Afghanistan

Foreign Airlines’ Use of Afghan Airspace is Increasing, Say Aviation Author: Tolo News

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) said that the number of flights passing through Afghanistan’s airspace has increased compared to the past six months. Click here to read…

Taliban Orders Full Implementation of Sharia Law in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

The Islamic Emirate leader Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada ordered judges to fully implement Shaira law on criminals, according to sources, months after the group leadership announced the need for preserving Islamic values. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

A watershed moment for Bangladesh-US relations?: Dhaka Tribune

The military junta of West Pakistan organized among the most brutal genocides in history on March 25, 1971 with a plan to crush the Bengali nation. On a single day, around 50,000 people were massacred across the country. Click here to read…

Health minister: Population growth rate decreases significantly in Bangladesh: Dhaka Tribune

Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Monday said Bangladesh has been successful for controlling population growth rate as the current population increasing is now 1.22%. “Population growth rate has decreased significantly as the government of Bangladesh has been implementing various effective family planning programme since 2009,” he told a meeting titled “Population and Development” in Pattaya of Thailand, an official release said. Click here to read…

Bhutan

RCSC will provide Nu 10,000 for childbirth for civil servants – Kuensel Online

The Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) will pay Nu 10,000 to every civil servant on the birth of a child under the Civil Servant’s Welfare Scheme (CSWS). This was decided during its 160th Commission meeting held on November 9. It was an effort to explore avenues to introduce additional welfare benefits to cater to the emerging needs of the civil servants under the CSWS. Click here to read…

Canada govt. to offer biometrics service in Thimphu this month – Kuensel Online

The Embassy of Canada in New Delhi on November 24 and 25 will offer biometrics collection services for visa applicants at the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Thimphu. According to a press release from the embassy, the biometrics collection service is offered to those living in or who can legally enter Thimphu and have applied for a visitor visa, study or work permits, or permanent residence. Click here to read…

Maldives

President Solih sends greetings on 55th anniversary of Maldives-Japan ties – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has extended greetings on the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Maldives and Japan. The president sent his greetings to the Emperor of Japan, H.M. Naruhito, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida on the occasion on Monday. President Solih told H.M. Naruhito that over the course of the past decades, Japan has proven to be one of the most “steadfast” and “reliable” development partners to the Maldives. Click here to read…

Discussions held on opening an Australian High Commission in the Maldives – Raajje

The new High Commissioner of Australia to the Republic of Maldives, Paul Wesley Stephens and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has held discussions on opening an Australian High Commission in the Maldives. High Commissioner Paul presented his credentials to the President during a ceremony held at the President’s Office, on Monday. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar’s Most Powerful Ethnic Group Rejects Junta’s 2023 Poll Plan – The Irrawaddy

The Karen National Union (KNU) political wing of Myanmar’s oldest ethnic armed group has rejected the junta’s plan for a national election next year, calling it an attempt to legitimize military rule. The rejection came on Friday at a public meeting of the KNU-led National Unity Committee of Karen Ethnic Armed Groups held in Takaw village, Hlaingbwe township, Karen State. The meeting was attended by leaders of Karen armed groups, religious groups, Karen political parties, and over 1,500 people. Click here to read…

It’s Time to Take the Gloves Off on Myanmar – The Diplomat

When G-20 leaders meet on the resort island of Bali this week, Russia’s war in Ukraine will undoubtedly dominate the conversation. But U.S. President Joe Biden should also use the G-20 to address another conflict unfolding much closer to Bali, as the people of Myanmar valiantly resist an illegitimate junta that is unleashing a campaign of violent repression, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. To date, the United States has taken an equivocal approach to the crisis raging in Myanmar. This visit presents a perfect opportunity to make clear that the U.S. and its international allies support the Myanmar peoples’ struggle for democracy by announcing new financial measures aimed at pressuring the corrupt, criminal junta responsible for these atrocities. Click here to read…

Biden, Xi start summit with vow to avoid conflict – Mizzima

Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping opened their high-stakes summit in Bali with a handshake on Monday, and with both men stressing the need to manage differences and avoid conflict. Biden says he looks forward to having “continuing and ongoing open and honest dialogue” while Xi urges “finding the correct direction” in developing mutual relationship. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal reduces power export to India as production dips – Kathmandu Post

On Monday, the NEA exported 230MW to the southern neighbour, although Nepal is authorised to sell over 400MW of electricity in the Indian market. Recently, the NEA started exporting the power generated also by the Chilime (22.1MW) and Solukhola (23.5MW) hydropower projects. The total installed capacity of hydropower projects in Nepal is over 2,200MW, according to the NEA. But, the state-owned power utility said that available output at the moment is around 1,550MW as projects’ output fluctuates depending on water levels of rivers and production dips to the lowest especially during winter. Domestic peak demands of the electricity on Monday stood at 1,418MW. Click here to read…

China company to build Nepal road linking India border – Economic Times

The Nepal Army has awarded the contract for the sixth package of the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhesh Expressway to China First Highway Engineering, sidestepping an Indian firm, less than 10 days before the general elections in the country. On November 11, the Nepal Army, which is in charge of the project, issued a letter of intent to China First Highway Engineering that was earlier disqualified in the tender but later made a backdoor entry despite lacking technical expertise, according to people in the know. The companies whose proposals have been rejected are preparing to approach court against the decision, ET has learnt. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Lawmakers want Imran to pay for ‘US plot’ allegations: Dawn

Treasury members, including two federal ministers, lambasted Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the National Assembly on Monday for “taking a U-turn on the cipher issue”, declaring that the ex-premier would have to pay a “political price” for his “lies and false narrative” regarding the US-backed regime change conspiracy. Click here to read…

Pakistan out of UK’s ‘high-risk countries’ list: Dawn

The United Kingdom has removed Pakistan from its ‘high-risk third countries’ list through a statutory instrument, effectively meaning the UK foreign office recognises the progress Pakistan has made to be removed from FATF’s grey list. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

IGP, Public Security Ministry Secy summoned by SLHRC: Daily Mirror

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Public Security Ministry Secretary were summoned by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (SLHRC) to inquire into possible violations of human rights following the arbitrary actions by policemen these days. Click here to read…

Budget 2023 sticks to reform path with IMF nod pending: Daily Mirror

With an International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal yet to be sealed, Budget 2023 presented to Parliament yesterday stuck with the reform path Sri Lanka had embarked upon after the economy crashed in April, as a result of bad economic policies followed for decades. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

OIC Opens Mission in Kabul: Tolo News

The Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) opened a mission in Kabul with a ceremony attended by senior officials of the Islamic Emirate and OIC representatives. Speaking at the ceremony, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said the office would play an important role in the improvement of relations between Afghanistan and Islamic countries. Click here to read…

Islamic Emirate Denies Terrorist Groups’ Presence in Afghanistan: Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate once again denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying that there is no evidence to show that there is any threat to the world from Afghan soil. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Istanbul explosion: No Bangladeshis injured: Dhaka Tribune

No Bangladeshis were injured in the blast on Istiklal street in the tourist centre of Istanbul, Turkey. Six people were killed and 53 others were wounded on Sunday when an explosion rocked a busy pedestrian street in central Istanbul in an incident President Tayyip Erdogan called a bomb attack that “smells like terrorism”, reports Reuters. Click here to read…

‘Bangladesh on track to achieve Vision 2041’: Dhaka Tribune

Charles Whiteley, ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh, recently sat for an exclusive interview with physician, author, and youth leader Dr Rakib Al Hasan to discuss Bangladesh’s development over the past 50 years, what it must do to continue its progress, and the country’s relationship with the EU. Click here to read…

Bhutan

US offers opportunities for Bhutanese students

Apart from popular destinations like Australia and Canada, Bhutanese students also apply to study, learn, and experience exchange programmes in the United States (US). Such opportunity, according to officials from the Embassy of the United States of America in New Delhi, is facilitated through the prioritisation of student visa appointments. This assurance comes after many Bhutanese complaints that it has become extremely difficult to get visa appointments in Delhi which many say has been filled until 2024. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives arrests 13 in crackdown on terror groups

A joint counter-terror operation is underway in the Maldives where the Maldives police and the defence forces have arrested 13 people. The operation was launched on Saturday. The Maldivian media has reported that nine people have been arrested from Addu City, two from capital Male and two from Guradhoo island. All the arrested people are Maldivian men. Click here to read…

Maldives inflation rose to 3.1 percent in September 2022

The rate of inflation, as measured by the annual percentage change in the national Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 3.1 percent in September 2022. Inflation rate rose from 2.6 percent in August 2022, reports Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA). Meanwhile, the monthly percentage change in the national CPI decelerated to 0.16 percent in September 2022, from 0.22 percent in the preceding month. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar’s junta slams opponents with prison sentences of up to 225 years

Myanmar’s military junta has imposed prison sentences of up to 225 years on nearly 20 of its political opponents since taking power in a coup early last year, sending a clear warning to anyone who might dare challenge its rule. Click here to read…

UN chief tells Myanmar junta to get democracy ‘back on track’

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Saturday urged the Myanmar junta to immediately return to democracy, saying it was the only way to stop the “unending nightmare” engulfing the country. Myanmar has spiralled into bloody conflict since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi´s civilian government in February last year, with thousands killed. Click here to read…

Myanmar objects ASEAN’s review on 5PC and its engagement with the country’s ‘unlawful’ organisations

Myanmar categorically rejects and dissociates itself from the said-review on the Five Point Consensus (5PC) and the decision made by the nine ASEAN leaders at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Friday. Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Facing Major New Armed Threat in Far West

Renewed fighting in Myanmar’s far west between the military and a powerful rebel group is opening another deadly front in the country’s post-coup chaos, piling pressure on a junta still struggling to consolidate power. The military’s February 2021 coup and subsequent crackdown on peaceful protests set off a wave or armed resistance across Myanmar that has been stretching the junta’s forces thin. By some estimates they now hold effective control over less than half the country. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal and India agree to repair Koshi embankment at 35 locations

November 14, 2022
Nepal and India have agreed to conduct repair and maintenance works at three dozen locations of the Koshi embankment that got damaged in monsoon floods this year. After conducting a joint inspection of the embankment from Chatara down to the Nepal-India border, officials of the two countries concluded that the embankment should be repaired to prevent future disasters from floods. Click here to read…

China’s vice minister for culture Li Qun visits Nepal

China’s Vice Minister for Culture and Tourism Li Qun, who has arrived in Nepal on a five-day trip, visited Durbar Square in Kathmandu where he inspected the heritage site jointly reconstructed by the two countries. The site was damaged during the 2015 earthquakes. Li, who is leading a delegation of Chinese officials, on Saturday visited Durbar Square in Kathmandu where he inspected the heritage site jointly reconstructed by Nepal and China. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Govt. in balancing act between social welfare and fiscal stability with Budget 2023: Daily Mirror

Ahead of today’s budget presentation, the government yesterday disclosed plans to prop up State expenditure by 29.2 percent to provide relief to the economically-battered population while moving towards fiscal stability and expecting a gradual economic recovery.
State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday said that all preparations are made to present the 2023 budget with an expenditure of Rs.7.88 trillion. Click here to read…

SLT September profits down on higher costs; revenue at Mobitel declines: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) saw its profits declining in the three months ended September 30, 2022 (3Q22) due to sharply rising costs stemming from a bevy of factors including the sharp fall in the value of the rupee against the dollar and the soaring inflation amid the decline in revenues at its mobile services subsidiary, Mobitel Private Limited. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Department of Food Safety Forms Within AFDA: Tolo News

According to AFDA representatives, the department was created to examine the quality and freshness of foods sold in the nation’s markets.”With the creation of new departments and staff, we monitor and inspect 24 hours a day in all areas of all the drug facilities; at the same time, we will also have twenty-four hour monitoring of all our food facilities,” said Jawid Hajir, spokesman of the AFDA. Click here to read…

Moscow to Host Conference on Afghanistan on Nov. 16: Tolo News

The Russian Federation’s Foreign Ministry said that Moscow will host a multilateral meeting due to be held on November 16 in Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that the discussion will focus on the military-political, socioeconomic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan as well as coordinating efforts to strengthen regional security. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Freight operation from Chittagong suspended as lighter vessel workers on strike: Dhaka Tribune

Lighter vessel workers in Chittagong launched an indefinite strike from 6am Friday refraining from transferring goods from moored ships to press home their five-point demands. Click here to read…

FM Momen urges Japan to stand by Bangladesh in its development journey: Dhaka Tribune

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has expressed optimism that Japan will play a crucial role while Bangladesh is graduating from the LDC status in 2026 on way to becoming a developed country by 2041. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan witnesses drop in tourist arrival due to new tourism rules – NE Now

Bhutan, which reopened its border for tourists on September 23 this year after a gap of over two years following the Covid-10 pandemic, has witnessed a significant drop in tourist footfall thanks to the Himalayan nation’s new tourism rules. Hit hard by the pandemic, the country’s tourism industry hoped for a revival after the reopening of the gates for visitors but minimal tourist footfall has left the people involved in the tourism sector worried a lot. Click here to read…

Bhutan Parliament Passes Bill Mandating One Year Training Programme for All Citizens – The Wire

Both houses of the Bhutan parliament recently approved a Bill that would mandate every citizen who attains the age of 10 to attend a one-year integrated training programme. The one-year training programme, called Gyalsung (National Service), would include three months of basic military training followed by nine months of specialised training in various fields like agriculture sciences, entrepreneurship, computers and coding, and health sciences. Commencing in 2024, it will be mandatory for all those who have reached 18 years of age and completed Class XII. Click here to read…

Maldives

9 Indian workers among 10 dead in Maldives fire The Tribune

At least nine Indians are reported to have died in a blaze in Male quarters housing migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. The fire broke out in a garage, near a mosque, around 12:30 am on Thursday and quickly spread upstairs to the cramped living quarters. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the 10 deaths, but said it would not comment on how many of the deceased were Indians till their identification. Reports from the Maldives said of the dead, nine were Indians and one Bangladeshi. Click here to read…

Hungary’s Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister arrives in the Maldives – Avas
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Péter Szijjártó has arrived in the Maldives today, on an Official visit. He is visiting the Maldives at the invitation of Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid. This is the first Official visit from a Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and marks an important milestone in the 47-year-long bilateral relationship between the Maldives and Hungary. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Appointment of Myanmar junta general as ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference chair criticised – Mizzima

CSO Progressive Voice has joined with other organisations in condemning the appointment of a Myanmar junta general, General Tun Aung, to the chair of the of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Air Chiefs Conference (AACC). It has called for other countries to immediately sanction General Aung Tan and for ASEAN to ban Myanmar any ASEAN meetings, group=s and activities. Following Justice For Myanmar’s revelation that the Myanmar military junta had recently been appointed chair of the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference (AACC). General Tun Aung led the junta’s delegation where they assumed the AACC Chairmanship for the coming year. Click here to read…

ASEAN summit begins with Myanmar likely to dominate agenda; ‘little progress expected’ – Reuters

Leaders of Southeast Asian nations began an annual summit on Friday that is likely to be dominated by Myanmar’s escalating violence and political gridlock, with increasingly frustrated members of the group struggling to get the country’s junta to comply with an agreed peace plan. Several representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have blamed Myanmar’s military rulers for failing to implement a peace plan agreed jointly last year, which includes ending hostilities and allowing access for a special envoy and aid. Click here to read…

Australia to give $135 million as humanitarian support to Bangladesh and Myanmar – TBS News

“As part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to supporting the humanitarian response in Myanmar and Bangladesh, Australia will provide $135 million in2022-23 to assist with the delivery of life-saving food, water and shelter through partner organisations,” said Australian Foreign Ministry said in a press release. The package of support will also deliver essential protection, education and health services for those most in need, including women, girls and people with disabilities. Click here to read…

Nepal

Senior Chinese official coming today despite Nepal’s reservations – The Kathmandu Post

Despite reservations from the government, Chinese Vice Minister for Culture and Tourism Li Qun, who is also the head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, is arriving in Nepal on Friday on a five-day visit. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had advised the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu to postpone the visit until after the November 20 elections, but the Chinese side insisted that the trip would be purely “personal” and involve visits to cultural heritage sites, officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation told the Post. The Nepali Embassy in Beijing is not aware of the visit. Click here to read…

The Election Manifestos of Nepal’s Parties Run Along Predictable Lines – The Diplomat

Political and economic issues have dominated the political parties’ agenda per their manifestos. Parties have pledged to develop better infrastructure, accelerate economic growth to over 7 percent, create 250,000 jobs per year, and provide free services such as electricity and water. Similarly, some parties are seeking to change the political system. Click here to read…

India hands over 200 vehicles to Nepal for use in general elections – Daily News

On Nepal’s request, the Indian government on Tuesday handed over 200 vehicles to the Himalayan country that would be utilized at the time of general elections slated for the 20th of this month. The Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, handed over vehicles to Minister for Finance, Janardan Sharma, as a gift of India for logistical support to various Nepali institutions for the conduct of elections. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Imran asks CJP to probe army officer’s role in attack: Dawn

As Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) long march resumed after a week from Wazirabad on Thursday, party Chairman Imran Khan addressed the participants from his Zaman Park residence here through a video link, reiterating his accusation that a senior army officer was behind his attempted assassination. Click here to read…

Pakistan, Saudi FMs discuss security: The Express Tribune

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, held wide-ranging discussions on host of issues related to political and security domains, a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Foreign Ministry to extend diplomatic support to resolve Chinese organic fertilizer cargo issue: Daily Mirror

The Foreign Affairs Ministry is to seek a diplomatic solution between the two countries regarding the Chinese ship which freighted organic fertilizer to Sri Lanka in 2021, at diplomatic level and the payment of US$ 6.7 million made by the Sri Lankan government. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Afghanistan Exported $1.8 Billion in Goods in Past 7 Months: Tolo News

The office of the first deputy prime minister, Mullah Abdullah Ghani Baradar, said that Afghanistan’s exports abroad have reached $1.85 billion over the past seven months. According to Baradar’s office, exported goods went to Pakistan, India, Iran, China, UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Iraq. Click here to read…

Afghanistan Among Countries with Most Displaced People: Tolo News

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that over 70 percent of the world’s refugees and displaced people come from the most climate-vulnerable countries including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Yemen. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

AIUB-supported Bangladesh Education Forum inaugurated in Dubai: Dhaka Tribune

American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) organized a conference ‘Education Forum 2022′ at the Crown Plaza, Deira, Dubai, UAE, on November 4. Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, deputy education minister of Bangladesh, inaugurated the education campaign. Click here to read…

Hasan: World leaders’ COP27 engagement brings new hope: Dhaka Tribune

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said the joining of world leaders’ to the COP-27 conference ushered a new hope towards protecting the world from the adverse impact of climate change. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan’s UN Peacekeeping Contingent leaves for CAR – Kuensel Online

Bhutan’s first UN Peacekeeping Contingent boarded a special Drukair flight to Central African Republic (CAR), yesterday. His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen graced the departure ceremony at Paro Airport. A Guard of Honour was presented at the Ceremony. Bhutan’s contingent, which comprises of 180 Royal Bhutan Army Personnel, is part of the United Nations’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission for the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Click here to read…

Building a Resilient Food System in Bhutan – Relief Web

The Royal Government of Bhutan in its 12th Five Year Plan (2018-2023) has provided strategies to promote commercialization, and agribusiness development and diversification while ensuring food self-sufficiency. The 2030 Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) Strategy 2030 prioritises food self-sufficiency through transformation of the RNR sector while ensuring sustainable natural resource management. Click here to read…

Maldives

Discussions held on new avenues for cooperation between Maldives, Serbia – Raajje

This was done during a meeting held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid and the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. His visit came upon the official invitation from his counterpart, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dačić. Discussions have been held regarding new avenues for cooperation between the Maldives and Serbia. This was done during a meeting held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid and the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Ivica Dačić as part of FM Shahid’s recent visit to SerbiaClick here to read…

Myanmar

ASEAN actively aiding and abetting Myanmar junta’s war crimes and crimes against humanity – Mizzima

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has appointed the Myanma junta to chair the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference and allowed it to take control of the ASEAN counter-terrorism website. The illegitimate Myanmar military junta has been appointed chair of the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference, as it intensifies the use of its air force to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is also continuing to co-chair the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) – Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter Terrorism and will host a meeting in December. The junta is using its control of the ASEAN counter terrorism website to post disinformation and propaganda. Click here to read…

US, EU add more sanctions as Myanmar violence deepens – Aljazeera

The United States and European Union have announced new sanctions against Myanmar’s military regime aimed at officials, companies and arms dealers, as campaigners urge quicker implementation of the measures given the deepening crisis in the country. The EU sanctions apply to 19 more individuals and entities, including a minister and chief justice, and are a result of “the continuing escalation of violence and grave human rights violations following the military takeover two years ago”, the European Council said on Tuesday. Click here to read…

How China, India and Bangladesh could be drawn into Myanmar’s conflict – Lowly Institute

The 2021 military coup in Myanmar sparked renewed civil conflict between Myanmar government forces, the Tatmadaw, and perhaps a dozen insurgent groups seeking their own ethnic states. Many of these conflicts have cross-border implications, but the insurgency in Rakhine state has particular consequences for the broader region. China has already been drawn into the conflict in Rakhine state to protect key interests, and India and Bangladesh could soon follow. This may produce unpredictable outcomes. Click here to read…

Nepal

Six dead after earthquake hits Nepal, tremors felt in New Delhi – Aljazeera

A magnitude 6.6 earthquake has struck Nepal, killing at least six people, injuring several others, and destroying multiple houses in the northwestern district of Doti, officials said. The earthquake, which hit at about 2am local time on Wednesday (20:15 GMT), sent tremors into northern India. Click here to read…

India-Nepal border to be closed for 72 hours before Nepal general elections – Live Mint

As Nepal goes to the general election on 20 November, the India-Nepal border will be closed for 72 hours to prevent any movement of anti-social elements. The officials from the border areas of both nations held a meeting in the Rupandehi district of Nepal on Saturday and discussed the preparations regarding the border. “A decision to seal the border for 72 hours from November 17 till 12 midnight of November 20 was taken at the meeting of the coordination committee of officials of the neighboring districts of the two countries,” said Maharajganj District Magistrate Satendra Kumar. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Imran ‘abandons’ designs to sway chief’s selection: Dawn

After repeatedly calling for a consultative process before picking the new army chief, ousted prime minister Imran Khan now does not see any problem if the appointment is made by the Shehbaz Sharif government. Click here to read…

Editorial: A state of anarchy: Dawn

WHAT happened in Wazirabad last week was perhaps a story foretold. The gun attack on Imran Khan has pushed the country deeper into anarchy. The would-be assassin may have been arrested but the motive behind the shooting remains shrouded in mystery. The former prime minister has been quick to blame the top government leaders and a senior ISI official for plotting the attack. He has named names. Click here to read…

We need funds, not debts: Shehbaz: The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, sensitising the international community on the plight of flood-hit Pakistan, on Tuesday said the country needed additional funding, not debts, to rebuild a resilient and adaptive infrastructure as the financing gap was widening by the day. Click here to read…

Disqualification sword hangs on Imran over failure to submit poll expenses details: The Express Tribune

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to take action against former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan over his failure to submit details of election expenses that he incurred during the recently-held by-elections held on October 16. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

UNHRC must get SL rulers to work according to Intl. norms: Cardinal: Daily Mirror

Whilst highlighting that cruel and intolerable suppression is exercised by the government, and expressing his surprise over the alleged attempts to hide evidence and save those who are responsible for the Easter Sunday attack, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith yesterday said he hopes UNHRC takes notice of the situation and get Sri Lankan rulers to work according to international norms. Click here to read…

President mulls appointing new governors: Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is mulling to appoint new governors to the nine provinces in place of the present ones appointed by his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Daily Mirror learns. A governor is a post appointed by the president to exercise executive powers over the provincial councils. Any statute passed by a provincial council comes into force only after assent by the governor concerned. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Women Hold Protest for Right to Learn and Work: Tolo News

Following calls to reopen girls’ schools above sixth grade and employment for women, a group of women staged a protest in Kabul to express their concerns about the continued effective ban on female students over 6th grade and on female employment. Click here to read…

Save the Children: Malnourished Afghan Children Up Nearly 50% Since January: Tolo News

The number of dangerously malnourished children has spiked 47% since January this year, Save the Children said in a recent report. However, the Ministry of Public Health denied an increase in the number of children affected by malnutrition. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

World Bank: Climate change to hit Bangladesh’s poor, vulnerable hardest: Dhaka Tribune

A new World Bank report predicts that climate change will hit poor and vulnerable people the hardest. Average tropical cyclones cost Bangladesh about $1 billion annually. By 2050, a third of agricultural GDP could be lost. In case of severe flooding, GDP could fall by as much as 9%, according to the World Bank Group’s Country and Climate Development Report for Bangladesh, published on Monday. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Asian Development Bank to Fund Bhutan’s First Utility-Scale Solar Project – Saurenergy

Bhutan may well be moving beyond hydropower as far as renewable energy development in the Himalayan country is concerned. In a key development, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $18.26 million financing for the construction of the first utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plant in BhutanClick here to read…

How BRO used shredded plastic to construct road in Bhutan – The Kashmir Monitor

Border Road Organisation (BRO) has used shredded plastic in resurfacing 4.5 km on Phuentsholing-Thimphu Road under Project Dantak in Bhutan. BRO has used the technology in It has been used in the resurfacing of the 5.22 km Hnahthial-Sangau-Saiha Road under Project Pushpak in Mizoram and the two km resurfacing of Hapoli-Sarli-Huri Road under Project Arunank in Arunachal Pradesh. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives govt proposes MVR42.6 bln budget for 2023 – Avas

Maldives government on Monday proposed an MVR42.6 billion state budget for next year, keeping with the increasing annual trend. Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer presenting the state budget to the parliament on Monday, said next year’s budget aims to ensure fiscal and debt sustainability while mitigating the challenges caused by the global economic crisis stemming from the Russian-Ukrainian war. Click here to read…

Maldives state debt soars to 113 billion – Edition

Forecasts show that the Maldives national debt including sovereign guarantees will reach MVR 113 billion in 2023. According to the proposed state budget, Internal borrowings are expected to rise from MVR 57 billion to MVR 62 billion in 2023. It is anticipated that external borrowing will rise from MVR 35 billion to MVR 40 billion and the sum of sovereign guarantee is expected to be reduced from MVR 12.4 billion to MVR 11.7 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar rebels moving arms via Mizoram to fight junta, say security forces in Northeast – Deccan Herald

Sources in Assam Rifles said more than 20 Myanmar nationals have been arrested in the past few months in Mizoram alone. However, security agencies in the region, have been recently claiming that they have begun to witness a “reversing trend”, where rebel groups of Myanmar are now found to be using Mizoram to arrange and transport arms and equipment to aid their fight against the military junta that usurped the elected government there last year. Click here to read…

Myanmar junta bans Irrawaddy news agency after months of harassment – RFA

Myanmar’s junta has officially banned online news outlet The Irrawaddy and charged the outlet’s registered publisher for violating national security laws, state media reported over the weekend, following months of legal harassment. Click here to read…

ASEAN, EU invite Myanmar youth to express their thoughts on climate change issues – Mizzima

The European Union continues to emerge as the world’s climate trailblazer. Every year in the lead up to the Conference of the Parties (COP27), EU delegations and embassies of EU Member States around the world hold various events to foster dialogue and cooperation on climate change, showcase success stories, and inspire further action. This year, the EU delegation to ASEAN is preparing a series of events to be held from 25 to 31 October 2022 as part of the Climate Diplomacy Week. Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Frees NLD Finance Minister and Two Political Prisoners – The Irrawaddy

Former planning and finance minister U Soe Win of the deposed National League for Democracy (NLD) government was among three regime opponents released from jail by the junta on Friday, sources close to the trio said. The other two political prisoners freed were singer Po Po and beauty blogger Win Min Than. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal enters full campaign mode – The Hans India

With just three weeks left for the November 20 elections, political parties in Nepal are campaigning at a feverish pitch. This is the second general election in Nepal after the country adopted its first secular republican constitution in 2015. The first elections under the new federal structure were held in late 2017. Click here to read…

Nepal election is crucial for India – Deccan Herald

When China’s outgoing ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi, recently penned an article in The Kathmandu Post, she made it a point to take note of the upcoming parliamentary elections and hoped bilateral relations would “continue to reach new levels”. Click here to read…

Nepal: Hindu procession attacked by an Islamist mob in Mahottari, several people including police officials injured – OpIndia

On Thursday, October 27, a Hindu procession allegedly came under attack from a Muslim mob. Reportedly, following a dispute over a flag hoisting, the procession came under attack. Police had to resort to lathicharge and tear gas to bring the situation under control. In the preceding violence, several people as well as police officials were left injured. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Imran promises revolution, through ‘ballot’ or ‘bloodshed’

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan kicked off the fourth day of his ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ long march with an aggressive message, tweeting early on Monday that the sea of people on the roads with him indicated the dawn of a revolution, and asked “handlers and facilitators” if they would allow a soft revolution through the ballot or a destructive one through bloodshed. Click here to read…

PM hopes to revive CPEC, expand trade with maiden China visit: Dawn
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is embarking on a two-day official visit to China on Tuesday (today) in an effort to revive the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), expand trade and investment ties with the neighbouring country by making optimal use of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
SL starts discussions to join OACPS with potential EU FTA: Daily Mirror
Sri Lanka’s Presidential Envoy to Europe and Commonwealth Niranjan de Silva Deva Aditya (Nirj Deva) said this week in Brussels that he has started discussions for Sri Lanka to join the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). Click here to read…

Colombo inflation rate eases to 66% in October: Daily Mirror
Inflation in the Colombo district made an about turn in October, bringing an end to the current spell of runaway inflation, which set off more than a year ago when the global commodities prices started rising, caused by the surge in demand amid the supply chain bottlenecks and emergence of foreign currency shortages in the domestic market. Click here to read…