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

Taliban kill top Islamic State commander in Afghanistan – The Hindu

Taliban forces killed a top Islamic State commander who allegedly planned attacks against diplomatic missions in Afghanistan’s capital, a government official said. Violence in Afghanistan dramatically dipped after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. But in the past year, security has worsened, with a spate of mass casualty attacks claimed by Islamic State’s regional chapter. Click here to read…

Taliban releases Iran border guard, moves into Afghanistan’s Embassy in Tehran – Al-Monitor

An Iranian border guard was released by the Taliban on Monday after being detained on the Afghanistan-Iran border. The guard was searching a vehicle for contraband on the Iran-Afghanistan border when the driver fled and drove the vehicle into Afghan territory while the guard was still inside. Afghan border forces detained the guard along with the other vehicle occupants but then released the guard, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Holds Major Place in India’s Neighbourhood First Policy – Business World

India’s choice of Bangladesh as the only South Asian invitee demonstrates the esteem with which it approaches its immediate eastern neighbour and presumably the best friend in the neighbourhood, while, other countries that have been invited to the G20 meeting are Egypt, Mauritius, Nigeria, Netherlands, Spain, Singapore, Oman and the UAEClick here to read…

Capacity building programme for 40 civil servants from Bangladesh begins – The Print

A capacity-building programme for 40 civil servants from Bangladesh commenced at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) in Mussoorie on Tuesday, according to an official statement. The NCGG is dedicated to promoting collaboration and learning among civil servants in India and neighbouring countries, in line with the ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family) philosophy espoused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it said. Click here to read…

Hasan: China does not interfere in Bangladesh politics – Dhaka Tribune

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said China is a development partner of Bangladesh and it wants to be a partner in future too for materializing the dream of a developed nation by 2041 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “China is a development partner of Bangladesh. And they want to be a development partner in future also to materialize the dream of a developed nation by 2041 under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. They didn’t poke nose in the politics of Bangladesh and don’t want to do it in future too,” he said. Click here to read…

Bangladesh: Infinite possibilities, limited utilization – TBS

By ensuring expatriate investment in Bangladesh, it is possible to change the economy of the country. That is because their investments, unlike foreign investments, will always remain in the country. Be it a profit or a loss, it will stay in BangladeshClick here to read…

Bhutan

India’s aim to open doors to foreign universities to benefit Bhutanese students – India Blooms

India is going to open its doors to foreign universities and this is likely to help Bhutanese students who aim to study abroad without bearing the huge cost of going away to far-off nations. These institutes will conduct undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, post-doctoral and other programmes and award degrees, diplomas and certificates in all disciplines, on a standalone basis, with the prior approval of the UGC, reports The Bhutan Live. Click here to read…

Maldives

Ambassador of Sweden to Maldives calls on State Minister Khaleel – Raajje

The newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden Jan Thesleff 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 Monday. At the meeting, State Minister Khaleel welcomed Ambassador Thesleff and congratulated him on presenting credentials as the Non-Resident Ambassador from Sweden to Maldives. Click here to read…

Discussions held to further increase collaboration between Maldives and Seychelles – Raajje

The High Commissioner of Seychelles met with the Maldivian State Minister on Monday. During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Minister congratulated the High Commissioner on his appointment as the non-resident High Commissioner of Seychelles to the Maldives and reflected on the close and friendly relations between the Maldives and Seychelles that has existed for several decades. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Drugged, abducted: Myanmar woman gang-raped in Delhi – New Indian Express

A refugee woman, who is a native of Myanmar, was allegedly gang-raped by four people in the national capital, official sources said on Tuesday. According to sources, the heinous crime was reported from the Kalindi Kunj area of southeast Delhi. The victim woman, in her complaint to the police, alleged that she had come to visit someone in south-east Delhi area and that an unidentified auto driver allegedly drugged and abducted her and then took her to some secluded place. Click here to read…

Myanmar military gets new aviation fuel supplies despite abuses – Aljazeera

Amnesty International, Global Witness and advocacy group Burma Campaign UK said on Wednesday they had identified more companies involved in aviation fuel transactions, following up on an investigation into the aviation fuel supply chain last year that found supplies for civilian aviation were being diverted to the military. Click here to read…

Will Myanmar Follow Through This Time On Its ‘Rohingya Repatriation Promise’? – Eurasia Review

Local media reported that on February 9, Junta leaders, including International Cooperation Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing, Border Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Tun Tun Naung, Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Minister Dr Thet Thet Khaing and Immigration and Population Minister U Myint Kyaing, visited Maungdaw on the Bangladesh border and instructed the authorities to prepare transit camps for repatriation. Since the military’s taking over power in 2020, this is the biggest step forward for Rohingya repatriation. Click here to read…

Japan to provide additional $60M in humanitarian aid to Myanmar – AA

Japan on Tuesday announced that it will provide additional $60.3 million in humanitarian assistance to Myanmar. In response to the rapid increase in the need for humanitarian assistance due to the deteriorating situation since last year, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Tokyo will provide additional humanitarian assistance totaling $60.3 million to the Southeast Asian nation. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal PM to reshuffle Cabinet after three allies pull out: Top developments so far – Indian Express

Nepal Parliament’s second largest party CPN-UML on Monday withdrew its support to PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” government, resulting in a political imbroglio ahead of the presidential polls. “A high-level meeting of the party held under the leadership of party chief K P Sharma Oli on Monday decided to quit the government and withdraw the party’s support to the Prachanda-led government,” Bishnu Rijal, deputy chief of the party’s central publicity committee, told PTI. Click here to read…

Nepal’s political turmoil puts Indian Neighborhood at risk – Asiana Times

Apart from Bhutan, a hermit kingdom, and Sheikh Hasina’s Bangladesh, the region around India is engulfed in political and economic unrest, with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal facing a difficult path to recovery while Burma and Afghanistan are essentially failed nations. Click here to read…

IMF reaches staff-level agreement with Nepal for $52 million financing – Devi Discourse

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached a staff-level agreement with Nepal to release $52 million out of a $375.8 million bailout package, the global lender said in a statement on Tuesday. The funds to be released under the first and second reviews of an extended credit facility, subject to an approval from the IMF executive board, will take the total support to the Himalayan nation to $156.6 million, the IMF said. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan court orders non-bailable arrest of Imran Khan in Toshakhana case – Hindustan Times

A Pakistani court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as the cricket star-turned-politician called on his supporters to keep up protests amid a roiling political crisis. The court in the capital Islamabad that ordered the former premier’s arrest said Khan had skipped a hearing on charges of selling state gifts and concealing his assets. Judge Zafar Iqbal’s order came on a day of political drama in Pakistan, as three other courts on Tuesday ruled Khan was immune from arrest on separate charges relating to allegations of terrorism, attempted murder against a rival politician, and graft. Click here to read…

Pakistan has no food for its poor but purchases weapons, shows report –Business Standard

While Pakistan’s citizens are queuing up for wheat flour, pulses and medicines, the Generals have usurped a major part of the Budget for new weapons, reported Afghan Diaspora Network (ADN). The army, responsible for much of what is horribly wrong in Pakistan, cannot deny that it has fattened up on what has been snatched from the people. Click here to read…

South Korean investments in Pakistan suffer losses due to eco crisis – The Economic Times

Senior officials from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra) and the local chamber of Korean investors have alleged that the failure to open letters of credit for raw material imports in Pakistan was causing Korean firms to lose millions of dollars in sales, according to experts who track Korean business interests in Pakistan. Click here to read…

Moody’s slashes Pakistan’s rating to Caa3 – The Economic Times
Global ratings agency Moody’s cut Pakistan’s sovereign credit rating to ‘Caa3’ from ‘Caa1’ on Tuesday, over the country’s increasingly fragile liquidity and external position. Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are far less than necessary to cover its imports and external debt obligations over the immediate and medium term, Moody’s noted. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Foreign Minister Ali Sabry to visit India – Daily News

Foreign Affairs Minister M.U.M. Ali Sabry, PC will make an official visit to India from March 2 to 4, 2023 to attend the eighth edition of the Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics which will be held in New Delhi. The conference is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Indian External Affairs Ministry. The Minister is scheduled to participate in two special panel discussions on the topics “Healing a Divided World” and “Bytes of Promise: How can Technology Lift Communities” which will be held on March 3, 2023 during the above conference. Click here to read…

Indian High Commission calls on Sri Lankan government to investigate recent attacks on Indian fishermen – The Print

Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has strongly raised the issue of recent attacks on Indian fishermen with Sri Lankan authorities. Indian High Commission has called on the Sri Lankan government to investigate the matter and ensure that use of force and violence in any form is not used against the fishermen. Click here to read…

Sri Lankan govt. bans strikes ahead of mass protest announced by unions – The Hindu

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared public transport services “essential”, in a move that outlaws strike action by those working in the sector. The announcement came days ahead of a mass protest announced by worker unions against the steep rise in taxes and living costs. Click here to read…

New UNP led alliance to be formed with breakaway SJB group – Daily News

A new alliance led by the United National Party (UNP) will be formed in a couple of weeks with a breakaway group of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Lands and Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said. He was speaking at a meeting with the Badulla District candidates, who are contesting the Local Government Elections from the UNP ticket, at Riverside Hotel in Badulla. The event was presided over by UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Afghan Assets Made $70 Million in Interest: Mehrabi – Tolo News

Shah Mohammad Mehrabi, Central Bank supreme council member and board member of the Afghan Trust Fund in Switzerland, said that the $3.5 billion fund–including $36 million and $34 million in interest–should be used for achieving monetary stability and reducing volatility in the Afghan currency exchange. Click here to read…

Taliban Seeks Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Approval after Appointing Envoy to Tehran – News18

The Iranian foreign ministry could hand over the administration of the Afghan embassy in Tehran to the Taliban, news agency Khaama Press reported citing an Afghan diplomat. The Khaama Press also said that the handover process will be completed in the next few days. The development comes shortly after the Taliban-run foreign ministry stated in a letter that Mohammad Afzal Haqqani has been appointed as a designated ambassador to Tehran. The letter said that Haqqani will be in charge of the diplomatic mission in Iran as the first secretary of the embassy. Click here to read…

Pakistan Reopens Border Crossing With Afghanistan That It Shut Over Shelter To Terrorists – Outlook

Pakistan on Saturday reopened a border crossing with Afghanistan that it closed earlier over a tussle with the Afghan Taliban over terrorism. Earlier, Pakistan closed the Torkham border for vehicular traffic for the last six days amidst bilateral tensions. It was opened on Saturday, allowing the movement of over 7,000 trucks stranded. Click here to read…

Afghan women launch Women’s Revolution in Kabul to fight for fundamental human rights – Devdiscourse

According to one of the organizers, Donya Safi, the movement aimed to “protect the basic rights of citizens, particularly women, as access to basic rights is a serious requirement for the citizens.” We started this campaign to fight the injustice and inequity against women, reported Amu TV, according to Khaama Press. Click here to read…

Enrollment Drops By 70% in Universities, Educational Centers – Tolo News

The union of universities and educational centers said that the recent restrictions on female education has severely affected the universities. The media director of the union, Mohammad Karim Nasiri, said that the number of participants has dropped by 70 percent. “If we speak generally, enrollment has dropped from 60 to 70 percent in the universities. Prior to this many people were registering,” he said. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Severe dollar crisis hobbles Bangladesh businesses – Aljazeera

There is a severe shortage of greenbacks in Bangladesh due to its dwindling foreign reserves and a sharp drop in the value of its taka currency against the dollar. In the past six months, Bangladesh’s foreign reserves have dropped below $32bn from $39bn while the value of the taka has fallen by 27 percent from 84 to the dollar to 107. Click here to read…

Russia thanks Bangladesh for abstaining in UNGA on Ukraine resolution – India Today

Russia on Saturday thanked Bangladesh for abstaining from voting in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that underscored the need to reach “comprehensive and lasting peace” in Ukraine, days after Moscow protested Dhaka’s decision not to allow the docking of Russian ships under Western sanctions. Click here to read…

US, India, and the election in Bangladesh – Daily Star

In recent months, there have been quite a few visits from countries that are deemed to have the potential to wield significant influence on Bangladesh politics, especially around elections. A number of top US officials visited Bangladesh for talks with government officials, civil society members and senior journalists over the last few years. The Indian foreign secretary visited on February 15. The Chinese foreign minister, on his way to Africa, stopped by in Dhaka in January for a brief meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart at the airport. Usually, newly appointed Chinese foreign ministers begin their stint with a tour of Africa. This time, however, the minister seemed to consider Bangladesh important enough for a brief stopover on his first trip abroad. Click here to read…

Bhutan

India pledges to invest Rs 2 billion in Bhutan’s Gyalsung Infra Project – Economic Times

On Saturday, the first tranche of the grant that was presented will be used for the DeSuung for Gyalsung (DFG) programme as a special India-Bhutan Friendship Project. The DFG seeks to engage about 11,000 DeSuups in the Gyalsung infrastructure construction project through a hybrid skilling and on-the-job training program over the next two years. Click here to read…

To Woo Indian Tourists, Bhutan to Sell Gold at Duty-Free Rates – the Wire

According to the latest prices, 10 grams of 24-carat gold in India costs Rs 57, 490 while it costs around Rs 40,200 in Bhutan. However, tourists will have to pay the sustainable development fee and stay at least one night at a hotel certified by Bhutan’s department of tourism. Click here to read…

Bhutanese economy, moving forward – Kuensel

The Water Male Tiger Year 2022 was challenging for the Bhutanese economy. As the economy was getting better from the headwinds from two years of the pandemic, the new variant of Omicron threatened the economy once again at the beginning of last year. This was followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on March 24 last year marking one year as of yesterday. This dimmed the global economy including Bhutan’s forecast, coupled with the persistent inflation, particularly for food and energy. Click here to read…

Bhutan to implement “Health in all policies” strategy to ensure public well-being – ANI

‘policies”>health in all policies’ is an approach where impacts on health are considered in all decision-making and across all sectors and policies, the Bhutan live reported. according to the centres for disease control and prevention of Bhutan, the approach considers potential health outcomes when making policy decisions about transportation, education, housing and other areas that affect communities. Click here to read…

Impact of War in Ukraine: Perspective from Bhutan – Friedrich Naumann Foundation

Its economic lifeline dependent on India, Bhutan is vulnerable to any repercussion the war has on its immediate neighbour. The shortage of fuel was the first of these repercussions, causing long lines of motor vehicles to form at fuel stations even as the government sought to allay public concerns. India’s announcement of halting its wheat exports created fear of a potential shortage of food. At the same time, Bhutan’s close relations with India and the latter’s strategic relations with Russia made for a delicate situation. Eventually, Bhutan learned some invaluable lessons. Click here to read…

Maldives

MATI launches two books to commemorate Golden Jubilee of Maldives tourism – Raajje

The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) has launched two books to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Maldives Tourism. The books were launched at the 33rd Annual General Meeting of MATI held at Kurumba Maldives on 19th February 2023. Minister of Tourism Abdulla Mausoom, Chairman of MATI, Mohamed Umar Maniku, Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem, Secretary General of MATI, Ahmed Nazeer, CEO and MD of MMPRC, Thoyyib Mohamed took part in the launching ceremony. Click here to read…

Maldives-UAE discuss ways to strengthen defense cooperation – Raajje

Maldives and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have explored expanding defense cooperation. Maldives Defense Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi has met with the UAE’s Chief of Staff of Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Engineer Issa Saif bin Ablan Al Mazrouei. She met with the UAE’s Chief of Staff of Armed Forces, on the margins of the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX 2023) on Friday. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Japan to ‘Appropriately Handle’ Project Benefiting Myanmar’s Military – HRW

During a televised parliamentary budget session on Wednesday, February 22, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his government will “appropriately handle” a development aid project in Myanmar that is benefiting the country’s abusive military. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese foreign minister, echoed the prime minister’s public pledge to take appropriate action. Click here to read…

Myanmar continues to be in FATF Black List; UAE, Turkiye in Grey List – India Today

Myanmar along with Iran and North Korea continue to be on the ‘Black List’ of the FATF with the global watchdog on terror financing and money laundering on Friday terming the three countries as “high-risk jurisdictions”. In a statement, issued after the second plenary of the FATF in Paris under the presidency of T Raja Kumar of Singapore, the Financial Action Task Force also said the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkiye, Jordan, South Africa and 20 other nations will be in its ‘Grey List’ and they will be under increased monitoring. Pakistan was removed from the ‘Grey List’ in October last year. Click here to read…

No Myanmar refugees involved in drugs trafficking in Mizoram, says minister Lalchamliana – Times of India

None of the Myanmarese refugees in Mizoram have been found to be involved in drugs and narcotics trafficking to date, home minister Lalchamliana said on Saturday. Lalchamliana said barring 10 or 20 people, 31,050 displaced Myanmar nationals taking refuge in the state have been profiled and temporary identity cards have been issued to them. Click here to read…

Nepal

‘Prachanda’ government in danger in Nepal: 4 ministers including deputy-PM resign – Sangri Today

Four ministers of Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), including Deputy Prime Minister Rajendra Singh Lingden, have resigned from Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s government formed two months ago in Nepal. Actually, Prachanda’s government has announced going out of the coalition and supporting Ramchandra Poudel of the opposition party Nepali Congress for the post of President. Angered by this, the RPP ministers decided to quit the government on Saturday. Click here to read…

Nepal reports lowest growth in 7 years in Q1 – Dajji World

23 fiscal year which began in mid-July 2022, the lowest year-on-year growth in the past seven years, the National Statistics Office (NSO) has reported. The country logged a growth of 3 per cent over the same period of the 2021-22 fiscal year and has targeted an 8-per cent growth for the current fiscal year, Xinhua news agency reported. Click here to read…

China’s ambassador steps up political engagements ahead of crucial presidential elections in Nepal – Dajji World

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, has stepped up his high-level political engagements in Kathmandu as political parties in parliament stepped up their dialogues on who should be elected the next president of the country. Nepal is electing its new president on March 9 and political parties in parliament will have to file their nominations by February 25. Ahead of nominations for the crucial presidential elections, parties have started their internal debates to see potential nominees. Click here to read…

A potential debt trap in Nepal – Devi Discourse

The risk here is that a country’s national debt could become too high when Nepal needs heavy investment in quality infrastructure. When that happens, spending without proper calculation of income or direct contribution to the national output can be disastrous. As a result, increased interest payments can divert funds from other much-needed government projects, or there is a less private investment because of high-interest rates. Budgets are tightened and confidence in the economy weakens. For the fiscal year 2022–2023, Nepal’s government is only permitted to raise a maximum of 256 billion Nepalese Rupees (about USD 2 billion) in internal loans. The decision to limit external borrowing comes at a time when several countries, including Sri Lanka, were facing debt distress. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan govt halts clearance of bills, salaries amidst economic crisis – Deccan Herald

The cash-strapped Pakistan government has directed the accountant general to cease the clearing of bills, including salaries, owing to the current economic crisis, according to a media report on Saturday. The Ministry of Finance and Revenue also instructed the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) to halt the clearing of all the bills of the federal ministries/divisions and attached departments until further notice, The News International quoted official sources as saying. Click here to read…

Imran faces 36 cases in ECP, Lahore & Islamabad – The Express Tribune

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan faces a whopping number of 36 cases currently pending against him in various courts of Islamabad, Lahore and in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). These include disqualification, pre-arrest bail, criminal proceedings, protective bail and defamation cases. One case pertains to terrorism as well and the PTI chief is yet to be granted pre-arrest bail in that one. Click here to read…

Pakistan economic crisis: Now country’s healthcare system gets hit, medicines supply deteriorate – Mint

Amid Pakistan’s external debt servicing obligation for the ongoing fiscal year 2022-23 rovers over $23 billion, of which $6 billion has been repaid and $4 billion rolled over, reports are arriving that country’s healthcare system has been badly hit and its struggling for essential medicines. Click here to read…

Pakistan’s Weekly Inflation Crosses 40 Percent For 1st Time In 5 Months – NDTV

Consumer prices rose significantly in the outgoing week on the back of onions, chicken, eggs, rice, cigarettes and fuel, official data showed on Friday, driving the weekly inflation to over 40 per cent for the first time in over five months, the Dawn reported. Though week-on-week inflation eased slightly, it still remained high as bananas, chicken, sugar, cooking oil, gas and cigarettes became costlier, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. Click here to read…

China, Iran, Uzbekistan come to Pakistan’s rescue from economic crisis – Mint

Amid this unstable economic situation, Iran is promoting trade with Pakistan, while China has granted a new $700 million loan to the country. This week, Pakistan has received a new $700 million loan from China to help shore up its foreign exchange reserves, in another step to help the South Asian nation recover from an economic crisis, according to Reuters. Iran has established six border markets to promote trade with crisis-hit Pakistan, said Iranian Consul General Hasan Noorain as quoted by pkrevenue. Uzbekistan has also inked a $1 billion deal to increase bilateral trade with Pakistan at the 8th meeting of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Inter-governmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation (IGC) held in Tashkent on Friday. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

India & Sri Lanka review defence & security cooperation at annual defence dialogue – Economic Times

Top defence officials of India and Sri Lanka have held the seventh edition of their annual dialogue during which the two sides reviewed the bilateral defence and security cooperation and identified new avenues for engagement. The two-day meeting of the 7th edition of the Annual Defence Dialogue (ADD) between India and Sri Lanka, which began in New Delhi on Thursday was chaired by Defence Secretary Giridhar Armane and his Sri Lankan counterpart General Kamal Gunaratne. Click here to read…

Sri Lankan opposition-led protest march comes under police tear gas water cannon attack – The Week

Sri Lankan police on Sunday fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse a protest march organised by the country’s main opposition coalition here against the delay in local body polls. The Election Commission on Friday formally announced that the local body elections would not be held on March 9 as planned, and a fresh date will be notified on March 3. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Taliban Demand US Return $3.5 Billion In Afghan Assets After Court Ruling – NDTV

Taliban authorities called on Washington Wednesday to return $3.5 billion belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank after a New York federal judge ruled the families of victims in the 9/11 attacks cannot seize the funds. The United States took control of the assets soon after the Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with President Joe Biden saying the money could be made available to the families of 9/11 victims. Click here to read…

Taliban bans, restricts media operations in 2 Afghanistan provinces – Committee to Protect Journalists

On Tuesday, February 21, Taliban officials, in a meeting with journalists in the southern province of Helmand, announced a ban on all media outlets—including Taliban-run Radio Television of Helmand and Bakhtar News Agency —preparing and distributing photos and videos, according to the media watchdog Nai and a journalist inside Afghanistan, who spoke to CPJ by messaging app on the condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal. Click here to read…

Afghanistan: Pakistan, Taliban officials hold talks on ‘terrorism threat’ following deadly attacks – Wion News

Days after Islamabad witnessed some deadly attacks, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asid and intelligence chief Nadeem Anjum held talks with the Taliban government on Wednesday (Feb 22) on ways to counter the “threat of terrorism.” The meet was held in Kabul, led by Afghan’s Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar. Click here to read…

China’s Clouded Future in Afghanistan – The Diplomat

More than a year since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the country is now facing a new terrorist threat that is making it more risky and difficult for China to commit to the region. While the Islamic State (IS) has been weakened globally since its territorial defeat in 2019, it continues to thrive in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

What Are the Conditionalities of IMF Loans in Bangladesh: Dispelling the Myth – Geopolitics

About the IMF assistance, the term “conditions” does not refer to a deep economic reform or a massive change in the economy; rather, these conditions are basically the future working plan or suggested economic reforms for better economic conditions in a future developed Bangladesh. Besides, PM Sheikh Hasina also highlighted the issue and said, “The IMF provides loans to a country only when it has the capacity to repay the loan…We will not accept an IMF loan with any conditions.” The IMF focuses on some broad areas where Bangladesh has rather shown optimistic marks. Click here to read…

Mulling on National Security Strategy of Bangladesh: Priorities and Posture – Geopolitics

The hostile overture of Myanmar didn’t spiral, partly owing to Bangladesh’s restrained posture. Had Bangladesh overtly embroiled itself in escalation dynamics, the situation might spiral out of control, and the aggressor-victim dichotomy would be blurred. Conversely, Myanmar’s hostile actions propelled diplomatic measures by Dhaka, which attest to the conciliatory bent of Bangladesh. The absence of overt retaliatory measures doesn’t indicate the feebleness of Bangladesh, rather the strategic patience of Bangladesh can be interpreted as a commitment to peace, eschewing unwarranted conflicts. Click here to read…

Military support to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar may undermine Bangladesh’s security – Dhaka Tribune

Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain on Wednesday said that using a liberal interpretation of the non-lethal assistance clause may allow the United States to provide military support to the various ethnic armed organizations (EAO) in Myanmar which “may undermine” Bangladesh’s security as these groups have some ties to the same separatist factions operating in the country. Click here to read…

Paradoxes of terrorism in Bangladesh – Daily Star

We have heard the word “paradox” innumerable times in relation to development in Bangladesh. Now, in a new book titled The Politics of Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Bangladesh, published by the British multinational publisher Routledge, its editors say that “the chapters in this volume will illustrate that Bangladesh is an exciting and often paradoxical case for terrorism studies in general.” One of the paradoxical elements pointed out in this book is the fact that “most of the key coordinators or leaders of the new generational groups of terrorists are educated in secular universities, either in Bangladesh or abroad” against a typical perception that religious seminaries, known as madrasas, are the breeding ground of Islamic terrorism. This book is published as a part of the Routledge Studies in South Asian Politics series. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutanese Crown Prince is country’s first citizen with digital identity – Royal Central

Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan undertook his second solo official engagement as he became the first citizen to be inserted in the country’s new digital identity platform. Click here to read…

Maldives

Adhaalath Party agrees to form alliance with MDP for upcoming election – Avas

Adhaalath Party has decided to back President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and form a coalition with the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for the upcoming presidential election. Adhaalath Party is part of the current ruling coalition. The MDP National Assembly passed a resolution on February 15 giving the MDP presidential candidate and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih the power to decide if he wants to form a coalition in the upcoming presidential election. Click here to read…

Two arrested for Bank of Maldives internet banking scam – Edition

According to the Maldives Police Service, two men have been arrested for allegedly stealing information to access Bank of Maldives’ (BML) internet banking and buying goods worth over MVR 200,000 through QR code scanning. The arrests were made on Saturday, and the two men, a 25-year-old and a 27-year-old, have been remanded in custody for 15 days. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar Junta’s Rakhine Poll Plan Hinges on Arakan Army – Irrawaddy

The military coup in February 2021 triggered an armed uprising across the country, with fighting raging in both towns and villages – but Rakhine State has been relatively stable. This is partly because the ethnic rebel Arakan Army (AA) reached a ceasefire agreement with Myanmar’s military three months before the coup thanks to mediation by Japan’s Sasakawa Foundation. Rakhine State had experienced two years of fierce fighting before the putsch, but during that time Rakhine lawmakers were able to help displaced civilians through Parliament. On the political stage, the Arakan National Party (ANP) won popular support in northern Rakhine while the National League for Democracy (NLD) was strong in southern Rakhine. Click here to read…

India is keeping close ties with Myanmar, even transferring weapons, NGOs say – RFA

India, the world’s largest democracy, has nurtured closer relations with Myanmar’s military junta over the past two years, including providing weapons at least four times since the 2021 coup d’etat, two humanitarian and advocacy organizations in India said. The Indian government and Indian companies sold radar technologies and remote control air defense systems to Myanmar’s military government in 2021, said India for Myanmar, which helps refugees from the war-torn country who have fled to neighboring India. Click here to read…

Can Myanmar-Bangladesh ties promote ASEAN- SAARC regional stability and prosperity? – Nagaland Post

Naf River flows through Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Rohingyas who fled through this river crossing the tortured, oppressed, expelled and fearing for their lives have taken refuge in Bangladesh. However, trade between the two countries can continue on this river route, cargo ships can crowd the river ports of the two countries. Boats full of tourists can be floated on the river where tourists can see the sights of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Although the ongoing Rohingya problem with this neighboring country of Bangladesh is an obstacle, initiatives should be continued to improve the relationship between the two countries. Click here to read…

Nepal

Congress-Maoist alliance back in focus – The Kathmandu Post

Immediately after the Election Commission on Wednesday kicked off the presidential election process by publishing the voter list, a new kind of political understanding seemed to be in offing between the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre). A meeting between the two sets of leaders on Wednesday evening agreed to revive the old five-party alliance formed in July 2021 after CPN-UML chief KP Sharma Oli’s ouster from prime minister’s office, the Post has learnt. Click here to read…

Nepal’s stated policy keeps it from joining China’s GSI – The Kathmandu Post

China on Tuesday released a concept paper of its Global Security Initiative (GSI), calling on countries to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape in a spirit of solidarity, and address the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset. The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world, said the concept paper which was also subsequently distributed to the Nepali media by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. Click here to read…

Chinese ambassador to Nepal increases political engagement ahead of Presidential Election – ANI

With just two days left for the nomination filing for the Presidential Election slated next month, the Chinese envoy to Nepal Chen Song has increased his political engagement.
Song’s political engagement increases as the parties remain divided over who should stand as the candidate for the March 9 Presidential election. Click here to read…

Indian Foreign Secretary’s visit to Nepal and its geopolitical connotation – Khabarhub

Indian Foreign Secretary, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, recently concluded a two-day official visit to Nepal on February 13–14 2023, at the invitation of the Nepali Foreign Secretary and his counterpart, Bharat Raj Paudyal. Although this was a meeting at the level of the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries, it was given greater significance due to the close ties between India and Nepal. Click here to read…

Pakistan

China approves $700m loan to Pakistan – The Telegraph Online

Pakistan’s all-weather ally China has approved a loan of $700 million and the funds will be transferred to the central bank this week, finance minister Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday as the cash-strapped country tried to avert a financial crisis. The announcement by Dar on the loan by the Board of China Development Bank (CDB) came a day after Pakistan’s National Assembly unanimously passed a money bill aimed at raising tax revenues to fulfil the demands set by the IMF for seeking a $1.1 billion loan facility to avoid an economic meltdown. Click here to read…

Imran Khan supporters detained as Pakistan races to secure IMF deal – Financial Times

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s party said on Wednesday night that up to 700 of its activists and leaders had been arrested during protests designed to destabilise the government, which is urgently seeking an IMF bailout to avert a default. Khan and his allies said last week that they wanted their supporters to be detained en masse to force early elections. Click here to read…

‘Not able to feed soldiers’: Now, Pakistan’s economic crisis hits army – Business Today

Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis has hit one of the most important institutions in the country – the army. The Pakistan Army is reportedly facing food shortage in messes due to a cut in supply amid the worst economic crisis in the country. Some field commanders have written letters to the Quarter Master General (QMG) Office in the General Headquarters, pointing to cut in food supply to soldiers in all army messes, News18 reported on Wednesday. Click here to read…

President’s move to set election date draws political ire – Dawn

President Arif Alvi’s move to set a date for Punjab and Khyber Pakht­unkhwa elections has drawn sharp criticism from his political opponents, who have accused him of acting like a PTI worker, though at least one legal expert has suggested that Mr Alvi was “well within his rights” to announce the poll dates. On Monday, hours after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reaffirmed its decision not to consult the president on the matter, Mr Alvi went solo and announced April 9 as the election date for both provincial assemblies. Click here to read…

Pakistan Implements Austerity Measures To Secure IMF Funding – Hindustan Herald

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has announced a new austerity drive that will save the country 200 billion rupees ($766 million) per year. Ministerial allowances and travel expenses will be reduced as part of the measures taken as Islamabad seeks a $1 billion funding agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Furthermore, according to Reuters, all federal ministries and government offices would be required to cut spending by 15%.Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Crisis: Sri Lankan President will come to Bengaluru to meet Chinese Foreign Minister for debt relief – News WALLI

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet the Chinese Foreign Minister in India on Friday. The Chinese Foreign Minister is about to arrive in India to participate in the meeting of foreign ministers of G-20 countries. According to sources in the Sri Lankan government, Wickremesinghe will ask the Chinese foreign minister for debt relief. President Wickremesinghe said in a meeting in the city of Kandy- ‘During the meeting of the G-20 foreign ministers, he is expected to discuss the debt restructuring (resetting their payment schedule) of those countries whose economies have been destroyed. I hope to talk to the Chinese Foreign Minister there on how to restructure Sri Lanka’s debt. Click here to read…

Power price hike pushes Sri Lanka crisis to the brink – The Print

The latest electricity price rise in crisis-hit Sri Lanka has left stall owner Mohammed Lafeel in a quandary: the 66 per cent increase means he can’t afford to pay for electricity but can’t manage without it so goes deeper into debt to keep it on. Over the last month, with inflation hovering at 55 per cent year-on-year, Lafeel says his income has fallen by about a third as fewer customers buy his knick-knacks as more of them struggle under the island’s worst financial crisis in seven decades. Lafeel says he doesn’t know how he can repay the 300,000 rupees ($835) he borrowed for his daughter’s wedding and has had to borrow more to reconnect the power at home after it was cut off because he hadn’t paid the bill. Click here to read…

Forty more buses received under Indian Credit Line – Daily News

Another phase of the distribution of new buses given to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) under the Indian Credit Line took place on Tuesday at the Lanka Ashok Leyland premises in Panagoda, Homagama. These new buses are to be distributed to all depots in the island according to a concept of the Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, to put 500 new buses into operation this year, in order to strengthen public transport in rural areas of the country in conjunction with the 75th Independence Commemoration. Accordingly, as the third phase of the programme, 40 new buses were handed over to the SLTB depot at Lanka Ashok Leyland Institute premises, Athurugiriya, under the patronage of Minister Dr. Gunawardana. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Main Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing closed, residents report gunfire – Deccan Herald

Taliban authorities have closed the main border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, an Afghan official said on Monday, and residents in the area reported the sound of gunfire near the normally bustling border transit point. A Taliban provincial information official said the Torkham border crossing, near the Khyber Pass, was closed for all trade and travellers. “The Pakistan side hadn’t committed to their promises, they have promised to create facilities for transit, sick people and passengers,” said Siddiqullah Quraishi, the head of the Afghan province of Nangahar’s information department, as the reason for the closure. Click here to read…

China to become Afghanistan’s second-largest trade partner in 2023 – The Print

China’s trade with Afghanistan has been growing fast and it may become the second-largest trading nation with Afghanistan in 2023 after Pakistan, a situation that bodes well for the continuation of the CPEC part of the Belt & Road Initiative into Afghanistan, as per Silk Road Briefing (SRB). Click here to read…

Donor organisations suspend budget for at least 40 COVID-19 hospitals in Afghanistan, says Health Minister – Firstpost

Donor organisations have suspended the budget for at least 40 COVID-19 hospitals in Afghanistan over the past 18 months after political developments in the country, said Health Minister Qalandar Ebad. According to a report in Tolo News, Ebad added, “The suspension of the budget and restrictions on health projects have affected health services in Afghanistan.” Click here to read…

The Future of the Belt and Road Initiative in Afghanistan: Obstacles, Opportunities, and The Taliban’s Perspective – Silk Road Briefing

China has also considered Afghanistan’s membership and participation in the BRI with a delegation from Afghanistan participating in its forum in 2017. Afghan delegations have also been participating in Russian economic and trade development forums. However, despite some agreements in including Afghanistan as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), no progress has currently been made regarding China’s economic presence through the BRI in the country. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Youth Delegation Corner inaugurated, alumni portal launched in Dhaka – NewsOnAir

Bangladesh Youth Delegation is an International Youth Exchange programme between the governments of India and Bangladesh. It aims to promote cultural exchange, leadership development, and people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Since its inception, nearly 800 Bangladeshi youth selected under the BYD programme, have visited India to participate in various activities that promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two countries. Click here to read…

Japan to provide grant aid for 2 projects in Bangladesh – New Age

Bangladesh and Japan on Monday signed the exchange of notes on the Japanese grant Aad for two projects. One is to provide the grant for the ‘Project for Improvement of Equipment for Technical Education’ – up to JPY 997 million, approximately USD7.7 million. Another is to provide an additional grant for the costs of the development of the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management, the augmented grant of which is up to JPY 2,762 million, about USD 21 million. Click here to read…

Bangladesh shuts down main Opposition newspaper – The Hindu

The only newspaper of Bangladesh’s main Opposition party halted printing on Monday after a government suspension order was upheld, stoking fears about media freedom in the South Asian nation. Campaigners and foreign governments including the U.S. have long expressed worries about efforts by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to silence criticism and what they see as creeping authoritarianism. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Committee yet to review barrage or PI dam option – Kuensel

The committee of experts from Bhutan and India, which was supposed to review and present its recommendations on the proposal to build a barrage at the 1,200MW Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project (PI) by January-end was only formed around that time. Click here to read…

Youth unemployment increases in 2022 – Kuensel

The youth unemployment rate in 2022 is estimated at 28.6 percent which is an increase by 7.7 points compared to 20.9 percent in 2021, according to the Labour Force Survey Report, 2022. Of the 101,170 youth population, 8,496 youth were unemployed and actively seeking work. Click here to read…

President Solih heads to Singapore on unofficial visit – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has left to Singapore on an unofficial visit. The Maldivian leader departed on the unofficial visit from Velana International Airport (VIA) on Monday. His last unofficial trip to Singapore was in October 2022. The president had made four previous trips to Singapore in 2022, the first being from February 10 – 15 and the second being from February 23 – March 6. Click here to read…

Myanmar

EU imposes new sanctions on Myanmar’s junta -AA

The European Union adopted its sixth sanctions package Monday against the military junta in Myanmar for human rights violations. EU foreign ministers approved “restrictive measures against nine persons and seven entities in view of the continuing escalation of violence, grave human rights violations and threats to the peace, security and stability in Myanmar,” the Council of the European Union, an EU institution representing member states, said in a statement. Click here to read…

Over 100 Myanmar Junta Forces Killed in Four Days of Resistance Attacks – Irrawaddy

At least 106 Myanmar junta troops were killed in four days of attacks as People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) escalated their attacks on regime targets across the country. In one case, a PDF couple was arrested and killed by junta troops a day before their wedding in Magwe. Incidents were reported in Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe, Bago and Tanintharyi regions and Kayah and Mon states. The Irrawaddy has rounded up the following reports of significant attacks from PDFs. Some military casualty figures could not be independently verified. Click here to read…

Opium farming has flourished under Myanmar’s junta – UCANews

Everything in Myanmar is in the worst-ever state. The Southeast Asian nation has a broken economy and a broken society. To add salt to the wound, it is home to more than 1.3 million displaced people. But when it comes to narcotics, Myanmar still holds the dubious distinction of being the world’s second-largest producer of opium, a key source of many psycho-tropical substances such as heroin, morphine and codeine. Despite the chaos, social unrest, and civil war, the army-ruled nation managed to increase opium cultivation last year. Click here to read…

Nepal

India donates 20 kidney dialysis machines to Nepal – The Economic Times

India on Monday handed over the first tranche of the 200 kidney dialysis machines to the Government of Nepal as part of its effort to develop the health infrastructure in the Himalayan nation. Click here to read…

Late Gen. Bipin Rawat honoured in Nepal, bell in his name placed inside revered temple – India Narrative

In commemoration of India’s late Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, a bell has been placed at Nepal’s revered Shree Muktinath Temple. The bell named “Bipin Bell,” has been installed at the revered Hindu temple in Mustang district during the visit of four former Indian army chiefs namely Gen VN Sharma, Gen JJ Singh, Gen Deepak Kapoor and Gen Dalbir Suhag. Click here to read…

Assessment of India’s Approach to Nepal – Indian Defence Review

As per International Monetary Fund, India is fastest growing economy in the world. Indian economy is crossing Chinese economy that will grow just by 5.2% in 2023. Economy and security are the two faces of the same coin. In other words, both affect each other, and most importantly both have the potential to transform the regional and international polity and economy. Economic growth and military might both determine any country’s stature in international system of states. Click here to read…

Maoists cotton to Congress, as Dahal, Oli size each other up – The Kathmandu Post

Even with just four days to go for the filing of nominations for the presidential election, the CPN (Maoist Centre) is still keeping its cards close to its chest. There have been no clear indications about whom it will support as the new head of state, even though the party seems to be inching closer to the Nepali Congress on the issue. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Dialogue with India ‘need of Pakistan’: Former Pak Army spokesperson – India Today

Dialogue is a need of Pakistan, the former chief of the country’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Athar Abbas, said. “The way forward is not just the state apparatus, because if you leave it [solely] to the security establishment, there will be no move forward. It will be like taking one step forward and two steps backwards,” he added. Click here to read…

Section 144 imposed in Lahore for 7 days citing terror threats: Mint

The caretaker government of Punjab province in Pakistan imposed Section 144 in Lahore for seven days, citing terror threats amid the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest and rallies, ARY News reported. Click here to read…

Pakistan’s elite in trouble amid bankruptcy as IMF tells Shehbaz Sharif govt to tax only the rich – Firstpost

Pakistan last week increased prices of commodities that are now weighing on people of the cash-strapped country. Concerned about poor in the bankrupt South Asian nation, IMF said that the Shehbaz Sharif government to tax its high earners and ensure that only poor get the subsidies. Click here to read…

Imran gets preventive bail from arrest in 1 case, Lahore HC disposes plea in 2nd – Hindustan Times

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has secured preventive bail from arrest by the Lahore high court till March 3 in a case pertaining to protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan office, Geo TV reported. The second plea was disposed of by the high court after Khan’s counsel withdrew the petition, Dawn reported. Click here to read…

Cash-starved Pakistan’s current account deficit shrinks 90% to $0.24 billion in January – The Economic Times

“Current Account Deficit (CAD) recorded USD 0.2 billion in Jan 2023 against a deficit of USD 2.5 billion in Jan 2022,” the central bank said in a brief statement on Twitter. The decrease in the deficit is also 16.55 per cent lower than December when the SBP announced that the deficit was USD 0.29 billion. Click here to read…

Pakistan Covid Scam: Amid bankruptcy, 2 of 4 billion rupees of corona relief fund vanish without trace – Firstpost

In a major embarrassment for the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistani government, a recent inquiry has revealed financial discrepancies in the allocation of and expenditure on medical resources in the Corona Relief Fund (CRF). This comes amid looming fears of a default as the country is going through a severe economic crisis. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Ranil govt. faces mounting pressure for ‘attempt to postpone’ polls in Sri Lanka – The Hindu

Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe is facing mounting pressure from the political Opposition and civil society over his government’s apparent attempts to postpone local government polls, scheduled in early March, citing the lack of funds. Click here to read…

Sri Lankans attacked Tamil Nadu fishermen: CM Stalin tells Centre – India Today

Sri Lankans assaulted Indian fishermen, took away their catch and equipment, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin apprised the Centre on Monday and urged that the matter be taken up with Sri Lanka to ensure action against assailants and prevent recurrence of such attacks. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s great IMF lie – Himal

Sri Lanka has been subject to a great lie: the IMF solution! For close to a year now, the country has been implementing the International Monetary Fund’s recommendations with complete obedience. The sudden devaluation of the Sri Lankan rupee, a drastic increase in interest rates, the withdrawal of fuel subsidies and severe cuts to state expenditure all amount to harsh austerity measures. The consequence is economic devastation as the country sinks into a depression. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

Uzbekistan resumes operations on Afghanistan railroad after dispute – Eurasianet

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

More bans likely to save dwindling foreign exchange reserves – Kuensel

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

Maldives

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

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

Young leaders are the strength and future of Maldives – Raajje

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

Myanmar

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

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

Four Myanmar Parties Register for Junta Election – The Irrawaddy

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

The Geopolitics of Sri Lanka’s Energy Crisis – Diplomat

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

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

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

Pakistan-Sri Lanka underline strong defence ties – Island

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

Afghanistan

Taliban Divided: Interior Min says Afghanistan in “intolerable” state, spokesperson rebuts – Firstpost

Haqqani’s comments came amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Last year in December, the hard-line group banned university education for women in Afghanistan, apart from other obscurantist moves to curb natural freedoms of the people Click here to read…

Taliban forces kill 3 Daesh members in raid on Kabul building – Arab News

Taliban intelligence forces killed three Daesh militants and arrested one in an overnight operation in the Afghan capital of Kabul, an official said Tuesday. The raid on a residential building targeted Daesh militants who organized recent attacks in the capital, said Khalil Hamraz, a Taliban-appointed spokesman for Afghanistan’s general director of intelligence. He called the target in the Karti Naw neighborhood an important Daesh hideout. Click here to read…

Feb.15 Marks 34th Anniversary of Soviet Withdrawal – Tolo News

Wednesday, 15 February 2023, marks the 34th anniversary of the withdrawal of the former Soviet forces from Afghanistan. Many of the survivors of the Soviet attacks said that Russian soldiers in Afghanistan committed mass killings. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

AL’s counter to BNP on streets raises fear of violence – New Age

The ruling Awami League’s recent tendency to announce a counter-programme on the same day as the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s programme has put the country’s two major political parties on a collision course, raising fear of violence. Speaking with New Age, senior politicians, and political analysts said that these counter-political street programmes were a serious worry that may put people’s lives in danger in the coming days as the next general election drew closer. Click here to read…

Unit 1 of Rampal plant to resume power generation Wednesday – Dhaka Tribune

Unit-1 of the 1329MW Rampal coal-fired power plant will resume production from Wednesday, still under a test run that started in August before being discontinued last month. According to official sources, Unit-1, having 660MW capacity, was forced to shut down on January 14 due to shortage of coal supply. The authorities of the power plant were unable to open any letter of credit (LC) to import coal due to the dollar crisis. Click here to read…

Let’s not neglect jute any longer – Dhaka Tribune

It is very encouraging to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself comment on the state of the jute industry in Bangladesh, hitting the nail on the head when she proclaimed that despite being an environment-friendly agricultural product, jute did not get the expected attention and incentives like the RMG (readymade garments) industry. Click here to read…

Bhutan

FDI in the digital sector sees huge potential – Kuensel

Having failed to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) over the years, the FDI Policy is yet again on the government’s table for review. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the average FDI inflows to Bhutan have been less than USD 20 million a year since 2010, contributing less than 1 percent of the gross domestic product. Click here to read…

A Force of Change – Kuensel

Almost a decade after His Majesty’s address to a group of young de-suup trainees at the Military Training Center in Tencholing, Wangdue, the de-suup family today has grown from a few hundred to a formidable group of around 35,000. Click here to read…

Maldives

Latvian traveler caught smuggling drugs into Maldives – Raajje

A foreigner has been arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the Maldives. The Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed that a traveler from Latvia, 49, was arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the Maldives by ingesting them. The arrest was made following an intel report received by the Police Intelligence Unit, by the efforts of officers from the Maldives Immigration and Maldives Customs Service. Click here to read…

UNICEF Representative presents Letter of Appointment to FM Shahid – Raajje

The new UNICEF Representative to the Maldives, Dr. Edward Addai has presented his Letter of Appointment to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. Dr. Edward presented his Letter of Appointment to Minister Shahid on 14 February 2022. During the meeting held following the presentation, Minister Shahid and the Representative discussed the role of UNICEF in the Maldives. As such, discussions were held in areas on child protection, maternal and child heath, immunization, nutrition, pre and primary education and social inclusion. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar’s opposition opens foreign ministry office in US – RFA

Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government officially opened a shadow embassy in Washington on Monday, with a U.S. State Department official at the event using a speech to reject the legitimacy of elections planned by the military junta later this year. The so-called NUG has set up a government-in-exile after the military took power from a democratically elected government in a February 2021 coup. Click here to read…

No sales of arms to Myanmar for ‘a very long time’, says Singapore minister – Borneo Bulletin

Singapore has not sold military weapons to Myanmar for a very long time and has effected a ban on the sale of arms there, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament yesterday. The minister was replying to a question from Member of Parliament (MP) Dennis Tap on recent assertions in the report of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar which stated that Singapore functions as a “strategic transit point for potentially significant volumes of items” including raw materials that contribute towards military production by the Myanmar military. Click here to read…

It’s Time for Myanmar’s Neighbors to Sideline the Military Junta – The Diplomat

Anyone still hoping for a political solution to Myanmar’s crisis should ask one question: is the military junta willing to be held accountable for its crimes? The definitive answer, demonstrated repeatedly by their mounting atrocities, is “no.” But without accountability for the crimes committed since the February 2021 coup, which include the burning of women and children alive, there can be no political solution to the country’s conflict. Click here to read…

Chinese crypto scams forcing Filipinos to work for them in Myanmar – Mizzima

Chinese criminals running cryptocurrency scams in Southeast Asia are targeting Filipinos to work for them because of their English-language and computer skills, a Philippine foreign ministry official said Monday. Filipinos were “prized” targets for scam networks operating in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, said Eduardo de Vega, acting undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Click here to read…

Nepal

“Differences Between Friends Can Be Resolved Through Talks”: Nepal Ex-PM – NDTV

Nepal’s former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who on Tuesday held an extensive meeting with visiting Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, said any kind of differences between Nepal and India can be sorted out through dialogue, a source close to the CPN-UML chairman said. Click here to read…

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra completes his two day official visit to Nepal – NewsOnAir

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra completed his two-day official visit to Nepal at the invitation of the Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal. During his two days visit Foreign Secretary Kwatra called on the President of Nepal, Mrs. Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr. Bimala Rai Paudyal alongwith meeting other senior members of the Government of Nepal and other leaders. Click here to read…

Nepal King Rekindles Calls For Restoration Of Nepal’s Status As A ‘Hindu Kingdom’, Joins Protests Against Government – Swarajya Marg

The former King of Nepal Gyanendra Shah on Monday (13 February) joined a public campaign that seeks to reinstate Nepal’s status as a “Hindu Kingdom”. Notably, the campaign was launched on the day the Nepal government led by the Communist Party leader Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ declared a public holiday to mark 23 years of the Maoist war. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Asked to condemn Moscow, but followed India’s example of ‘neutral’ stand in Russia-Ukraine War: Imran Khan – India TV

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday claimed that the former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had asked him to condemn Russia in its act of invading Ukraine, but he refused to do so citing India’s stand on the matter. Click here to read…

Govt turns to parliament after Alvi ‘refuses’ ordinance – Dawn

Despite its attempt to expedite pas­sage of fiscal measures mandated by the Internat­i­o­nal Monetary Fund (IMF), the government was forced to head to parliament on Tuesday after President Arif Alvi “adv­ised” Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to take parliament into confidence over the Rs170 billion in new taxes that are being levied. Click here to read…

The economic woes of Pakistan and Sri Lanka have similar origin stories – Scroll

Economists ascribe Sri Lanka’s recent financial problems to a severe decline in tourism and remittances, as well as a substantial tax cut, but poor governance is atop the list of the factors that played havoc with the island nation’s economy, which relied heavily on tourism and remittances. Both these sources were hit badly by the Covid pandemic as the workers were laid off on a mass scale. Click here to read…

Pakistan nearly doubles gas prices to meet IMF bailout terms – Money Control

Cash-strapped Pakistan nearly doubled natural gas taxes Tuesday in an effort to comply with a long-stalled financial bailout, raising concerns that the hardship could pass to consumers in the impoverished south Asian country. Click here to read…

Pakistan-Turkey relations: What’s in it for Ankara? – DNA India

Three devastating earthquakes struck Turkey’s South-eastern region bordering Syria in the early hours of 06 February 23. The widespread destruction and ensuing loss of life have, as expected in any major disaster of this magnitude, overwhelmed the country. The World community responded swiftly and immediate for HADR operations, given the intensity of envisaged damage, both to property and life. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s too responded to the request by Turkey soon after. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka envoy meets Indian ministers seeking support for economic recovery – Hindustan Times

Sri Lankan high commissioner Milinda Moragoda on Tuesday met with union commerce minister Piyush Goyal and union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss India’s support for his country’s economic recovery, including through the expansion of bilateral trade and use of the rupee for trade settlement. Click here to read…

Protests against Wickremesinghe sweep Sri Lanka’s Tamil-dominated provinces – Peoples Dispatch – Peoples Dispatch

On February 11, the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and students of Jaffna University in Sri Lanka staged a protest against a musical event organized by the secretariat of President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Jaffna as part of Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence day celebrations. At least 18 protestors, including Selvarajah Kajendren, Member of Parliament and General Secretary of the TNPF, were arrested at the protest. They were later released on bail. Click here to read…

Japan to grant 5 bn yen to Sri Lanka for public health sector fuel purchases – Economy Next

Cabinet spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the weekly cabinet press briefing on Tuesday February 14 that 35 million US dollar-worth grant is to be made under Japan’s Economic and Social Developmenet Programme so that Sri Lanka may continue essential and urgent health services uninterrupted. Click here to read…

Russia-Sri Lanka Economic Forum successfully held in Sri Lanka – Daily FT

Amidst the changing global dynamics, with the intention of strengthening socioeconomic relations between Russia and Sri Lanka, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) recently organised a four-day program, Russia-Sri Lanka Economic Forum (23-27 Jan.), which heralded fruitful outcomes for both nations. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Taliban Tell Pakistan Not to Blame Afghanistan for Mosque Bombing – VOA News

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers Wednesday rejected allegations their territory was used in this week’s mosque bombing in Pakistan, urging the neighboring country to thoroughly investigate such terror acts before blaming others. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told a gathering in the capital, Kabul, that Pakistani officials should find a solution to their security challenges locally and desist from “sowing the seeds of enmity” between the two Muslim countries. Click here to read…

Afghanistan Ranks 150th on Corruption Perception Index – Tolo News

In a recent report released by Transparency International, Afghanistan was ranked 150 in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in 2022 out of 180 countries. According to the report, Afghanistan has climbed 24 places compared to 2021 when the country was ranked 174 out of 180 countries. Somalia was ranked as the most corrupt nation in the world. Click here to read…

Dam inaugurated in Afghanistan – DT Next

Afghan authorities have inaugurated a dam in Afghanistan’s southern Zabul province to irrigate more than 700 hectares of land, provincial governor Mawlawi Qudratullah Abu Hamza said on Wednesday. The reservoir, which was officially inaugurated and put into use on Tuesday, stores 450,000 cubic meters of water and would facilitate farmers to irrigate more than 700 hectares of land in Tana Sah area and its vicinity, the official was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. Click here to read…

Budget 2023: Development aid for war-torn Afghanistan unchanged, cuts for Sri Lanka & Myanmar – The Print

Allocation to external affairs ministry for development assistance to foreign countries & projects fell 13% to estimated Rs 5,848.58 crore from Rs 6,750 crore in FY23. In Union Budget 2023-24, India has left development assistance to war-torn Afghanistan unchanged (Budget estimates). Meanwhile, aid to cash-strapped Sri Lanka and junta-ruled Myanmar’s was cut by 25 per cent and 33 per cent respectively. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Ever-strengthening India-Bangladesh relations – The Print

India and Bangladesh share not only close historical, civilisational and cultural links but have also forged strong social, economic and political ties over decades since Bangladesh’s liberation in 1971. United by a shared history and common heritage, linguistic and cultural links, fervour for arts, music and literature, and strong people-to-people ties, the two countries share a unique camaraderie and friendship. Click here to read…

AL, Jamaat demanded caretaker govt: BNP – NewAge

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party said on Wednesday that they were demanding the caretaker government system, as it was also the demand of the then-opposition Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami during the party’s tenure in 1996. Click here to read…

Is Bangladesh getting tired of hosting Rohingya refugees? – Dhaka Tribune

In 2017, Bangladesh welcomed fellow Muslims from Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state to the southern coastal community of Cox’s Bazar with open arms, food and shelter.
Despite the presence of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya in the already overcrowded settlements for decades, they didn’t have to think twice about accommodating the new surge of people, albeit into an already overcrowded area of Bangladesh. Attempts to repatriate the Rohingya refugees have failed due to unstable conditions in Myanmar. As such, they have become victims of the worst refugee crisis in the last 50 years. Click here to read…

Bhutan

In Neighbourhood, Bhutan Receives Largest Share Of Aid At Rs 2,400 Crore In Finance Budget – ABP News

Bhutan received the largest share of India’s aid pegged at Rs 2,400 crore in the Finance Budget 2023-24, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earmarked Rs 990 crore for India’s G20 Presidency that began on December 1, 2022. In line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the largest share of India’s aid portfolio is towards Bhutan, which constituted 41.04 per cent of the development assistance by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Click here to read…

GoI to facilitate concessional rate on the third internet gateway – Kuensel Online

The Government of India (GoI) would be facilitating a special concessional rate on the third international internet gateway for Bhutan as per the Bhutan government’s request. Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela said this during the technology roundtable yesterday. Click here to read…

Maldives

Commonwealth Secretary-General & Maldives FM arrive in SL – Sri Lanka Mirror

Secretary General of the Commonwealth – Patricia Scotland and Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid have arrived in Sri Lanka today (01) to attend the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Independence of Sri Lanka. They were warmly received by State Minister of Foreign Affairs – Tharaka Balasuriya. Click here to read…

“India has been one of the most trusted and valued partners of Maldives” – Raajje

India has proven to be one of the most trusted and valued friend of Maldives during challenging times, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. President Solih stated this on Tuesday, while speaking at the official reception held at Dharubaaruge to commemorate the 74th Republic Day of India. In his remarks, the President stated that the Maldives and India share a unique partnership built on mutual trust and respect with a renewed impetus during the past four years. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar junta extends state of emergency, delaying promised elections – The Guardian

Myanmar’s military regime has announced an extension to its state of emergency, effectively delaying elections the junta had pledged to hold by August, as it battles anti-coup fighters across the country. The junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, acknowledged that more than a third of townships were not under full military control, in comments reported by state media on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Myanmar announces cabinet reshuffle after state of emergency extension – DajjiWorld

Myanmar’s State Administration Council (SAC) announced a cabinet reshuffle after the country’s state of emergency was extended for six more months on Wednesday. Under the cabinet reshuffle, a new chairman for the Union Civil Services Board, a new chairman for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and four new Chief Ministers of region and states were appointed, Xinhua news agency reported. Click here to read…

UN special envoy to Myanmar moots regional protection framework as crisis drags on – CNA

United Nations special envoy to Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer plans to rally the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to form a regional protection framework. The aim is to help those suffering from a crisis sparked by a military coup two years ago. She tells Leong Wai Kit this is one of four key areas she will focus on this year. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal’s Social Protection System Reinforces Inequality – My Republica

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the newly-elected government of Nepal to prioritize coverage for all children and add coverage for millions of informal-sector workers as it considers changes to the existing system. The global human rights watchdog also said that Nepal’s social protection system fails to effectively protect children from poverty and reinforces inequalities between informal and formal workers. Click here to read…

Nepal to receive 1.5mn COVID-19 booster vaccines under GAVI – Foreign Brief

The Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) will today deliver 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 booster shots to Nepal. Following the sudden rise of positive FB.7—a sub-variant of Omicron—cases in neighboring countries such as India and China, the Nepalese government is gearing up to curb another possible outbreak. While the new set of Pfizer-Biontec Bivalent vaccines are not required for everybody, the Nepalese health minister Dr Sanjay Mahaseth strongly urges its citizens to get vaccinated. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Former Pakistan Interior minister Sheikh Ahmed arrested: Report – India Today

Former interior minister of Pakistan Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was arrested on Thursday, reports said. A complaint was lodged against him for claiming that former President Asif Zardari was hatching a plot to assassinate PTI chief Imran Khan. Police said a bottle of liquor and a weapon were recovered from Sheikh Rashid’s possession, adding that the minister was intoxicated, the report said. Click here to read…

IMF Projects Slowdown In Pakistan’s GDP From 3.5% To 2% – NDTV

The International Monetary Fund projected a slowdown in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 3.5 per cent to 2 per cent for the current fiscal, The News International reported. According to the Pakistan daily, the IMF had also projected that the GDP growth rate would rebound in the next fiscal 2023-24 up to 4.4 per cent. Click here to read…

Imran says govt lacked ‘understanding, interest’ when terrorism began to resurface – Dawn

PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday slammed the government for blaming his party for the resurgence in terrorism in the country, saying that the incumbent setup had no “understanding nor interest” when the phenomenon had started to resurface. Imran made the remarks during a televised address where he talked about terrorism at length and the steps the PTI government took. Click here to read…

IMF presses Pakistan to foist more taxes in second round of talks – Ary News

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to impose roughly Rs600-800 billion in additional taxes in the second round of talks to revive $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) stalled for months, ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources. According to details, the Federal Revenue Board held a second round of technical talks with IMF mission, led by Mission Chief to Pakistan Nathan Porter, on the ninth review of a $7 billion loan programme. Click here to read…

Pakistan inflation rises to 48-year-high of 27.55%: Report – Hindustan Times

Pakistan’s inflation quickened to the fastest in almost 48 years in January as thousands of containers of food items, raw materials and equipment are stuck in ports after the cash-strapped government curtailed imports. Consumer prices rose 27.55% from a year earlier, according to data released by the statistics department on Wednesday. That compares with a median estimate for a 25.9% gain in a Bloomberg survey and a 24.47% jump in December. Inflation is at the highest since May 1975, according to central bank data. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Building the economy should be our priority, President emphasizes – Colombo Page

President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that building the collapsed economy should be the priority, as political freedom is of no use if the economic freedom of the country is lost. The President also pointed out that the political stability and territorial integrity of a country is the best factor in winning over the economic war. Addressing a ceremony in Kandy held today (01) at the Presidential Palace in Kandy to present the distinguished service awards “Vishishta Seva Vibhushana” to 77 senior officers of the Tri Forces, the President said. However, lives lost during the war cannot be regained, the income lost during the economic war could be regained. The award ceremony recognizes the distinguished service of military officers and was organized in conjunction with the 75th Independence Day celebrations. Click here to read…

On Sri Lanka’s 75th birthday, the future looks bleak – Financial Times

The country defaulted on more than $50bn of foreign loans in 2022, and last May the then prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe complained that finding even $1mn was proving to be a challenge. Sri Lanka has one of the largest public sectors in the world, which — including defence — accounts for between 70-80 per cent of the country’s annual budget. Meeting the salary bill is a battle. The government is in the throes of negotiating a $2.9bn IMF bailout, which ministers seem confident will be approved. Click here to read…

Jaishankar’s Sri Lanka visit a harbinger of positive developments for island nation – The Print

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Sri Lanka is being seen as a harbinger of positive developments and an improved economic and financial situation for the island nation. Click here to read…

US to provide additional US$ 30 million – Daily News

United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland yesterday announced an additional US$ 30 million for the provision of free lunch to 96,000 schoolchildren in 850 government schools. She said that the US has begun the delivery of 770 MT of food supplies and vegetable oil to meet the food security needs of the country. She said that the US government has provided support worth over US$ 240 milion dollars to Sri Lanka just over a year. “This is a critical movement of your country.The government is working with the IMF and international creditors to stabilize the economy,”Nuland said at a press conference held in Colombo yesterday evening. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Bombing Near Foreign Ministry Triggers Widespread Reactions: Tolo News

The bombing near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul on Wednesday triggered widespread reactions at national and international levels. Kabul security department said the attack left five people dead and many others wounded. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a website affiliated to the group. Former president Hamid Karzai in a tweet “strongly” condemned the attack and called it a terrorist act and said it is against human and Islamic values. Click here to read…

Pakistani, Afghan Foreign Ministers Make Telephone Conversation: The Khaama Press

Amir Khan Muttaqi the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan had a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari earlier today. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister in a special telephone conversation with Amir Khan Muttaqi the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan discussed the brutal attack which took place near the entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, resulting in the death and injury of scores of Afghan people. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

First phase of Bishwa Ijtema begins Friday – Dhaka Tribune

The first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of the Muslims, will begin on the bank of the Turag River at Tongi, on the outskirts of the city on Friday. The first phase of the Ijtema will begin with ‘Aam Bayan’ (general sermons) by noted scholars after Fazr prayers on the day that will end with Akheri Munajat (final prayers) on Sunday. The second phase of the Ijtema, however, will begin on January 20 at the same venue and it is scheduled to end with Akheri Munajat on January 22. Click here to read…

US assistant secretary Lu arrives on Saturday – New Age

The United States assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday on a two-day visit to discuss a range of issues relating to energy, security cooperation, religious freedom, labour and human rights, among others. Click here to read…

When the American Nightmare kills a Bangladeshi Dream – The Daily Star

In a tragic turn of events, a young Bangladeshi student, Sayed Arif Faisal, was fatally shot to death by police in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 4. This has spurred protests and enraged the Bangladeshi community living in the US state. The Bangladesh Association of New England (BANE), which described the death as a “racist incident by white police officers,” strongly denounced the “brutal killing” and demanded a fair probe of the incident and punishment of the police officer who opened fire. Click here to read…

A Looming Economic Crisis in Bangladesh

Today, Bangladesh faces the combined impact of declining global demand for its ready-made garments (RMG) exports, a collapse in remittances, rapidly falling foreign exchange reserves to stabilize the volatility of the Bangladeshi taka, concerns with the demand-supply gaps in the energy markets, and inflationary tendencies in the domestic economy. These difficulties caused Bangladesh to seek a precautionary International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan of $ 4.5 billion in July 2022. Click here to read…

Bhutan

BTP positions itself as a unique party – Kuensel Online

Voters will have more choices, with Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) being formally registered by the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) as the sixth political party in the country. The ECB officially registered BTP on January 9 to contest the 2023 parliamentary elections and handed over the approval and certificate yesterday. The party applied for registration on November 30, last year. Click here to read…

Nepal

China exerting pressure on a reluctant Nepal to join the Belt and Road Initiative: Report – OpIndia

Leaving the airport project aside China had also put its hands into Damak Industrial Park and Kerung-Kathmandu railway project and they are stranded as the work of these projects has not yet progressed and the work on Damak Industrial Park in Jhapa has not yet begun, according to the same Epardafas report. According to the agreement for the Jhapa project, the construction period of the park will take ten years and the Chinese will operate the park for 40 years, and then only it will be handed over to Nepal. It is claimed that this project will improve the economic condition of the country, and provide employment for one lakh people, according to the same report. Click here to read…

Nepali Congress preparing to contest President and Speaker elections – The Kathmandu Post

Congress leaders say that the party will sit on the opposition bench, despite extending support to the Dahal government, it is also eyeing the plum posts of President and Speaker. On Thursday, a meeting of the party’s present and former office bearers decided to hold talks with other parties about the Speaker and deputy Speaker elections. At an all-party meeting on Sunday, the political parties represented in the House had agreed to elect the Speaker and deputy Speaker on January 21 and 22, respectively. Click here to read…

UML chairman Oli meets Nepal’s PM Prachanda, discuss cabinet expansion – The Print

Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” and CPN-UML chairman K P Sharma Oli met on Thursday and discussed issues relating to cabinet expansion as well as the latest political developments. Oli reached the PM’s official residence at Baluwatar to meet Prachanda. The two leaders, who have agreed to lead the government on a rotation basis, mainly discussed matters relating to expansion of cabinet and power-sharing, CPN-Maoist Centre secretary Ganesh Shah said. Click here to read…

Nepal requests more doses of Covid vaccines from Gavi – Online Khabar

The government has sought additional 1.5 million doses of the Covid vaccines to administer booster doses in view of increasing infection in neighbouring countries. The Ministry of Health and Population today wrote to the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (Gavi) for additional dispatch of vaccines. Sagar Dahal, the chief of the Child Health and Immunisation Section, Child Welfare Division, the Department of Health Services, confirmed the writing of a letter to the vaccine alliance for additional doses of vaccines. Click here to read…

Maldives

BML has played a pivotal role in Maldives’ economy over the past 40 years: BML Chairperson – Raajje

The Bank of Maldives (BML) has played a pivotal role in the economy of the Maldives in the past 40 years, says the bank’s Chairperson, Yooshau Saeed. Yooshau made these remarks while speaking at an event the country’s national bank held on Thursday evening to celebrate its 40th anniversary at Crossroads. Shedding light on BML’s operations upon inception back in 1982 with just 10 employees dedicated to raising public awareness on general banking, traveling to the atolls to ensure accessible services, Yooshau noted that the bank has since developed to become the largest bank in the archipelago nation. Click here to read…

World Bank, Maldives Establish Country Partnership Framework – Mirage News

The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors today discussed the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2023-2027 for Maldives, which aims to support the country to achieve a green, resilient, and inclusive high-growth future. The new five-year strategy lays out key areas for work by the World Bank Group’s member organizations, including the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which focuses on the private sector in developing countries, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) which offers political risk insurance and credit enhancement guarantees. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar military targets rebel camp in strikes along Mizoram border; bombs hit Indian village – Times Now News

The bombardment of a significant insurgent camp by the Myanmar military on the border with Mizoram on Tuesday has caused dread and panic in Mizoram state’s Champhai district near to the camp. At least one shell landed on the Indian side, as per media reports. According to a Champhai district official, there were no casualties, although a truck on a river bank near to the border sustained damage. Click here to read…

Myanmar navy commissions five new vessels, continues modernization efforts on annual navy day celebration – Shephard Media

Myanmar’s navy continued the tradition of commissioning new platforms during its annual navy day celebrations, which last year occurred on 24 December, the force’s 75th anniversary. Unlike similar events in 2020 and 2021 that saw the commissioning of submarines amongst other platforms, the 2022 event was a relatively low-key affair that saw the Myanmar Navy add five vessels. Click here to read…

Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge reopens three years after closure during Covid-19 – Asia News Network

Senior officials from both sides of the border took part in a ceremony held on the bridge to mark the reopening. Tak Governor Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj joined his Myanmar counterpart U Zaw Tin at the long-awaited reopening of the bridge. Among those attending the ceremony were customs officials, immigration officers, police and military officers, local administrators, public health officials, and local business leaders. Local officials from Thailand and Myanmar had convened many meetings in preparation for the bridge’s reopening. Click here to read…

Pakistan

UAE’s $3b lifeline averts imminent default: The Express Tribune

The UAE on Thursday agreed to provide a $3 billion lifeline to Pakistan in the shape of a rollover of the existing debt and new financing – helping Islamabad avoid defaulting on its loans for a couple of more months.Click here to read…

Political chessboard: PTI’s Imran emerged victorious: The Express Tribune

Despite strong pressure and other tactics, the PML-N led federal government along with the ‘powerful circles’ were unable to refrain Elahi from taking a vote of confidence in the Punjab Assembly. A senior PML-N leader told The Express Tribune that all efforts by his party to convince the PTI lawmakers to switch their loyalties had been in vain. He also conceded that the Punjab CM taking a vote of confidence was a major surprise for his party. Click here to read…

Elahi signs summary for PA dissolution: PTI sets sights on Punjab interim set-up: The News

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Thursday sent an advice to the governor for the dissolution of the provincial assembly. According to the Constitution, after advice is sent by the chief minister, the assembly would stand dissolved within 48 hours even if the governor did not sign the summary. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Former President, Ex-Defence Secretary, Ex-IGP and Ex-Intelligence Chiefs found guilty – Daily News

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that Former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundara, former Chief of State Intelligence Service Nilantha Jayawardena, former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former National Intelligence Chief Sisira Mendis have violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners by failing to act to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite receiving intelligence information and ordered to pay a compensation of Rs.310 million personally. Click here to read…

China – Sri Lanka’s true friend – Prime Minister – Daily News

Whenever Sri Lanka needed help, China was with us as a true friend, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said yesterday (12) while participating at the opening of the China Sri Lanka Friendship Information Technology Centre in Boralugoda, Kosgama with the assistance of the Chinese Government. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka given six more months to repay Bangladesh’s $200 million loan

Bangladesh Bank today granted Sri Lanka six more months to repay the $200 million loan after the Island nation requested to extend the repayment period due to its prolonged economic crisis. A senior official of the central bank, on condition of anonymity, said the board of directors of Bangladesh Bank has extended the repayment tenure. The Island nation, which has been facing an acute greenback shortage for months, borrowed $200 million from Bangladesh in May 2021. The country was scheduled to repay the loans by April last year, but it failed to do so. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka keen to import ethanol from India

Indian Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have shown their keenness to import ethanol from India. “I was able to discuss this matter with PM of Bangladesh and even the Sri Lankan minister. Both are keenly interested about import of ethanol from India for adding ethanol into petrol in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,” Gadkari said while addressing the CII Conference on Bio-Energy. The minister also said that in 15 days he has a meeting with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, where a discussion would be made on making a policy for starting of ethanol pumps in the country. Click here to read…