Tag Archives: Aung San Suu Kyi

Neighborhood News Digest – 16 February 2023

Afghanistan
Afghanistan remains primary source of terrorist threat for Central and South Asia: UN report – The Hindu

Afghanistan remains the primary source of terrorist threat for Central and South Asia, with groups such as ISIL-K, Al-Qaeda and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan enjoying greater freedom of movement in the country owing to the absence of an effective Taliban security strategy, a UN report has said. Click here to read…

‘India, Iran, China missions in Kabul facing terror risk’ – Hindustan Times

The embassies of India, China, and Iran in Kabul face the threat of attack by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP), which has strengthened its capacity faster than anticipated and positioned itself as the primary rival to the Taliban setup in Afghanistan, according to assessments by several countries. Click here to read…

Uzbekistan resumes operations on Afghanistan railroad after dispute – Eurasianet

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have signed an agreement on an Uzbek-operated railroad that runs on Afghan territory, allowing the full resumption of vital cargo and aid deliveries after a short hiatus. That will come as a relief to Kabul, since the deal resolves a dispute over the railroad Afghanistan uses to receive around half of its imports and much of its humanitarian aid. Click here to read…

ISIS Is the Common Enemy Of Afghanistan, International Community: Khalilzad – Menafn

Zalmay Khalilzad, Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation says that ISIS is the common enemy of Afghanistan and the International Community. The Afghan-American diplomat on Twitter said that cooperation against ISIS (Daesh) can be an important part of future relations. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
FS Kwatra calls on PM Hasina, reaffirms India’s support for deeper economic partnership with Bangladesh – Economic Times

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday called on Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during which he reaffirmed India’s support for wider and deeper development and economic partnership with her country. They also agreed to maintain close engagement in the context of Bangladesh’s participation as a Guest Country during India’s G20 Presidency. Click here to read…

Bangladesh seeks US support for RAB’s capacity building – Dhaka Tribune

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday sought US support for increased capacity of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) while visiting US state department Counsellor Derek Chollet acknowledged improvement in performance of the Bangladesh’s elite anti-crime police unit. Click here to read…

‘We hope China will help repatriate Rohingyas’ – The Daily Star

State Minister for the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman yesterday expressed hope that China will help to repatriate Rohingya people. Enamur made the comments after a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen at the ministry’s office at Bangladesh Secretariat. “We hope China will play an important role in repatriating forcefully displaced Rohingya people to Myanmar,” said Enamur. Click here to read…

Bhutan
India to help Bangladesh import hydropower from Nepal, Bhutan: FS – United News of Bangladesh

India has assured Bangladesh of extending its cooperation for importing hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan through India, said Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen Wednesday. Talking to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, he said they also discussed the “practical problem” in terms of transmission lines inside Bangladesh as there is a need for expanding the transmission network and boosting its capacity. Click here to read…

More bans likely to save dwindling foreign exchange reserves – Kuensel

To save the plummeting country’s foreign exchange reserves, it is likely the government will add more items to the import ban list and monetary measures. In addition to the continuation of the moratorium on vehicle import, the finance ministry has proposed to the Cabinet, a phase-II moratorium to suspend construction loans and put a ban on the import of furniture, processed meat and food items, junk foods, alcohol, and LED television. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives Non-Resident Ambassador presents credentials to President of Finland – Raajje

Aishath Shaan Shakir has presented her credentials as the Non-Resident Ambassador of Maldives to the Federal Republic of Germany. The Maldivian Ambassador to Germany and the Kingdom of Norway as well, Shaan presented her Letter of Credence to President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö during a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Young leaders are the strength and future of Maldives – Raajje

The young leaders of today are the strength and future of the country, says First Lady Fazna Ahmed. She said this in her remarks at the virtual opening of the 2nd Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) and the Big Six Movement on Wednesday. As such, she urged the society to pay attention to the growth and development of girl guides and young leaders. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Myanmar: Supreme Court Rejects Aung San Suu Kyi’s Appeal On Corruption Charges – Eurasia Review

Myanmar’s Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s appeal of two corruption charges, sources close to the court told Radio Free Asia. Suu Kyi, 77, was sentenced by a military junta court in October to three years in Naypyidaw Prison for two corruption cases that involved charges of accepting money from Maung Weik, a businessman linked to the military. Click here to read…

Four Myanmar Parties Register for Junta Election – The Irrawaddy

The USDP, FDP and MPD were among 34 parties that met military chief Min Aung Hlaing ahead of the 2020 general election. The party leaders sought the commander-in-chief’s assurance that he would intervene if voting was deemed unfair. They also called for then UEC chairman U Hla Thein to be replaced, saying they do not trust him because he was appointed by the National League for Democracy (NLD). Click here to read…

Kinship across border: How Nagas helped their Myanmar brethren – East Mojo

February marked the second anniversary of the Myanmar coup but on February 2, 2023, residents of Chiu Village, also known as Solo, a Myanmar Naga settlement adjacent to the Indian border in Noklak district of Nagaland were not thinking about any protests. Instead, they watched as a fire caused by a solar panel malfunction gutted over 70 houses and a Morung. Click here to read…

Nepal
Demand to make Nepal a ‘Hindu Nation’ intensifies again, millions of people gathered – News Track Live

The demand to make our neighboring country Nepal a Hindu nation once again has started intensifying and this campaign has also got the support of the country’s former Maharaja Gyanendra Shah. Former king Gyanendra Shah on Monday (February 13) joined an important campaign related to the restoration of the former status of the Hindu state. This was Gyanendra Shah’s first political presence after the end of the monarchy in Nepal. Significantly, this campaign has been launched on a day when the violent Maoist-turned-PM Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ Nepal government declared a public holiday in the country to mark the completion of 23 years of the Maoist war. Click here to read…

Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to visit India on first foreign trip as Nepal PM soon: Reports – Economic Times

Nepal and India have discussed the possibility of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” visiting New Delhi on his first foreign trip after assuming power in December last year, according to a media report on Wednesday. Prachanda discussed his intention to visit India during his meeting with Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Monday, officials said. Click here to read…

Creating a paper device to improve public health in Nepal – Nature.com

While working on his PhD at the University of Wyoming in Laramie in early 2010, Basant Giri worked with a microfluidic chip, a device half the size of a credit card that can channel the flow of a tiny amount of fluid for early cancer screening. Giri found that these minuscule devices could detect cancer biomarkers using 100-fold lower sample volumes than those required by conventional, bulky laboratory equipment. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Pak Hikes Fuel Prices To Historic High With Effect From Today. Details Here – NDTV

Hours after unleashing a tax-loaded mini-budget, Pakistan on Wednesday night hiked up the prices of petrol and gas to a historic high in a bid to appease the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for unlocking the critical loan tranche, reported Geo News. The petrol price has been increased to 272 rupees per litre after an increase of 22.20 rupees, a press release from the Finance Division read, noting that the surge has taken place due to the rupee’s devaluation against the dollar. Click here to read…

Inflation in Pakistan could average 33% in H1 2023, says Moody’s economist – Times of India

Inflation in Pakistan could average 33% in the first half of 2023 before trending lower, and a bailout from the International Monetary Fund alone is unlikely to put the economy back on track, a senior economist with Moody’s Analytics told Reuters. Click here to read…

Fitch downgrades Pakistan’s rating; warns default a ‘real possibility’ – India Today

The beleaguered Pakistani economy faces substantial credit risks with “critically low levels” of foreign exchange reserves, New York-based global ratings agency Fitch said on Tuesday, warning that a default is a “real possibility.” Fitch downgraded Pakistan’s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating (IDR) to ‘CCC-’ from ‘CCC+’, citing further worsening in liquidity and policy risks. Click here to read…

Pakistan court cancels bail of ex-PM Imran Khan in Election Commission protest case – The Hindu

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the bail of former Prime Minister Imran Khan for failing to attend the court hearing of a case linked to protests outside the election commission, a ruling which could lead to his arrest. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists staged a protest after Khan was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the prohibited funding case last year. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
China silent on debt reduction targets for Sri Lanka to get IMF bailout loan – Economic Times

China on Wednesday said it supports debt-trapped Sri Lanka’s efforts to get the much-needed IMF bailout facility but parried questions on reports that it will not follow the global lender’s debt reduction targets for it to clear the relief package. Last month, China gave Sri Lanka the financing assurances required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unlock a USD 2.9 billion bailout package for the country, days after India strongly backed the island nation’s efforts to secure the loan from the global lender to recover from its worst-ever economic crisis. China’s EXIM Bank has issued a letter granting Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on repayment and agreeing with the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Click here to read…

The Geopolitics of Sri Lanka’s Energy Crisis – Diplomat

Two top foreign officials visited Sri Lanka within a fortnight spanning late January and early February. The optics of these tightly choreographed events may have obscured the nuts-and-bolts objectives sought by the United States and India. As Quad members, the two powers are on the same page in their bid to counter China’s influence the region. With Sri Lanka going through its worst-ever economic crisis and on its knees for an IMF bailout, diplomatic interactions with such visitors take place in the shadow of a glaring power imbalance. Click here to read…

Defence co-operation with Sri Lanka explored at Aero India – Economy Next

Sri Lanka’s State Minister for Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon at an aviation confab has brought out the potential for greater defence co-operation between the two countries, India’s embassy in Colombo said. Forums like Aero India can be used for defence cooperation through joint ventures, co-development and production whilst investing in research and development, the High Commission quoted Minister Tennakoon as saying.Minister Tennakoon had been accompanied by a business delegation from Sri Lanka to identify avenues for greater cooperation. Click here to read…

Pakistan-Sri Lanka underline strong defence ties – Island

Sri Lankan Defence leadership has stressed the importance of maintaining existing strong military-to-military cooperation and expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s unstinted support in the past.The following is the text of statement issued by Pakistan High Commission in Colombo after the five-day visit undertaken by General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI (M), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Pakistan. It was his maiden overseas visit after his appointment as CJCSC. He arrived in Sri Lanka on 9th Feb on special invitation of his counterpart General Shavendra Silva, and was accorded a red carpet reception and a traditional welcome upon his arrival at BIA. During his stay, General Sahir called on the President of Sri Lanka, Secretary Defence, Chief of Defence Staff and Commanders of Sri Lankan Army, Navy and Air Force. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – January 02, 2023

Afghanistan
Blast Outside Military Airport in Kabul; Casualties Reported: Tolo News

A blast took place on Sunday morning near the gate of the military airport in Kabul, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said. MoI spokesman Abdul Nafay Takoor said that the blast inflicted casualties, leaving several people dead and wounded. But he did not provide the exact number of casualties. “The incident happened at around 08:00 am. There were civilian casualties. Some people were wounded. But officials arrived and took action,” said Mohammad Fahim, a eyewitness. Click here to read…

UN Representative Meets Abdul Salam Hanifi over Women’s rights in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

A senior United Nations official in Afghanistan met with the deputy prime minister of the acting government in Kabul on Sunday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a ban on women working for NGOs. The Decision mandated that all the country’s international and domestic non-governmental organizations stopped employing women and stated that they did not follow the Islamic Hijab. This came after banning girls’ students from attending middle and high school, then universities, and working in most professions. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Saidpur airport to boost connectivity with Nepal, Bhutan – The Daily Star

Efforts to turn Saidpur airport in Nilphamari into an international airport are underway as making it a key transit point would boost connectivity with Nepal, Bhutan and the Seven Sister states of India, according to government officials. The northernmost airport in Bangladesh sits on 136.56 acres of land some 260 kilometres away from Dhaka by air with flights requiring about 48 minutes to reach the capital. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
Implementing 10 points a key New Year’s challenge: BNP – New Age

Our challenge in the coming days is to implement the 10 points. We also must free our leader (Khaleda Zia) and bring Tarique Rahman back to the country to give him the opportunity to do politics freely,’ he said. BNP leader also said that they would have to have all the arrested party leaders and workers, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee member Mirza Abbas, freed from jail. ‘To do this, the current government has to be removed from power as soon as possible. So, we must get united and move forward with courage to implement the 10 points and bring about a change through it,’ he observed. Click here to read…

EAM Points Out To ‘intense Challenge’ With China & ‘successful Diplomacy’ With Bangladesh – Republic World

Speaking about relations with Bangladesh in Vienna, Jaishankar said, “But if there is one border and one region which has dramatically improved in the last decade, it is actually eastern and northeastern India. And the reason for that is that we have actually vastly improved our relationship with Bangladesh. We have settled our land boundary agreement with that country. And really, that is an example of successful diplomacy that has directly contributed.” Click here to read…

New Omicron subvariant BF.7 found in Bangladesh – The Daily Star

The new subvariant of Omicron, BF.7, has been found in Bangladesh, confirmed IEDCR. Tahmina Shirin, director of Epidemiology, Research and Disease Control, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star. The subvariant was found in four passengers from Kunming, who tested positive for Covid at Dhaka airport on December 26 afternoon after the authorities geared up health screening. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives welcomes the first tourist of 2023 – Edition

The Maldives has welcomed its first tourist for the year 2023. On Sunday, Maldives welcomed Nikolai Stratichuk, who visited from Russia. As the first visitor to the Maldives this year, Stratichuk received a five-night stay at Reethi Faru Resort. He also recieved a gift from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the Ministry of Tourism, and Dhiraagu. Click here to read…

“Maldives Foreign Service prioritized gender equality in 2022” – Raajje

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has stated that the Maldives Foreign Service, in the year 2022, prioritized gender equality, building an inclusive and considerate workplace, in their work. Minister Shahid stated this in his new year message on Saturday. Minister Shahid in his message noted that the Maldives successfully led the establishment of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy to be commemorated on 24 June. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Myanmar extends ceasefire until end of 2023 – Vietnam Plus

Myanmar’s military has extended its ceasefire agreement with Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) until the end of 2023, according to a statement released by the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services on the last day of 2022. As per the statement, the military has extended the ceasefire agreement for 21 times between December 21, 2018 and December 31, 2022. Click here to read…

Myanmar pro-democracy fighters count bloody cost of struggle – NHK

Nearly two years after a military junta seized power, Myanmar remains mired in conflict and chaos. Armed pro-democracy fighters are offering a dogged resistance that has made it impossible for the regime to consolidate control, but their drawn-out struggle is taking a heavy toll. Click here to read…

Mizoram CM seeks UN action to contain drug trafficking from Myanmar – The Sangai Express

To curb the illegal drugs trafficking and smuggling of various contraband goods from Myanmar, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has urged the UN to take proactive steps on the issue. He said that drugs trading and poppy cultivation that has been going on in Mynamar is being smuggled to Mizoram and the Government of Mizoram is facing big challenges of drug trafficking in the State. Click here to read…

Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced To 33-year Prison By Myanmar Court: What Are The Many Corruption Charges – Outlook India

A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi of corruption Friday, sentencing her to seven years in prison in the last of a string of criminal cases against her, a legal official said. The court’s action leaves her with a total of 33 years to serve in prison after a series of politically tinged prosecutions since the army toppled her elected government in February 2021. Click here to read…

Nepal
Nepal PM opens airport built with China’s help – The Tribune

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Sunday inaugurated a regional international airport built with the Chinese assistance in country’s western tourist hub of Pokhara. The PRIA, a flagship project of Nepal-China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, was constructed with Chinese loan assistance. The government had signed a USD 215.96 million soft loan agreement with China in March 2016 for the construction of the new airport in the lake city. Click here to read…

Nepal’s outstanding debt increased by Rs 228 billion during mid-April and mid-October – My Republica

Nepal’s public debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio has reached 41.38 percent as of the first quarter end of the current fiscal year. The first quarterly report released by the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) shows that the country’s outstanding debt has reached Rs 2.078 trillion by mid-October. The government records show that the government borrowing increased by Rs 228 billion during six months’ period starting from mid-April 2022. Click here to read…

Nepal risks being ‘greylisted’ for abetting money laundering – The Kathmandu Post

With Nepal struggling to address a number of deficiencies to comply with the standards on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing, stakeholders are worried whether this would lead to the greylisting of the country by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global anti-money laundering watchdog. A delegation of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), an FATF-style regional anti-money laundering body, recently concluded a field visit to Nepal as a part of Nepal’s mutual evaluation, a peer review process to examine whether Nepal complied with a number of standards set by the FATF. Click here to read…

India extends anti-dumping duty on jute goods from Bangladesh, Nepal – The Business Standard

“The anti-dumping duty imposed under this notification shall be levied for a period of five years (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier) from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette and shall be payable in Indian currency,” a notification from the Indian finance ministry dated 30 December 2022 said, reports the Telegraph India. Click here to read…

Pakistan
NSC to meet again today amid enormous challenges: The Express Tribune

The high-powered NSC was given a detailed briefing on economy, terrorism and Afghanistan on Friday but no final decision was taken on how to tackle these issues. Therefore, the meeting had been convened again on Monday to continue deliberations. The civil and military leadership was briefed on the current economic challenges and the way forward. There was consensus in the meeting that Pakistan had to revive the IMF programme in order to avoid a potential default. The country’s foreign reserves had come down to $5.8 billion. Another payment of $1.1 billion was due this week meaning the reserves would dip further. Click here to read…

Govt Hikes wheat flour prices by 62pc in utility stores – Dawn

The beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) would be exempt from the price increase, while the limit for subsidised purchases from the USC has also been curtailed. The new rates were notified by the USC on New Year’s Eve on Saturday after the federal cabinet last week approved Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s recommendation to clear a hybrid model of subsidies involving targeted and untargeted elements of the prime minister’s relief package. Click here to read…

In Pakistan, establishment is name of ‘one person’: Imran Khan: The News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, without taking names, claimed that in Pakistan, the establishment is the name of “one person.” “Former chief of army staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s setup is still working in the establishment,” the ex-prime minister said during a conversation with journalists as he continued the tirade against the former army chief, whom he blames now for his government’s ouster. Click here to read…

Pakistan, India exchange annual lists of nuclear installations, prisoners: The News

With the start of the year 2023, Pakistan and India on Sunday exchanged the annual lists of their nuclear installations and facilities through diplomatic channels. The two countries are bound by the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India, to inform each other of their “nuclear installations and facilities, falling within its definition, on 1st January of each calendar year”.Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stares at food shortage, President Wickremesinghe asks for help – The Print

The critical situation of the currency crisis in Sri Lanka has resulted in political, economic and social turmoil. Further, this currency collapse has resulted in a rise in food prices by 100 per cent in two years. Amid all this, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has sought support, The Island Online reported. Click here to read…

US grants $240 Mn assistance to SL in 2022: Julie Chung – Daily Mirror

The United States has announced more than $240 Mn in new assistance to Sri Lanka in 2022 alone, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said. She tweeted that new assistance supports basic food security and addresses the needs of the most vulnerable communities, including funding for school lunches, fertilizer for smallholder farmers, and cash assistance for new and expectant mothers.
“We are also supporting loans, training and assistance for SMEs in Sri Lanka, as they face the heaviest burden in times of crisis. This assistance is on top of our existing development partnership working with government, the private sector, civil society, and the people of SL,” she tweeted. Click here to read…

Extremism and Terrorism, biggest threat to humanity – Daily News

The incessant call for justice for the Easter Attack victims died with the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Former President Maithripala Sirisena continues to refuse to shoulder the full blame. The ‘brains’ behind the Attack remain elusive. A report from the NIA that appeared mid-December 2022 further attests the threat of terrorism that continues to hover over the region. Since 2021, NIA has reported at least four cases related to the conspiracy by several LTTE cadres based in India and Sri Lanka to revive LTTE by smuggling arms, ferrying drugs and transferring funds via hawala. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – December 08, 2022

Afghanistan
Female Students in Grade 12 Take Final Exam to Graduate: Tolo News

On Wednesday, female students in the 12th grade took a final exam in Kabul, as well as in other provinces. Some of them were positive about the test, but they voiced concerns over the fate of younger female students above sixth grade in the country. “We learned at the start of this week that they would give an exam on Wednesday, and we are not as prepared compared to previous years,” said Rukhsar, another studentClick here to read…

Restoration of Great Mosque of Herat Begins: Tolo News

After seven decades, Herat’s information and culture department said that it has begun the restoration of the province’s Great Mosque, also known as the “Jami Masjid of Herat.”The restoration of all of the mosque’s ancient tiles is expected.Reportedly, natural disasters in recent years have damaged the majority of the tiles of Herat’s Great Mosque.”Seventy years ago, it wasn’t really that everything was repaired, only the places that collapsed were restored, but right now, all of them are under the restoration process,” said Zalmai Safa, the head of Herat’s department of information and culture’s historical monument preservation group. Click here to read…

First Public Execution Conducted in Western Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

The de facto government of Afghanistan publicly executed a man named Tajmir convicted of a murder at a crowded football stadium in South-Western Farah province earlier today, where a number of the group’s top ministers and leaders attended the execution. Enforcing the Sharia law has been the foremost priority of the rolling government, as the verdict was issued by the Taliban’s supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada last month. The punishment includes public executions, public amputations, and stoning. Click here to read…

Afghan Traders Face Critical Challenges in Exporting Pine Nuts: The Khaama Press

Afghan Traders in Khost Province are wrestling with critical challenges in exporting pine nuts abroad. Hundreds of tons of pine nuts are harvested annually, however, a lack of export and a proper marketing system to transfer products to the regional markets causes massive losses to Afghan traders. The traders called on the Afghan administration to enhance trade agreements with the neighboring counties, Pakistan in particular, to facilitate the movement of commercial goods and other necessary items in a timely manner. Otherwise, the products will get rotten before reaching any commercial markets. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
PM Hasina: BNP, Jamaat cause misery for the people – Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday slammed the BNP and Jamaat for causing misery for the people, stressing that her government has been squarely focused on mitigating the woes of the public…She urged the people to vote for the boat symbol for the trend of development and democracy to continue in Bangladesh. Click here to read…

Next general election in first week of Jan 2024: PM – New Age

‘After 2023, in the first week of January 2024, the next national election would be held. In this election, I seek your (countrymen) vote for our electoral symbol boat,’ the prime minister said while addressing a grand public rally at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar, organised by the Cox’s Bazar district Awami League. Click here to read…

Bhutan

South Asian Foundation Bhutan to assist more youth in Bhutan – Kuensel Online

The 19th Governing Council Meeting of the South Asian Foundation (SAF) decided in Thimphu yesterday to make programmes vibrant in the region for youth. Dignitaries from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal attended the in-person meeting. Click here to read…

Smilegate supports literacy education in Bhutan – The Korea Herald

Smilegate Foundation, the charity arm of South Korean gaming giant Smilegate, said Wednesday it has opened two new community learning centers on Nov. 28, to support literacy education for women and children in Bhutan. According to the foundation, the centers, which were built together with UNESCO and Bhutan’s Education Ministry, seek to provide women and children in remote areas with access to education, with the hopes of increasing their overall quality of life. Click here to read…

Maldives
50 years of tourism in the Maldives and, remarkably, it’s still the ‘ultimate island paradise’ early visitors found – SCMP

“Does it really exist?” asked Dirk Brink – a “well-known local money trader and inveterate traveller” – in the pages of the South China Morning Post in March 1976. “Is there really a country which belongs to the ‘Brotherhood of enemies’ (United Nations) which has all the qualifications of paradise?” Brink had, a headline teased, “finally found the ultimate island paradise for the jaded jet-setter looking for a place to lie down”. And he was going to tell readers all about it. Click here to read…

Maldives gov’t requests to waive Schengen Visa requirement – Avas

The Maldives has asked for ease in obtaining a visa for travel to all European Union (EU) countries — the Schengen Visa. Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid made the request to the Head of Taskforce for Electoral Campaign Bid Committee Expo 2030 Rome, Dr. Gaetano Castellini Curiel, at a meeting at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. The meeting was held as part of the ongoing high-level engagements of Representative Curiel, who is currently undertaking a visit to the Maldives from 5 to December 7, 2022.
Click here to read…

Myanmar
WFP Says It Received $7Mln From EU To Tackle Food Insecurity In Myanmar – UrduPoint

The European Union has allocated around 6.5 million Euros ($6.8 million) for the support of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in its efforts to tackle the humanitarian food crisis in Myanmar, the WFP said on Wedesday. “More than 800,000 people in the southeast, northwest and border areas, as well as impoverished peri-urban Yangon, will be reached thanks to the continued EU humanitarian support. The funding was made through the EU’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations,” the statement read. Click here to read…

Myanmar’s Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Praises Young Anti-Junta Resistance Fighters – The Irrawaddy

In her first public comments about Myanmar’s ongoing ant-regime resistance movement since last year, the country’s ousted leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she was proud of young Burmese people and all those struggling to defend and fight for democracy. She shared the message via her Australian former economic adviser, Sean Turnell, who was released by the regime three weeks ago after spending 650 days in prison.Click here to read…

How long will the world drag its feet on Myanmar – UCA News

An internationally-respected Baptist leader is arrested and detained, a Cardinal’s home village is bombed and seven students are sentenced to death — yet still the corridors of power around the world echo with silence and inaction over the tragedy in Myanmar. On Monday, Reverend Dr. Hkalam Samson, the former president of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), was stopped at Mandalay International Airport, on his way to Bangkok. Click here to read…

Nepal
Investing in hydro-power projects – The Kathmandu Post

Nepal has started issuing hydro-power developers licences to mobilise domestic and foreign capital. In this line of thought, licences to so-called developers are being overwhelmingly issued. Politicians, bureaucrats to technocrats have bagged such licences to generate electricity from the ever-flowing rivers. But neither has it worked in the past, nor is there a hope to realise the anticipated output in the futureClick here to read…

Repercussions of remittance economy – The Kathmandu Post

Remittance has remained one of the largest contributors to the national economy for years, and will probably remain so for quite a while. The World Bank estimates that remittances accounted for 22 percent of the GDP this year. Informal inflows are considered to be at least 50 percent higher than official figures. The economic size of remittances is too high not to have a significant impact on the political economy of the country. Click here to read…

Officials from Nepal and India agree to course Mahakali to its original state – Khabarhub

The Nepal-India Border Coordination Meeting held at the NHPC in Dharchula on Wednesday agreed to let the Mahakali river flow in its original course. Earlier, there had been tension in the border area after India built a temporary dam to divert the flow of the Mahakali river towards Nepal. Wednesday’s meeting agreed to remove the temporary dam with wire mesh and let the river follow the natural courseClick here to read…

Nepal Elections: How Machiavellian Moves By Beijing’s Proxy In Nepal Backfired And Prompted Its Rivals To Close Ranks – Swarajya

Oli, reportedly egged on by Beijing which is desperate to install its proxy in power in Kathmandu, called up his bete noire Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the chairperson of the CPN(MC) on 24 November. Oli invited Dahal to join his alliance and form the government. The CPN(MC) then tried to leverage Oli’s offer and use it to extract more than its due from the NC. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Delay in finalising ‘dissolution’ plans bad for PTI’s cause: Dawn

As Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan reiterated his threat to dissolve the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, the delay in securing support for and implementing his plan seems to be working against him, as the situation on the ground is changing with each passing day. Click here to read…

Pakistan seeks emergency $3b Saudi cash injection: The Express Tribune

Pakistan on Wednesday requested Saudi Arabia to urgently provide $3 billion in cash after its foreign exchange reserves fell to a critically low level, as the new army chief was also expected to play a role in bagging the bailout during his upcoming maiden visit to the Kingdom. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar made the request during a meeting with Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, the Saudi ambassador, according to his ministry’s officials. Click here to read…

Pakistan sends oil import deal draft to UAE: The News

Pakistan has sent the draft of Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to the UAE for an official nod from authorities concerned in Abu Dhabi. Once it is approved, negotiation for a commercial agreement for the import of Mogas under GtG mode will start between officials of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). One of the top officials at the Energy Ministry confirmed the development to The News. “We have sent the IGA draft to the UAE for approval. Once it is signed, commercial talks would begin between the state entities of both the countries.”Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Country receives entire stock of MOP fertilizer required for paddy cultivation – Daily News

Sri Lanka has received the entire amount of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertilizer required for paddy cultivation for Maha season. This stock of fertilizer has been imported from Canada at a cost of USD 40 million. The total stock of fertilizer consisting of 41,876 metric tons was officially handed over to Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera by the Secretary of the Ministry of Irrigation and Mahaweli Development. D. C. Jayalal. The Ministry had taken steps to buy MOP fertilizer by spending the money provided to the Mahaweli Water Security Investment Programme, which is funded by the Asian Development Bank. MOP fertilizer is given to the farmers for paddy cultivation in our country after two seasons as it was not imported after chemical fertilizers were banned in 2021.

Sri Lanka’s children go hungry as food prices soar – BBC

The three-year-old is losing weight and complains of leg pains and weakness. The doctor’s diagnosis is clear – Nitisha is underfed and malnourished. But the treatment suggested is difficult to come by for her family – wholesome meals. Like many people in Sri Lanka, this family from a tea estate village in Hanthana, in the centre of the country, have seen their finances collapse. “We manage two meals a day and it’s the same thing – rice with potatoes or lentils. We can’t afford anything else,” says Harshini, Nitisha’s mother. For weeks, the family has not had milk or eggs, she added. Click here to read…

Annual Sri Pada Pilgrimage Season begins – Daily News

The annual Sri Pada Pilgrimage season 2022/23 began on Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day yesterday. It will end on Vesak Full Moon Poya Day in May. The processions, carrying the Sacred Casket Relics of the Buddha, sacred objects, and the statue of God Saman from the the Sri Pada Raja Maha Viharaya temple in Galpoththaawala, Ratnapura reached the Sri Pada Maluwa yesterday morning. Large crowds came to pay homage to Sri Pada on the first day of the pilgrimage season yesterday. Click here to read…