Afghanistan

University Entrance Exams Held Around Country: Tolo News

University entrance exams were begun on Thursday in 33 provinces of the country. The Ministry of Higher Education said that the university entrance exams will continue for three days. “University entrance exams were held in 33 provinces of the country and this exam will continue for three days,” said Ahmad Taqa, a spokesman for the MoHE. Click here to read…

Requirement of dams on Kabul river for the better management of Afghanistan’s water: Opinion: The Khaama Press

Afghanistan has abundant water resources. 80% of such resources come from surface water that flows from snowfields and glaciers in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountains. The country with a total of 75 billion cubic meters of water per annum, surface water capturing 55 billion cubic meters, and groundwater making 20 billion cubic meters, is able to consume 27% of its water and the remaining 73% flows to the neighboring countries. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina on way to her village home in Tungipara: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana have started for Tungipara by road from her official residence Ganabhaban. They left Ganabhaban at 7:15am on Friday, according to a message from PM’s press wing. Click here to read…

Dhaka, Tokyo launch cooperation for improved sewerage services: Dhaka Tribune

To promote improved sewerage services, the Asian Development Bank facilitated a high-level dialogue between Bangladesh and Japan, and launched a new partnership between Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) and Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Assam’s advantage in Bhutan-Bangladesh trade – Sentinel Assam

Bangladesh opening six new ports of call for using its waterways and seaports by Bhutan is good news for Assam as it will make the Brahmaputra River route a growing hub of trade and commerce between India’s two neighbouring countries. The development of multimodal transport facilities along the Brahmaputra will attract more Bhutanese traders to make optimal use of the improved connectivity through Assam for the expansion of their export-import business. The amended Standard Operating Procedure signed by Bangladesh and Bhutan on September 15 in Dhaka on the use of inland waterways designates Aricha, Chilmari, Sirajganj, Mongla, Chittagong and Payra Port as the new ports of call for use by Bhutan. Click here to read…

Bhutan fee funds happiness – TTR Weekly

A daily USD200 sustainable development fee is being tagged onto the cost of visiting Bhutan following the reopening of the mountain kingdom’s borders last month. It’s all about funding Gross National Happiness. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives: the legacy of Islamic State – Lowly Institute

From 2014 to 2018, more people departed the Maldives to join with Islamic State than from any other country. In total, this figure is estimated at 250 men and women from a country of only 500,000. Most who went died. The surviving women and children, around 50, are today detained in the Al Hol and Roj camps in northeast Syria. Click here to read…

MoUs signed between Maldives, Bahrain, prove commitment to further solidify bilateral ties – Raajje

He said this during a joint press conference held alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He reaffirmed that the Maldivian government is committed to solidifying the relationship between both countries, to new heights. The foreign minister also thanked the respective dignitaries for bringing the two countries together. The key agreements signed between the government of Maldives and the Kingdom of Bahrain have proved the commitment of both countries to further solidify bilateral ties, says Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. Click here to read…

Myanmar

US Announces Sanctions on Myanmar Military-Linked Arms Broker – The Diplomat

The United States has announced a further round of sanctions on Myanmar’s military government, targeting three individuals and one entity “for their roles related to the procurement of Russian-produced military arms from Belarus for the Burmese regime.” Click here to read…

Indonesia told to prioritise Myanmar, Indo-Pacific: Analysts – Asia News Network

Amid preparations for November’s ASEAN Summit less than 40 days away, when the baton of the chairmanship is set to pass from Cambodia to Indonesia, calls are mounting for Jakarta to take decisive steps to address the Myanmar political crisis while juggling an abundance of other challenges that will test the Southeast Asia bloc’s unity. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal faces constitutional crisis – Greater Kashmir

Nepal has a history of the Rana regime (1901-1948), coup d’état led by King Mahendra who dismissed the elected government of B.P. KoiralaiIn 1960 and then imprisoned him which had been responsible for the launch of the democracy movement thereby finally restoring the parliament in 1991. Click here to read…

16 killed, 35 injured as bus falls into river in Nepal’s Bara – India Today

A bus skidded off the road and fell into a river in Nepal’s Bara district, killing 16 people, PTI reported, quoting media reports. As many as 35 people were also injured in the mishap in Nepal’s Madhesh province. The bus was heading towards Birgunj from Narayangadh when the incident happened. An initial probe conducted by the police revealed that the accident took place due to high speed. About 50 people were on board, police said. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Govt to use ‘full force of law’ to counter PTI march: Dawn

A meeting of the party leaders was chaired by PM Sharif wherein the participants termed the PTI’s plan of the long march a “conspiracy” against the state and decided that the government would crush its designs through the power of law, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House. “It will not be a political long march of PTI but a march for a conspiracy,” the PML-N leaders agreed as they gave full authority to Prime Minister Sharif to take appropriate measures to tackle the situation. Click here to read…

Govt unveils big power relief for exporters: The Express Tribune

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday struck a deal with exporters under which subsidised electricity at nearly Rs20 per unit would be provided to them in a move that will restore the trader community’s confidence in the government but would not stop misuse of the subsidy for domestic production. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

New resolution on SL adopted at HR Council with 20 votes in favour: Daily Mirror

The new resolution on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ A/HRC/51/5, that was presented at the 51st regular session of the Human Rights Council has been adopted with 20 voting in favour while 7 voted against the resolution and 20 abstained from voting. Click here to read…

Debt Restructuring and Implementation of Deep Reforms Critical for Sri Lanka’s Economic Stabilization: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis is deepening with unsustainable debt and a severe balance of payment crisis on top of lingering scars of the COVID-19 pandemic. Debt restructuring and the implementation of a deep reform program are critical for Sri Lanka’s economic stabilization, says the World Bank in its twice-a-year update, underscoring the need for Sri Lanka to build resilience. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

University Entrance Exams Held Around Country: Tolo News

University entrance exams were begun on Thursday in 33 provinces of the country. The Ministry of Higher Education said that the university entrance exams will continue for three days. “University entrance exams were held in 33 provinces of the country and this exam will continue for three days,” said Ahmad Taqa, a spokesman for the MoHE. Click here to read…

Requirement of dams on Kabul river for the better management of Afghanistan’s water: Opinion: The Khaama Press

Afghanistan has abundant water resources. 80% of such resources come from surface water that flows from snowfields and glaciers in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountains. The country with a total of 75 billion cubic meters of water per annum, surface water capturing 55 billion cubic meters, and groundwater making 20 billion cubic meters, is able to consume 27% of its water and the remaining 73% flows to the neighboring countries. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina on way to her village home in Tungipara: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana have started for Tungipara by road from her official residence Ganabhaban. They left Ganabhaban at 7:15am on Friday, according to a message from PM’s press wing. Click here to read…

Dhaka, Tokyo launch cooperation for improved sewerage services: Dhaka Tribune

To promote improved sewerage services, the Asian Development Bank facilitated a high-level dialogue between Bangladesh and Japan, and launched a new partnership between Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) and Bureau of Sewerage, Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Assam’s advantage in Bhutan-Bangladesh trade – Sentinel Assam

Bangladesh opening six new ports of call for using its waterways and seaports by Bhutan is good news for Assam as it will make the Brahmaputra River route a growing hub of trade and commerce between India’s two neighbouring countries. The development of multimodal transport facilities along the Brahmaputra will attract more Bhutanese traders to make optimal use of the improved connectivity through Assam for the expansion of their export-import business. The amended Standard Operating Procedure signed by Bangladesh and Bhutan on September 15 in Dhaka on the use of inland waterways designates Aricha, Chilmari, Sirajganj, Mongla, Chittagong and Payra Port as the new ports of call for use by Bhutan. Click here to read…

Bhutan fee funds happiness – TTR Weekly

A daily USD200 sustainable development fee is being tagged onto the cost of visiting Bhutan following the reopening of the mountain kingdom’s borders last month. It’s all about funding Gross National Happiness. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives: the legacy of Islamic State – Lowly Institute

From 2014 to 2018, more people departed the Maldives to join with Islamic State than from any other country. In total, this figure is estimated at 250 men and women from a country of only 500,000. Most who went died. The surviving women and children, around 50, are today detained in the Al Hol and Roj camps in northeast Syria. Click here to read…

MoUs signed between Maldives, Bahrain, prove commitment to further solidify bilateral ties – Raajje

He said this during a joint press conference held alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He reaffirmed that the Maldivian government is committed to solidifying the relationship between both countries, to new heights. The foreign minister also thanked the respective dignitaries for bringing the two countries together. The key agreements signed between the government of Maldives and the Kingdom of Bahrain have proved the commitment of both countries to further solidify bilateral ties, says Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. Click here to read…

Myanmar

US Announces Sanctions on Myanmar Military-Linked Arms Broker – The Diplomat

The United States has announced a further round of sanctions on Myanmar’s military government, targeting three individuals and one entity “for their roles related to the procurement of Russian-produced military arms from Belarus for the Burmese regime.” Click here to read…

Indonesia told to prioritise Myanmar, Indo-Pacific: Analysts – Asia News Network

Amid preparations for November’s ASEAN Summit less than 40 days away, when the baton of the chairmanship is set to pass from Cambodia to Indonesia, calls are mounting for Jakarta to take decisive steps to address the Myanmar political crisis while juggling an abundance of other challenges that will test the Southeast Asia bloc’s unity. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal faces constitutional crisis – Greater Kashmir

Nepal has a history of the Rana regime (1901-1948), coup d’état led by King Mahendra who dismissed the elected government of B.P. KoiralaiIn 1960 and then imprisoned him which had been responsible for the launch of the democracy movement thereby finally restoring the parliament in 1991. Click here to read…

16 killed, 35 injured as bus falls into river in Nepal’s Bara – India Today

A bus skidded off the road and fell into a river in Nepal’s Bara district, killing 16 people, PTI reported, quoting media reports. As many as 35 people were also injured in the mishap in Nepal’s Madhesh province. The bus was heading towards Birgunj from Narayangadh when the incident happened. An initial probe conducted by the police revealed that the accident took place due to high speed. About 50 people were on board, police said. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Govt to use ‘full force of law’ to counter PTI march: Dawn

A meeting of the party leaders was chaired by PM Sharif wherein the participants termed the PTI’s plan of the long march a “conspiracy” against the state and decided that the government would crush its designs through the power of law, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House. “It will not be a political long march of PTI but a march for a conspiracy,” the PML-N leaders agreed as they gave full authority to Prime Minister Sharif to take appropriate measures to tackle the situation. Click here to read…

Govt unveils big power relief for exporters: The Express Tribune

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday struck a deal with exporters under which subsidised electricity at nearly Rs20 per unit would be provided to them in a move that will restore the trader community’s confidence in the government but would not stop misuse of the subsidy for domestic production. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

New resolution on SL adopted at HR Council with 20 votes in favour: Daily Mirror

The new resolution on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ A/HRC/51/5, that was presented at the 51st regular session of the Human Rights Council has been adopted with 20 voting in favour while 7 voted against the resolution and 20 abstained from voting. Click here to read…

Debt Restructuring and Implementation of Deep Reforms Critical for Sri Lanka’s Economic Stabilization: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis is deepening with unsustainable debt and a severe balance of payment crisis on top of lingering scars of the COVID-19 pandemic. Debt restructuring and the implementation of a deep reform program are critical for Sri Lanka’s economic stabilization, says the World Bank in its twice-a-year update, underscoring the need for Sri Lanka to build resilience. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Taliban denounce Pak PM Sharif’s ‘terror in Afghanistan’ remarks in UNGA address – Hindustan Times

Taliban has hit out at the U.S and Pakistan for claiming that terrorism exists in Afghanistan during the UN General Assembly address. In a scathing statement, the Afghanistan Foreign Ministry termed the claims as incorrect and pitched for UNGA seat handover to the Afghan government, who can then counter these ‘unsubstantiated’ concerns. Watch this video for more details. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Visit of Bangladesh Navy Operational Sea Training Group to SNC – Indian Navy

An eight member delegation from the Bangladesh Navy Operational Sea Training Group (BNOSTG) visited Headquarters Sea Training at Kochi to witness Operational Sea Training at Southern Naval Command. As part of the orientation training, interactive session along with practical classes on seamanship, firefighting, damage control, first aid and safety at sea were conducted. The interactive sessions also provided an opportunity to exchange the best practices followed. Click here to read…

No room to cut: Rising inflation traps Bangladesh climate migrants – Thomas Reuters Foundations

The rising cost of living is taking a heavy toll on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, including many already struggling to survive after climate change-fuelled disasters have claimed their homes and land. Bangladesh’s inflation rate is now about 7.5%, according to the country’s central bank, after the government dramatically boosted fuel prices in the face of rising global fossil fuel costs, in part as a result of the Ukraine conflict. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Vaccine Maitri: Bhutan and Nepal expressed their gratitude to India in UNGA, India sent vaccine to more than 100 countries – The Weekly Mail

Bhutan and Nepal expressed their gratitude to India at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. During this, he has expressed his gratitude for the significant support in the supply of covid-19 vaccines under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative of the Government of India. Let us tell you that under India’s Vaccine Friendship Initiative, neighbouring countries got a lot of help in vaccinating their population. Click here to read…

Maldives

Kyrgyzstan and Maldives sign agreement on the establishment of visa-free regime – Azer News

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Jeenbek Kulubaev met with his Maldivian counterpart Abdullah Shahid on September 23, Trend reports citing the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry’s press service. Click here to read…

The Maldives received 100,000 more Pfizer vaccine doses from the United States – The Paradise

The US government has provided the Maldives with an additional 100,620 doses of Pfizer vaccines as part of the COVAX deal. The latest shipment comes after the United States sent 439,920 Pfizer vaccine shots to the Maldives in January 2021 and January 2022.Click here to read…

Myanmar

India should negotiate with Myanmar military, ethnic groups to restore peace: Mizoram CM – Indian Express

India should negotiate with military authorities in trouble-torn Myanmar and various ethnic groups there to restore peace in the neighbouring country, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has said. India shares an over 1,600-km-long international border with Myanmar. Click here to read…

Recruitment Crisis Bites as Myanmar Junta Scrambles to Fill Gaps in Ranks – The Irrawaddy

“The Tatmadaw wants you,” used to be a familiar slogan on recruitment posters across Myanmar. Propaganda songs, like one which began: “Support the great Tatmadaw in every way to help it gain strength, never should we forget comrades who are our kin,” were played on the television and radio. But recruitment has broken down, forcing the regime to buy recruits since before the 2021 coup. Officers are being offered promotions and other incentives to find recruits, according to analysts. Click here to read…

Oral update on the human rights situation in Myanmar to the Human Rights Council – OHCHR

Military tactics increasingly involve indiscriminate attacks and weaponry. The growing use of air power and artillery during the monsoon season is significantly impacting civilians and residential areas. In Magway and Sagaing regions as well as Kachin, Shan, Kayah, and Kayin states, residential buildings – as many as 30,000 – schools and other civilian infrastructure have been burnt to the ground during military ground operations. Click here to read…

Nepal

‘Rapid demography change happening, Islamists getting help from Pakistan’: MP from Kapilvastu discusses growing security concerns at the India-Nepal border – OpIndia

There have been several reports in the recent past highlighting the rapidly changing demography in the sections of India near the Indo-Nepal border. The number of mosques and madrasas is constantly increasing. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited Nepal areas bordering India to take an account of the ground situation on that side of the border. This is the 23rd report in a series of articles documenting the facts discovered by the OpIndia team. Click here to read…

Pakistan

US asks Pakistan to better manage ties with India

The US has advised Pakistan to improve its ties with India even as it sidestepped New Delhi’s concerns over an upgrade assistance for Islamabad’s F-16s. “In our discussions today, we talked about the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during an event with Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Click here to read…

Pakistan FM replaced, veracity of audio tapes established – Tribune India

Rumours over the bugging of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office were vindicated after the ruling coalition government replaced its Finance Minister as was discussed in a viral audio tape of conversation between PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz and her uncle and PM Shehbaz Sharif. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka keen to restart cancelled Japanese projects; Japan willing to lead creditor talks – Economy Next

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi that his government is keen to restart Japan-funded projects cancelled by the previous administration, while Minister Hayashi has expressed his country’s willingness to take a leading role in Sri Lanka’s negotiations with her creditors. Click here to read…

HNB allocates Rs. 10Mn to assist MSMEs affected by the economic crisis – Colombo Page

Sri Lanka’s most MSME-friendly bank, HNB PLC, once again allocated Rs. 10 million to assist entrepreneurs affected by the ongoing economic crisis as a part of its flagship ‘Oba Venuwen Api’ initiative to rebuild and revive the economy. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Blast kills 1, wounds 3 in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province – Dajji World

One person was killed and three others injured as a blast rocked Faizabad city, the capital of Afghanistan’s northern Badakhshan province, Provincial Head of Information and Culture Department Qari Maazudin Ahmadi said. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Boat on way to Mahalaya festival sinks in Bangladesh, killing 24; at least 30 missing – Dajji World

At least 24 people have died after a boat capsized in the Koratoya river in Bangladesh’s Panchagarh district with passengers to a temple on board on the Mahalaya festival ahead of Durga Puja. Click here to read…

Rupee-Taka trade: Rupee loan facility to Bangladesh may be under consideration to lessen strain on its forex kitty – Times Now

Soon, India could extend a rupee loan line to Bangladesh and see trade happening in local currency as the neighbouring country faces a dollar crunch, decline in it’s foreign exchange reserves and a weakening taka.Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan unveils new national brand: ‘Believe’ – Kuensel Online

The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) launched the new brand Bhutan ‘Believe’ yesterday. The country unveiled a new tourism strategy, underpinned by transformations in three key areas: enhancements to its sustainable development policies, infrastructure upgrades, and the elevation of the guest experience. Bhutan’s new tagline, Believe, reflects this determined focus on the future, as well as the transformative journeys experienced by its guests. Click here to read…

Maldives

‘Bharat ko badhaai’: At UN-India event, Maldives FM begins address on a special note – Hindustan Times

Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid further said that India has been a valuable partner in helping meet challenges from disaster relief to addressing the Covid-19 pandemic and accessing vaccines to economic development and recovery. Click here to read…

Myanmar

US ‘Exploring Ways to Ramp Up Support’ for Myanmar Opposition: State Dept – The Irrawaddy

Earlier this week US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet met with representatives of Myanmar’s civilian parallel National Unity Government and some ethnic armed organizations. On Friday, he spoke with The Irrawaddy about those discussions, as well the ongoing US and international responses to the crisis in Myanmar. Click here to read…

Junta Watch: Drones Put Military on Edge; Nuclear Plans Proceed; and More – The Irrawaddy

The Myanmar military regime is installing anti-drone guns at important buildings and places, junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said at the regime’s regular press conference on Tuesday, an indication that the resistance’s drone warfare against the regime is working effectively. Click here to read…

Nepal

OpIndia Impact: Thermal cameras to be installed on the Indo-Nepal border, operators of Madarsas in border villages missing, pujari’s killer held after 2 years – OpIndia

The OpIndia team visited the Indo-Nepal border from August 20 to August 27, 2022, to learn about the ground realities of the demographic change amid the growing Muslim population and media reports of Islamic places of worship along the border. During this time, we obtained information about the Indian districts of Shravasti, Balrampur, Maharajganj, and Siddharthnagar, as well as the Dong and Kapilvastu districts in Nepal. Click here to read…

Pakistan

US’s $450 million F-16 package for Pakistan: A message for India, China factor, or quid pro quo – Times of India

America’s recent decision to approve a $450 million sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet has signalled a marked shift in Washington’s stand on Islamabad and stoked valid concerns in India. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry – CGTN

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry on the sidelines of the general debate of the UNGA 77 in New York on September 23. Wang Yi said that China and Sri Lanka established the relations of strategic partnership of cooperation, and the two countries have always shared weal and woe and treated each other in all sincerity. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is of great significance to inherit the past and usher in the future. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Qatar Calls on ‘All Parties’ to ‘Preserve’ Doha Peace Deal: Al Thani: Tolo News

Speaking at the UN General Assembly Annual Meeting, the Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called on “all parties to preserve and build on the Doha Peace Agreement achievements, namely, preventing Afghanistan from becoming a haven for terrorists and radical individuals and groups.” Click here to read…

Taliban Distributes Aid to Families in Central Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

The Taliban distributed food assistance to over 1,600 needy families in Ghor province, in central Afghanistan, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar state news agency reported. According to the report, the Taliban government’s State Ministry for Disaster Management distributed aid to 1,609 impoverished families in Ghor province who were affected by the recent natural disasters. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina invites Biden to visit Bangladesh: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina invited US President Joe Biden to visit Bangladesh during a reception hosted by the US President on Wednesday.
The US president, along with his wife hosted the event at the American Museum of Natural History in honour of the heads of state and heads of the government who came in New York to attend the 77th UN General Assembly. Click here to read…

PM Hasina to give prize money to Saff champions upon return: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will give prize money to all the players of the Bangladesh Women Football Team after returning home from United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Click here to read…

Bhutan

EU, Bhutan launch sustainable agriculture food systems programme – Kuensel Online

The European Union provided Euro 15 million to Bhutan for agricultural development in Thimphu on September 20. Finance Minister Namgay Tshering and the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Bhutan and India, Ugo Astuto launched the programme to promote inclusive, sustainable and resilient agricultural food systems in the presence of Minister of Agriculture and Forests Yeshey Penjor, and Members of the EU Parliament. Click here to read…

Bhutanese products gain access to international markets -Kuensel Online

The Bhutanese traditional products by artisans and farmers, gained access to international markets with the support of the European Union (EU)-Bhutan Trade Support Project. Four years after launching the project in May 2018, it came to an end on September 19 with a display of businesses supported by the project. The project has helped link 1,400 artisans, farmers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in horticulture and textile handicraft sectors to 11 export markets. Click here to read…

Maldives

ADB approves $10 M to strengthen COVID-19 vaccination in Maldives – BioSpectrum India

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $10 million grant under its Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility to help Maldives upgrade storage facilities and strengthen the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Click here to read…

Saudi Arabia, Maldives sign political consultations agreement – Saudi Gazette

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid on Tuesday for political consultations. The MoU for political consultations between both countries aim at strengthening relations of cooperation and friendship and reaching broader horizons to serve the aspirations of the governments and peoples of the two countries. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar Junta Arms Dealer Arrested in Bangkok on Drugs, Money Laundering Charges – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar national Dr Tun Min Latt, 53, was arrested along with three Thai nationals in Bangkok last week. They face narcotics and money laundering charges. Over 200 million baht (US$5.4 million) worth of drugs and other items were confiscated from them, the Thai police said. Click here to read…

Myanmar spiralling ‘from bad to worse, to horrific’, Human Rights Council hears – UN News

“With each report I have warned that unless UN Member States change course in the way they collectively respond to this crisis, the people of Myanmar will suffer even further,” he told the Human Rights Council in Geneva, saying that conditions have “gone from bad to worse, to horrific for untold numbers of innocent people in Myanmar”. Click here to read…

Economic Meltdown Highlights Success of NLD’s Policies – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s economic troubles caused by Covid have deepened intensely since last year’s coup. The economy has contracted by 18 percent since February 2021 and it is projected to grow 3 percent in the fiscal year ending this month, according to the World Bank. The kyat slumped by 60 percent against the US dollar this year. Click here to read…

Nepal

Asian Development Bank cuts Nepal’s economic growth forecast – Kathmandu Post

The Asian Development Bank has downgraded Nepal’s growth forecast for the current fiscal year as the economy takes a beating from high inflation, slowed trade and monetary tightening.The Manila-based bank says Nepal’s economy is estimated to expand by 4.7 percent in the fiscal year 2022-23, down from an estimated 5.8 percent in the last fiscal year. Click here to read…

Japan helping Nepal rehabilitate oldest irrigation system with Rs 2 bln grant – Online Khabhar

Japan has committed to helping Nepal rehabilitate its oldest irrigation system with the grant support of Rs two billion. Officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Nepal and the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday signed an agreement in this regard, in Kathmandu on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Biden urges world to help ‘underwater’ Pakistan: Dawn

As Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community on Wednesday to stay engaged with Islamabad as it struggles to recover from the devastating effects of this season’s unprecedent floods, US President Joe Biden made a fervent appeal to the world to help Pakistan deal with the devastation of the recent floods in his speech to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Click here to read…

Current account deficit narrows to $0.7bn: Dawn

Pakistan’s current account deficit (CAD) fell to $0.7 billion in August, compared to $1.2bn in the previous month, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said late on Wednesday night. This equates to a decline of 41.67 per cent month-on-month. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Petroleum Products Bill inconsistent with Constitution: SC informs Speaker:,Daily Mirror

The Supreme Court informed speaker that Petroleum Products Special Provisions Amendment Bill is inconsistent as a whole with the article 12(1) of the Constitution, Speaker announced a shortwhile ago. Click here to read…

National inflation breaches 70% in August: Daily Mirror

The national index of consumer prices for August notched above 70 percent, as the sharp electricity tariff revision, which came into effect from the start of the month, hit the consumer wallets hard on top of the soaring food prices. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

UN Chief Calls on Afghan Authorities to Open Girls’ School: Tolo News

UN Sec. Gen. Antonio Guterres at the Transforming Global Education summit hosted by the United Nations, called on the Taliban to lift all restrictions on girls’ access to education immediately. Click here to read…

Peaceful Afghanistan, ‘Priority’ for Pakistan, Says Pakistani Foreign Minister: The Khaama Press

Pakistani Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, said that a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Afghanistan is a “priority” for Pakistan while meeting the US special representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, in New York. Click here to read…

US Seeks to Exchange Afghan Aircraft for Assistance in Countering Terrorism: The Khaama Press

As the Afghan government crumbled last year, the US began talks with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to exchange roughly 50 military aircraft that had been moved across the border in exchange for assistance in countering terrorists in Afghanistan. The US wants to trade US-donated Afghan aircraft for Central Asian countries’ support in battling terrorism in Afghanistan, according to reports in the international media citing sources with knowledge of the negotiations. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina: Bangladesh will raise children as global citizens: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government is going to introduce a fresh national curriculum from next year aimed at raising Bangladeshi children as global citizens to make them befit for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Click here to read…

Rohingyas form human chain to protest violence at border: Dhaka Tribune

Several Rohingyas in Bangladesh on Tuesday formed a human chain in the Tumbru no-man’s land protesting violence along the country’s border with Myanmar. They said they were passing their days in fear of further escalation of violence. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Traders and tourism stakeholders on familiarisation trip to Bhutan – Telegraph India

Tra¬ders and tourism stakeholders at Jaigaon — the town in Ali¬purduar district — on Tuesd-ay entered Phuentsholing, wh¬ich is located just across the border in Bhutan, after a gap of two-and-a-half years for a familiarisation trip. Click here to read…

UN Peace Day: Bhutanese to rally in front of UNGA demanding human rights of Bhutanese refugees – DND

The Bhutanese activists hope to use the global significance of the UN General Assembly taking place to draw attention to their cause and call on the “moral conscience of the world leaders,” to mediate and bring Bhutan “to an open and honest dialogue in order to find a mutually agreeable solution.” Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives-Middle East Connections – MEI@75

While there have been academic studies on some its neighbors’ relations with countries in the Middle East, such as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka by this author and others, there has been nothing of that nature regarding the Maldives, most likely because of the paucity of available published sources on contemporary Maldivian affairs and the fact that many small states are not given much attention by academics. Click here to read…

Maldives hopes for first U.S. embassy late this year or early next – Reuters

The Maldives hopes to see the United States open a first embassy in the country at the end of the year, or early next, and the Indian Ocean state hopes to reopen its embassy in Washington by the end of this year, the Maldivian foreign minister said on Sunday. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Amid Myanmar’s Civil War, Unity Emerges – Christianity Today

Christian NGO Free Burma Rangers (FBR), which has trained 6,000 ethnic minorities as first responders in the past two decades, has observed this growing unity up close. Increasingly, young Bamar people from cities like Yangon and Mandalay have left their college studies and careers to help the growing popular resistance. Click here to read…

Japan to Abandon Controversial Training Program for Myanmar Cadets – The Diplomat

Yesterday, Japan’s government announced that it will suspend the military training of Myanmar military officers from next year, after weathering a storm of criticism for its continued links to the Tatmadaw. Click here to read…

Myanmar eyes Chinese yuan, Russian rouble to replace US dollar that’s being used ‘to bully smaller nations’ – SCMP

Myanmar wants to broaden its use of Chinese and Russian currencies and lessen its dependence on the dollar, which a spokesman for the ruling junta said some countries are using “to bully smaller nations”. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari refuses to ratify Citizenship Bill, invites constitutional crisis – Times of India

Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari denied authenticating the citizenship bill despite the constitutionally bounded provision to ratify it within 15 days after it has been reproved by the two houses. Click here to read…

What should Nepal’s position on UN reform be – Kathmandu Post

The 77th General Assembly of the United Nations formally started on Tuesday. While the world will be paying attention to what world leaders, including heads of states, heads of governments and top diplomats, will say at the first world conference after the Russia-Ukraine war, the subject of UN reform will also take precedence. The subject is one of the 178 agenda items that will be discussed in the Assembly taking place in New York. Click here to read…

Pakistan

World leaders join Pakistan for SOS on flood and debt: Dawn

“Pakistan is drowning, not only in floodwater but in debt” too, said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif urged the international community on Tuesday to stay engaged with the country as it deals with this huge humanitarian crisis. Click here to read…

France to help Pakistan ‘revive’ economy: The Express Tribune

The decisions were announced through a joint statement after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and French President Emmanuel Macron held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Click here to read…

‘Big and bold’ decisions inevitable to lift country out of crises: Imran: The Express Tribune

“We have to take those steps that have not been taken ever due to public pressure and other reasons… in parliamentary democracy, coalition governments are very weak,” he said in an interactive session with interactive Zoom session with digital broadcasters and economic analysts on Tuesday. Click here to read…

‘Enforced disappearances violation of Constitution’: The News

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that only Imran Khan knows who is Mr X and Y, adding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman should have courage and name them. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

SL’s fuel prices still lowest among non-oil producing countries: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka raised its fuel price at the pump to at least thrice the level it was, in a matter of months as it became impossible to continue to subsidise the prices following the Russia-Ukraine war sending global energy prices soaring, bringing the Sri Lankan economy crashing down after exhausting its foreign currency reserves. Click here to read…

Invites them to invest in Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe who is currently in the United Kingdom invited the Sri Lankans living there to join the new investment opportunities created in Sri Lanka, President’s Media Division said. The visiting President made this remarks when he met with the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Britain on Monday. Many Sri Lankan businessmen, investors and professionals living in Britain attended the meeting organised by the Sri Lankan High Commission in Britain. Click here to read…

China keeps Pakistan, Sri Lanka waiting on loan deals: Hindu

China has offered Pakistan’s visiting Army Chief technical help as the country deals with record floods, but did not announce any substantial financial assistance which its “all-weather” ally has been seeking. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Bashir Noorzai Released by US in Exchange for Mark Frerichs: Muttaqi: Tolo News

Haji Bashir Noorzai, a senior member of the Taliban, arrived in Kabul today after being released from detention by the US, a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate said on Twitter. Speaking at a gathering held to announce the release of Bashir Noorzai, acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Noorzai was released in exchange for American citizen Mark Frerichs. Click here to read…

Calls Mount to Reopen Girls’ Schools Above Grade 6: Tolo News

The former deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hekmat Khalil Karzai, expressed criticism over the closure of girls’ schools above grade six for over a year. “In the 21st century, Afghanistan is the ONLY country in the world where girls above grade six are banned from going to school,” he said. “A full year has gone by where girls have been deprived of their dreams and future. All of us are not only responsible but should be ashamed!” Click here to read…

Taliban Conducts Nighttime Door-to-Door Search: The Khaama Press

Local sources in the central and southern Afghan provinces of Parwan and Kandahar, respectively, have said that the Taliban has begun carrying out sweeping door-to-door searches. In the Kolami area of the Salang district of Parwan province, the Taliban are said to have first arrested men and searched homes while breaking in, according to sources in Parwan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

President Murmu meets Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, sister ahead of Queen’s funeral: Mint

As world leaders gather to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch of British history, President of India Droupadi Murmu took to Twitter to post a picture where she met with Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana. Click here to read…

PM Hasina in New York to attend UNGA: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New York, USA to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). A VVIP chartered flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage landed at JFK International Airport here at about 10:25pm (New York time). Click here to read…

Bhutan

Climate change is a major threat for Bhutan: Kanni Wignaraja – Kuensel Online

The UN Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja, said that climate change is a major threat facing Bhutan as global warming increases the risk of glacial lake outburst floods. Click here to read…

King and Queen of Bhutan dubbed the ‘Prince William and Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’ paid their respects to Her Majesty and joined world leaders for the ‘reception of the century’ at Buckingham Palace – Daily Mail

The King and Queen of Bhutan last night paid tribute to the Queen while she was lying-in-state at Westminster Hall. King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema, dubbed the ‘Prince William and Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’, made the journey to London ahead of the state funeral todayClick here to read…

Maldives

How The Maldives Is Fighting The Climate Crisis With Coral Reefs – Plant based News

The result of this is that, by 2050, 80 percent of its islands could become uninhabitable at current global warming rates. Despite only being responsible for around 0.003 percent of global emissions, the island is set to be adversely affected by the climate crisis. Currently, more than 90 percent of the islands in the Maldives have severe erosion, and 97 percent of the country no longer has fresh groundwater (the water found beneath the Earth’s surface). Click here to read…

Myanmar

Lured by IT jobs in Thailand, over 300 Indians held hostage in Myanmar, forced to do cybercrime activities; also given ‘electric shocks’ – Times Now News

In a disturbing news, it is alleged that more than 300 Indian have been held hostage in Myanmar after they were lured to Thailand by a job racket. At least 60 people are from Tamil Nadu. The hostages are being forced to work in cybercrime industry. A report in Times of India said these hostages are being held by a gang at Myawaddy in Myanmar. Click here to read…

Bangladesh-Myanmar border tension: ASEAN envoys to relay Dhaka’s concerns – TBS News

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) envoys stationed in Dhaka have said they will relay Bangladesh’s concerns over the situation along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border to their capitals. Acting Foreign Secretary Rear Admiral Md Khorshed Alam (retired) briefed the heads of missions from the southeast Asian countries in Dhaka Monday and informed them about the current situation in the bordering areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Click here to read…

Jaishankar discusses G20, situation in Myanmar with Indonesian counterpart – Money Control

The sources added given that India will be succeeding Indonesia as the G20 Chair, it is important that the Indonesian presidency is successful. It was also underlined during the meeting on how to focus the world’s attention on the relevant and pressing issues currently facing the planet, which is the big concern right now. Click here to read…

Myanmar military helicopters strafe religious school, killing 7 children and at least 6 adults: eyewitness report – SCMP

Government helicopters have attacked a school and village in north-central Myanmar, killing at least 13 people including seven children. Civilian casualties often occur in attacks by the military government on pro-democracy insurgents and their allies. However, the number of children killed in the air attack on Friday last week in Tabayin township appeared to be the highest since the army seized power in February last year, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Click here to read…

Regime imposes travel ban on local, international NGOs in Arakan State – BNI Online

Myanmar’s military regime has barred local and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) from travelling to multiple townships in Arakan State following the renewed fighting between junta troops and the Arakan Army (AA) over recent weeks. Local and international NGOs have been barred from travelling to Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Minbya, Mrauk-U and Myebon townships as of Friday, an employee from an international NGO told DMG on condition of anonymity. Click here to read…

Nepal

‘Nepal is well positioned to leapfrog to a green development path’ – Himalayan Times

World Bank’s recently launched Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) has highlighted the impacts of climate risk and suggested Nepal to take an integrated approach to water, agriculture, and forests, harness the hydropower opportunity and energy transition, manage sustainable urbanisation, and strengthen low-carbon resilient connectivity. Click here to read…

India considers laying more petro pipelines for Nepal – Live Mint

India is considering setting up more pipelines for transporting refined petroleum products such as diesel to Nepal, two officials aware of the development said, outlining a measure to enhance New Delhi’s ties with Nepal and thwart China’s influence in the neighbourhood. Click here to read…

India, Nepal lay foundation stone for cross-border bridge – Big News Network

Senior officials of India and Nepal on Monday laid the foundation stone for the construction of a motorable cross-border bridge over the Mahakali River. Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of India’s northern Uttarakhand state took part in a special prayer ceremony before he laid the foundation stone on the Indian side of the border. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Gastro, malaria claim 12 more lives: Dawn

Twelve more flood victims died of gastroenteritis and malaria within a day in different areas of Dadu and Kandhkot-Kashmore districts on Monday. The two diseases have so far proved to be the major cause behind most of the deaths among internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in squalid conditions at relief camps and flooded localities. Click here to read…

Editorial: The youngest victims: Dawn

FOR millions of children in Pakistan, life is going to be particularly precarious in the coming months, with consequences that will last well into the future — at least for those of them that manage to make it to adulthood. Click here to read…

COAS meets Chinese defence minister: The News

He expressed these views while talking to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa who is on an official two-day visit to China. General Bajwa called on Chinese Minister for Defence General Wei Fenghe, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said on Monday. Click here to read…

Nation won’t forget traitors behind ‘imported’ govt: Imran: The News

Address a public meeting here, Imran asked the youth to break the idols of fear and scare those who scared them over phone from unknown numbers. He said those scaring the youth were worth nothing adding that the decision to elect their representatives to lead the country rested fairly and squarely with the people and none else. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

People’s revolt inevitable if no polls are held within 6 months. Ven. Dhammarathana: Daily Mirror

If a general election is not held within the the next six months after the formation of an all-party government, a revolt by public could become inevitable, Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya head Ven. Valahangunawewe Dhammarathana Thera said. He made this comment when Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited the temple yesterday. Click here to read…

Tourist arrivals during Sept. 1-15 hit almost 15k: Daily Mirror

Tourist arrivals for the first 15 days of September totaled 14,833, bringing the arrivals for the January 1 to September 15 period to 511,263. An analysis of the daily arrival numbers, as shared by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, showed that the average arrival per day for the month is 988. Click here to read…

‘China a very close friend, but India is…’: Sri Lanka envoy on research ship: Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda on Monday extended gratitude to India for providing a “strong lifeline” during the economic crisis in the island nation and hoped that it will play a crucial role in the economic revival of his country. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Sunday Marks One Year of Girls’ Ban from School: Tolo News

Sunday marks one-year since schools above grade six remain closed for girls’ students in grades 7-12 in Afghanistan. After coming to power, the Islamic Emirate closed schools for female students beyond grade six. Click here to read…

Moscow Stresses Need for Inclusive Afghan Govt: Tolo News

The Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, saying that the recognition of the Islamic Emirate depends on its internal politics. The top Russian diplomat said that he has not seen evidence about the killing of Ayman-al-Zawahiri, the leader of the al-Qaeda network. Click here to read…

Taliban to ban TikTok and Pubg apps in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

Taliban is going to ban TikTok and Pubg applications in Afghanistan within next 3 months times, the Ministry of Telecommunication announced on Saturday. The Ministry of Telecommunication in a meeting with the representatives of the security sector and a representative from the Sharia law enforcement administration has decided to ban both TikTok and Pubg applications in Afghanistan within a 90 days period of time. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina: Bangladesh gets free, fair elections only under Awami League: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said free and fair elections are held only during the Awami League’s regimes as she always struggled to establish democracy and democratic rights in the country. “Only during the Awami League government periods, you can see free fair elections,” she told BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg in an interview aired on Sunday. Click here to read…

Mozammel bats for international recognition of genocide of 1971: Dhaka Tribune

Urging all those who believe in the spirit of the liberation war to unite for the recognition of the genocide of 1971, Liberation War minister AKM Mozammel Haque said that the international recognition of the genocide carried out by the Pakistani invading forces on the liberation-seeking people of Bangladesh has not been achieved even in 51 years. Click here to read…

Bhutan

India-Bhutan border gates set to reopen from September 23 – Times of India

India-Bhutan border gates at Samdrup Jongkhar and Gelephu along the Assam frontier will reopen for tourists from September 23. This move comes after a hiatus of 2.5 years, the first time after COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Click here to read…

Bhutan is 127th on human development index – Kuensel Online

Bhutan has been ranked 127th out of 191 countries in the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI). The 2022 report was launched yesterday. Bhutan’s ranking has moved up by two ranks from 129 from the previous year. Click here to read…

Maldives

Tourist arrivals at 1.13 mln – Avas

Tourist arrivals to the Maldives thus far this year have reached 1.13 million. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, the number of tourists visiting the country has increased by 38 percent so far this year compared to the previous year. Click here to read…

Maldives granted SCO’s dialogue member status – Avas

The decision to grant dialogue membership to the Maldives was reached at the Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 27-28 July 2022. However, the decision was approved at the SCO summit in Uzbekistan on Friday. In addition to the Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Egypt were granted SCO dialogue member status. Click here to read…

Myanmar

On Leadership and Power in Myanmar – The Irrawaddy

Some observers, of whom this writer is one, have long considered General Ne Win as the most destructive personal force in Myanmar’s modern history. In his various pivotal but detrimental roles as minister, deputy prime minister, prime minister, political party chairman, and commander of the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s armed forces), he led the state in a mercurial and essentially whimsical manner—ever downward at his discretionClick here to read…

Myanmar Ethnic Armies AA and UWSA Leaders Meet to Build Relations – The Irrawaddy

New leaders of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and deputy commander-in-chief of the Arakan Army Brigadier General Nyo Tun Aung recently met in Mongla, eastern Shan State. Brig-Gen Nyo Tun Aung, 41, traveled from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) headquarters in Laiza to Mongla to meet the UWSA’s new deputy leader, Bao Ai Chan, also known as Bao Junping, 41. Click here to read…

Military uses waterways to step up Maungdaw operations as Arakan Army seizes territory – Myanmar Now

The Arakan Army (AA) overran a military base in northern Rakhine State’s Maungdaw on Thursday evening, one day after some 500 junta reinforcement troops were sent to the township by boat to avoid AA-controlled land routes. Click here to read…

Nepal

World Bank Vice President: Federalism is Good Foundation for Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Nepal – Mirage News

World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser, concluded his first visit to Nepal today, with the commitment to support the country’s federalism and Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development (GRID). Click here to read…

Why is Chief Justice of Nepal now under house arrest after surviving impeachment – Times Now News

98 Nepali lawmakers filed a general indictment against the CJN in February this year, accusing him of undermining the ruling coalition. A month later, they presented the impeachment to the legislature and established an 11-member committee to make recommendations regarding it. Sunday’s attempt by suspended Chief Justice Rana to visit the Supreme Court was unsuccessful. However, the action also caused a hornet’s nest in terms of its effects on more general politics. Click here to read…

Nepal, World Bank sign agreements worth over Rs52 billion – Kathmandu Post

The government of Nepal and the World Bank signed concessional financing agreements for $275 million (equivalent to Rs34.96 billion) for the Accelerating Nepal’s Regional Transport and Trade Connectivity (ACCESS) Project and $140 million (equivalent to Rs17.79 billion) for the Digital Nepal Acceleration (DNA) Project on Sunday. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Selection of army chief must not be politicised: Asif: Dawn

As speculation around the appointment of the next army chief grows, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters in London on Sunday that the appointment “should not be politicised as it hurts the institution”. Mr Asif is in London accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is in the United Kingdom to attend the state funeral of the Queen on Monday (today), upon the invitation of the UK government. Click here to read…

Pakistan won’t default on debts despite floods, says Miftah: Dawn

Pakistan will “absolutely not” default on debt obligations despite catastrophic floods, the finance minister said on Sunday, signalling there would be no major deviation from reforms designed to stabilise a struggling economy. Click here to read…

Pakistan mulls importing Russia oil on deferred payment: The Express Tribune

Pakistan can import oil from Russia on deferred payment as both countries are in talks to discuss the possibility, a senior government functionary revealed on Sunday after the recent meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samarkand. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

With $968 mn of loans, India surpasses China to become largest lender of Sri Lanka: Mint

Surpassing China, India has become the largest bilateral lender to Sri Lanka by disbursing a total of $968 million in loans in four months of 2022, according to a media report. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka to brief creditors on IMF deal: Daily Mirror

The Sri Lankan government will virtually brief all its external creditors on September 23, 2022, on the deal agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the economic recovery and the next steps in the debt restructuring process. On September 1, the IMF reached a staff-level agreement to support Sri Lanka’s economic policies with a 48-month arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of about $2.9 billion. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

US Establishes ‘Afghan Fund’ in Switzerland With $3.5B of Frozen Assets: Tolo News

The United States established a fund to assist the people of Afghanistan, known as the “Afghan Fund,” through the Departments of the Treasury and of State, in cooperation with international partners including the government of Switzerland and Afghan economic experts. Click here to read…

Vienna Meeting to Discuss Afghanistan’s Future: Afghan Political Figures Gather in Austria

Political adversaries of the Taliban have gathered in Vienna, the capital of Austria, for a three-day meeting, behind closed doors, to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and resistance against the Taliban. At least 31 Afghan political figures and civil activists were invited to the meeting, according to preliminary knowledge acquired by Khaama Press; however, some of them were unable to attend the first day due to personal or visa-related reasons. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Doraiswami: Bangladesh-India are connected through the heart: Dhaka Tribune

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami has said Bangladesh-India relationship is a “train” that must keep moving to do more great things together. “That energy needs to be carried through,” he said, adding that there are many great things that the two countries have achieved together in the past decade which should be celebrated. Click here to read…

India pitches for trans-shipment of goods bound for Bangladesh via Indian ports: Hindustan Times

India has proposed several measures to Bangladesh to boost trade and connectivity between the two sides, including greater trans-shipment of goods via Indian ports and the import of tea from India’s northeastern states, people familiar with the matter said. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan is 127th on human development index: Kuensel

Bhutan has been ranked 127th out of 191 countries in the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI). The 2022 report was launched yesterday. Bhutan’s ranking has moved up by two ranks from 129 from the previous year. Click here to read…

India-Bhutan border to be reopened from September 23: ThePrint

“Government of Bhutan has officially announced that international border with India will be opened on Sept 23 as Covid cases have subsided. We prepare to open the border and give visitors a good experience, said Tashi Penjore, the Himalayan kingdom’s Director (law and order) of the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs. Click here to read…

Maldives

Abdul Ghafoor officially appointed Ambassador to US: Sun Online

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Thursday, appointed Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed as the Ambassador of the Maldives to the United States (US). Ghafoor’s letter of appointment was presented to him by the president at a special ceremony held at the President’s Office on Thursday morning. Click here to read…

Discussions underway on controlling drug prices: Avas

Discussions are underway on controlling the price of medical drugs, Presidential Spokesperson Miuwan Mohamed said.
At a press conference at the President’s Office on Thursday, Miuwan said the government believes that the price of medicines is closely linked to the welfare of the people. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Leaked document suggests Myanmar military units are in disarray: Myanmar Now

A leaked copy of a speech delivered by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in a June meeting of military officials suggested that the regime’s armed forces are struggling to cope with heavy losses caused by clashes with resistance forces across Myanmar. Click here to read…

Mizoram CM seeks New Delhi’s proactive role in restoring peace in Myanmar: Hindustan Times

Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga has sought New Delhi’s proactive role in restoring peace in Myanmar in the wake of the increasing influx of refugees from that country since the Myanmarese army ousted the democratically-elected government and seized power in February last year. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Editorial: No end to impunity: Dawn

SOME things in Pakistan, it seems, never change. Among these is the abhorrent ‘kill-and-dump’ policy allegedly employed by sections of the deep state to get rid of ‘undesirable’ elements. Click here to read…

Putin offers Shehbaz gas to warm ties: The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Samarkand on Thursday in a significant move that highlights that despite the change of government in Islamabad both the sides are keen to deepen their bilateral cooperation. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

India plans to stop financial aid to Sri Lanka after IMF bailout: Report: Daily Mirror

India does not plan to provide fresh financial support to Sri Lanka on top of the nearly $4 billion it has extended this year, two sources told Reuters, as the island’s battered economy starts to stabilise after a preliminary loan agreement with the IMFClick here to read…

Sri Lanka will not be part of any Indian Ocean turf war: President Ranil Wickremesinghe: India Today

Sri Lanka will not take part in any “big power rivalry” in the Indian Ocean and it is unfortunate that his country has been made the “punching bag” for Hambantota, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, weeks after India and China clashed over the docking of a high-tech Chinese ship at the country’s southern port. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

UK Donates £24M to UNICEF to Help Afghan Children: Tolo News

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has contributed an additional GBP 24 million towards UNICEF’s $2 billion Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Afghanistan, UNICEF said in a report.The funds will help UNICEF provide “lifesaving nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection services to over 1.6 million people affected by the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. Around 1.3 million – 77 per cent – are children.” Click here to read…

Afghanistan Tipping ‘Towards Authoritarianism’ Says UN Rights Expert: Tolo News

A UN expert said on Monday that human rights had deteriorated under the Islamic Emirate, describing a “staggering repression” of women and girls and a “descent towards authoritarianism”, while Afghan women urged the global body to act. Click here to read…

Pakistan Seeks Taliban to Arrest JeM Jihadist Militant Group Chief: The Khaama Press

Pakistan, in a letter to the Taliban in Afghanistan, demanded the arrest of Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), a Jihadist militant group based in Pakistan, hinting that he is in Afghanistan, Pakistani media reported. Click here to read…

US Transfers $3.5 Billion in Afghan Assets to Swiss Trust: The Khaama Press

The US reportedly says it would transfer $3.5 billion in Afghan Central Bank assets frozen when the Taliban took power last year to a new Swiss-based trust fund. According to international media reports, Afghan central bank assets will be moved to a new Swiss-based trust fund that will be protected from the Taliban and utilized to assist stabilize Afghanistan’s collapsing economy. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina leaves Dhaka to attend 77th UNGA: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka on Thursday for the United Kingdom en route to New York to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Click here to read…

Bangladesh, Bhutan to finalize transit agreement, protocol: Dhaka Tribune

The two-day commerce secretary level meeting between Bangladesh and Bhutan ended today in the capital with a set of decisions including to finalize transit agreement and protocol in a bid to strengthen implementation of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) signed between the two countries. Click here to read…

Bhutan

PM Modi meets Bhutan King – Tribune India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the two dignitaries discussed various ideas to further strengthen the close and unique India-Bhutan friendship. Click here to read…

Transit deal with Bhutan edges closer to reality – The Daily Star

A transit agreement between Bangladesh and Bhutan was finalised yesterday with senior officials of both countries agreeing to draft terms and conditions at a secretary level meeting in DhakaClick here to read…

Maldives

Bangladeshi Workers in the Maldives: The Thin Line between Migration and Trafficking – Asia Foundation

Dreaming of better fortune for his family, “Hasan” left his remote Bangladeshi village for a job in Saudi Arabia. To pay for his trip, his family sold their only resource, a small piece of land, and borrowed from relatives and a local welfare association. They handed the money—roughly 5,500 U.S. dollars—to a local dalal (broker) who promised Hasan an office job for 50,000 Bangladeshi taka per month. Click here to read…

Health Sector: Good performance, high costs, says the World Bank – Avas

The World Bank’s Maldives Public Expenditure Review (PER) shows that infant mortality in the Maldives fell by 2.8 percent from 2014 to 2019. The report said maternal mortality was also reduced by three percent during the period. Click here to read…

Myanmar

An illegitimate junta can’t fix Myanmar’s broken economy – Frontier Myanmar

The country’s economic predicament is inseparable from its political crisis. To help resolve it, foreign nations must go beyond the old playbook of symbolic sanctions and empty statements. Click here to read…

Myanmar Military Must Stop Shelling at Bangladesh Border – Daily Times

Myanmar’s Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh and India, has been in conflict for two months, affecting neighbouring countries as well. Especially, the residents of Ghumdhum and Tambru border areas of Bandarban are in a panic. On the other hand, many people of these states fled and took refuge in India. Ammunition from the Myanmar army is coming to our borderClick here to read…

RI confirms Myanmar’s absence from upcoming New York meeting – Jakarta Post

Myanmar will not participate in the upcoming ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with the United Nations secretary-general and the president of the 77th UN General Assembly (AUMM), Indonesia says. Click here to read…

Junta arrests 15 demanding UN extend term of Myanmar rep – RFA

Authorities in Myanmar’s commercial capital Yangon arrested 15 people on Tuesday evening after breaking up an anti-junta protest calling on the United Nations to extend the tenure of the shadow National Unity Government’s (NUG) envoy to the world body. Click here to read…

Myanmar’s workers left vulnerable as junta crushes unions – RFA

Myanmar’s labor unions have been all but crushed amid a crackdown by the junta in the more than 19 months since the military seized power in a coup, according to union officials and the workers who they represent. Click here to read…

Nepal

Vacancies for Nepalese under Agnipath may be withdrawn for time being if Kathmandu does not act soon: Army chief – Times of India

India may be forced to withdraw vacancies for enlisting soldiers from Nepal under its new Agnipath scheme in the ongoing recruitment cycle if the landlocked country does not take a decision in time, Army chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

EAM Jaishankar meets Nepal’s foreign secretary for bilateral cooperation – Business Standard

Nepalese Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday and apprised him of his talks with his Indian counterpart, Vinay Kwatra. “Pleased to receive Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal. Glad to learn from him that his discussions in India have been productive,” Jaishankar said in a tweet. Click here to read…

Is Nepal on track to attract climate finance to meet the challenge – My Republica

Endorsed by the cabinet in October 2021, Nepal’s national adaptation plan that covers the period of 2021 to 2050 has identified various adaptation programs to be implemented under three phases–immediate, mid-term and long term. Click here to read…

United States on mind, China steps up bid to cultivate ties with Nepal’s parliament – Dajji World

In a bid to cultivate ties with Nepal’s parliament, China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu signed an agreement with Agni Prasad Sapkota, speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, on Monday. Li and his Nepali counterpart Sapkota inked the six-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) following their hour-long delegation-level talks at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwar. Click here to read…

Pakistan

$150m pledged, but only $38m received so far: Dawn

Responding to a flash appeal jointly launched by Pakistan and the United Nations for an initial funding of $160 million, pledges amounting to $150 million have been made and, so far only $38.35 million of this amount has been converted into assistance, the United Nations’ Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Even friendly countries ‘fatigued’ by our aid seeking: PM: Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday presented a dismal picture of the country’s economy and regretted that friendly countries had started looking at Pakistan as a country that was always asking for money. Click here to read…

India concerned about US package for Pakistan F-16 jets: The Express Tribune

India is concerned about a US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan’s fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft, the Indian defence minister told his US counterpart on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Panic grips Swat after spurt in TTP activities: The Express Tribune

The scenic Swat valley remained tense on Wednesday after a sudden spurt in the attacks by the militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the latest being an attack on a police post in the Matta Tehsil of the district. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Leading US Senators unveil a resolution calling for int’l approach to address SL’s crisis: Daily Mirror

Leading US senators, including the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez have introduced a Senate resolution calling for a comprehensive international approach to address Sri Lanka’s current political and economic crisis, including challenges related to poor governance and economic policy under the Rajapaksa family’s ruleClick here to read…

Sri Lanka’s economy at ‘absolute bottom’ after debt default, political tailspin: Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka’s economy likely shrank the most in two years amid a debt crisis that triggered a default and widespread protests that brought the nation to a standstill leading to the ouster of the president. Click here to read…