Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

Bangladesh

PM Hasina invites Biden to visit Bangladesh: Dhaka Tribune

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

Bhutanese products gain access to international markets -Kuensel Online

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

Maldives

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

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

Saudi Arabia, Maldives sign political consultations agreement – Saudi Gazette

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

Biden urges world to help ‘underwater’ Pakistan: Dawn

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

Current account deficit narrows to $0.7bn: Dawn

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

National inflation breaches 70% in August: Daily Mirror

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

Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

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

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

Maldives

Maldives-Middle East Connections – MEI@75

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

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

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Enforced disappearances violation of Constitution’: The News

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

Invites them to invest in Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror

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

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

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

Afghanistan

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

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

Moscow Stresses Need for Inclusive Afghan Govt: Tolo News

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

Bhutan is 127th on human development index – Kuensel Online

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

Maldives

Tourist arrivals at 1.13 mln – Avas

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

Maldives granted SCO’s dialogue member status – Avas

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

Myanmar

On Leadership and Power in Myanmar – The Irrawaddy

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

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

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

Sri Lanka to brief creditors on IMF deal: Daily Mirror

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

Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

Bhutan is 127th on human development index: Kuensel

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

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

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

Maldives

Abdul Ghafoor officially appointed Ambassador to US: Sun Online

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

Discussions underway on controlling drug prices: Avas

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

Editorial: No end to impunity: Dawn

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

Putin offers Shehbaz gas to warm ties: The Express Tribune

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

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

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

Afghanistan

Interior Ministry Denies ‘Drone Attack’ in Kabul: Tolo News

The Interior Ministry denies allegations of a drone attack in Kabul.
Abdul Nafi Takoor, a spokesman of the Interior Ministry, said that a rocket hit an empty residence in the Sherpor area of Kabul city, adding there were “no casualties.” Click here to read…

Tashkent Meeting Analysis: Central Asia Wants Path to South Asia: Tolo News

Some of the participants at the Tashkent conference said that the Central Asian nations, particularly Uzbekistan, are seeking to connect to South Asia via Afghanistan. Analysts said that the formation of trade centers on the two sides of the Amu River will benefit Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. Click here to read…

Former NDS Director Says American Drones Struck Different Locations of Afghan Capital: The Khaama Press

Rahmatullah Nabil, former director of the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS), claims that American drones were spotted in Kabul’s airspace and attacked various Kabul locations. Following reports of at least two explosions in the capital’s Wazir Akbar Khan and Sherpur areas, Nabil posted his statement on his Twitter handle. Click here to read…

Sunday Explosions in Afghan Capital Inflict No Immediate Casualties: Taliban Officials: The Khaama Press

Locals in the Kabul areas of Sherpur and Wazir Akbar Khan have reported two explosions, and there have also been reports of explosions in the Dehmazang area of the Afghan capital. According to Taliban security authorities, no immediate casualties were caused by the explosions on Sunday morningClick here to read…

Bangladesh

EC talks with parties: Supervisory govt sought for polls- The Daily Star

Nearly half of the 39 registered political parties are in favour of a polls-time government under interim, caretaker or all-party system for ensuring a participatory and credible parliamentary election. Click here to read…

“Chinese foreign minister’s upcoming Dhaka visit part of regular contacts”- The Daily Star

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen yesterday (July 31, 2022) said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s planned visit to Bangladesh next week is part of their “regular contacts. Click here to read…

AL’s income more than doubles- The Daily Star

The ruling Awami League last year earned Tk 21.23 crore, more than double what it earned in 2020. Click here to read…

Hasina, Modi to inaugurate Rampal plant from India- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are expected to jointly inaugurate the Rampal power station during the former’s visit to India in September, reported The Hindustan Times yesterday. Click here to read…

‘Importing’ goods ‘Made in Bangladesh’- The Daily Star

A Chinese company housed in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone imported finished goods with “Made in Bangladesh” labels by declaring those as raw materials, in an incident that violated both local and international rulesClick here to read…

Bhutan

Visiting Bhutan To Get Expensive; Indian Tourists On Target As Country Imposes – Times Now News

Bhutan is set to open its border to tourists from September 23 after being shut since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But with the latest announcement regarding sustainable development fees, touring Bhutan will not be the same as it was before the pandemic. Click here to read…

Army Chief calls on Bhutan King – Tribune India

Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Sunday called on Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, with discussions focused on enhancing ties between the two nations. The Chief received a Guard of Honour at ThimphuClick here to read…

Maldives

Maldives President to visit India from August 1 to 4 – Awaz The Voice

Announcing the viist, MEA Official Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said that Maldives is India’s key neighbour in the Indian Ocean region and occupies a special place in India’s Neighbourhood First policy. In recent years, the partnership has witnessed rapid growth in all areas of cooperation and President Solih’s upcoming official visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to review the progress made in this wide ranging partnership. Click here to read…

Prince Faisal bin Salman receives Maldives president in Madinah – Arab News

President of the Republic of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih arrived in Madinah on Monday to visit the Prophet’s Mosque.
The president was received by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman and a number of officials at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport. Click here to read…

Myanmar

As Myanmar suffers, the military junta is desperate, isolated and running out of options – The Conversation

The military junta’s execution of four pro-democracy activists earlier this week has again shone a spotlight on the appalling judgement and brutality of the junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and his top generals. Click here to read…

Defiance in Myanmar even as executions prompt fears for detained – Aljazeera

More than 70 people are on death row (others were sentenced in abstentia) for opposing the coup, including nine women, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which has been tracking the military’s crackdown. AAPP says more than 2,100 civilians have been killed by the military since the coup, including dozens who have died in military custody. Click here to read…

Political situations have arisen due to improper use of political outlets: SAC’s chairman – Eleven Myanmar

Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of State Administration Council (SAC) said at the Union Government Meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday that Political situations have arisen due to improper use of political outlets. Click here to read…

Japanese video journalist detained at Myanmar protest march – ABC News

A Japanese video journalist has been detained by security forces in Myanmar while covering a protest against military rule in the country’s largest city, pro-democracy activists said Sunday. Click here to read…

Nepal

Government plans to hold elections on November 20: The Kathmandu Post

The elections for the federal and provincial elections will be held on November 20, two days later than the date proposed by the Election Commission, if there is no change in the government’s plan.Click here to read…

Protest to amend Transitional Justice Bill: The Himalayan

Victim groups protested at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu today against the flawed provisions in the bill to amend the Transitional Justice Law.
The protest was organised by Victims’ Society for Justice, Conflict Victim Women National Network, Conflict Victims’ Common Platform. The victims have objected to some of the provisions of the ‘Bill to amend the Commission for Investigation, Truth and Reconciliation Act, 2071’. Click here to read…

Janardan Sharma reinstated as finance minister: The Himalayan

CPN-Maoist Centre leader Janardan Sharma was today reinstated as finance minister two days after a parliamentary panel probe found no evidence to prove he was involved in making illegal changes to the budget. He took the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today itself. Click here to read…

Nepal’s economic alarm bells: Himal

Every year, as the monsoon kicks in, there’s a feverish spurt of road-building and infrastructural development across Nepal. It has nothing to do with preparing Nepal’s notoriously accident-prone roads for the rains, but with a term that is peculiar to the country: asaare bikas. The Nepali fiscal year ends in the Hindu calendar month of Asaar (around mid-July), and since budgetary allocations under capital expenditures lapse at the end of the fiscal year, government departments rush to spend whatever they can before the fiscal year runs out. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Imran foresees general elections in ‘6-8 weeks’: The Express Tribune

Imran met with Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, former federal minister Moonis Elahi and other lawmakers from Punjab in Lahore. He asked the Punjab government to expedite the implementation of the PTI’s flagship social welfare project, the Ehsaas Programme. Click here to read…

Rs30bn taxes to be imposed to save PSO from default: Dawn

The government has decided to impose additional taxes to the tune of Rs30 billion as it struggles to arrange Rs100bn emergency funding to avoid international default on oil and gas payments and keep the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) intact. Click here to read…

IMF likely to begin tranche release process this week: Dawn

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is likely to start the process for releasing the seventh and eighth tranches of a $6 billion loan programme for Pakistan later this week, IMF and diplomatic sources told Dawn. Click here to read…

Taliban-brokered TTP talks end in deadlock: The Express Tribune

The talks between Pakistan and the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have reached a deadlock as the militant group refused to budge from its demand for the reversal of the merger of erstwhile Fata with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Lankan Batiks Promotion in Antalya, Turkey- The Island

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Turkey organized the second leg of the Sri Lankan Batiks promotional event with the assistance of the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka to Antalya Ali Kamburoglu recently (20), a statement issued by the Lankan Embassy in Ankara said. Click here to read…

UNICEF launches programme to help pre-school children- The Island

UNICEF Sri Lanka has launched a special relief package for pre-school children and mothers hardest hit by the current economic crisis., UNICEF said.The initiative, conducted in collaboration with the Colombo Municipal Council and Public Health midwives, will provide much-needed relief to the urban poor and most disadvantaged families, facing severe hardship and struggling to put food on their table. Click here to read…

Fueling a way forward for small and medium enterprises- The Island

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka together with the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) has commenced an initiative to strengthen rural economies, increase forest cover, improve the living standards of rural women, and sustainable industries and small and medium enterprises in the country, by increasing the growth of suppliers for clean and modern biomass technology in line with the energy policy. Click here to read…

Maiden Policy Statement from President RW on Aug. 3- The Island

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is to deliver his maiden Policy Statement in Parliament at 11 am on Wednesday (03), Parliament sources said.The President is scheduled to commence the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament at 10 am with his Presidential Policy Statement (previously Throne Speech). Click here to read…

Lanka can’t afford fossil fuels but can’t afford to get off them either- The Island

Sri Lanka is in turmoil, with fuel and food shortages provoking citizens to storm the presidential palace and send Gotobaya Rajapaksa packing.Reliance on fossil fuel imports is a big factor in the economic crisis. Click here to read…

Japan hands over life-saving medicines procured through UNICEF to Lanka- The Island

In response to the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, the Government of Japan on Thursday handed over the first consignment of a total donation of USD 1.5 million value of medicines being procured through UNICEF to address the severe shortage of medicines in hospitals and clinics in the country. Click here to read…

World Bank plans to offer new financing to Lanka put off till macroeconomic policy framework in place- The Island

The World Bank Group expressing deep concern about the dire economic situation and its impact on the people of Sri Lanka yesterday said it does not plan to offer new financing to Sri Lanka until an adequate macroeconomic policy framework is in place. Click here to read…

WB halts new funding to Sri Lanka till viable programme is put in place- The Island

Until an adequate macroeconomic policy framework is in place, the World Bank does not plan to offer new financing to Sri Lanka, it was announced yesterday. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Historical Heritage Neglected in Badakhshan: Tolo News

Cultural activists are concerned about the lack of attention to the historic heritage in Badakhshan province. Pul-e-Khishte is one of the historical heritage sites in Badakhshan province and it is 25 meters long and 5 meters wide. The history of this historical heritage site reportedly reaches back more than 100 years. Click here to read…

Islamic Emirate’s Leader Calls for Implementation of Sharia: Tolo News

Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that the leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, held a gathering with the provincial governors in Kandahar. Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada stressed the need to preserve Islamic values, according to the statement. Click here to read…

U.S. Senators Urge UN to Take ‘Meaningful Actions’ in Defense of Afghans Rights: The Khaama Press

At least four American senators voiced their concerns over human rights violations in Afghanistan in a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, saying “we must not stand by as the Taliban seeks to erase the human rights of Afghan women and girls.” Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Concerted effort is the key- The Daily Star

Planning Minister MA Mannan yesterday said many areas regarding child development require concerted efforts. Click here to read…

Chinese foreign minister likely to visit Dhaka next month- The Daily Star

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit Dhaka early next month as the country wants to strengthen the strategic partnership with Bangladesh. Click here to read…

Bhutan

TCB to assess readiness of hoteliers and operators- Kuensel

The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) is validating and assessing tourism service providers – tour operators and hoteliers – on their readiness to welcome tourists under the new tariff regime beginning September 23 this year. Click here to read…

Youths draw attention to tiger conservation- Kuensel

Addressing the youth ambassadors, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, said: “Where tigers have vanished, the lands are barren and devoid of life forms. Put simply, the tiger is a barometer of life in our forests and, by extension, the health of our living planet.” Click here to read…

Bhutan needs to gear towards improving tourism infrastructure- Bhutan Times

3,500 licensed tour operators in the country will have to compete through the quality of services, programmes and facilities while providing itineraries to the tourists. This would mean the tour operators should start working to improve the facilities. Click here to read…

Maldives

President of Maldives on 4-day visit to India from August 1 – Indian Express

MALDIVES PRESIDENT Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will be coming on a four-day visit to India from August 1, which will provide an opportunity to review the progress made in the wide-ranging partnership. Click here to read…

Maldives CDF Maj Gen Abdulla Shamaal receives Guard of Honour in Delhi – ANI News

The Chief of Defence Force (CDF) of the Maldives, Major General Abdulla Shamaal, received a Guard of Honour at the South Block in Delhi on July 28. Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pandey accorded him a warm welcome to India. Click here to read…

Maldives industry fights higher tourism tax – TTG Asia

Raising the Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST) to 16 per cent from 12 per cent effective next year would significantly impact Maldives’ tourism performance, particularly at a time when destination competition is intensifying post-lockdown, said industry stakeholders. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Engagement with Tatmadaw is key to peace in Assam and Northeast – NENow

Myanmar’s domestic political situation is extremely critical for India’s national interest. India shares a border of 1643 kilometers with Myanmar. Thus, a stable and friendly Myanmar is key to India’s security, especially in India’s Northeast. Click here to read…

India raises ‘deep concern’ over execution of 4 pro-democracy activists in Myanmar – The Print

India on Thursday expressed deep concern over the execution of four pro-democracy activists by Myanmar’s military government and asserted that the rule of law and democratic process must be upheld in the country. Click here to read…

Shan Armed Group Poised for Myanmar Junta Attack – The Irrawaddy

Military tensions are escalating between the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and Myanmar’s regime in Mong Hsu Township, southern Shan Township, as junta reinforcements arrive in the town, according to residents. Click here to read…

Nepal

Upper House passes Citizenship Bill- Himalayan Times

The National Assembly today passed the Citizenship Bill, which will become a law when President Bidhya Devi Bhandari certifies it. The bill was sent to the Upper House after the House of Representatives passed it on July 23 through a fast-track process. Click here to read…

How probe turns into a farce: House panel says it found nothing against Sharma- Kathmandu Post

Committee is divided with ruling party members pressing for absolving ex-finance minister, as the four representatives from the CPN-UML write their dissent. Click here to read…

House endorses bill to amend Citizenship Act- Kathmandu Post

Once the bill gets through upper house, children of parents who got citizenship by birth will get citizenship by descent. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Import-ban-on-luxury-items-lifted: Dawn

The government has increased dealers’ commission on the sale of petroleum products by up to an unprecedented 70 per cent and lifted a ban imposed in May on the import of “non-essential and luxury items”, excluding automobiles, cell phones and electronics. Click here to read…

Editorial: false-equivalence: Dawn

CELEBRATING his party’s triumph in dislodging the PML-N government in Punjab, former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday made what sounded unmistakably like a speech delivered on the hustings, by a man confident of the ultimate prize. Click here to read…

Elections to be held on time, govt to complete its tenure: PDM: The Express Tribune

Amid calls by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for snap polls in the country, the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) has reiterated its stance that the general elections will be held on time and the coalition government will complete its tenure. Click here to read…

Rupee’s downward spiral continues, inter-bank rate at Rs242: The Express Tribune

The Pakistani rupee hit a new all-time low of over Rs242 against the US dollar in the inter-bank market around midday on Thursday. The domestic currency slumped a fresh 2.64% (or Rs6.24) to Rs242.26 at around 12:08 pm compared to Wednesday’s close of Rs236.02. Click here to read…

Govt may increase petrol, diesel prices by Rs10-17per litre: The News

From August 01, 2022, there may be an increase in petrol and diesel prices by Rs10-17 per litre despite the fact that prices of petroleum products and crude oil remained just a little lower. However, the increase has been estimated upwards just because of the fact that the exchange rate has gone crazy. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Govt. initiates talks for all-party govt- The Daily Mirror

The government initiated negotiations with the parties in the opposition yesterday in a bid to form what is called ‘an all-party’ government. Click here to read…

CB issues guidelines to non-bank borrowers on loan concessions- The Daily Mirror

The Central Bank has issued fresh guidelines to the non-bank lenders stipulating how they must go about providing concessions to borrowers affected by the current economic crisis which is sending shockwaves across almost every sectorClick here to read…

Popular South Indian Actor Kamal Haasan discusses Sri Lanka- The Daily Mirror

On the invitation extended by Dr. D. Venkateshwaran, the Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Chennai, famous South Indian Cinema actor Kamal Haasan and director, visited the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission of Chennai for the first time in the Mission’s History on July 24. Click here to read…

Rs. 17.85 Million cash recovered inside President’s House: Police yet to keep recovered money in judicial custody- The Daily Mirror

It was transpired before Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court that even after the lapse of three weeks, the Fort Police is yet to keep Rs. 17.85 Million in cash recovered from the President’s House, under judicial custody. Click here to read…

Extension of state of emergency to hit tourism industry hard- The Daily Mirror

The decision to extend the state of emergency for a month by Parliament yesterday will further hit the tourism industry that is expected to bring in the necessary foreign exchange to Sri Lanka, as more countries could slap travel bans on Sri LankaClick here to read…

Afghanistan

Afghan Exports Surge in Past Three Months: Tolo News

Afghanistan’s exports doubled over the past three months compared to the same period in previous years, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said. According to the ACCI, during the first three months of the solar year of 1401, exports exceeded $400 millionClick here to read…

Second Phase of Kajaki Power Dam Completed: Tolo News

The second phase of the Kajaki power dam, now providing 100 megawatts of power, was inaugurated on Wednesday with senior officials of the Islamic Emirate and a top Turkish diplomat attending. Click here to read…

Afghanistan Economic Stabilization World Interest: U.S. Envoy: The Khaama Press

The United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West said that the United States is ready to support dialogue among Afghans, exclaiming such is the “world’s interest to stay focused on Afghanistan economic stabilizationClick here to read…

German FM Says ‘Every Human Right Has Been Taken From Women and Girls in Afghanistan’: The Khaama Press

Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan is experiencing the “biggest women’s rights violations on Earth,” according to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. German media reported on Tuesday, July 26, that Annalena Baerbock, the foreign minister of Germany, had said that the Taliban’s rule over Afghanistan was a unique instance of egregious human rights abuses. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Solar irrigation pumps prove a boon for farmers- The Daily Star

Farmers who depend on rainwaters to grow Aman paddy in Dinajpur have been left distraught from early July owing to a drought-like situation in the absence of rains. Click here to read…

Land crisis key barrier- The Daily Star

Scarcity of land is the main obstacle to establishing playgrounds and parks in the capital, said Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh yesterday. Click here to read…

Govt may not remove interest rate caps- The Daily Star

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday indicated that the government would be unwilling to remove the interest rate cap on loans and deposits, which is expected to be a condition tagged by the International Monetary Fund with its support package. Click here to read…

Barapukuria mine: Coal production resumes after three month- The Daily Star

Production at Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited (BCMCL) resumed yesterday after three months. Click here to read…

Forex reserves enough for 6-9 months’ food import: PM- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh would be able to meet six to nine months’ food import expenditures with its current forex reserves. Click here to read…

“No shortage in fuel stock, don’t pay heed to rumours”- The Daily Star

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Nasrul Hamid has called upon the public to not pay heed to any rumours regarding shortage in fuel stock in the country. Click here to read…

Preferential Trade Agreement among D-8 to be operational by October- The Daily Star

Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) among the D-8 countries is going to be operational by October this year, which could significantly boost trade in the bloc. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Supreme Court orders 7 workshop operators to vacate in 6 months- Kuensel

After nearly three years of litigations at various courts, the Supreme Court on July 20 finally decided that seven automobile workshop operators at Olakaha, Thimphu, have to vacate the properties. Click here to read…

Health ministry vigilant against monkeypox- Kuensel

With international borders opening for visitors from September 23, Bhutan strengthened its surveillance against monkeypox spread, according to officials of the health ministry. Click here to read…

Fuel price increases- Kuensel

Petrol price increased by Nu 1.57 per litre and diesel by chhetrum 59 per litre from midnight after the independent fuel pricing committee reviewed the appeal on the domestic fuel price model. Click here to read…

More than 3,500 holders of tourism licenses must compete- Bhutan Times

In order to compete, more than 3,500 licensed operators will need to offer high-quality services, programs, and facilities while providing tourists autonomy over their itineraries. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives government’s economic measures are good: IMF – Avas

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has praised the Maldives government’s efforts to improve the country’s reserves. A delegation from IMF visited the Maldives in late June to assess the country’s economic situation. Click here to read…

Maldives added to Indonesia’s on-arrival visa list – Raajje

The government of Indonesia has added Maldives to the list of countries granted visa-on-arrival. This was revealed by the Immigration department of Indonesia. The authority revealed that with the addition of Maldives to the list of countries granted on-arrival visa by the country, the list currently includes 75 countries. Click here to read…

A Single Use Plastics Free Maldives: Turning the Tide of Waste into Wealth – YouTube

Poorly managed plastic waste is threatening the marine ecosystem and economy of the Maldives, with over 860 metric tons of waste—the majority plastic—generated daily. In response, the government has adopted a waste to wealth approach, shifting from a linear “use and dispose” system of waste management to a circular economy. Two World Bank-financed projects, also supported by PROBLUE, have been helping the country develop a sustainable waste management system, build capacity, and teach youth to lay the groundwork for a cleaner and safer Maldives. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar Regime’s Brutality Began Long Before The Coup – Analysis – Eurasia Review

For over a year, members of the Tatmadaw, the Myanmar military, have been fighting a civil war against the country’s people. After the overthrow in 2021 of the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, remnants of her party, the National League for Democracy, and armed groups it is linked to under the umbrella People’s Defense Force, have been leading a tenacious resistance against the junta. Click here to read…

Asean must recognise hard truths about Myanmar – NST

THE Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) next week will see more discussions on one of its most intractable conundrums — how the regional organisation manages its relationship with Myanmar’s military junta, which is murdering its own dissenting population. Click here to read…

Asean foreign ministers urged to keep Rohingya issue in sight – Malaysia Now
The special envoy of the United Nations secretary-general on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer has urged Asean foreign ministers to keep the Rohingya issue high on their agendas, highlighting as well the community’s need for education to prevent a “lost generation”. Click here to read…

In Myanmar and abroad, anti-junta protests continue after executions of four pro-democracy activists – France 24

The executions of four pro-democracy activists in Myanmar by the military junta not only attracted international condemnation but also fuelled anti-junta demonstrations that have been taking place in the country since early 2021. The FRANCE 24 Observers spoke to demonstrators in Myanmar and abroad for whom the junta’s brutality only served as a catalyst for their determination to achieve democracy. Click here to read…

Nepal

Monetary Policy to uplift economy, but has its own challenges: CBFIN- Himalayan Times

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has taken into consideration the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, various world events, country’s economic indicators and aspirations of the general public. Click here to read…

President appoints ambassadors to various countries- Himalayan Times

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed ambassadors of Nepal to various countries in accordance with Article 282 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal and on the recommendation Of the Council of Ministers. Click here to read…

Top American official arriving today amid row over US State Partnership Program- Kathmandu Post

Donald Lu, who played a crucial role in the passage of MCC compact, is visiting Kathmandu weeks after Nepal’s decision not to participate in the SPP. Click here to read…

Nepal’s import of agricultural products jumps more than double to around Rs 379 billion in the past seven years- Republica

Nepal imported agriculture products worth Rs 378.60 billion in 2021/22, which was Rs 55 billion more than the import expenses on the headings of the previous year. Click here to read…

Living with climate anxiety- Nepali Times

Coming to terms with climate inaction and hypocrisy, while working professionally to avert a global emergency. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan’s current account deficit swells to $17.4bn: Dawn

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday reported that the country recorded a CAD of $17.406bn in FY22 compared to a gap of just $2.82bn in FY21.
The massive CAD speaks a lot about the severe problem of the balance of payments. The PML-N-led coalition government posted a CAD of $4.323bn in the April-June period of 2021-22, which was the second highest quarterly deficit of the fiscal year that ended on June 30. Click here to read…

Petroleum levy set to rise on IMF demand: The Express Tribune

Pakistan was ready to meet the remaining one prior condition of a further increase in the levy on all petroleum products that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had set for calling the board meeting to revive the programme, said Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Pakistani clerics, Afghan PM discuss bilateral ties in Kabul: The Express Tribune

A delegation of Pakistani religious scholars, headed by Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani, on Wednesday met acting Afghan prime minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund at the Arg Palace. Mufti Usmani conveyed to the Afghan premier that “Afghanistan and Pakistan are two Islamic countries and called for solidarity and good relations between the two neighbours. Click here to read…

Can talk with TTP and Baloch, Sindhi nationalists but not with thieves: Imran Khan: The News

PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan Thursday said he could talk to the banned terrorist outfit TTP and Baloch and Sindhi nationalists but the day “you strike a deal with thieves, the entire society comes crashing down.” He expressed these views while addressing the main thanksgiving function on a video link at the F-9 Park here. Click here to read…

PDM will deliberate on Nawaz proposal for quitting govt forthwith: The News

The Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDA) in its summit meeting today (Thursday) will deliberate the suggestion put up by Quaid of the PML-N Nawaz Sharif for quitting the government at the earliest and make movement for holding fresh poll in the country. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Foreign financial assistance sought to electrify Kelani Valley railway line- The Daily Mirror

Amid the growing demand for public transport, Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Bandula Gunawardane is planning to seek foreign funds to electrify the Kelani Valley (KV) railway line. Click here to read…

Demanding to dissolve parliament- The Daily Mirror

The Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC) today staged a protest opposite the Fort Railway station under the theme “Allow new public opinion’ and demanded to dissolve the parliament. Click here to read…

Parliament approves emergency regulations- The Daily Mirror

The emergency regulations declared by the then Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe were approved in Parliament today with 120 MPs voting for it and 63 against. Click here to read…

US Amb. meets President to discuss SL’s economic and political crisis- The Daily Mirror

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said that she met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe to discuss how Sri Lanka arrived to this point of economic and political crisis, and how they can work together to navigate towards a brighter future for all. Click here to read…

Dinouk Colombage appointed Director, Int’l Affairs at President’s Office- The Daily Mirror

Journalist Dinouk Colombage has been appointed as the Director, International Affairs at the President’s Office, the President’s Office said today. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

WHO Contract With Afghan-Japan Hospital Ends- Tolo News

The officials of Afghan-Japan Hospital said it has been over a week since the contract of some employees of this hospital with the World Health Organization (WHO) has ended, and these employees are working voluntarily in the hospital. Click here to read…

Intl Favors Not Welcome if ‘Against Islam’: Hanafi- Tolo News

Acting Minister of Vice and Virtue, Khalid Hanafi, while visiting Ghazni decried sanctions and said the Islamic Emirate is ready for engagement with the international community, but its offers, if they are against Islam, are not acceptable. Click here to read…

Kabul Facing Water Shortages: AUWSSC- Tolo News

The Afghanistan Urban Water Supply and Sewage Corporation (AUWSSC) said that Kabul is facing an extreme decrease in groundwaterClick here to read…

Tashkent to Host Intl Conference on Afghanistan- Tolo News

A delegation of the Islamic Emirate led by the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, left Kabul for Tashkent to attend the international conference on Afghanistan held on July 25th and 26th. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Energy crisis: Govt strategy to blame, not war- The Daily Star

The current energy crisis in the country has more to do with the government’s reluctance to explore natural gas than the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, observes prominent energy expert Prof Badrul Imam. Click here to read…

PM rules out Sri Lanka-like crisis- The Daily Star

The prime minister yesterday lambasted those who are making wholesale criticism that Bangladesh will face the same situation like that of Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

US envoy visits RMP headquarters- The Daily Star

US Ambassador Peter Haas visited different US-supported activities at Rajshahi Metropolitan Police headquarters yesterday. Click here to read…

Turning Brahmaputra into a dumping zone- The Daily Star

The dumping of garbage by Mymensingh municipal authorities into the Old Brahmaputra River at Kalibari Puran Gudaraghat has become a menace for residents and a serious threat to the already dying river’s health. Click here to read…

‘Economic crisis’ not ending soon- The Daily Star

Bangladesh is now facing an “economic crisis” that will not be over soon as the global economy is also going through turmoil, economists said yesterday. Click here to read…

Maintain the diplomatic norms, protocols- The Daily Star

In view of certain “recent occurrences”, the foreign ministry recently wrote to all foreign diplomats, UN representatives and international organisations in Dhaka, urging them to maintain the diplomatic norm and protocol. Click here to read…

Kenya offers vast farmland to Bangladesh for agriculture- The Daily Star

Kenya has offered Bangladesh to take advantage of the African nation’s vast farmland for food production as Bangladesh has developed good expertise and demonstrated immense success in the field. Click here to read…

Extend support in Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar: PM urges Japan- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (July 24, 2022) sought Japanese support for the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar, their homeland, as the forcibly displaced people have become a burden on Bangladesh for the last several years. Click here to read…

Insulting journalist over published report: HC blasts Teknaf UNO- The Daily Star

The High Court today (July 24, 2022) slammed Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Kaisar Khasru for allegedly insulting a journalist with objectionable words over a story mentioning his (UNO) comments on damages to several houses gifted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to underprivileged people. Click here to read…

Momen objects to Pakistan High Commission using merged image of flags- The Daily Star

Foreign Ministry has objected to the way Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka used the national flags of Bangladesh and Pakistan on their Facebook page. Click here to read…

‘Centralisation of power ominous sign for democracy’- The Daily Star

Pointing to the present governance system, former finance secretary and adviser to the caretaker government Akbar Ali Khan yesterday said it is necessary to nurture democracy in the country. Click here to read…

Bhutan

GoI and RGoB agree to close Kholongchhu Joint Venture- BBS

The government says the Kholongchhu project is stopped for now with the Joint Venture company being initiated to close. According to the Economic Affairs Minister, this was decided during his meeting with Indian officials in New Delhi recently. LyonpoClick here to read…

Random tests for controlled drugs in schools- Kuensel

Schools in Thimphu are asking parents to sign consent letters to allow their children to attend random tests for controlled drugs. Click here to read…

Eastern and southern dzongkhags prepare to welcome tourists amid limited infrastructure- Kuensel

Amid limited infrastructures, eastern and southern dzongkhags are preparing to welcome tourists as the country is scheduled to reopen its borders to tourists on September 23. Click here to read…

More than 3,500 holders of tourism licenses must compete- Bhutan Times

In order to compete, more than 3,500 licensed operators will need to offer high-quality services, programs, and facilities while providing tourists autonomy over their itineraries. Click here to read…

Maldives

Floating City May Protect the Maldives From High Sea Levels – youTube

A floating city may mean hope for the Maldives. Rising sea levels caused by climate change are threatening the Maldives at an alarming rate. The sea level is rising three to four millimeters every year. At the current rate, the Maldives could be uninhabitable by 2050. The government has stepped in with an idea they hope will house residents and continue to attract tourists: a floating city. By staying on top of the water, the island can rise and fall with the sea level. Click here to read…

Operational tourist facilities across Maldives rise to 1,167 – Raajje

The latest weekly statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism revealed that a total of 1,167 tourist accommodation establishments are currently operational across Maldives, with a total of 57,487 tourist beds. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar executes NLD lawmaker, 3 other political detainees – ABC News

Myanmar has carried out its first executions in nearly 50 years with the hangings of a former National League for Democracy lawmaker, a democracy activist and two men accused of violence after the country’s military takeover last year. Click here to read…

Myanmar building projects worth $1.3bn frozen since army took power – Asia Neikkei

Seventeen months after the military seized power in Myanmar, many real estate development projects in the country, once viewed as having great growth potential by foreign investors, stand incomplete. Until the dark cloud over the economic future of the Southeast Asian nation clears, these projects are unlikely to be restarted. Click here to read…

Myanmar military prepares for election in bid for legitimacy – Asia Nekkei

A year from its promised August 2023 deadline, Myanmar’s military government is touting progress toward a general election whose fairness has been questioned and that many voters appear likely to boycott. Click here to read…

UN court rejects Myanmar claims, will hear Rohingya case – Miami Herald

Judges at the United Nations’ highest court on Friday dismissed preliminary objections by Myanmar to a case alleging the Southeast Asian nation is responsible for genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority. Click here to read…

Burmese Army Force Ethnic Men to Enlist as Troop Casualties Rise – VOA News

Myanmar’s military regime is struggling to find new recruits after facing heavy casualties in the first year since the coup. Nationwide, young men are fleeing their homes, and country, rather than serve under a junta renowned for its “scorched earth” campaign against the civilian population. For VOA, Steve Sandford spoke to families affected by this push for “unofficial conscription” by the Burmese junta. Click here to read…

Nepal

HoR passes prison management bill- Himalayan Times

The House of Representatives (HoR) has passed the ‘prison management bill, 2076’. Click here to read…

NEPSE on bullish trend after issuance of monetary policy- Himalayan Times

Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index closed all green today, the opening day, of the week that marked the first transactions following the issuance of a new monetary policy. Click here to read…

Households feel the heat as kitchen gets expensive with rising food prices- Kathmandu Post

People are cutting down budget for meals, as plates have become more expensive in what is termed ‘lunchflation’. Click here to read…

Panel probing tax tweak charges seeks film footage from Singha Durbar gates- Kathamdnu Post

Committee yet to find anything substantial as police take time to look into the hard drive it gave on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Elahi suffers shock defeat as Hamza retains Punjab CM position after deputy speaker’s contentious ruling- Dawn

In a shock result, PML-Q’s PTI-backed candidate Parvez Elahi lost the Punjab chief minister’s election to PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz on Friday, after Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari ruled that PML-Q members’ votes were not counted in light of party head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s letter. Click here to read…

Opinion: Pakistan default- Dawn

WILL Pakistan actually default if the IMF, Saudi Arabia and other donors do not disburse a few billion dollars? Some are sounding the alarm bell, but others — including the government — insist that our economic ship is not about to sink anytime soon. They tell us we will not become Sri Lanka.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1700981/pakistan-default” target=”_blank”>Click here to read…

PM Shehbaz reaffirms pledge to achieve SCO goals- Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Pakistan was keen to work with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) member countries to promote cooperation in various fields and meet its goals. Click here to read…

37-member Punjab cabinet sworn in- Dawn

A 37-member cabinet of Punjab’s “trustee” Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz took oath of their offices here on Sunday evening, provoking the ire of the opposition PTI and PML-Q which termed it a violation of the court orders. Click here to read…

Completion of work on Rawal Dam Interchange flyover by July end ordered- Dawn

Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed on Sunday directed the engineering wing of the civic body to wrap up construction work on the Rawal Dam Interchange project by August 30, especially the flyover that he wanted to be up and running by the end of this month. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Open-Air theatre at Viharamahadevi Park available for peaceful protests: Prez- The Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe briefed the diplomatic community that facilitates within Colombo, such as the Open-Air theatre at Viharamahadevi Park, New Town Hall, Hyde Park and Campbell Park were all being made available for non-violent protests. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka faces risk of airlines pulling out as jet fuel issue worsens- The Daily Mirror

With no credible solution in sight to resolve the jet fuel shortage and the fund repatriation issues faced by the country’s aviation industry, several airlines are contemplating on suspending their operations to Sri Lanka threatening tourism industry’s recovery, which depends on air connectivity. Click here to read…

Rights group seeks arrest of former president Rajapaksa in Singapore- The Daily Mirror

A rights group documenting alleged abuses in Sri Lanka has filed a criminal complaint with Singapore’s attorney general, seeking the arrest of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for his role in the South Asian nation’s decades-long civil war, the Reuters reported. Click here to read…

UK minister Tariq Ahmad says will continue to support Sri Lanka- The Daily Mirror

The United Kingdom (UK) will continue to support Sri Lanka through these challenges, UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad said yesterday. Click here to read…

Not far from Sri Lanka moment, warns Imran- The Daily Mirror

Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday warned that Pakistan is not far from a Sri Lanka moment when the public will fill the streets for the ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’. Click here to read…

EU condemns unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators- The Daily Mirror

While condemning the unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators, the European Union (EU) has stressed the importance of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Click here to read…

Tamil Nadu sends INR74 crore worth rice, medicines to Sri Lanka- The Daily Mirror

Essential goods, including rice, milk powder and medicines all valued at ₹74 crore, was dispatched to Sri Lanka from the VOC Port Madurei by Lok Sabha MP K. Kanimozhi on Saturday. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

180 Men Arrested in Kunduz in Past 3 Months: Tolo News

Security officials in Kunduz province said that during the past three months they have ar-rested 180 men on different criminal charges in the city and various districts of the prov-ince. According to the Kunduz Police Command, these men have been arrested due to var-ious crimes such as armed robbery, drug trafficking, and murder. Click here to read…

Kabul, Islamabad Discuss Bilateral Trade: Tolo News

The acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi, said that Kabul is in talks with the Pakistani delegation that arrived in Kabul on Monday evening to sign an agree-ment to facilitate trade, transit and barter trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The barter trade, which is a serious issue for Afghan traders, cross-staffing, the trade of mate-rials, and coal will be discussed,” he said. Click here to read…

Facebook Bans Taliban-controlled Media Pages, Bakhtar News Agency & Afghanistan National Television: The Khaama Press

Facebook had suspended the Pashto and Dari pages of this media organization, according to Ahmadullah Wasiq, head of Afghanistan National Television. When the Taliban took Kabul on August 15, 2021, they seized control of Afghanistan National Television’s media center. As a result, they conducted extensive media activities. However, the pages of this media center and Bakhtar News Agency are currently inaccessibleClick here to read…

Forecasted Heavy Rainfall and Flash Floods in 19 Provinces of Afghanistan Prompts Warning from National Meteorological Department: The Khaama Press

Meteorologists at the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Meteorological Department (AMD) have issued a warning due to the possibility of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, wind gusts, and flash floods in 19 provinces across Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Narail communal attack: How it all went down- Dhaka Tribune

As many as 17 victims lost their valuables worth hundreds of thousands of taka due to the barbaric attack on Friday. Click here to read…

BD sets export target of $67 billion for FY23- Asian Age

This target, announced by Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Wednesday, shows an over 10% growth estate, despite the volatility in the global economy owing to the Russia-Ukraine war, UNB reports. Click here to read…

Largest loan from IMF on the cards- The Daily Star

The International Monetary Fund is expecting a formal request for a loan from Bangla-desh soon to provide a buffer to the delicate foreign currency reserves amid global eco-nomic volatility even though the government remains in two minds about it. Click here to read…

IOM deputy DG in city- The Daily Star

IOM Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels is coming to Bangladesh on a five-day visit today. Click here to read…

Media employees bill: Make it journo friendly- The Daily Star

Leaders of different journalist organisations yesterday demanded the government bring several changes to the Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill-2022, including dropping the provision of setting up mass media court, to make the proposed law journal-ist friendly. Click here to read…

2 ministries ask officials to cut energy expenses- The Daily Star

The finance ministry yesterday directed government officials to lower fuel and lubricant expenditures for their vehicles by 20 percent while the public administration ministry asked officials not to waste power. Click here to read…

Let us know of any homeless person- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government would ensure home for every countryman. Click here to read…

Yet-to-start mega projects: Consider putting them on hold- The Daily Star

Given the current economic situation, the government should consider suspending mega projects the physical work of which has yet to begin, economist Debapriya Bhattacharya said yesterday. Click here to read…

Narco trade rose alarmingly since Rohingya influx- The Daily Star

Trafficking of illegal drugs, notably methamphetamine or ‘yaba’, from Myanmar to all its neighbouring countries has risen alarmingly since the 2017 Rohingya influx in Bangla-desh. Click here to read…

Fight against Trafficking: US recognises Tariqul Islam- The Daily Star

The US government has recognised Bangladesh’s Tariqul Islam, an advocate for victims of human trafficking whose work has helped increase tBangladesh government’s capacity to investigate and prosecute traffickers. Click here to read…

“Padma Bridge to strengthen Bangladesh-West Bengal ties”: PM invites Mama-ta- The Daily Star

“Padma Bridge is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between Bangladesh and West Bengal, or rather entire India, and open up new avenues for bilateral trade between the two countries,” PM Sheikh Hasina said in a letter to Mamata. Click here to read…

Bhutan

No vaccination for children under five for now- Kuensel

Children between the ages of six months and four years will not be given Covid-19 vac-cines for now. The National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) recom-mended this during the meeting held on July 22. Click here to read…

Coming to consensus: MMIV- Kuensel

The government’s discussion with the banks and the private sector on the monetary measures Phase IV is yet to arrive at a consensus. Click here to read…

Chinese villages in Bhutan’s Doklam now fully occupied- Deccan Chronical

In a worrying sign for India, new satellite images show that a village constructed by China in Bhutanese territory near Doklam is now fully occupied with “cars parked at the door-step of virtually every home”, as part of its salami slicing tactics. Click here to read…

At least four people come in conflict with law everyday in core Thimphu- BBS

The Central Thimphu Police Station alone arrest at least four people in a day for various crimes and offences. As per the RBP’s statistical report for 2020, the highest number of arrests made in the year was for battery cases. Today, the police have brought down crime in the city, including battery cases, through intense patrolling. Click here to read…

Maldives

India and Maldives to sign MoU on judicial cooperation – The Hindu

The MoU will provide a platform to tap benefits of Information Technology for court digit-ization, and can be a potential growth area for the IT companies and start-ups in both the countries, a statement from the Law Ministry said. Click here to read…

FM Shahid hopeful that Maldives-Colombia close bonds will continue to solid-ify – Raajje

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has expressed hope that the close bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between Maldives and Colombia, will continue to so-lidify in the future. Click here to read…

Pres. ratifies International Trade Controls on Endangered Species Act – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the bill (No. 13/2022) on Wednesday, following which it has been publicized in the government gazette. The bill will come into effect three months from the date of ratification. The People’s Majlis passed the bill at the 22nd sitting of the second session of 2022, on June 30. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Coup, Covid, climate: the triple threat chasing citizens from Myanmar’s rice bowl – The Guardian

Climate changes in the baking heartlands, Covid-19 and the military’s violent attacks on villages since its coup in 2021 have prompted an exodus of young people from the region. Click here to read…

Regime’s Foreign Currency Restrictions Push Myanmar Towards Bankruptcy – The Irrawaddy

The new restrictions on US dollars introduced last week by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) have come as a crippling blow to businesses already struggling in an economic re-cession resulting from post-coup political turmoil and the COVID-19 pandemicClick here to read…

ASEAN special envoy plans third trip to Myanmar; hopes to use Aung San Suu Kyi’s influence to end violence – Channel News Asia

The Southeast Asian bloc’s special envoy for the crisis in Myanmar said on Wednesday (Jul 20) that he is planning a third official trip to the crisis-hit country and that if he meets Aung San Suu Kyi, wants to use her influence to end the violence there. Click here to read…

Military-Ruled Myanmar Facing Second Year of Negative Growth – The Diplo-mat

Myanmar is due for a second successive year of economic contraction, as global financial turbulence converges with the political and economic turmoil triggered by the February 2021 coup d’état, according to a prominent risk assessment agency. Click here to read…

The rapid rise of the Arakan Army – Mizzima

The Arakan Army (AA), despite being one of the more recently formed ethnic armed or-ganisations (EAOs) has rapidly risen to become one of the most powerful. The AA was formed in December 2009 in Kachin State by Tun Myat Naing, an ethnic Rakhine. It is the military wing of the United League of Arakan (ULA). The AA’s ideology is based on what they call The Rakhita Way. Click here to read…

Australian embassy spends $750,000 at luxury hotel linked to Myanmar’s military junta – ABC Net

Since last year’s military coup in Myanmar, an Australian embassy has spent more than $750,000 at a hotel in Yangon with links to the country’s junta, FOI documents show. Ac-tivists say Australian taxpayer dollars should not be spent at the hotel, which is built on land owned and leased by the country’s military. Click here to read…

Nepal

Aimless Nepali tourism awaits post-pandemic recovery- Kathmandu Post

Government fails to promote country after it reopened to foreign tourists following virus closures, travel traders say. Click here to read…

Bhim Rawal holds House to ransom- The Himalayan

On June 20, the government had decided to withdraw from the SPP after communist par-ties created a ruckus over the programme. Click here to read…

HoR endorses NEC (First Amendment) Bill- Himalayan

A meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today unanimously endorsed the Nepal Engineering Council (First Amendment) Bill, 2019. Click here to read…

Nepalis on foreign trips allowed to swap $200 thru money changers- Himala-yan

Nepali citizens travelling abroad can now exchange a maximum of $200 from the coun-try’s licensed money changers. Click here to read…

Victims object to proposed changes in laws that aim to absolve perpetrators- Kathmandu Post

There’s demand for withdrawal of the bill registered in parliament secretariat to amend the transitional justice Act so as to make it in line with the 2015 Supreme Court order. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Miftah sees economy stabilising with inflows ‘on cards’: Dawn

Blaming political factors for the latest downturn in currency and share markets, Pakistan’s economic managers tried on Wednesday to reassure that macroeconomic fundamentals were stabilising and $8.5-10 billion inflows have been lined up from friendly countries against a financing gap of $4bn estimated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Click here to read…

IMF not adding new conditions to pact: Ahsan Iqbal: Dawn

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not added new conditions to the staff-level agreement it concluded with Pakistan last week. Click here to read…

Rupee slides to record low of Rs226 against USD: The Express Tribune

The rupee’s downward spiral continued on Wednesday for the third consecutive day as it plunged by Rs4 against the greenback and was being traded at Rs226.51 in the inter-bank market. Click here to read…

PML-N in no mood to give PTI walkover in CM vote: The Express Tribune

The PTI has slogged it out in the heat and dust of legal cases to win back the country’s po-litical capital after being ousted from Islamabad and now, the long-anticipated nail-biting test match in Punjab is finally set to play out on Friday. Click here to read…

Horse-trading charges fly in Punjab: The News

Barbs and allegations kept flying on Wednesday between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leaders about horse-trading, with demands from the former to send Asif Zardari, Rana Sanaullah and Atta Tarar to jail for indulging in illegal and unconstitutional act of buying loyalties of the Punjab MPAs. Click here to read…

Bound to increase electricity prices: Miftah: The News

Ruling out the possibility of breaching the IMF agreement, Minister for Finance Miftah Is-mail on Wednesday shared an ambitious plan to generate $11 billion, including sale of two RLNG-based power plants to a friendly country. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka made ‘dumb bets’ on China: CIA chief on crises-hit country: Hindu-stan Times

The chief of the US spy agency on Wednesday blamed “dumb bets” on high-debt Chinese investment as a factor in Sri Lanka’s economic collapse that triggered a political crisis in the island nation. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, CIA chief Bill Burns said the mis-take should serve as a warning to other nations. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s economic collapse needs immediate global attention: UN experts: National Herlad

Sri Lanka’s economic collapse needs immediate global attention, not just from humanitari-an agencies, but also from international financial institutions and other countries who must come to the bankrupt country’s aid, according to UN human rights experts. Click here to read…

Ray of hope for Sri Lanka as India likely to begin trading with crisis-hit island nation in rupee: The News Indian Express

India sees a ray of hope in Sri Lanka with the election of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of the island nation caught in economic bankruptcy and subsequent social un-rest. Click here to read…

Dinesh to be sworn in today- The Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena will take oaths as the Prime Minister today morning along with the previous cabinet of ministers, a senior SLPP source told Daily Mirror last night. Click here to read…

US concerned about actions taken against protesters- The Daily Mirror

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung today said that they are deeply concerned about actions taken against protesters at Galle Face in the middle of the night. Click here to read…

Tense situation at Galle Face protest site as security forces move in- The Daily Mirror

A tense situation is reported at the Galle Face protest site near the Presidential Secretariat as Police and troops moved in and remove protesters from the area. Click here to read…

National Fuel Pass QR code successfully experimented: Minister- The Daily Mirror

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijeskera today said that the QR code system un-der the National Fuel Pass portal was successfully experimented after the initial technical flaws.
https://www.dailymirror.lk/latest_news/National-Fuel-Pass-QR-code-successfully-experimented-Minister/342-241532″ target=”_blank”>Click here to read…

President visits Defence Ministry- The Daily Mirror

General Kamal Gunaratne, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence received the President upon his arrival at the Ministry. Click here to read…

UN acknowledges constitutional transfer of power in SL- The Daily Mirror

The United Nations has acknowledged the constitutional transfer of power to a new Pres-ident in Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

CIA chief says SL made ’dumb bets’ on China, and all the latest news- The Dai-ly Mirror

China’s debt trap diplomacy is believed to have become a major cause of Sri Lanka’s un-precedented economic crisis as it failed to take better steps to restructure its debts in dia-logue with the IMF. Click here to read…

20-25 member Cabinet to be appointed- The Daily Mirror

A Cabinet of 20-25 members will be appointed within the next few days to serve under President Ranil Wickremesinghe who will be sworn in tomorrow, Daily Mirror learns. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

180 Men Arrested in Kunduz in Past 3 Months: Tolo News

Security officials in Kunduz province said that during the past three months they have arrested 180 men on different criminal charges in the city and various districts of the province. According to the Kunduz Police Command, these men have been arrested due to various crimes such as armed robbery, drug trafficking, and murder. Click here to read…

Kabul, Islamabad Discuss Bilateral Trade: Tolo News

The acting Minister of Commerce and Industry, Nooruddin Azizi, said that Kabul is in talks with the Pakistani delegation that arrived in Kabul on Monday evening to sign an agreement to facilitate trade, transit and barter trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The barter trade, which is a serious issue for Afghan traders, cross-staffing, the trade of materials, and coal will be discussed,” he said. Click here to read…

Facebook Bans Taliban-controlled Media Pages, Bakhtar News Agency & Afghanistan National Television: The Khaama Press

Facebook had suspended the Pashto and Dari pages of this media organization, according to Ahmadullah Wasiq, head of Afghanistan National Television. When the Taliban took Kabul on August 15, 2021, they seized control of Afghanistan National Television’s media center. As a result, they conducted extensive media activities. However, the pages of this media center and Bakhtar News Agency are currently inaccessible. Click here to read…

Forecasted Heavy Rainfall and Flash Floods in 19 Provinces of Afghanistan Prompts Warning from National Meteorological Department: The Khaama Press

Meteorologists at the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Meteorological Department (AMD) have issued a warning due to the possibility of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, wind gusts, and flash floods in 19 provinces across Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Narail communal attack: How it all went down- Dhaka Tribune

As many as 17 victims lost their valuables worth hundreds of thousands of taka due to the barbaric attack on Friday. Click here to read…

BD sets export target of $67 billion for FY23- Asian Age

This target, announced by Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Wednesday, shows an over 10% growth estate, despite the volatility in the global economy owing to the Russia-Ukraine war, UNB reports. Click here to read…

Bhutan

No vaccination for children under five for now- Kuensel

Children between the ages of six months and four years will not be given Covid-19 vaccines for now. The National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) recommended this during the meeting held on July 22. Click here to read…

Coming to consensus: MMIV- Kuensel

The government’s discussion with the banks and the private sector on the monetary measures Phase IV is yet to arrive at a consensus. Click here to read…

Chinese villages in Bhutan’s Doklam now fully occupied- Deccan Chronical

In a worrying sign for India, new satellite images show that a village constructed by China in Bhutanese territory near Doklam is now fully occupied with “cars parked at the doorstep of virtually every home”, as part of its salami slicing tactics. Click here to read…

At least four people come in conflict with law everyday in core Thimphu- BBS

The Central Thimphu Police Station alone arrest at least four people in a day for various crimes and offences. As per the RBP’s statistical report for 2020, the highest number of arrests made in the year was for battery cases. Today, the police have brought down crime in the city, including battery cases, through intense patrolling. Click here to read…

Maldives

India and Maldives to sign MoU on judicial cooperation – The Hindu

The MoU will provide a platform to tap benefits of Information Technology for court digitization, and can be a potential growth area for the IT companies and start-ups in both the countries, a statement from the Law Ministry said. Click here to read…

FM Shahid hopeful that Maldives-Colombia close bonds will continue to solidify – Raajje

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has expressed hope that the close bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between Maldives and Colombia, will continue to solidify in the future. Click here to read…

Pres. ratifies International Trade Controls on Endangered Species Act – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the bill (No. 13/2022) on Wednesday, following which it has been publicized in the government gazette. The bill will come into effect three months from the date of ratification. The People’s Majlis passed the bill at the 22nd sitting of the second session of 2022, on June 30. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Coup, Covid, climate: the triple threat chasing citizens from Myanmar’s rice bowl – The Guardian

Climate changes in the baking heartlands, Covid-19 and the military’s violent attacks on villages since its coup in 2021 have prompted an exodus of young people from the region. Click here to read…

Regime’s Foreign Currency Restrictions Push Myanmar Towards Bankruptcy – The Irrawaddy

The new restrictions on US dollars introduced last week by the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) have come as a crippling blow to businesses already struggling in an economic recession resulting from post-coup political turmoil and the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read…

ASEAN special envoy plans third trip to Myanmar; hopes to use Aung San Suu Kyi’s influence to end violence – Channel News Asia

The Southeast Asian bloc’s special envoy for the crisis in Myanmar said on Wednesday (Jul 20) that he is planning a third official trip to the crisis-hit country and that if he meets Aung San Suu Kyi, wants to use her influence to end the violence there. Click here to read…

Military-Ruled Myanmar Facing Second Year of Negative Growth – The Diplomat

Myanmar is due for a second successive year of economic contraction, as global financial turbulence converges with the political and economic turmoil triggered by the February 2021 coup d’état, according to a prominent risk assessment agency. Click here to read…

Nepal

Aimless Nepali tourism awaits post-pandemic recovery- Kathmandu Post

Government fails to promote country after it reopened to foreign tourists following virus closures, travel traders say. Click here to read…

Bhim Rawal holds House to ransom- The Himalayan

On June 20, the government had decided to withdraw from the SPP after communist parties created a ruckus over the programme. Click here to read…

HoR endorses NEC (First Amendment) Bill- Himalayan

A meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today unanimously endorsed the Nepal Engineering Council (First Amendment) Bill, 2019. Click here to read…

Nepalis on foreign trips allowed to swap $200 thru money changers- Himalayan

Nepali citizens travelling abroad can now exchange a maximum of $200 from the country’s licensed money changers. Click here to read…

Victims object to proposed changes in laws that aim to absolve perpetrators- Kathmandu Post

There’s demand for withdrawal of the bill registered in parliament secretariat to amend the transitional justice Act so as to make it in line with the 2015 Supreme Court order. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Miftah sees economy stabilising with inflows ‘on cards’: Dawn

Blaming political factors for the latest downturn in currency and share markets, Pakistan’s economic managers tried on Wednesday to reassure that macroeconomic fundamentals were stabilising and $8.5-10 billion inflows have been lined up from friendly countries against a financing gap of $4bn estimated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Click here to read…

IMF not adding new conditions to pact: Ahsan Iqbal: Dawn

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not added new conditions to the staff-level agreement it concluded with Pakistan last week. Click here to read…

Rupee slides to record low of Rs226 against USD: The Express Tribune

The rupee’s downward spiral continued on Wednesday for the third consecutive day as it plunged by Rs4 against the greenback and was being traded at Rs226.51 in the inter-bank market. Click here to read…

PML-N in no mood to give PTI walkover in CM vote: The Express Tribune

The PTI has slogged it out in the heat and dust of legal cases to win back the country’s political capital after being ousted from Islamabad and now, the long-anticipated nail-biting test match in Punjab is finally set to play out on Friday. Click here to read…

Horse-trading charges fly in Punjab: The News

Barbs and allegations kept flying on Wednesday between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leaders about horse-trading, with demands from the former to send Asif Zardari, Rana Sanaullah and Atta Tarar to jail for indulging in illegal and unconstitutional act of buying loyalties of the Punjab MPAs. Click here to read…

Bound to increase electricity prices: Miftah: The News

Ruling out the possibility of breaching the IMF agreement, Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail on Wednesday shared an ambitious plan to generate $11 billion, including sale of two RLNG-based power plants to a friendly country. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka made ‘dumb bets’ on China: CIA chief on crises-hit country: Hindustan Times

The chief of the US spy agency on Wednesday blamed “dumb bets” on high-debt Chinese investment as a factor in Sri Lanka’s economic collapse that triggered a political crisis in the island nation. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum, CIA chief Bill Burns said the mistake should serve as a warning to other nations. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka’s economic collapse needs immediate global attention: UN experts: National Herlad

Sri Lanka’s economic collapse needs immediate global attention, not just from humanitarian agencies, but also from international financial institutions and other countries who must come to the bankrupt country’s aid, according to UN human rights experts. Click here to read…

Ray of hope for Sri Lanka as India likely to begin trading with crisis-hit island nation in rupee: The News Indian Express

India sees a ray of hope in Sri Lanka with the election of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of the island nation caught in economic bankruptcy and subsequent social unrest. Click here to read…