopping centre. CNA Senior Correspondent Michiyo Ishida joins Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman to provide the latest updates on the rescue efforts and situation on the ground.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Israel and Iran have carried out direct strikes against each other for the first time since an April ceasefire, increasing concerns that the situation could escalate into a wider regional conflict. The Israeli attacks appear to go against advice from Donald Trump, who reportedly urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respond militarily to Iran in order to protect ongoing peace negotiations from collapsing. Journalist Nosheen Iqbal discusses the developments with the Guardian’s senior international correspondent Julian Borger.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.