Afghanistan

4 IS-Khorasan Commanders ‘wanted’ In India Eliminated In Shootouts In Pak & Afghanistan – Republic World

At least four Islamic State [IS] Khorasan commanders “wanted” in India have been shot down by unknown gunmen in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area of Pakistan, as well as Afghanistan. The four wanted IS-K commanders, from the Islamic State’s [ISIS] Central Asian province who were killed have been identified as—Syed Noor Shalobar, Syed Khalid Raza, Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar alias Abu Usman al-Kashmiri and Bashir Ahmed Peer alias Imtiaz Alam. “Khorasan” refers to Asia’s region covering parts of modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Click here to read…

Pakistan releases 147 imprisoned Afghan refugees – Devdiscourse

A total of 147 Afghan refugees imprisoned in Pakistan for not obtaining residency, were freed and allowed to return to Afghanistan on Sunday, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported. According to Khaama Press, children and women are among those who have been released, and a prisoner’s body has also been transferred, according to local officials for refugees in Kandahar. Click here to read…

Taliban govt annuls divorces, forces women to return to abusive husbands – Business Standard

In a fresh blow to the women in Afghanistan, couple of days ahead of International Women’s Day, reports by AFP, suggest that the Taliban regime is forcing women to go back to their abusive husbands. They are being forced to return to their husbands they had divorced. The AFP talked about an Afghani woman, Marwa, a domestic abuse victim. She was one of a small number of women who, under the previous US-backed government, were granted legal separation in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Public Universities Open, Female Students Not Admitted – Tolo News

Universities in the cold areas of the country started classes on Monday with the absence of female students. In December of last year, the Ministry of Higher Education announced that the female students are suspended from going to universities until further notice. “Based on the leadership of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Islamic Emirate on Hout 15 (1402 solar yar/ March 6), the lessons began in all universities. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

The fiery call for freedom – Daily Star

Suhrawardy Udyan, or what was known as Ramna Race Course back in the day, is closely linked with Bangladesh’s history. It was where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, with a sense of passion, a vigour for democracy, and an anticipation for change, made the most iconic declaration of his life on March 7, 1971, and subsequently etched his name in the history books unlike any before or after him. He showed his political guile, moved people with his captivating voice, and in a matter of 19 minutes, went from being the leader of the Awami League to the country’s greatest national asset. Click here to read…

How Rohingya camps are turning into crime zones – Dhaka Tribune

At least 11 rogue armed groups, including Myanmar’s Arakan Salvation Army (Arsa), are active in the refugee camps. They are allegedly engaged in drug trading, kidnapping, infighting, extortion and rapes, according to a report by the Ministry of Defence. The report was placed at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence on February 15. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan looks beyond LDC graduation – Kuensel

Bhutan sought partners who want to collaborate and invest in the country once it graduates the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group at the summit of the LDC in Doha last week. The fifth United Nations conference on the LDC was preceded by the summit of the LDC, on March 4. The heads of government and the heads of delegation of the LDCs exchanged their views on how they can collectively address shared challenges and come up with meaningful solutions. Click here to read…

Will 13th Plan realise Zhemgang’s ecotourism dream – Kuensel

Zhemgang dzongkhag administration is preparing development plans to promote community-based ecotourism for the upcoming 13th Five-Year Plan. While the dzongkhag has rich culture and biodiversity, issues with accessibility and other infrastructure prevented it from realising its full potential mainly community-based ecotourism business for both international and local tourists. Click here to read…

Lifeline in human-elephant conflict hotspot in Assam’s Nagrijuli along India-Bhutan border – Northeast Now

“It is our lifeline. But for this solar-powered fence, the life and livelihood of over 10000 people living across eleven villages in our area would have been perennially in peril as it was before this 18-kilometre-long fencing came into being,” says Bhim Bahadur Chetri overlooking, across the fence, the now-barren bed of Bornadi River that flows down from Bhutan hills to rejuvenate land and life in Nagrijuli area in Assam’s Baksa district. Click here to read…

Need political consensus to bolster Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal connectivity – EastMojo

Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) subregional initiative, which was endorsed way back in 1997 to strengthen the region’s pursuit of trade and economic integration, has still a long way to go. The subregion houses more than one-fifth of the world’s total population. Countries in the subregion share a common heritage, history, and linguistic, cultural and social ties. The subregion has immense potential for economic growth and significant untapped economic potential for intra-regional trade. Click here to read…

Maldives

Is the Maldives an example of Asian democracy in the current world challenges? – MEM

The political situation in the Maldives has been tumultuous from 2008 to 2022, with power shifting back and forth among various players within the Maldivian Democratic Party. Recently, the former President Nasheed has come to realise that even his closest childhood friend and current President, Ibrahim Solih, is out to get him. Solih government’s arrested Nasheed’s brother in an attempt to silence him from being critical of his presidency, but Nasheed has stood firm. Click here to read…

Pres. Solih reaffirms Maldives’ unwavering support to Palestine – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed the unwavering support of the Maldives to the State of Palestine in their quest to achieve their legitimate right to self-determination. The Maldivian President on Sunday, met with the Palestinian President on the sidelines of the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Speaking at the meeting, President Solih reaffirmed the strong support and unwavering commitment of the government and the people of the Maldives to the people and the government of the State of Palestine in their quest to achieve their legitimate right to self-determination. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Hope is rare now in Myanmar’, UN Human Rights Council hears – UN

“Hope is rare now in Myanmar,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Volker Türk said, calling for robust support for its citizens under fire. “The disregard and contempt for human life and human rights that are continuously demonstrated by the military, constitute an outrage to the conscience of humanity,” he said. The latest report, covering the period between 1 February 2022 to 23 January this year, details a number of incidents in which thousands were detained, hundreds of houses were burned, and dozens of people, including children, were killed by shelling and military raids. Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Losing More Than One Soldier Per Day: Kayah Resistance – Irrawaddy

Junta troops lost an average of more than one soldier per day in clashes with resistance forces in Kayah State in February, according to the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). In February, a total of 45 regime soldiers were killed and 16 wounded in 35 clashes with resistance forces including KNDF across Kayah State and neighboring townships in southern Shan State. Click here to read…

Assessing Possible Military Developments in Myanmar This Year – Irrawaddy

Human rights campaigner Igor Blazevic asks security analyst Anthony Davis about the state of the civil and armed opposition to the junta, and the condition of the Myanmar military after two years of trying to contain the armed uprising. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal’s New PM Dahal Switches Partners – The Diplomat

On February 27, the Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli-led Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) withdrew its support for the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government. The CPN-UML ministers resigned en masse, bringing down the curtain on the seven-party coalition government that was formed in Nepal barely two months ago. To start with, this was a coalition of strange bedfellows, with parties with opposing agendas and ideologies coming together. Their lust for power was their common agenda. Click here to read…

CPN objects to SC order to register case against PM Prachanda – The Telegraph

Nepal’s ruling CPN (Maoist Center) on Sunday objected to the Supreme Court’s order to its administration to register writ petitions against Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” for claiming responsibility for 5,000 deaths during the decade-long insurgency in the country. In a press statement, party’s General Secretary Dev Gurung said that the order passed by the joint bench of justices Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada and Hari Prasad Phuyal on Friday has drawn serious attention of the CPN (Maoist Center). Click here to read…

Political instability, funds crunch cripple capital spending – The Kathmandu Post

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal didn’t have enough time to listen to the private sector representatives in a consultative meeting on the country’s economy on Sunday. Dahal himself had organised the meeting at the finance ministry as he has also been looking after the finance portfolio following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel last week. Click here to read…

Pakistan

More trouble for former Pakistan PM Imran Khan, court junks his plea on arrest warrant – The Tribune

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea for suspending the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against him in the Toshakhana case. After a dramatic Sunday when the police could not find the former Pakistan PM at his home while his opponents alleged that he had fled to a neighbour’s house, Khan contended that a private complaint against him did not merit an arrest warrant. Click here to read…

Pakistan: Govt takes ARY News off air for airing Imran Khan’s speech – Firstpost

The private ARY TV news channel was taken off air on Monday for broadcasting Imran Khan’s speeches a day earlier. The move came hours after Pakistan’s media regulator banned broadcasts of the ousted prime minister’s speeches. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Sunday night banned satellite television channels from broadcasting live and recorded speeches of the 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician after Islamabad police failed to arrest him. Click here to read…

Pakistan has to give assurances on financing BOP deficit: IMF – The Economic Times

Pakistan will be required to give an assurance that its balance of payments deficit is fully financed for the remaining period of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, the lender’s resident representative said. The external financing is one of the last in a string of prior actions the lender wants Islamabad to complete before it clears funding stalled since late last year, Esther Perez Ruiz told Reuters in an e-mailed response on Monday. Click here to read…

9 Cops Killed As Suicide Bomber Rams Into Police Van In Southwest Pakistan – Times Now

A suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle rammed into a police truck in Pakistan’s restive southwest, killing at least nine policemen and wounding seven, officials said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, which took place on a bridge in the district of Sibi in Baluchistan province, but Baluch separatists and local militants have been blamed for previous such attacks. Click here to read…

Fazl rejects SC verdict on Punjab, KP elections issue – Dawn

Pakistan Democra­tic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday severely criticised the judiciary for its decisions regarding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and called for postponement of the elections owing to the prevailing economic crisis and fragile security situation in the country. “Today we are asked that it is a Constitution’s requirement to hold elections [in Punjab and KP] within 90 days, but the same Supreme Court had given Gen Pervez Musharraf three years’ time to hold polls,” said the Maulana at a news conference. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka gets fresh China assurances to wrap up IMF deal – Economy Next

Sri Lanka has received fresh financial assurances from China on debt re-structuring on the parameters required by the International Monetary Fund, sources with knowledge of the matter said. China earlier sent a letter to Sri Lanka saying they are giving a moratorium till the end of the year but did not mention the parameters of an IMF debt sustainability analysis. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka to hold election after getting Treasury’s guarantee on funds – Business

Sri Lanka’s election commission on Monday said that the new date for the cash-strapped country’s local election will be announced after receiving a guarantee from the Treasury on the funds required to hold it. The local body polls scheduled for March 9 were postponed due to a plethora of reasons linked to the country’s current economic crisis. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka reiterates rejection of UNHRC resolution 51/1 – Colombo Page

Sri Lanka has reiterated to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) its position that it rejects the Resolution 51/1 which was passed by the Council last year. Addressing the 52nd Regular Session of the UNHRC last Friday, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, Himalee Arunatilaka said a “series of unhelpful resolutions” had been adopted by the HRC, the latest being Resolution 51/1, without Sri Lanka’s consent as the country concerned. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s woes with cannabis legalization – Himalmag

Some propose legalising marijuana production to ease Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. Yet, any move to legalise marijuana cultivation in Sri Lanka will have to overcome a long history of prohibition, social stigma and criminalisationClick here to read…

Afghanistan

Iran opens trade center, permanent exhibition in Kabul – Tehran Times

Iran’s trade center and permanent exhibition of Iranian products was inaugurated in Kabul on Sunday, the Iranian Embassy in Afghanistan announced. In a tweet, the embassy mentioned the purpose of opening this center is to take a fundamental step in the development of trade relations between the two countries of Iran and Afghanistan. The embassy added that this center will be a place for Afghan businessmen to familiarize themselves with Iranian products. The development of exports to Afghanistan with the establishment of a permanent trade center for Iranian goods in Kabul is the beginning of a new chapter in the economic relations between the two countries. Click here to read…

Thousands of women in Afghanistan likely to be punished for adultery after Taliban invalidates divorces – Mint

The oppression of women under the Taliban regime of Afghanistan continues as now thousands face the threat of prosecution for adultery after the government declared their divorces as invalid, which automatically invalidates their second marriage. The declaration is another nail in the coffin of women’s rights in Afghanistan after the regime snatched away their employment and education. Click here to read…

Doha agreement empowered Taliban, weakened US power in Afghanistan: Ned Price – Samaa English News

The United States on Wednesday stated that the Doha agreement empowered Afghan Taliban but weakened its partner in the Afghan government. This remark was made by State Department Spokesperson Ned Price during the regular briefing while expressing his views on the three-year anniversary of the Doha agreement between America and the Afghan Taliban. Click here to read…

Six TTP terrorists including prominent commander killed in Afghanistan IED blast – Samaa English News

At least six terrorists of Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) including an important commander were killed and 15 others were injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Khost province of Afghanistan. The attack comes a week after a senior Pakistani delegation had visited Afghanistan’s capital for talks with Taliban officials. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Rupee and Taka to replace Dollar as currency of exchange between India, Bangladesh – Wion

India and Bangladesh may soon do away with dollar as the currency of exchange between two two South Asian neighbours. The development is expected to reduce the cost of trade as well as losses due to Rupee-Dollar and Taka-Dollar differences. The latest bilateral deliberations between India and Bangladesh took place on the sidelines of the G20 finance chiefs meeting held in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on February 24-25, Bangladesh’s Daily Star newspaper reported. Click here to read…

India proposes Bangladesh to produce defence equipment jointly – New Age

Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma on Sunday proposed Bangladesh to develop and produce of defence equipment jointly while inviting Bangladesh Armed forces to benefit from India’s cost-effective and high quality military gears. The envoy also expressed India’s readiness to partner with Bangladesh in its defence modernization through the US$ 500 million Defence Line of Credit extended by New Delhi to Dhaka earlier. Click here to read…

Fire destroys homes Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh – Reuters

A big fire at a camp for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh destroyed homes and sent thick black clouds of smoke through the area on Sunday before being brought under control. The blaze erupted at Camp 11 in Cox’s Bazar, a southeastern border district where more than a million Rohingya refugees live. Most of the refugees fled a military-led crackdown in Myanmar in 2017, and the fire left some of them homeless again. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Reduce one minister immediately: Opposition Party – Kuensel

“One minister should be reduced immediately,” says the opposition party, Druk Phunsum Tshogpa. The party’s press release, which was issued yesterday, accused the government of being irresponsible by showing a blatant disregard for the law and taking an unduly long time to take the decision. “This is not only against the compelling objective and earnest spirit of the civil reform and Civil Service Reform Act 2022 but also in contravention to the Constitution.” Click here to read…

Solar fence along India-Bhutan border mitigates human-elephant conflict – Money Control

An 18-km-long solar fence erected along the India-Bhutan border helps mitigate human-elephant conflict, protecting over 10,000 people residing in 11 villages in Assam’s Baksa district by keeping away wild pachyderms coming from the Himalayan kingdom. The barrier, erected on the Indian bank of River Bornadi, which marks the international border, has led to a dip in incidents of wild pachyderms straying into villages and a reduction in deaths due to man-elephant conflict. Click here to read…

Bhutan to benefit from India becoming International Aviation Hub – The Print

India is expected to become a major international aviation hub, and it will also benefit Bhutan directly by being its immediate neighbour as India believes in the ‘Neighbourhood first policy’, the Bhutan Live Reported. In order to renovate the Air India fleet and overcome the losses caused due to the pandemic, the Tata Group will buy 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. With the Boeing order estimated at USD 34 billion and the Airbus deal at around USD 35 billion, the entire deal is the largest in commercial aviation history. Click here to read…

EAM Jaishankar holds bilateral meeting with Foreign Ministers of Bhutan, Croatia in Delhi – The Times of India

Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Bhutan Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji on March 04 in Delhi. EAM Jaishankar also met Croatia Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman. EAM held bilateral talks with both ministers on the sidelines of the G20 meeting. Click here to read…

New irrigation channel construction expected to address water crisis in Bhutan’s Jangphutse: Report – ANI

A new irrigation channel which is under construction is expected to solve the water woes of people in Bhutan’s Trashi Yangtse, The Bhutan Live reported. As paddy cultivation season approaches, it is normally a time of struggle for Jangphutse farmers under Toedtsho Gewog in Trashi Yangtse. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid speaks to WION on India’s G20 Presidency – WIO News

Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid spoke to WION’s Diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal on a range of issues. When asked how he sees India’s G20 presidency with reference to giving a voice to the Global South, Shahid said that he is glad that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had kept it inclusive and is gunning to champion every nation’s cause. He said that he expects India to take up every nation’s cause in the south, especially as the world emerges from the pandemic. Click here to read…

‘Small Countries Need UN Charter’s Protection’: Maldives Foreign Min on Ukraine Vote – the Wire

Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid said that the Indian Ocean nation’s consistent vote in favour of United Nations resolutions criticising Russia’s military action in Ukraine reflects the view among small countries that a functional international system based on the UN charter and principles shields them from geopolitical vagaries. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar challenge – The Statesman

After Indonesia was handed over the Asean chair in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 13 November 2022, the immediate expectation of the rest of the grouping’s members pertained to the measures Indonesian President Joko Widoko would take to resolve the political crisis in Myanmar. When Indonesia held the Asean chair last, it had expertly pulled its weight and rallied its Asean colleagues to muster up a credible response to the Myanmar crisis. Click here to read…

US Adds Three Myanmar Organizations to Trade Blacklist – The Irrawaddy

The United States on Thursday added three organizations in Myanmar to its trade blacklist for aiding the junta, along with firms from Russia and China. The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued 37 sanctions, including against 28 organizations from China, four from Pakistan, three from Myanmar and one each from Russia, Belarus and Taiwan to its export blacklist. Click here to read…

United Nations rights office calls for action to end Myanmar ‘catastrophe’ – The Star

The UN human rights office has strongly condemned violence carried out by the military dictatorship in Myanmar against opponents of the regime. “Two years after the military launched a coup, the generals have embarked on a scorched earth policy in an attempt to stamp out opposition,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said in Geneva on Friday. “Urgent, concrete action is needed to end this festering catastrophe.” Click here to read…

Nepal

Prachanda in trouble as Nepal’s top court admits petitions for role during armed conflict – Indian Narrative

Nepal’s Supreme Court has ordered the court administration to register two writ petitions against Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, also the Maoist party chief, for declaring that he would take the responsibility of 5000 of the total 17,000 deaths during the country’s armed conflict (1996-2006). Responding to a case filed by 20 individuals mostly victims of the conflict era, a division bench of the Supreme Court Justices Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada and Hari Prasad Phuyal on Friday ordered the court administration to register the petitions filed against Prachanda. Click here to read…

India needs to engage with Nepal despite political uncertainty – Deccan Herald

Even as Nepal suffers from the economic fallout of the Ukraine conflict in terms of higher food, fuel and fertilizer costs and reduced growth on the one hand and is buffeted by the US-China contestation for influence witnessed in the acrimonious debates on the US-sponsored MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation) versus Chinese BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) projects, it continues to be plagued by political uncertainty. Though it is only three months since the general elections were held in November 2022. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan former PM Imran Khan dodges arrest as police arrive at his Lahore residence over Toshakhana case – The Indian Express

The Islamabad Police arrived at Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan’s Lahore residence Sunday in connection with the Toshakhana case amid massive protests by his supporters, Dawn reported. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief addressed party workers outside his house. Click here to read…

Pakistan crisis: Talks with IMF to begin tomorrow; here’s what to expect – Mint

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are currently locked in a debate over an unfinished loan program required for the ongoing economic crisis. The Pakistan government is likely to resume virtual talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) tomorrow i.e. on 6 March, a report by Pakistan-based media outlet Dawn has stated. These talks with the IMF will finalise revenue and expenditure figures for the next four months, a senior government official told the daily. Click here to read…

UK, Pakistan sign pact for supply of ammunition to Ukraine via Germany – The Economic Times

The UK’s ministry of defence signed the pact with Pakistan Ordinance Factories recently, following which an ammunition consignment of 162 containers, including artillery rockets, was shipped from the Karachi Port to Ukraine via Germany in February, ET has reliably learnt. The consignment went via vessel ‘MV Juist’ from Karachi Port, to be transferred via German Port of Emden. Click here to read…

Bankrupt Pakistan gets another 1.3 billion aid from all-weather friend China – Times Now

This comes only days after Beijing gave the cash-strapped nation a $700 million gift. Dar announced the finance would be provided by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) during a news conference held in this location. This week, China gave Pakistan a much-needed $700 million cash infusion to bolster its struggling economy before the conclusion of negotiations with the IMF for financial assistance. Click here to read…

Pakistan’s president says Punjab polls to be held on April 30 – AlJazeera

Pakistani President Arif Alvi has announced that elections for the dissolved assembly of Punjab, the country’s most populous province, will be held on April 30. The decision on Friday followed a proposal by the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold the polls between April 30 and May 7, according to a statement from the president’s office. Click here to read…

Pakistan to Host Counterterrorism Talks with US – VOA

Pakistan will host a two-day meeting with the United States starting Monday to discuss cooperation in countering what Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry called the “common threat of terrorism” facing the two countries. Christopher Landberg, the U.S. State Department’s acting coordinator for counterterrorism, will lead the U.S. interagency delegation in the talks, the ministry said Sunday. “The two-day dialogue will provide an opportunity for both sides to exchange views and share their experiences and best practices in the domain of counterterrorism,” the statement added. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

India, Sri Lanka May Use Indian Rupee for Economic Transactions – NDTV

India and Sri Lanka are exploring the possibility of using the Indian Rupee for economic transactions and have discussed the initiative that will help in building a stronger and closer partnership through trade and investment-led measures between the two countries. The High Commission of India here organised a discussion on the use of the Indian Rupee (INR) for transactions between India and Sri Lanka on Thursday. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka to dump China for India? Colombo allays Indian security concerns after spy ship row – Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka’s fresh attempt to mend ties with India over the Chinese ‘spy ship’ row. Colombo said it won’t allow any country to use its land to harm India. Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry said that the country wants to balance things to ensure peace and lauded India for coming to its rescue when it faced an unprecedented economic crisis last year. The Lankan minister said his government plans to work more closely with New Delhi. Click here to read…

Indo-US strategic allies hold up Sri Lanka’s struggling politics, economy – Business

With a focus on boosting security and fostering economic growth, India and the US have recently strengthened their strategic alliance in the Indo-Pacific region. They have both committed to helping Sri Lanka during its current crisis, with India offering USD 4 billion in aid through 2022 while the US donated over 3.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and over USD 17.9 million to Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read…

Opposition asks EC to hold LG polls on 19 March – Island

All Opposition parties have called on the Election Commission (EC) to hold the local government (LG) polls by 19 March. The SJB, the JVP-led NPP, the TNA, the SLFP, the TPA, the SLMC, the ACMC, and the breakaway fractions of the SLPP, had jointly written to the EC, urging it to hold the LG elections on 19 March, in keeping with its undertaking given to Court, TNA Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam told The Island. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Ned Price: Islamic Emirate Has Not Fulfilled Doha Agreement – Tolo News

The spokesman for the US State Department once again accused the Islamic Emirate of violating the Doha agreement. Ned Price in a press conference said that Islamic Emirate has not “fulfilled the Doha Agreement” in terms of engaging in political dialogue, fighting terrorist groups and respecting human rights. Click here to read…

Six TTP Members Killed in Afghanistan’s Khost IED Blast – The Khaama Press

At least six members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) including a prominent commander were killed and 15 others injured in a blast that took place in Afghanistan’s Khost province on Thursday. Sources reported that six TTP militants were killed and 15 others injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Khost province. The identities of the slain commanders were revealed to be Abdul Manan, Alam Khan Mudakhel, Kajir, and three others unidentified. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Dhaka calls on G20 to take corrective actions to reverse global warming – Dhaka Tribune

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has urged the G20 countries to take corrective actions to reverse the trend of global warming and advocate for fulfilling the global commitments of financing and technology transfer to fight climate change. Click here to read…

Dhaka, Delhi discussing de-dollarisation – Daily Star

Bangladesh and India are in talks about doing away with the dollar as the official currency for payments between the two countries — a development that would bring down the cost of trade as well as the conversion rate losses for businesses and ordinary people. The talks took place on the sidelines of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting held in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru on February 24-25. Click here to read…

‘Have so far identified 33 militants’ – Daily Star

Rapid Action Battalion claimed to have seized a video from a member of newly-formed militant outfit Jama’atul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya in Chattogram on Wednesday. During a briefing at Rab’s media centre in the capital’s Karwan Bazar, the law-enforcement agency disclosed the 7-minute video, purportedly created by the militant organisation. The video also contains speeches of Jama’atul Ansar ameer Anisur Rahman alias Mahmud, and chief of dawah (invitation) wing Abdullah Maimun. Khandaker Al Moin, Rab’s director of legal and media wing, said, “we have so far identified 33 militants from this one and another video…” Click here to read…

Bhutan

Govt. foregoes Nu 3.31B as fiscal incentives – Kuensel

The government had foregone estimated tax revenue of Nu 3.31 billion (B) in 2021 with the implementation of the fiscal incentives measures, according to the National Revenue report 2021-22. In 2020, the tax foregone was estimated at Nu 5.01B. The fiscal incentives are government policy tools and the Fiscal Incentives (FI) 2017 was formulated to stimulate private sector growth, generate employment opportunities and entice foreign investments in Bhutan. Click here to read…

Bhutan reports outbreak of African swine fever in pigs, villages near India affected – Mint

An outbreak of African swine fever in pigs is reported from a Bhutanese village near the border with India. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on Thursday cited Bhutan health authorities and informed that the outbreak killed 6 pigs in a herd of 58 in a village in the Dagana district. Click here to read…

Inflation drops to 4.33 percent in January – Kuensel

Going by the trends of the country’s domestic inflation rate, which measures the price of consumer goods and services in the country, it is cooling down. As of January this year, the year-on-year consumer price index was recorded at 4.33 percent compared to the same month last year. Recording a drop to 30 months low, the rate is lower than the Royal Monetary Authority’s (RMA) upper threshold of 6 percent. Click here to read…

Maldives

UNICEF Regional Director to South Asia calls on State Minister Khaleel – Raajje

UNICEF Regional Director to South Asia, George Laryea-Adjei has paid a courtesy call on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Khaleel. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. During the meeting, State Minister Khaleel and the Regional Director discussed the role of UNICEF in the Maldives, in areas on child protection, maternal and child heath, immunization, nutrition, pre and primary education and social inclusion. Further, both parties identified the progress in the implementation of the UNICEF Country Programme Document which supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2022-2026) and the Government’s Strategic Action Plan 2019–2023 with the vision of transforming Maldives into an equitable, prosperous, inclusive and connected island nation. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Malaysia’s Anwar says ASEAN must be tougher in bid to resolve Myanmar crisis – The Print

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said during a visit to the Philippines that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must prove it is “relevant” in helping to resolve the crisis in Myanmar. In a pre-recorded interview with Philippine news channel ANC aired on Friday, Anwar said that ASEAN, which is leading diplomatic efforts to bring peace, needed to be more assertive and noted that his country was shouldering 200,000 displaced people from Myanmar. “We can’t see this as a purely internal issue, so I have appealed to friends in ASEAN to say, look we have to be tougher,” Anwar said. “If necessary engage with the armed forces of this country because sometimes the military junta do not understand the civilian narrative.” Click here to read…

Only Civilian Govt Can Deliver Stability, Myanmar’s NUG Tells China – Irrawaddy

Myanmar National Unity Government (NUG) Acting President Duwa Lashi La told China that only the NUG can guarantee the country’s stability and foreign investment. The remark followed Chinese special envoy Deng Xijun’s visit to the China-Myanmar border, where he met with seven of Myanmar’s ethnic armed organizations (EAOs). The acting president said at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he heard about the visit of the special envoy and his meetings with northern EAOs through the news media. Click here to read…

13 Crony Parties Keen to Contest Myanmar Junta’s Proposed Election – Irrawaddy

Late last month, Myanmar’s military regime enacted the new Political Parties Registration Law requiring parties to re-register with the junta-appointed Union Election Commission within two months or face dissolution. So far, 13 out of over 90 political parties have re-registered with the junta’s election body. Five of the parties are running nationally and the eight others in their regions and states, according to the junta-appointed UEC. The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), Democratic Party (Myanmar), and United Democratic Party have also re-registered under new names. Click here to read…

Nepal

CPN (Unified Socialist) decides to vote for NC’s Poudel in presidential election – The Kathmandu Post

The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided to give the party’s support to Nepali Congress’ presidential candidate Ram Chandra Paudel in the upcoming presidential election. The decision was taken during the party’s central committee meeting on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Poll code defers Dahal’s confidence vote- The Kathmandu Post

With the presidential election only nine days away and the parties in the newly revived coalition focused on the poll, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal could delay the vote of confidence in Parliament. Government spokesperson Rekha Sharma said Dahal will seek a vote of confidence and reshuffle his Cabinet only after the presidential polls. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Govt swallows last bitter pills to keep IMF sweet – Dawn

With unprecedented policy doses within 24 hours, Pakistan on Thursday completed all the prior actions needed for staff-level agreement (SLA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to avert sovereign default and secure long-delayed $1.2bn disbursement. Sources told Dawn that policy actions stood completed after the exchange rate was allowed to move freely with a massive Rs25 per dollar depreciation in two days, an unusual 300-basis-point surge in State Bank’s policy, and the government’s announcement of continuing with an almost 10pc increase in power rates on a permanent basis through a special surcharge. Click here to read…

No backchannel talks with India, says Pakistan’s Foreign Office – India Today

Pakistan said on Thursday that no backchannel talks were being held between Islamabad and New Delhi. “At this stage, there is no backchannel between Pakistan and India,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing here while responding to a question. India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such an engagement. Click here to read…

Pakistan: Inflation hits highest level on record – The Print

Monthly inflation, measured by a basket of products called the Consumer Price Index (CPI), jumped to 31.6 per cent in February year-on-year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday. Last month, prices rose at the fastest pace ever in the country’s history, according to available data, with food, beverage and transport costs driving inflation to a point where analysts fear “families will have to make choices and sacrifices,” reported the Dawn. Click here to read…

Pakistan Risks $18 Billion Fine For Delaying Completion Of Iran Gas Pipeline: Report – BQ Prime

Pakistan could face a whopping $18 billion as a penalty for not completing the gas pipeline project with Iran in the time frame stipulated in the agreement. The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, which met with its chairman Noor Alam Khan in the chair on Wednesday, deliberated on the non-utilisation of Rs 332 billion ($4 billion) in gas infrastructure development cess, which was collected for developing three mega gas projects, including the building of a pipeline to import gas from Iran. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Election Commission, Other Commissions to get new members this month? – Daily Mirror

The Constitutional Council (CC) is planning to finalize the appointments of members to the independent commissions including the Election Commission before the end of this month, a top source said. The CC, a parliamentary body headed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane, called for applications to select nominees to the commissions in keeping with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. The source said the applications are sorted out for the selection of candidates at the moment. “New commission members are to be appointed within the course of this month,” the source said on condition of anonymity. Click here to read…

The aftermath of Sri Lanka’s economic crash – The Hindu

As the island nation eagerly awaits a provisional IMF package to chart its path to economic stability, it is currently witnessing a new wave of protests, mainly by workers and professionals, as people’s economic hardships increase. The government also faces criticism over the recent postponement of local body electionsClick here to read…

Russia Ready to Bring Nuclear Power to Sri Lanka – Power

Government officials in Sri Lanka said they will work with Russia to bring nuclear power to the country as part of its effort to increase the supply of electricity for the island nation. Professor S.R.D. Rosa, chairman of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, told local media the country is looking at offshore and onshore installation of small modular reactors, or floating nuclear installations, that would have generation capacity of 100 MW per unit. Click here to read…

The Real Cause of Sri Lanka’s Debt Trap – The Diplomat

The root causes of the country’s debt problem have been attributed to various factors, including corruption and nepotism, alleged predatory lending from China (the so-called “Chinese debt trap”), and a structural balance of payments deficit. These debates aside, it is increasingly clear that the immediate cause for Sri Lanka’s collapse is the structure of the country’s debt itself – specifically, its deep and growing exposure to international sovereign bonds (ISBs) issued at high interest rates. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Top Kashmir jihad commander who led Indian suicide bombers in Afghan IS attacks believed killed – The Print

Kashmir-born jihad commander Ejaz Ahmad Ahanger — alleged to have led an Islamic State cell responsible for a series of suicide attacks by Indian nationals in Kabul and Jalalabad — is believed to have been killed in southern Afghanistan, intelligence officials, as well as members of his family, have told ThePrint. Click here to read…

Thousands of trucks stuck as Taliban shut key Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing – Deccan Herald

A key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for a third day, with thousands of goods vehicles stuck and businesses facing losses as officials from both sides try to broker a solution. Taliban authorities on Sunday closed Torkham, the main point of transit for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Massive blast hits Kabul mosque, sparks tension in Afghanistan – Firstpost

Afghanistan’s capital Kabul was shaken by yet another explosion on Tuesday. A blast took place near the Ziyarat Mazjid Abul Fazl Shrine in central Kabul. According to media reports, there has been no information about casualties or possible damages from the explosion yet. Click here to read…

Fresh batch of USD 40 mln in cash aid reaches Afghanistan – United News of India

A fresh batch of 40 million U.S. dollars in cash that came as humanitarian aid reached the cash-strapped and war-torn Afghanistan on Tuesday, a statement of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), the country’s central bank said. This is the fourth batch of cash as humanitarian aid arrived in Afghanistan since Feb. 9 as part of the international community’s support to help the economically impoverished country to enhance its foreign exchange reserve. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh demands Bangla be adopted as UN’s official language – BS

A senior Bangladesh minister on Tuesday exhorted the United Nations to formally adopt Bangla as one of its official languages, on the day when the country celebrated the Language Martyrs Day to commemorate the pioneers of the Bengali language movement. The UN has six official languages — English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic.
During the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly held last year, it adopted Bangla, Hindi and Urdu as the non-official languages following an India-sponsored resolution. Click here to read…

Russia summons Bangladesh envoy over sanctioned ships dispute – Reuters

Russia summoned the ambassador of Bangladesh on Tuesday to protest over Dhaka’s decision to block the entry of Russian ships into Bangladeshi ports. Bangladesh earlier this month banned dozens of Russian ships that have fallen under Western sanctions from entering its territorial waters, citing the need to comply with the restrictions. Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement it had told Bangladesh’s ambassador in Moscow that the move was not in line with “traditionally friendly bilateral relations and may adversely affect the prospects for cooperation in various fields”.Click here to read…

Why Did Bangladesh’s Kuki Chin Flee to India’s Northeast? – The Diplomat

Since November last year, over 200 Kuki Chin people have fled their homes in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts to take shelter in the Indian state of Mizoram. The Kuki Chin have ethnic ties with the Mizos in India and were fleeing military operations by the Bangladesh security forces in the restive CHT. Click here to read…

Bhutan

India supporting Bhutan in efforts to establish digital infrastructure – ANI

The relations between India, and Bhutan are touching new heights as the India has been consistently supporting Bhutan in its efforts to establish a digital infrastructure, The Bhutan Live reported. The Indian government recently announced that it is going to help Bhutan in building its third international internet gateway. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives holds first strategic dialogue between the Maldives and UK – Raajje

The First Strategic Dialogue between the Maldives and the United Kingdom (UK) at the Senior Officials level has been held in Maldives. The First Strategic Dialogue between the Maldives and UK was held in a hybrid format, on 20 February. Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that the discussions of the dialogue focused on thematic areas including economic and trade cooperation, security cooperation, governance, democracy, human rights and rule of law, environment and climate change, higher education, visas and immigration and regional and international cooperation. Following the discussions, the two countries agreed to establish Maldives-UK working group on maritime security and a working group on trade. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed to formalize the Ocean Country Partnership Program under the UK’s Blue Planet Fund. Click here to read…

Myanmar

At Least 30 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Clashes in Yedashe – Irrawaddy

At least 30 junta military troops were killed in clashes with resistance fighters in Yedashe Township, Bago Region on Feb. 16, according to the Taungoo District Battalion of the People’s Defense Force (PDF) and residents. A combined force of Taungoo District Battalion 3501’s companies 4 and 6, under the PDF of the National Unity Government, launched an attack on a junta military column near Zayit Yoe Kone Village at around 9 a.m. on Feb. 16. Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Delivers State Honors—Whether Recipients Want Them or Not – Irrawaddy

Junta-appointed chief ministers and military commanders have been hand-delivering honorary titles bestowed on citizens by junta boss Min Aung Hlaing after the recipients failed to show up in Naypyitaw last month to accept the awards personally.While many of the title recipients are junta loyalists, some were honored posthumously, and some, it seems, unwillingly. Click here to read…

Challenges to India–Myanmar relations and their impact on the Act East Policy – The Sangaie Express

In the early 1990s, as the global economy was expanding, India’s ‘Look East Policy’ (LEP) signalled a strategic change in its international outlook from the Cold War era. This involved a renewed foreign policy (‘Act East Policy’ (AEP) push to deepen interactions with the Southeast Asian region. The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bloc, established in 1967, has become a global economic powerhouse in the 21st century and India, for its part, views itself as a key trading and investment partner in this region. It thus places great importance on maintaining a cordial relationship with Myanmar, which serves as a key gateway to Southeast Asia. Click here to read…

Nepal

Oli’s offer has Madhav Nepal dreaming of Sheetal Niwas – The Kathmandu Post

Former prime minister and CPN (Unified Socialist) chair Madhav Kumar Nepal suddenly finds himself thrust to the spotlight following news reports that CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli has proposed Nepal as a possible presidential candidate. Nepal is also eager to run for the President in a vote scheduled for March 9, but the question remains whether the political parties will agree to make him their ‘consensus candidate’ for the top job. Click here to read…

Access tunnel of 140 MW Tanahun hydro project built – The Kathmandu Post

Tanahun hydropower project has built the access tunnel as a part of its first phase of infrastructure construction. The 140-megawatt project is being constructed in Damauli. According to the project, the tunnel is 436-metre-long with a 7-metre diameter of entrance. Rajabhai Shilpakar, project chief, said that the tunnel will facilitate transporting construction materials and equipment to the upper side of the proposed dam construction area. In the first phase, a 140-metre-tall dam will be built. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Top Hizb commander Bashir Ahmad Peer shot dead in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi – The Tribune

In a major setback to the Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen, the launching commander of the outfit Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiyaz Alam was killed on Monday in Rawalpindi in Pakistan. Peer was killed on Monday evening after an assailant shot at him from point-blank range outside a shop in Rawalpindi. Click here to read…

Pakistan, ready to sell US embassy property, can cover imports only for 3 more weeks – Mint

Islamabad now intends to raise money by selling a property associated with its embassy in Washington. As of December 2022, for a building that formerly housed the defence section of the nation’s embassy in the US capital, Pakistan received three offers. Click here to read…

Pakistan Nears IMF Bailout Pact After Tax Plan Approved – Bloomberg

Pakistan is inching closer to reviving a $6.5 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund after the parliament approved on Monday the plan to roll out higher taxes. An agreement is expected to be finalized within three days after most issues were resolved, ARY News reported, citing Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, secretary at the finance ministry. A bill that will increase the general levy to 18% from 17% and boost tax on imports of luxury items such as mobile phones to 25% from 17% was approved by the parliament. Click here to read…

Amid massive spike, Pakistan bans TV coverage of terror attacks – Firstpost

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned TV channels across the country from covering terror attacks as it “creates panic and unwarranted chaos among the viewers not only in the country but also Pakistanis living abroad.” The latest order by Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory body comes in continuation to the earlier ones asking TV channels to adhere to the provisions of the PEMRA Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015, Geo News reported. Click here to read…

For Pakistan to find way out, nobody reaches difficult situation without cause: EAM Jaishankar – The Economic Times

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that Pakistan’s future will be largely determined by its own actions and choices and it is for the neighbouring country to find a way out of its economic troubles. In an exclusive interview with ANI, the minister referred to India’s assistance to Sri Lanka during the economic crisis faced by the island country and said it is a very different relationship. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

‘No money to print ballot papers’: Bankrupt Sri Lanka to postpone local elections, Opposition cries foul – Times Now

The March 9 vote was meant to be a key test of support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took office in July after months of protests over a dire economic crisis. According to a court submission by the Election Commission, the treasury has refused to fund the printing of ballot papers, fuel or police protection for polling booths. Click here to read…
Courts can rule on election date, but cannot save the economy – Daily Mirror
Courts can rule on election date, but cannot save the economy, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said addressing a business and legal forum in Kandy. “Although political parties can go to courts to decide when the election should be held, the economy cannot be saved by courts,” President Wickremesinghe said, stating that the responsibility of saving the country’s economy falls on the Parliament. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

US weapons left in Afghanistan are becoming a new threat to Pakistan and India | OPINION – India Today

Approximately, $7 billion of military equipment the US transferred to Afghan Defense Forces over 16 years was left behind in Afghanistan after the US completed its withdrawal from the country in August 2021. This equipment went into the hands of Afghan Taliban and TTP. Click here to read…

Ruling Taliban display rare division in public over bans in Afghanistan – Economic Times

In recent months, the group’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has appeared to take a stronger hand in directing policy. In particular, it was on his orders that the Taliban government banned women and girls from universities and schools after the sixth grade. Click here to read…

China, Iran call on Afghanistan to end restrictions on women – Indian Express

China and Iran have urged mutual neighbor Afghanistan to end restrictions on women’s work and education. The call came in a joint statement Thursday issued at the close of a visit to Beijing by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during which the two sides affirmed close economic and political ties and their rejection of Western standards of human rights and democracy. Click here to read…

The Taliban are digging an enormous canal – The Economist

Taliban officials have started talking up a new canal under construction in the arid north of Afghanistan. A video recently posted on YouTube shows shiny diggers roaring over sand dunes and workers from different ethnic groups toiling together. The Islamist regime says some 5,500 people are working around the clock on the project, using over 3,300 bits of machinery. Click here to read…

Afghanistan Protected Against Pakistan Economic Crisis: Official – Baaghi TV

The Afghan Ministry of Economics said that the current government is working so that Afghanistan does not suffer more from the economic problems in Pakistan. “Every kind of political, economic, and security crisis in the region can affect Afghanistan’s political and economic situation, but management, planning, and policymaking in Afghanistan has caused it to not be affected much by the economic problems of its neighbors, including Pakistan,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh sanctions to remain until police reform: US – New Age

The United States will not lift sanctions on an elite Bangladesh police unit accused of extrajudicial killings until it is reformed, a top US envoy visiting the country has said. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet visited Bangladesh this week and he discussed security cooperation with government representatives in Dhaka. Click here to read…

We want peace, but ready to repel external attacks: PM – Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the armed forces are being developed appropriately to give a fitting reply if the country comes under attack by external forces. “If external forces attack, we have to face that. For that we have to build up appropriate armed forces and accordingly we have taken various steps,” she said while addressing the 10th Tigers’ Reunion of the East Bengal Regiment at Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA). Click here to read…

AL, BNP take to city streets today – Daily Star

The Awami League and its associate bodies will hold programmes across the capital today, countering the BNP’s pre-scheduled road march.Dhaka’s north and south units of the BNP will bring out processions around 2:30pm to press home its 10 demands that include the next national election under a non-partisan caretaker government.On the other hand, the ruling AL will hold programmes at 3:00pm and 4:00pm protesting “terror and anarchy of the BNP”.Click here to read…

Bhutan

125 aspiring NC candidates register with ECB – Kuensel

There could be fewer candidates vying for a seat at the National Council (NC) in the upcoming elections than 2018 going by the record of registered candidates with the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB). The ECB has registered 125 aspiring National Council (NC) candidates including nine female candidates from all dzongkhags as of yesterday. In 2018, there were 177 aspiring candidates including eight female candidates. Click here to read…

Bhutan Airlines loses Nu 150M in the first quarter – Kuensel

The winter holidays have come to an end and intake in universities in Australia ending in March means bad news and business for the airlines. Passengers travelling out for a vacation to Bangkok and those going to Australia have kept the business alive, but the traffic is expected to decline as schools reopen in the country and admission for the spring semester closes in March. Click here to read…

Capital budget use slows in first half of fiscal year – Kuensel

The country has spent Nu 9.9 billion (B) as capital expenditure in the first half of the fiscal year 2022-23, according to the budget performance report for the second quarter of the fiscal year. This makes up about 24 percent of the total capital budget for the fiscal year, which has been revised to Nu 41.83B. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives can adapt to sea-level rise. Here’s how – Down to Earth

Low-lying island countries like the Maldives have been experimenting with raising the height of such islands to cope with sea-level rise and a new study showed that these efforts are efficient. Using simple engineering techniques to elevate islands threatened by submergence and creating new islands entirely where people can be moved to can help small island nations like the Maldives, according to a report by researchers from the University of Southampton, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and TEDI-London, along with Maldivian scientists. Click here to read…

Two Years Later: The Campaign to Protect Maldives’ Waves – Save the Waves

It has been two years since Save The Waves and local partners launched the “Save Our Waves Maldives” campaign. Our fight to reverse the ongoing damage to the famous wave of Chickens continues while also advocating for the protection for all of Maldives’ treasured surf spots, which are under constant attack from coastal development and infrastructure. Chickens Surf Break in The MaldivesThe campaign has two primary goals: the first is to restore the wave at Chickens and the second is to create legal protection for Maldives surf ecosystems across the island chain. Click here to read…

Myanmar

China, Myanmar to promote economic cooperation in post-pandemic era – The Star

China’s Yunnan provincial department of commerce and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) held a meeting here on Wednesday (Feb 15) to promote economic and trade cooperation. Speaking at the meeting, UMFCCI President U Aye Win (pic) said that it is a timely meeting to promote the economic and trade cooperation between Myanmar and China’s Yunnan province, adding it will assist Myanmar’s economic development and private business sector development. Click here to read…

Civilians Resort to Suicide as Myanmar Junta Steps Up Attacks – The Irrawaddy

At least four people in Sagaing Region’s Kantbalu District have killed themselves over the past year due to mental trauma caused by junta raids, according to local sources. Junta troops and affiliated Pyu Saw Htee militias have subjected locals to frequent raids in the past year, detaining and torturing residents, abducting them for ransom, making death threats, and torching their homes. Click here to read…

Myanmar plans to sell gold to Japan – The Star

Myanmar is planning to sell gold to Japan, said U Myo Myint, chairman of the Yangon Region Gold Entrepreneurs Association. “Now a Japanese company inquired to buy gold from Myanmar. We are also planning to export,” U Myo Myint said. During 2017 and 2018, gold was sold to Japan, but it had to be stopped due to the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said. “It has been exported before. It was stopped because of Covid-19. Now they are asking about price and market situation,” U Myo Myint continued. Click here to read…

Nepal

India, Nepal jointly inaugurate two Dharchula International Suspension bridges – The Print

District Magistrate Pithoragarh Reena Joshi and District Magistrate Darchula, Nepal Dirghraj Upadhyay jointly inaugurated two Dharchula International Suspension bridges in the border area Dharchula of Pithoragarh district. Click here to read…

Nepal plane crash: Investigators suspect human error in preliminary report. Details here – live Mint

A preliminary probe report in the Yeti Airlines crash that killed 71 people, including five Indians suspect human error behind the deadly crash. Yeti Airlines flight 692 lost thrust and fell after the propellers of both engines went into a feathered position. The flight had taken off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport on 15 January, crashed on the Seti River gorge between the old airport and the new airport in the resort city of Pokhara. As per International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the state investigating an accident or incident must produce a preliminary report within 30 days of the accident. Click here to read…

Pakistan

TTP rejects UNSC report, says it has no presence in Afghanistan, slams Pakistan govt – News Vibes of India

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) tonight rejected a report of the UN Security Council (UNSC) which has suggested that the outfit has presence in Afghanistan and blamed the “duplicitous policy of the government of Pakistan” for such a “biased” view. Click here to read…

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves rise above $3bn – Dawn

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank rose by $276 million to $3.2 billion in the week ending on February 10, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Thursday. According to the state bank, net foreign reserves held by commercial banks stood at $5.5bn, bringing the country’s total liquid foreign reserves to $8.7bn. Click here to read…

Pakistan, Polish entities ink MoU for supply of defence equipment to Ukraine – Economic Times

Poland is going beyond just being a transit state for transfer of Pakistani arms to Ukraine, with a Polish entity signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Pakistani company for supply of defence equipment to Kyiv. Some other Pakistani and Polish companies are also involved in transfer of the equipment, while a Canadian firm is acting as an intermediary. Click here to read…

US Concerned About Debt Owed To China By Cash-Strapped Pakistan – NDTV

The United States is concerned about debt owed to China by Pakistan and other countries, US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet said on Thursday during a visit to Islamabad as the country dealt with an economic crisis. Pakistan, historically a close ally of Washington, has become increasingly close to China, which has provided billions in loans and is Islamabad’s largest single creditor. Click here to read…

Is China and Pakistan’s ‘iron brotherhood’ crumbling? – Times of India

For years, China and Pakistan have been tom-tomming their ever-tightening geopolitical embrace to the entire world. With Pakistan at the centre of its Belt and Road ambition, China has pumped billions of dollars worth of investment into the country and has extended diplomatic support to Islamabad at every global platform – directly or indirectly. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka economic crisis: Power prices hiked by 66%; aims to gain IMF support – Business Today

Sri Lanka in the midst of an economic crisis, is hiking up prices as it aims to persuade the International Monetary Fund to lend it a helping hand. Sri Lanka hiked up prices of power by 66 per cent, following an increase in electricity prices by 75 per cent last year. The country’s inflation was above 54 per cent on-year in January and income taxes as high as 36 per cent. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s Local Elections Are a Major Threat to the Ruling Class – The Wire

Two themes dominate the political debate in Sri Lanka at present: managing the economic crisis through restructuring sovereign debt and the local government elections announced for March 2023. Click here to read…

Constitutional reforms within unitary system – Daily News

The obstinate refusal by the Tamil political parties to give up federal demand, which every sane opinion labelled as a ‘non-starter’ has deadlocked the recent attempts to find a lasting solution to the minority demands for devolution. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Turkiye, UAE to reduce missions in Afghanistan over ‘security concerns’ – Middle East Monitor

The embassies of Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Afghanistan intend to trim down their missions due to security concerns, after international employees reported receiving threatening letters from unknown parties, Sputnik reported. Click here to read…

Afghanistan announces aid for quake-hit Turkey and Syria – Pakistan Observer

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Tuesday announced AFN 15 million (approx. $166,000 USD) in humanitarian aid for people affected by recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Of the total, AFN 10 million (approx. $111,000) will be for Turkey, and AFN 5 million (approx. $55,000) will be for Syria. Click here to read…

6 million people in Afghanistan face famine risk: UN – The Print

As Afghanistan continues to face the worst humanitarian crisis amid ongoing political chaos, the United Nations (UN) warned that two-thirds of Afghans are facing severe hunger and are in urgent need of aid, with six million facing the risk of famine, TOLOnews reported on Monday. Click here to read…

Afghanistan: Taliban issuing gun licenses to traders, businessmen as abductions soar – Firstpost

The Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have decided to provide gun licenses to traders in the capital Kabul. The Taliban’s security department in Kabul has announced that businessmen in Afghanistan’s capital will be provided with security and gun licences. According to a report by Tolo News, the Taliban arrived at the decision after a series of meetings with traders in Kabul. Click here to read…

Pakistan: Peshawar Bombing Planned In Afghanistan, Foreign Intelligence Agency Funded It, Say Investigators – Outlook

The suicide bombing in Pakistan’s Peshawar was planned in Afghanistan and the terror plot was funded by a foreign intelligence agency, according to Pakistani investigators on the case. A suide bomber struck a mosque in high-security Police Lines area of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on January 30. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh seeks new terms for Adani coal electricity deal – Washington Post

Bangladeshi officials are seeking a discount on electricity purchased from the power company owned by Gautam Adani, according to a stock exchange filing that was made public on Tuesday, in the latest sign of mounting scrutiny of the Indian billionaire’s dealings. Click here to read…

Political trajectory of Bangladesh – New Age

As regards to parliamentary elections, it is almost certain that ruling party candidates will make it to parliament even without competing for people’s votes. Today, nomination from and loyalty to the ruling party are more important than the support and confidence of the electorate. Hence, once electoral candidates of the ruling party become members of parliament or ministers, they remain beholden to the party, not to the people of their constituency or the country; and they serve the interests of the former, not the latter. Click here to read…

The Constitutionality of 15th Amendment – The Daily Star

In 1996, the BNP-led government passed the 13th Amendment to the constitution, allowing the formation of the neutral caretaker government (NCG). The amendment represented a “political settlement” as the then Awami League-led coalition of parties demanded such a system, and BNP, after much resistance, accepted it. It not only allowed a peaceful transfer of power, but also provided equal opportunity to major political parties. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Current account deficit to widen to Nu 75.63B in June this year – Kuensel

Bhutan’s current account deficit (CAD) is estimated to deteriorate further by 19.3 percent to Nu 75.63 billion (B) in June this year from Nu 63.4B in the same month the previous year. These figures are based on the Macro-economic Framework Coordination Technical Committee of the finance ministry. Click here to read…

Bhutan to add more solar capacity to reduce reliance on imports – minister – Reuters

Bhutan will add around 300 to 400 megawatts (MW) of solar energy generation capacity in the next two to three years to reduce its dependency on electricity imports from India, the Himalayan kingdom’s minister for economic affairs said on Monday. Click here to read…

DGPC will take over the Kholongchhu project – Kuensel

Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) has asked for a loan from the Power Finance Corporation (PFC), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), and other financial institutions of India to finance 600MW Kholongchhu Hydro Energy Limited (KHEL). Nu 4.5B was spent on the project so far. The project’s total cost is estimated at Nu 54.4B at the 2020 price level. Click here to read…

Bhutan’s parliamentary delegation calls on President – Mint

A Parliamentary Delegation from Bhutan led by Wangchuk Namgyel, Speaker of the National Assembly of Bhutan, called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. India is foraying into new avenues of bilateral cooperation with Bhutan such as space cooperation, smart agriculture, youth and sports, start-ups, renewable energy and digital development, to help the Royal Government of Bhutan realize its vision of prosperity for all. Click here to read…

India will always be a reliable friend to Bhutan: Om Birla to Bhutan National Assembly speaker – The Hindu

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on February 6 said India would always be a reliable friend to Bhutan while noting the ₹2,400-crore allocation for the neighbouring country in this year’s Union Budget during a meeting with a Bhutanese Parliamentary delegation. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives offers condolences following tragic loss of lives, massive destruction in the wake of earthquake in Turkey – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has extended condolences following the powerful earthquake in Turkey, which has resulted in the loss of many lives. In a Twitter post on Monday, the Maldivian leader expressed grief in hearing of the earthquake that shook Turkey. He extended sympathies and condolences to the families mourning the death of their loved ones. Click here to read…

Police assault 2 journalists covering political protest in the Maldives – Committee to Protect Journalists

Maldives authorities must swiftly investigate the recent assaults of journalists Hassan Shaheed and Ahmed Misbaah and ensure that members of the press can report on public events without fear of violence by police, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Myanmar

New sanctions on Myanmar 2 years after military coup – the Malaysian Reserve

THE US and its allies Canada, the UK and Australia have imposed fresh sanctions on Myanmar, adding to pressure on the military regime, two years since it overthrew the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Jan 31 the US restrictions target six individuals and three entities linked to the junta’s efforts to generate revenue and procure arms, including senior leadership in its energy sector and its Air Force. Click here to read…

HURFOM wants Myanmar junta to face ICC having documented its abuses – Mizzima

The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) is calling for a referral of the Myanmar military to the International Criminal Court to ensure that there is an end to military rule. Whilst the new sanctions announced by the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom to mark the second anniversary of the February 2021 coup were welcome, according to HURFOM these actions came too little too late for the thousands of people killed by the Burma Army. Click here to read…

Myanmar junta makes plans for elections – Mizzima

The junta propaganda leader General Zaw Min Tun said that it is still too early to say whether the election will be held or not. It has been a controversial topic among the public. Some are wondering if the military junta is really going to back out of the elections because of the disapproval of the people, revolutionary forces and international organisations. But, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing is committed to election preparations. Click here to read…

Nepal

Rs 38m worth of tea exported – The Himalayan Times

According to National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB), tea farming is done on around 27,500 hectares of land, with more than one-third of the total tea gardens located in Jhapa. Of the total 28 million kilograms of tea, Jhapa produces as much as 18 million kilograms, which is the highest in terms of district-wise production, Chief of NTCDB Indra Prasad Adhikari said. Click here to read…

Nepal launches National Pashmina Sector Export Strategy to increase to USD 75 million exports by 2026 – My Republica

The Government of Nepal today unveiled its National Pashmina Sector Export Strategy 2022-2026′, which is expected to enhance the supply capacities of the private sector and reconnect the sector with regional and global markets for more Himalayan Chyangra Pashmina exports. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pervez Musharraf buried in Karachi; PM, prez, army chief did not attend funeral – Hindustan Times

Pakistani former President Pervez Musharraf, a key U.S. ally in the campaign against al Qaeda following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, was buried in his hometown of Karachi on Tuesday. Click here to read…

All Parties Conference on terrorism postponed for the second time – Dawn

The All Parties Conference (APC) — called by the incumbent government to discuss important security and economic challenges being faced by Pakistan — has been postponed for the second time this week. The multi-party moot was first slated for Feb 7 (today). However, in a tweet yesterday, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had rescheduled the conference to Feb 9, Thursday. She did not mention why the meeting was moved. Click here to read…

Putin snubs Pakistan; Russia declares ‘won’t do anything that impacts India ties’ – Hindustan Times

Russia has presented fresh proof of its close partnership with India. The Vladimir Putin administration has “strangled” its defence ties with Pakistan in favour of “friend” India. Denis Alipov, the Russian Ambassador to India, clarified in a statement that “Russia would never do anything detrimental to India.” The clarification came after Russian Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow would continue to support Pakistan in regular military contacts. On January 30, Pak Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto visited Moscow to intensify Islamabad’s defence and trade cooperation with Russia. Click here to read…

Debt reprofiling viable option for Pakistan under IMF watch: report – Business Recorder

Reprofiling of bilateral debt remains a viable option under the International Monetary Fund (IMF)‘s watch, according to a report by Arif Habib Limited, as Pakistan remains in talks with the Fund’s mission for the resumption of the stalled ninth review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Click here to read…

Pakistan sets up relief fund for Turkey earthquake victims – The International News

In response to the deadly earthquake in Turkey that has claimed over 5,000 lives, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the establishment of a relief fund to help victims. After a plane load of relief goods and a rescue team from Pakistan reached Turkey, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb took to Twitter and said: “To help the victims of the earthquake in Turkey at this difficult hour, PM Shehbaz Sharif has decided to establish PM Relief Fund.” Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Paris Club creditors give assurances to back IMF bailout for Sri Lanka – Reuters

The Paris Club of creditors has given financing assurances to support the International Monetary Fund’s approval of an extended fund facility for Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan president’s office said on Tuesday. The assurances are crucial to unlocking a $2.9 billion deal from the IMF, which is still pending executive board approval. “Paris Club members as well as Hungary, Saudi Arabia and India continue to look forward to working together along with all bilateral creditors and to engage with other key stakeholders in order to proceed with a comparable debt restructuring as soon as possible,” the informal group of creditors said in a separate statement on Tuesday. Click here to read…

India the biggest friend of Sri Lanka: PM – Investing

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardene on Tuesday called India as the biggest friend of Sri Lanka in the time of crisis. Addressing the Tata Tiscon Dealer Convention 2023, he called on Indian companies to invest further in Sri Lanka. Outlining the benefits of Indian investments in Sri Lanka, PM Gunawardene highlighted that 90 per cent of components used by Lanka Ashok Leyland (NS:ASOK) were indigenous. At the event, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay said that both the Indian government and Indian corporates are working to build relationships that are beneficial to the people within and beyond India, especially the neighbours, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Neighbourhood First” Policy. Click here to read…

Thirteenth amendment to Sri Lankan Constitution, No lessons learnt in 75 years – The Leaflet

The political implication of not implementing a proper federalist policy is the Tamils in Sri Lanka losing their voice and rights, thereby being subjected to further marginalisation. Every self-respecting Tamil in India and across the world should ask for nothing less than a federal Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Russia Turns To Taliban For Weapons; Reports Claim After Iran & N.Korea, Moscow Eyes US Arms In Afghanistan – The EurAsian Times

With no western support for the upkeep of this weaponry, it may be easier for the Taliban to decide on sending them over to Moscow. According to the Kremlin officials cited by the British media report, Putin wants to supply his soldiers in Ukraine with these Western weapons. The General SVR channel alleges: “Putin is overseeing negotiations with the Taliban to recognize the Taliban government. In return, the Russian leadership is offering a major arms and military equipment swap.” Click here to read…

Afghanistan: Taliban to set new rules on women’s aid work, UN says – BBC News

Taliban ministers have told a senior UN official they plan to draw up new guidelines to allow Afghan women to work in some humanitarian operations. Martin Griffiths told the BBC he had received “encouraging responses” from a wide range of Taliban ministers during talks in Kabul, even if last month’s edict banning Afghan women working for NGOs is not reversed. Click here to read…

AK Doval expected to visit Moscow in February for Afghanistan dialogue – Economic Times

National security advisor AK Doval is expected to visit Moscow next month for a regional dialogue on Afghanistan. Doval will also hold con,.n rights situation. India hosted this dialogue in 2021 followed by Tajikistan in 2022. Last month, India also hosted Central Asian NSAs with a special focus on Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Afghanistan’s Kamal Khan Dam and the Helmand River Treaty – The Diplomat

The opening of the Kamal Khan Dam in March 2021 reignited an old dispute between Iran and Afghanistan over the allocation of water in the Helmand River. The river is considered to be one of Afghanistan’s natural lifelines. It’s the country’s longest and runs into Hamoun Lake, which lies on the border between the two neighbors. Neither the Helmand River Treaty nor customary international law denies Afghanistan the right to construct dams over the Helmand River. Click here to read…

Twenty terrorist groups ‘with foreign objectives’ operating in Afghanistan– The National News

Twenty extremist groups are entrenched in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan with eyes on targets abroad, a security expert has said. In a chilling warning to the international community, Arian Sharifi suggested the landlocked country has become a breeding ground for terrorists looking to establish or re-establish themselves. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s seaports: Securing domestic and regional economic Interests – Hindustan Times

Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies globally. Over 90% of the country’s international trade is through the ports of Chattogram and Mongla, which also provide the neighbouring countries an access to the sea for trade and connectivity. This paper seeks to assess the significance of the two seaports in advancing Bangladesh’s domestic trade development, and their role in facilitating maritime commerce in the Bay of Bengal region. Click here to read…

PM Hasina: Govt preparing to hold free, fair election – Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said her government is taking all kinds of preparations to hold the next general election in a free and fair manner. “The next election will be free and fair, and we are taking all kinds of preparations,” she said when the outgoing Swiss ambassador, Nathalie Chuard, called on her at her parliament office. Click here to read…

BNP to stage road marches on 4 days in Dhaka – New Age

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday announced that it would observe a road march programme in the capital on four days to demand the ‘restoration of democracy’ as part of its ongoing anti-government movement. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the demonstration event in a press conference at the Naya Paltan BNP central office in the capital. Click here to read…

Bhutan

India committed to its unique partnership with Bhutan, says PM Modi – the Print

Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked his Bhutan counterpart Lotay Tshering for his warm wishes on the Republic Day and said India is committed to its unique partnership with the neighbour. “Thank you @PMBhutan Dr. Lotay Tshering for your warm wishes! India is committed to its unique partnership with Bhutan for the progress and prosperity of both our nations,” PM Modi said in a tweet. Click here to read…

Are China and Bhutan talks on resolving border dispute a headache for India? – Wion News

Bhutan may emerge as a fresh reason for disputes between neighbours India and China, the latest geopolitical developments indicate. Media reports have mentioned that Beijing has been infesting settlements of villages across the disputed regions, even though China promised to attempt to settle border disputes with Bhutan. Click here to read…

Bhutan could borrow Nu 7.39B more as non-hydro debt this FY – Kuensel

With the country’s non-hydro debt recording at Nu 73.22 billion(B) as of December last year, the government has an opportunity to borrow an additional Nu 7.39B in fiscal year 2022-23. This is because the Public Debt Policy 2016 prescribes that the non-hydro external debt should not exceed 35 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) during a five-year plan period. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan Rupee Slumps To Record Low, Crisis-Hit Nation Seeks Bailout – NDTV

Pakistan’s currency fell to a record low of ₹ 255 against the US dollar on Thursday, according to local media reports. The tumble comes after the cash-strapped government relaxed its grip on the exchange rate to win much-needed loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Pakistan’s money exchange companies removed the limit on the dollar-rupee rate from Wednesday, and said they will let the local currency drop slowly in the open market. Click here to read…

No backchannel diplomacy between Pakistan and India: Khar – Dawn

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said on Thursday that ever since the incumbent government came to power, there has been no backchannel diplomacy going on between Pakistan and India “untold to the rest of the world”. “At this moment, there is no such thing under way,” she said during a Senate session. Click here to read…

IMF mission to visit bankrupt Pakistan to discuss bailout program – Times Now

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will travel to Pakistan later this month to discuss the ninth review of the nation’s ongoing funding program, which it has stalled, the lender’s resident representative announced on Thursday, as the cash-strapped country’s economy is in disarray. The IMF provided Pakistan with a $6 billion bailout in 2019, which was increased by an additional $1 billion in 2018. Click here to read…

Pakistan poll panel announces April elections in two provinces – AlJazeera

Pakistan’s election commission has set final election dates for two provinces whose assemblies were dissolved earlier this month as part of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s bid to force early national polls. Provincial votes have historically been conducted alongside national elections, but Pakistan’s constitution also says new polls must be held in a province within 90 days of the dissolution of its assembly. Click here to read…

Russia’s Kabulov Meets Pakistan’s Khar, Discusses Afghanistan – Tolo News

Russian special envoy Zamir Kabulov met with Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs, and discussed regional issues including Afghan peace and security, a Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. Pakistan’s Khar said that Afghanistan due to its location has an important role in achieving its full potential in socio-economic development and regional connectivity and urged the international community to continue extending assistance and support. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives welcomed more than 133,000 tourists by Thursday – Raajje

More than 133,000 tourists have been welcomed so far in January. This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its latest daily statistics, publicized on Wednesday. Since the new year began, Maldives welcomed a total of 133,000 visitors by Wednesday, which according to the ministry is an increase of 28.8 percent from the 103,236 arrivals recorded in the same period last year, and a significant increase from the 70,614 arrivals recorded in 2021. Click here to read…

Ali Faiz appointed new High Commissioner of Maldives to Sri Lanka – Raajje

A new Maldivian high commissioner has been appointed to Sri Lanka. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih made the appointment on Wednesday. Appointed as the new High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is Ali Faiz. His letter of credence was handed to him during a ceremony held at the President’s Office. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar opium farming booming after coup: UN – Mizzima

Opium poppy production in Myanmar ramped up dramatically following the 2021 military coup, the UN’s drugs office said Thursday, as political and economic turmoil drove farmers to cultivate the crop. The country’s economy has been paralysed following the military power grab in February 2021 and subsequent fighting between the junta and anti-coup rebels. Click here to read…

Myanmar junta plans poll with strict rules for political parties – Aljazeera

Myanmar’s military government took an early step toward holding parliamentary elections, but it did so by imposing strict rules on political parties that may make fair balloting difficult. The country has been under sanctions, including by the US and EU, since the coup in 2021 that toppled the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Click here to read…

China ‘exploited’ insecurity among tribal communities on India-Myanmar border: research paper – The hindu

China has “exploited” the sense of alienation and insecurity among tribal communities along the India-Myanmar border — who have been protesting against the fencing being undertaken along the border — in order to “cause insurgency and instability” in northeastern India, according to a research paper written by a police officer and submitted at a conference last week. It added that insurgents sourced their arms from China and brought them into India via Myanmar. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal plane crash: Singapore to analyse black boxes – Mid-Day

Singapore*s Transport Ministry will analyse black boxes recovered from the crash site of Yeti Airlines flight 691 at the request of the investigation authorities in Nepal, officials said. The flight smashed into a gorge on its final approach to the newly opened Pokhara International Airport on January 15, killing all 72 people on board. It was the country*s worst air crash in 30 years. The Transport Ministry*s (MOT) Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) will help retrieve and read the data from the plane*s flight recorders, said an MOT spokesperson in a statement on Thursday. Click here to read…

‘NC prefers consensus, not power sharing’ – The Himalayan Times

Nepali Congress Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat said the party had decided to support the government led by CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal to establish national consensus. In his address to a press meet organised by Nepal Press Union, Banke, here today, spokesperson for the major opposition said the party had given vote of confidence to the government at the call of the prime minister and it was committed in its effort to cultivate the ground for national consensus rather than joining the government. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

India’s timely help ensured Sri Lanka’s economic survival during crisis: Sri Lankan envoy Moragoda – The Hindu

India’s support to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis, that External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar underlined during his visit to Colombo last week has opened a new chapter in ties between the neighbours, says Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda. Click here to read…

China’s EXIM bank gives Sri Lanka debt extension – Daily Mirror

China’s Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) has provided Sri Lanka with a debt extension, China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, confirming a Reuters report earlier this week. EXIM offered Sri Lanka a two-year moratorium on its debt and said it would support the country’s efforts to secure a $2.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. Regional rivals China and India are the biggest bilateral lenders to Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people that is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades. Click here to read…

Sri Lankan industries should prepare for the transition to the digital economy: President – Colombo Page

President Ranil Wickremesinghe pointed out that the industrial education and training opportunities in Sri Lanka should be improved by introducing modern technology required to surpass the new industrial technology and digital economy of the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Reviewing engagement with Taliban on human rights violation in Afghanistan: US – The Print

The US is reviewing its approach and engagement with the Taliban regime in context of the slew of human rights violations taking place in Afghanistan, a top official in the Biden administration has said, emphasising that Washington is actively evaluating with its allies and partners to take the next appropriate steps towards it. Click here to read…

China inches closer to Afghanistan’s rare Earth reserves with new oil deal – India Today

Chinese Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas Co (CAPEIC) signed a deal with Taliban-led Afghanistan in the capital city of Kabul. The acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum for the Taliban, Sheikh Shahabuddin Dilawar, on January 5 announced the deal in which the Chinese company would extract oil from the Amu Darya basin located in the northern part of Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Iran Seeks Commitment to Water Treaty – Tolo News

Iran has once again sought commitment from Afghanistan to the Helmand River Treaty signed between the two sides in 1973. Iran’s newly appointed ambassador to Kabul, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, in a meeting with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said Afghanistan’s water resources should be managed to prevent waste and protect Iran’s water rights from it. In this meeting, Muttaqi assured the Iranian ambassador that Afghanistan is committed to the Helmand Water Treaty, said a foreign ministry spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

BNP-Jamaat ‘clique’ conspiring ahead of polls: minister – Daily Star

BNP-Jamaat and the far left and right quarters are conspiring as the election inches closer, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque told parliament yesterday. In a scripted answer, the minister said a section of people are trying to create unrest. “Jamaat-BNP… the far left, far right, associated with it… have become active in conspiracy ahead of the election. They do not see the achievements of Awami League.” Click here to read…

Initiatives should be inclusive – Daily Star

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has opposed any regional or global initiative that is unilateral, exclusive, meant to create confrontation and against any country. “Any sort of initiative either by the US or other countries … they need to be open, inclusive. They should not be unilateral, exclusive or against any country,” said the newly appointed Chinese envoy after a meeting with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at the ministry yesterday. Click here to read…

How the Bangladesh economy might fare in 2023 – TBS

Critical reforms in the taxation sector, banking sector, capital market, trade policy, and management of the exchange rate are long overdue. Such reforms, along with the faster and cost-effective implementation of some megaprojects and SEZs, are expected to make the economy more resilient. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Parties in search of female candidates – Kuensel

Women had taken part in politics, with some of them at the helm of governance and leading political parties as party president. However, even with studies showing widespread public acceptance of female politicians, women’s political participation remains low still. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives backs India for ’28-29 UNSC seat – Tribune India

As India seeks another term for two years at the UN Security Council, the Maldives has said it would support its candidature for a non-permanent seat for the 2028-29 term. “The Government of Maldives has decided to support India’s candidature for a non-permanent seat of the UNSC for the 2028-29 term. The decision was taken following Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar’s visit from January 18 and 19,” said the Maldives’ Foreign Ministry. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Indian Coast Guard evacuates injured Myanmar national from sea – New Indian Express

THE Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) advanced light helicopter on Monday evacuated an injured Myanmar national from a vessel of Singapore, about 80 nautical mile (148 km) east-northeast of Paradip. Motor tanker GB Venture had developed a mechanical snag and was anchored about 40.5 nautical mile south of Sagar. One crew member Than Htike Lwin sustained blunt abdominal trauma while carrying out maintenance of a hydraulic pipeline. Click here to read…

Myanmar: Japan’s Construction Aid Benefits Junta – HRW

Japan’s Yokogawa Bridge Corp. apparently transferred over US$1 million in 2022 to Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), which is owned by Myanmar’s abusive military, for a Japanese government development aid project, Human Rights Watch said today. Click here to read…

Myanmar plunges deeper into economic crisis – East Asia Forum

After nearly two years of military rule, Myanmar remains trapped in conflict, facing increasing political instability and a growing humanitarian crisis. While businesses and the labour market had already been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, post-coup instability has done even more damage to Myanmar’s economy. Click here to read…

Nepal

‘Snow-capped mountains turning black’ – The Himalayan Times

Until some years back, the mountainous ridges were seen with snow-capped during the winter season.There used to be a huge inflow of foreign tourists here to take joy of majestic beauty of the Himalayas and play with snow. But, the silver-like glittering mountains are now turning to be black rocks arguably due to the effects of climate change. Consequently, the popular tourism hotspots of Sindhupalchowk – Helambu and Panchpokhari – are losing their identity as the prime tourist destinations. Click here to read…

Banned Practice of Isolating Menstruating Women Still Prevails in Nepal – News18

Menstruation is a monthly occurrence for women. The process is biological and natural, but there’s a lot of taboo and stigma around it. These taboos have often restricted women to take part in various activities at home in India and some other Asian countries too. This has been going on for centuries. One such tradition is Chaupadi. It is a practice in Nepal that restricts women from taking part in any household activities during their periods. They are even not allowed to stay inside their house. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Hours after major outage hits Pakistan, govt says power restoration under way – Dawn

A massive power cut across Pakistan continued after night fell on Monday, affecting most of the country’s 220 million residents, including in the metropolises of Karachi and Lahore. Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir said on Monday night, more than 12 hours after the breakdown occurred, that officials had begun restoring electricity across the country. Click here to read…

Govt wary of IMF-mandated ‘tough decisions’ in an election year – Dawn

The government’s fear of losing popularity before the elections seems to be keeping Pakistan from finalising a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that could stabilise the economy. Official and diplomatic sources told Dawn on Monday that both sides were still discussing the seven demands that the IMF wants Pakistan to accept before it resumes economic assistance to the country. Click here to read…

Pakistan has no money to hold elections? 10 worrisome economic indicators – Mint

Amidst growing concerns of economic turmoil, Pakistan media has quoted Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Spokesperson, Hafiz Hamdullah indicating that if the situation does not improve the upcoming elections will be suspended. Pakistan’s foreign exchange reached a record low of $ 4.56 billion, which can cover only three weeks of imports, according to a Geo News report. Click here to read…

Govt chalks out strategy to tackle Rs1.64tr circular debt in gas sector – Geo News

The government has developed a comprehensive plan to address Rs 1,640 billion circular debt in the gas sector, reported The News. The plan includes securing dividends of Rs 800-850 billion from the two gas utilities, SNGPL and SSGCL, as well as increasing the tariff and adjusting existing slabs to protect lower income consumers from a rise in gas prices. In a bid to break the deadlock with the IMF, the government is working on a plan to remove the circular debt for the energy sector, electricity and gas, which has crossed Rs4.1 trillion figure. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

God won’t change your destiny until you change yourself – Daily Mirror

The leaders of the two ruling parties, the United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) for obvious reasons are arguing that the local government elections which are scheduled to be held on March 9 would not bring solutions to the economic issues that the country is currently faced with. Click here to read…

Is debt cancellation the way forward for Sri Lanka? – Aljazeera

More than 180 prominent economists and development experts from around the world have made a global appeal to Sri Lanka’s financial lenders to forgive its debt, even as other experts are not convinced it is the best way forward for the island nation. According to World Bank estimates, Sri Lanka has an external debt burden of more than $52bn as of December. Of that, nearly 40 percent is owed to private creditors, including financial institutions, while the rest is owed to bilateral creditors where China (52 percent), Japan (19 percent) and India (12 percent) are the largest ones. Click here to read…

Anatomy of sovereign insolvency of Sri Lanka – Daily FT

The purpose of this essay is to highlight the specific blunders by successive Governors of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and members of the Monetary Board since 2006 that has led to the current crisis, and hold them accountable for their actions and/or inactions over a period of 16 years (July 2006-April 2022). Authority and power come with accountability and responsibility. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

30 pc decline in imports from Afghanistan via Attari ICP – The Tribune

The decline of 30 per cent in the imports from Afghanistan through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari can be attributed to clashes between Pakistan forces and Taliban fighters on the international border being shared between Afghanistan and Pakistan besides floods in Afghanistan. The trade through Attari-Wagah route dipped as the import from Afghanistan registered a fall of Rs 1,018 c in 2022 (from January 1 to December 31) in comparison to the previous corresponding period (2021). Click here to read…

Dozens of people killed as cold wave sweeps Afghanistan – Al Jazeera

At least 70 people and tens of thousands of cattle have died due to freezing temperatures across Afghanistan, the country’s Ministry of Disaster Management confirmed with Al Jazeera as Afghans reel from a spell of cold weather amid a humanitarian crisis. The ministry said on Wednesday that 70 people and 70,000 cattle have died in the past week. Click here to read…

Qatar Emphasizes Need for Engagement with Islamic Emirate – Tolo News

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani emphasized the need for continued engagement with the Islamic Emirate as he addressed a panel discussion on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Al Thani criticized a number of the recent actions the current government took but said that engagement with the Islamic Emirate was the only way to bring change in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

A deepened friendship between the US and Bangladesh – Dhaka Tribune

Bangladesh and the US have shared historical experiences. Both nations share a strong belief in democracy and have endured bloody wars to gain their independence. The democratic process is ongoing. The US have witnessed heinous acts of violence and racism. The American people are openly and honestly discussing these concerns, and they are speaking up forcefully to make changes in society and hold lawmakers responsible. Click here to read…

Bangladesh Sents Back Consignment From Embargoed Russian Ship – Marine Insight

On Tuesday, January 17, Bangladesh sent away a Russian ship carrying supplies for their Rooppur nuclear power plant, an incident which has left Russia dissatisfied. The move was made because of the US embargo on the Ursa Major ship. According to international laws, a country that allows embargoed vessels to dock at ports also faces embargo charges. The ship was slated to dock on Dec 24. However, the US government alerted Bangladesh on Dec 22 about its embargo status, which was relayed to the Russian Ambassador Alexander Mantitsky by Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry’s Maritime Affairs Secretary Khorshed Alam. Click here to read…

‘PM Hasina should get Nobel prize for hosting Rohingyas’ – Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should get the Nobel prize for her humanitarian and responsible policy in hosting the Rohingyas, the speakers said during a discussion Wednesday. They were addressing the discussion “Rohingya’s: Victims of Genocide and Looking for Answers” organised by the Entrepreneurship Economics Program of the Dhaka School of Economics. The speakers also urged the international community to play a strong role in the repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh. Click here to read…

Sea ‘a graveyard’ as number of Rohingya fleeing Bangladesh by boat soars

The number of Rohingya refugees taking dangerous sea journeys in the hope of reaching Malaysia or Indonesia has surged by 360%, the UN has announced after hundreds of refugees were left stranded at the end of last year. Rohingya in Bangladesh refugee camps have warned that human smugglers have ramped up operations and are constantly searching for people to fill boats from Myanmar and Bangladesh headed for Malaysia, where people believe they can live more freely. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Foreign Secretary in Thimphu days after China-Bhutan border talks – The Tribune

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra reached Thimphu on Wednesday on a three-day visit. Kwatra will hold talks with his counterpart Pema Choden, besides calling on the country’s top leadership. He will also co-chair the 4th India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks. India is Bhutan’s largest benefactor and had earmarked $282 million for its development during 2022-23. The focus of the visit is expected to be on boosting cooperation in the hydropower sector, defence ties and reviewing the situation in the strategically sensitive Doklam tri-junction. Click here to read…

Maldives

India, Maldives must together ensure regional security: EAM S Jaishankar – The Tribune

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reached the Maldives on Wednesday as part of his two-leg overseas tour and with his counterpart Abdullah Shahid reviewed India’s ambitious development projects in the island that will far surpass earlier Chinese efforts at building infrastructure there. After the ground-breaking ceremony of the Hanimaadhoo International Airport expansion, Jaishankar said it was one of the most anticipated projects. He said at a press conference that another equally ambitious project, the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), would become an “economic corridor”. Click here to read…

India announces 100 million Maldivian Rufiyaa for community development projects in Maldives – News on Air

Dr. Jaishankar held discussions with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on strengthening India-Maldives cooperation and took stock of ongoing development projects financed by India in Maldives. He said the MoUs and agreements are a reaffirmation of a strong developmental partnership between the two countries. He expressed happiness on witnessing an MoU between Maldivian National University and Kochi University of Science & Technology. The minister said India has handed over two sea ambulances to help the MALDIVES NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE (MNDF). He also said India has completed 23 out of 45 impactful community development projects. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar Junta Leaked Memo Shows Resistance Growing Beyond Control – Irrawaddy

Leaked minutes from a top-level “counterterrorism” meeting led by Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant-General Soe Htut show the junta is at its wit’s end after failing to drum up public support to crush the shadow National Unity Government (NUG). Click here to read…

Kokang: Caught Between Myanmar and China – Irrawaddy

One of the most unexpected developments in the struggle against Myanmar’s latest military dictatorship is the support for the resistance that has come from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). An ethnic armed organization (EAO), the MNDAA is based in Kokang in the far northeastern corner of Shan State in eastern Myanmar. More than 90 per cent of Kokang’s population of approximately 150,000 people are ethnic Chinese of Yunnan descent, and the region’s cultural, personal and even political ties with China have always been strong. Click here to read…

Singapore doesn’t authorise transfer of arms to Myanmar, says Ministry of Foreign Affairs – The Print

Singapore does not authorise transfer of arms or “items with potential military application” to Myanmar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said, rebutting a report which claimed it functions as a “strategic transit point” for items that “feed” the junta’s weapon production. Click here to read…

Nepal

India stealing a march on China on rail connectivity with Nepal? – Kathmandu Post

As a Chinese technical team started a feasibility study for the proposed Kerung-Kathmandu cross-border railway, India has almost completed a detailed feasibility study for the Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway project, officials at the Department of Railways said. The two projects highlight the geopolitical rivalry between the two neighbouring giants who are competing for influence in Nepal. Click here to read…

Ghimire and Neupane in the House Speaker race – Kathmandu Post

Dev Raj Ghimire of the CPN-UML and Ishwari Neupane of the Nepali Congress have on Wednesday filed nominations for the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The election is scheduled for Thursday morning. Neupane’s candidacy was proposed by Congress lawmaker Bishwa Prakash Sharma and was seconded by Prakash Jwala of the CPN (Unified Socialist). The Congress and the Unified Socialist, both of which had voted for Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal during a floor test in Parliament on January 10, had earlier decided to field their own candidate against the ruling alliance’s candidate for Speaker. Click here to read…

Rastriya Swatantra Party goes against its own policy as it picks plum Cabinet posts – KathmanduPost

The party has disregarded its own commitment to cutting the costs of legislatures and the executive, cutting off unnecessary positions, as they bargained for, and heartily accepted the deputy prime minister and state minister in the power sharing. The party’s change in tone and action, soon after emerging as the fourth largest force in the Parliament from its first foray into parliamentary politics, is now widely criticised by political commentators and experts. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Rice can’t cushion fall – Island

The prospect of having to face an election always fills an unpopular regime with horror and has a sobering effect on self-important politicians intoxicated with power. The SLPP-UNP government has awakened to the fact that many people are starving, and something needs to be done urgently to help them. It has decided to provide 10 kilos of rice each, free of charge, to two million families per month for a period of two months. Technically, the proposed handout amounts to an election bribe in all but name, for the Cabinet decision thereon came after the Election Commission (EC) had initiated the process of conducting the local government (LG) elections. But only those with a callous disregard for the suffering of the poor will be able to bring themselves to oppose the distribution of free rice irrespective of the government’s ulterior motive. Click here to read…

China opposes Dalai Lama’s planned visit to Sri Lanka – Devdiscourse

China on Tuesday opposed a suggested visit by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Sri Lanka, saying the bankrupt island nation must safeguard the bilateral relationship. A top Chinese embassy official here met the powerful Buddhist prelates in the central town of Kandy to express opposition to the visit for which no dates have been fixed yet, a statement from the embassy said. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka hopes for ‘good news’ from Jaishankar’s two-day visit starting Thursday – Devdiscourse

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s two-day visit here starting Thursday is anticipated with much hope given Sri Lanka’s crucial negotiations with the IMF to secure a USD 2.9 billion bridge loan for a bailout to come out of the economic crisis. His visit comes two days after President Ranil Wickremesinghe Tuesday announced in Parliament a breakthrough in talks with India to restructure Sri Lanka’s debt, saying the discussions have been successful. Click here to read…

Govt. goes ahead with Election Expenses Bill despite Opposition’s objections – Daily News

The government decided yesterday (18) to present the Bill to regulate election expenses, which discloses parties giving money for election campaigns, despite the Opposition’s objections. Although agreement was not expressed by the Opposition during a special meeting held at the Parliament premises with the participation of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, representatives of the ruling party and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem, Leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Maithripala Sirisena under the leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, it was announced that the Act will be presented. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Decision on Afghan Seat at UN Postponed: Faiq: Tolo News

The Chargé d’Affaires of the Afghanistan Permanent Mission to the UN, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, said the UN credentials committee has postponed the decision on whether the Islamic Emirate can send a UN ambassador to New York for a second time. According to Faiq, the current Chargé d’Affaires of Afghanistan, Myanmar and Libya will continue representing the countries. “The UN credentials committee has not made the decision on whether to give credentials to the Taliban in the UN and it postponed the decision about Afghanistan, Myanmar and Libya,” Faiq said. Click here to read…

Afghanistan Loses Contest for UN Human Rights Seat: Tolo News

Afghanistan lost a contested race for a seat on the top UN human rights body on Tuesday along with Venezuela and South Korea. Afghanistan competed with Bangladesh, Maldives, Vietnam and Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate said that Afghanistan’s not being selected for the seat is unjust. “This is not fair that they didn’t give the seat to the Islamic Emirate and they make such decisions in our absence. They should reconsider this,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate. Click here to read…

Afghan Nationals Make Half of Iran’s Foreign Investment: The Khaama Press

Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the special representative of the Iranian President to Afghanistan said in his remarks, “Afghan nationals in Iran play a pivotal role towards the national economy. Half of Iran’s foreign investment comes from them, therefore, the high capacity of Afghan citizens should be utilized when the country is facing difficulties in attracting foreign investment.” Mr. Qomi further added that during the past year the United Arab Emirates expelled 700 Afghan businessmen from this country, whose capital was estimated at $30 million. Unfortunately, we failed to attract this capital and embrace Afghan traders to invest in Iran. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Political parties need to find common ground for free and fair election – Dhaka Tribune

Politicians and members of civil society have stressed finding a common ground among the political parties to ensure a free and fair election as the country gears up for the 12th parliamentary election, likely to be held in January, 2024. “Although finding common ground is very difficult, it is possible if the parties look to increase understanding and appreciation of the other,” Sharmeen Murshid, the chief executive officer of local election observer group Brotee, said at a seminar in the capital on Thursday. Click here to read…

Raised our concerns with Dhaka – The Daily Star

US Ambassador Peter Haas and embassy staff had to wrap up a meeting in Dhaka early on December 14 due to security concerns, said US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel. “And we have raised our concerns about this matter at the highest levels of Bangladesh government,” he told a press briefing at the US State Department yesterday. He made the comments in response to a question on the US envoy’s visit to the house of BNP leader Sajedul Islam Sumon, a victim of enforced disappearance in 2013, where other families gathered as well. Click here to read…

Jamaat spreading propaganda against nation – The Daily Star

A group of eminent citizens yesterday strongly condemned the appointment of lobbyists by Jamaat to convince the US and UK governments to impose sanctions against Bangladesh. They also viewed that Jamaat is spreading propaganda against Bangladesh using human rights issue as a shield. They said it in a joint statement under the banner of Sammilita Samajik Andolon, a citizens’ platform. Click here to read…

Bhutan

hina builds ropeway, roads near tri-junction – The Hindu

Beijing has been improving infrastructure and arranging additional deployments along the eastern sector of LAC; officials say there is lot of activity near Doklam that saw face-off in 2017. China has set up a ropeway near the Torsa Nala on its side of the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction, and is strengthening roads and other infrastructure along the entire eastern sector, according to defence sources.Click here to read…

Maldives

VP Naseem in the south of Maldives on an official visit – Raajje

Vice President Faisal Naseem is in the south of Maldives, on an official visit. VP Naseem departed to Fuvahmulah City and Addu City on Thursday. His first destination was Addu City where he visited all the districts of the city. In Hulhumeedhoo district, VP Naseem inaugurated the health center’s new services. He will visit government offices and institutions during his stay in Fuvahmulah City, where he will also inaugurate the new facility of Fuvahmulah Hospital.
Click here to read…

China encourages investing in the Maldives: Ambassador – Edition

The Chinese government encourages its enterprises to invest in the Maldives, the Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives, Wang Lixin, stated on Wednesday. The Ambassador made the remark at the Business Forum held as part of the “Belt and Road” initiative between China and Maldives. Lixin highlighted the importance of effectively conducting the Tripartite Coordinating Mechanism Meetings. Click here to read…

Myanmar

BRI: China plans mega infra project in Myanmar close to Arunachal border – Economic Times

China’s claim on Arunachal Pradesh must be viewed in the context of the country’s plan to create a mega infrastructure project in Myanmar’s Kachin state, which borders Arunachal Pradesh, with an eye to bring the area under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). A Chinese company has announced plans to build the massive Myitkyina Economic Development Zone on about 4,700 acres of land along the historic Ledo Road in Kachin state. Click here to read…

Myanmar Air Force Day – Scramble

As every year on 15 December, the Tatmadaw Lay (MAF, Myanmar Air Force) have their commemoration ceremony where new aircraft and helicopters are commissioned into service. The ceremony is traditionally held at Mandalay-Meiktila flying training air base. Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Cannot Last Long: Kachin Leader – The Irrawaddy

A leader of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the powerful Kachin Independence Army (KIA) which is fighting the regime, says Myanmar’s junta is unlikely to survive as it is crippled by low morale and declining power. General Gun Maw, vice-chairman of the KIO told Radio Free Asia: “There is no possibility for a further increase in [junta] strength and its existing forces are also already crippled …There is almost no hope for them to last long.” Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal, India to hold joint military training exercise – The Economic Times

“Indian Army troops arrived today in Saljhandi, Nepal for the 16th Joint India-Nepal Military Ex #SURYAKIRAN. The exercises are a paragon for the exchange of professional experience & cementing the friendship between two armies,” the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu tweeted on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Remittance

inflows to Nepal up by record 20 percent – The Kathmandu Post
The remittance inflows to Nepal jumped by a record 20.4 percent to Rs378.04 billion during the first four months of the current fiscal year amid the world’s largest economies teetering on the brink of a recession triggered by inflation, latest data from the Nepal Rastra Bank showed. Click here to read…

Foreign powers weigh in as new faces join President race – The Kathmandu Post

With the Election Commission submitting the election results to President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday, parties have stepped up discussions on a new government and candidate for new President. Former chief justice Shrestha, according to some Congress leaders, is the choice of some foreign forces and is still under consideration at the top political level. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Govt devises plan to conserve energy, cut import bill: Dawn

The government has devised a national contingency energy-saving plan to stabilise the economy, conserve energy and cut the import bill because an “extraordinary situation” required “extraordinary measures”, the information minister said on Thursday. The plan, prepared by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, was approved in a high-level meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday at the Prime Minister’s Office. Click here to read…

Govt slashes petrol price by Rs10 per litre: The Express Tribune

The federal government on Thursday slashed the prices of petroleum products by up to Rs10 per litre effective from December 16, 2022. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in a tweet said that the government had reduced the price of high speed diesel by Rs7.50 per litre. The government slashed the price of petrol by Rs10 per litre, kerosene oil by Rs10 per litre and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs10 per litre. Click here to read…

Review of Pakistan’s Afghan policy sought: The Express Tribune

The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday called for a review of Pakistan’s Afghan policy in the wake of the attitude of the Taliban government in Kabul towards Islamabad as seen during recent weeks and months.The committee met at the Parliament House with Chairman Farooq Hamid Naek in the chair. The committee received a briefing from Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed on several issues, including the recent attack on the Pakistan Embassy building in Kabul. Click here to read…

Afghan forces resume firing at Chaman border: The News

One person was killed and 12 others were wounded on the Pakistani side of the border in Chaman during an intense firing by the Afghan security forces for the second time on Thursday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the incident was “uncalled-for aggression” and Pakistani troops gave a “befitting” but “measured response” and avoided targeting the civilians on the other side. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Easter Attacks: Former President Sirisena ordered to produce written submissions – Daily News

Former President Maithripala Sirisena and other accused were ordered to produce their written submissions on January 18 regarding the removal of President Ranil Wickremesinghe from the 108 cases filed by the victims who were injured, permanently disabled and victimized in the Easter attack seeking compensation for their life and property damage. Colombo Additional District Judge Mahesha De Silva issued this order due to the fact that former President Maithripala Sirisena and the prosecution raised their objection to the removal of the President who has been named as the second accused in these compensation cases. Click here to read…

Russia to provide market for Sri Lanka’s agricultural products – MSN

The Government of the Russian Federation expresses its support to provide a market for Sri Lanka’s agricultural products and introducing new technical equipment to increase agricultural production. A discussion in this regard was held between Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Levan S. Dzhagarayan and Russian Trade Commissioner Alexander L. Rybas and Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on Wednesday (14)… The new technology used by the Russian Federation to create a market for agricultural products of Sri Lanka in Russia increasIng agricultural production and the introduction of technical methods was taken up for discussion at the meeting. Talks also focused on acquiring chemical fertilizers including Urea to Sri Lanka in the futureClick here to read…

INS Sahyadri’s Colombo Port call and Sri Lanka’s Maritime Policy – Daily News

The Indian Navy Commander’s visit, along with the arrival of Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri, a multi-role missile frigate of the Indian Navy is another landmark of the maritime cooperation between the two Indian Ocean neighbours. Analysts also point out that these two incidents have marked Sri Lanka’s impartiality in its dealings with maritime powers. Although Indian experts were irked by Sri Lanka’s decision to allow a Chinese satellite tracking vessel to enter its ports in August this year, the two neighbours seem to have smoothened the ruffled relationship as evident from the visit by Indian Navy Chef and the INS Sahyadri, which is a Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate built for the Indian Navy. The Shivalik-class features improved stealth and land attack capabilities over the preceding Talwar-class frigates. Click here to read…