Afghanistan
Islamic Emirate’s Ban on Women’s Jobs Faces Widespread Reactions: Tolo News
The Ministry of Economy in a statement on Saturday ordered all national and international non-government organizations to suspend their female staff members until the next announcement. The announcement of the Islamic Emirate faced widespread reactions at national and international levels. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a tweet expressed deep concerns about the Islamic Emirate decision’s ban on women’s jobs and said “this decision could be devastating for the Afghan people, women are central to humanitarian operations around the world.” Click here to read…
TTP Threat, Rings Alarm for Pakistan: The Khaama Presss
With the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan in August 2021, the dynamic of TTP operations has changed in Pakistani tribal areas and other major cities to a great extent. Afghan Taliban, TTP’s ideological twin brother’s success in neighboring Afghanistan gave them extra momentum and energy to expand their operations across Pakistan. Since the beginning of the year, the TTP has conducted hundreds of attacks mostly targeting police and army headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, and Quetta Balochistan in Particular. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina re-elected as AL president, Quader as general secretary – Dhaka Tribune
The ruling Awami League announced its new central committee with minor changes at its 22nd National Council on Saturday afternoon. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected as party president for the 10th time, while Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader was elected general secretary for a hattrick of terms. Click here to read…
AL rank and file confused who’s top joint GS – Daily Star
Among the ruling Awami League rank and file, confusion reigned about who actually tops the list of joint general secretaries. The official website of AL uploaded the names of leaders of the full-fledged committee around 10:30pm on Saturday, putting Hasan as the number one joint general secretary. However, an hour later, the list was pulled down from the website. Only the names of Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader remained there. This created a confusion among the party rank and file. Click here to read…
More exchanges between Bangladesh, China media emphasized – New Age
Bangladesh’s relations with China, one of the major development and trading partners of the country, are growing with each passing day, speakers said at a function. Enhanced contacts and exchange between the media of the two countries are needed as the media can play an important role in strengthening cultural and economic ties, they said. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Growing import a growing concern – Kuensel online
It took less than a month for the unemployed guide to switch his career. Within three months he has become a licensed importer and his trial business of importing instant noodles and coffee, seaweed, and ready-to-eat meals is doing well. The guide is among the many in the import business, also called as “container business,” making quick money – bringing in goods ranging from instant noodles to furniture and furnishings from as far as China, South Korea, and Indonesia. There is money in the import business. However, it is leaving a huge impact on the country. Click here to read…
Former Bhutan king warned India about China: R&AW ex-chief A.S. Dulat -The Hindu
Bhutan’s then king Jigme Singye Wangchuck warned India of pressures from China in 1999, writes former R&AW chief A.S. Dulat in his latest book. Mr. Dulat says the former King’s words were “prophetic” about India-China tensions in Doklam in 2017 and the build-up of infrastructure by China that has followed. He also says that New Delhi’s “muscular policy” on a range of issues, including the situation in Kashmir, and tough foreign policy in the neighbourhood led to “failures”. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives former president Yameen gets 11-year jail term – Business Recorder
The Maldives criminal court on Sunday sentenced former president Abdulla Yameen to 11 years in prison and fined him $5 million after finding him guilty of corruption and money laundering charges related to receiving kickbacks from a private company. Yameen has denied any wrongdoing. He lost power in 2018 but has been declared presidential candidate for the Progressive Party of the Maldives for an election due in 2023. Click here to read…
Maldives leader held for threatening attack on Indian Mission – Tribune India
Abbas Adil Riza who, in a tweet, had encouraged an arson attack on the Indian High Commission in Male. The arrest came on a day when his party colleague and former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a court for corruption. The developments come ahead of the presidential elections in Maldives next year. Pro- China Yameen has in the past few days made several anti-India remarks. Click here to read…
Myanmar
China-funded mobile clinic provides healthcare services in Kyaukphyu of Myanmar – Xinhua
The China-funded Kyaukphyu Anargat (Future) Mobile Clinic project in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state entered its final stage in late December, already providing free healthcare service to over 1,500 villagers. U Kyaw Win, 54, from Kyaukphyu Township’s Shauk Chaung Village, is one of the hundreds of villagers who benefited from free healthcare and medicines from the mobile clinic. Click here to read…
New Sittwe port for Indo-Myanmar direct trade will open for Indo-Myanmar trade – Mizzima
The Military Council-appointed Rakhine State government Chief Minister Dr Aung Kyaw Min said in his opening address on the 48th Rakhine State Day that one of the Indo-Myanmar friendship projects, the Sittwe port, would be opened soon for direct trade between India and Myanmar. This Kaladan multi-modal transit transport (KMTT) project would be beneficial not only for Myanmar but also for Rakhine State development, he said. Click here to read…
Myanmar junta says UN resolution aimed at destabilizing country – LaPrensalatina
Myanmar’s military junta has rejected the resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday demanding an immediate end to violence and release of all political prisoners, accusing the global body of trying to “destabilize” the country. Myanmar’s foreign ministry said in a statement late on Friday that the resolution – approved on Wednesday with 12 votes in favor and three abstentions (China, Russia and India) – includes “several intrusive elements on Myanmar’s internal affairs that contravene the principles and purposesof the United Nations.” Click here to read…
Nepal
Dahal becomes prime minister again, Oli the new kingmaker – The Kathmandu Post
Sher Bahadur Deuba, a veteran of manoeuvring hung parliaments to his advantage, got outfoxed on Sunday afternoon by his bete noire, KP Sharma Oli. Not only did Oli succeed in getting Pushpa Kamal Dahal anointed as the prime minister, a move which weaned Dahal away from the Congress-led alliance, he also now gets to have his own candidate for the head of the state and the Speaker of the House of Representatives along with plum ministries and a majority of the provincial chief ministers. Until Sunday afternoon, a Nepali Congress-led coalition led by Deuba was the favourite to form the next federal government. The Oli masterstroke means that he will now get to pull the strings of power. Click here to read…
Indian Workers Attacked Along Nepal Border In Uttarakhand; Defence Minister Intervenes – Republic World
In Dharchula, a safety wall is being created along the Kali river that flows between India and Nepal. It has been learned that some elements are against the construction of the wall and are furiously throwing stones in order to stop the work at the location. Calling Nepal a friend, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called for negotiations with the neighbouring country saying, “Nepal is our friend, if there is any dispute, we will solve it together.” Also, Indian officials will be taking up the matter with their Nepalese counterparts if such incidents occur in the future. Click here to read…
Modi congratulates Prachanda on being elected Nepal’s PM – Economic Times
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” on Sunday on being elected as the new leader of Nepal and said he looks forward to working with him to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries. Click here to read…
No respite for national economy with more instability in store – The Kathmandu Post
The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has launched a ‘Save the Economy’ campaign in the face of worsening economic indicators. Although the indicators of the external sector have improved due to the strict import control measures, industrialists complain of a sharp decline in demand for goods and services, which has forced them to cut down on the operations of their businesses and factories.https://kathmandupost.com/money/2022/12/26/no-respite-for-national-economy-with-more-instability-in-store” target=”_blank”>Click here to read…
Pakistan
Editorial: Troubles lurking around every corner: Dawn
In the outgoing year, the people came around to an unprecedented price growth amid the country’s consistently deteriorating balance of payments crisis exacerbated by devastating summer floods and ongoing political uncertainty.Next year we could see inflation entrenched further and the economy trek toward a deeper recession as the politically embattled coalition led by the PML-N struggles to revive its sour relationship with the International Monetary Fund for the resumption of its loan programme to overcome its dollar liquidity crisis. Click here to read…
US embassy restricts staff movement in Islamabad: The Express Tribune
A statement issued by the US Embassy in Islamabad said the US government staff prohibited from visiting the private hotel in the federal capital due to possible attack.The US government is aware of information that unidentified individuals are possibly plotting to attack Americans at the private hotel in Islamabad “sometime during the holidays”, the statement added. Click here to read…
Govt again advises Imran to return to NA: The Express Tribune
As PTI chief Imran Khan remains adamant about playing hardball to force early polls, the government has again advised the former prime minister to return to the National Assembly to put forth his demands and lead a “healthy opposition” against the ruling coalition for negotiations. Click here to read…
News analysis: Country needs vision to break through economic trap: The News
As finance minister Ishaq Dar publicly defied the IMF earlier this month and overlooked tough economic conditions across Pakistan, a wider crisis continued with no signs of abating any time soon. The minister is presiding over Pakistan’s fast worsening economic turmoil driven by stagnation, far above target inflation, a balance of payments crisis and widespread uncertainty to name matters proverbially at the tip of the iceberg. And his recent promise of returning the Rupee versus US Dollar exchange rate to below Rs200 to a Dollar is already lost. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
Manic weather across the country – Daily Mirror
Heavy rain was experienced yesterday all over the country disrupting civilian life. The worst affected were the central hills that had been hit by floods and earth slips due to the torrential rains experienced from Saturday midnight (24) that continued unabated yesterday. The Police said the central hills had been shrouded with a thick mist and warned the drivers to be cautious of fog that prevented visibility. Click here to read…
President Ranil’s initiative to resolve Tamil national question – Daily Mirror
Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader and Colombo District MP, Mano Ganesan received a telephone call from Ranil Wickremesinghe on 19 July 2022. Recalling the telephone conversation, Mano Ganesan told me “Ranil spoke as if he had already been elected President. He told me of his intention to resolve the Tamil National Question. He also told me of his plans to address the socio -economic issues of the North-Eastern and Up Country Tamils. He also spoke about the economic upliftment of their areas. Ranil seemed very convincing then” Click here to read…
Chinese infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka may have contributed to the country’s crisis: Report – The Print
According to the report, “A port city that dominates Colombo’s seafront was built on a 269-hectare patch of land reclaimed from the sea. It was to become a thriving business and financial hub, but it is virtually deserted.” An international airport commissioned at Sri Lanka’s Mattala city almost a decade ago is called the “emptiest airport in the world.” Both these projects funded by China are seen as “white elephants” that have significantly contributed to Sri Lanka’s debt. Click here to read…