Afghanistan

Afghanistan Discussed by Tajik President Rahman, France’s Macron: Tolo News

The Presidents of Tajikistan and France in a phone conversation discussed the political, social and economic situation in Afghanistan, the office of Tajikistan’s President, Imam Ali Rahman, said in a statement. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

No alliance with BNP – Dhaka Tribune

Amid the speculation that Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader might form an alliance with BNP, the party’s chief patron and opposition leader Raushan Ershad yesterday unequivocally said there is no question of forming an electoral alliance with BNP. About allying with BNP ahead of the next national polls, Raushan mentioned that Jatiya Party has suffered a lot under BNP. “We have seen corruption, mismanagement and inefficiency of ‘Hawa Bhavan’ during BNP’s rule,” she addedClick here to read…

Come together: Is diplomacy the solution to strengthen ties between Myanmar and Bangladesh? – Dhaka Tribune

The 8th Border Conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) has started. The conference, which started on Thursday, November 24, 2022 in Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw, will continue for five days. The conference includes several points of discussion like such as de-escalation of the tense situation on the border caused by the recent internal conflict in Myanmar, violation of airspace, combating inter-state terrorism, preventing the activities of cross-border criminal gangs, prevention of illegal infiltration among othersClick here to read…

‘SAARC may seem dead, but we should not bury it quite yet’ – Dhaka Tribune

While the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) appears moribund, it remains an indispensable and irreplaceable regional grouping, in whose revival and revitalization Bangladesh has a serious stake and must take the lead in, speakers at a round-table discussion have said. The speakers were deliberating at a round-table discussion entitled: “SAARC Is Dead, Long Live SAARC: Reviving South Asian Regionalism” convened by leading English daily Dhaka Tribune and the think tank Bangladesh Institute of Peace & Security Studies (BIPSS) at a Dhaka hotel on Sunday, as part of a series of seminars on the major issues on the global stage and how Bangladesh should situate itself in the geo-politics of the world today. Click here to read…

Bhutan

India-Bhutan Satellite Testament To Our Special Relationship: PM Modi – NDTV news

The PSLV C54 carried the India-Bhutan SAT, along with India’s Earth Observation Satellite -06 and other satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, read the Ministry of External Affairs press release. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday commended the Department of Information Technology and Telecom (DITT) Bhutan and ISRO on the successful launch of the jointly developed satellite by both countries. Click here to read…

Eight-member committee reviewing PI barrage option – Kuensel Online

A committee of eight experts from Bhutan and India will review the proposal to build a barrage to replace the dam at the 1,200MW Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project (PI) and present their recommendation to the governments by the end of January next year. The committee consists of four members from either country. Kuensel learnt that Bhutanese officials presented the construction of a barrage as feasible instead of a dam. Click here to read…

Bhutan to explore sovereign green bonds as alternative financing – Kuensel Online

With the increasing need for financing climate mitigation and adaptation activities, Bhutan will be developing a framework for sovereign green bonds. A sovereign green bond is a debt instrument issued by the government to borrow money from investors with the commitment that the mobilised fund would be spent to finance eligible green projects. This will help close the green investment gap and help countries reach their sustainability targets. Click here to read…

Japan Foreign Minister visit ends – Kuensel Online

State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, TAKEI Shunsuke left Bhutan yesterday after a three-day visit from November 21 to 23. SUZUKI Hiroshi and Tshoki Choden, Director, Department of Bilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed the Exchange of Notes for Grant Aid “The Project for Strengthening Health Care Services in Eastern Area”. Through this Project worth 535,000,000 Yen, the Government of Japan will provide medical equipment necessary for health care services for mothers and children to health facilities in six eastern districts. Click here to read…

Maldives

Australia, Maldives officials did not attend China’s Indian Ocean meet – The Hindu

Australia and Maldives said on Sunday they did not participate in the recently held Indian Ocean Region Forum convened by China, which the organisers had claimed brought together representatives from 19 countries in the region, except for India. Both countries clarified there was no official representation at the China-backed forum. According to a statement from the organisers, the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) which is Beijing’s new development aid agency, the forum in Kunming had brought together “high-level representatives” from 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, and Australia. No representative from India was invited. Click here to read…

Myanmar

How far the ASEAN Summit will bring changes to Myanmar crisis? – The Kashmiri Images

The 40th and 41st ASEAN summits, as well as related summits, were held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from November 8 to 13, 2022. Myanmar’s crisis hits the top of the agenda. Myanmar’s chair sat empty at November 11’s meeting. The move is a bold decision for the ASEAN to exclude the Myanmar Junta from attending the summit. Myanmar politics is turbulent with the clash between democracy, civil war and military rule. Though a dim of hope was aroused in 2011 with the landslide victory of the NLD government, however, the hope was eventually shattered with the military coup in February 2021. Click here to read…

Tourist arrivals in Myanmar double in seven months – The Star

The number of tourists visiting Myanmar during the first seven months of the 2022-23 fiscal year (April 2022-March 2023) jumped by 99.48 percent year-on-year, data from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism showed Saturday. A total of 144,112 foreign visitors arrived in the Southeast Asian country from April to October this year, up from 72,243 in the same period last year, the data showed. Myanmar resumed the operation of international commercial flights in April this year, and the number of tourists visiting the country has gradually increased. Click here to read…

German government training Myanmar junta soldiers in possible EU sanctions breach – Mizzima

According to campaign group Justice for Myanmar the German government is funding the training of Myanmar military junta personnel in a potential violation of EU sanctions. The German Federal Foreign Office is supplying training through Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law project for the promotion of maritime peace and security in Southeast Asia. Justice For Myanmar has called on the German government and the Max Planck Foundation to immediately exclude the junta from remaining activities in the project and all other programs, meetings and events. Click here to read…

Nepal

Vote count: NC continues to lead; UML following – Khabarhub

The results of 157 seats out of 165 of the House of Representatives (HoR) under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) have come out in which Nepali Congress (NC) continues to lead. As per the latest vote count update and the final result, Nepali Congress has obtained 53 seats, and CPN-UML is trailing with 42 followed by CPN (Maoist Centre) with 17 seats. Similarly, CPN (Unified Socialist) got 10 seats while Rastriya Swatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party got seven seats each. Click here to read…

Rs 37 billion pledged under foreign loans, grants not received – Khabarhub

The government is short of almost Rs 37 billion which has been allocated for the projects and programs in the country’s annual budget, and is to be doled out by receiving foreign loans and grants. In a report submitted to the Ministry of Finance by the Finance Comptroller General Office last week, the government is to receive more than 36.9 billion rupees from the donor agencies. Of the total, Rs 15.27 billion is under the foreign grants and Rs 21.62 billion under the foreign loans. Click here to read…

Controlling fiduciary risks in public finance – The Kathmandu Post

Nepal has pursued the course of federalism with three tiers of government, resulting in horizontal and vertical expansion of 5,758 spending units across the country. With the distribution of power of the purse, the incidences of fiduciary risks have also increased, which are manifested in the growing size of arrears recorded by the Office of Audit General each year and the number of corruption cases filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. Click here to read…

Slump in power use sign of economic woes – The Kathmandu Post

Factories are running below capacity, businesses are down for the lack of loans. On Friday afternoon, the NEA reported the domestic peak demand of 1,396 megawatts of electricity. Officials at the NEA say despite a decrease in temperature, the power demand is not growing as expected, unlike in the past years. The demand from the industrial sector has slumped sharply at a time when the state-owned power utility is increasing high-voltage power connections to industrial units. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Swati held again for tweets against military high-ups: The Express Tribune

PTI Senator Azam Swati on Sunday morning was taken into custody for the second time after a raid at his farmhouse in Chak Shahzad by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing Islamabad for allegedly tweeting against senior military officials. Click here to read…

Battle for Punjab, KP Assemblies heats up: The News

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz has called a parliamentary party meeting on Monday (today) to finalise a strategy to counter an expected move by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to dissolve the Punjab Assembly. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Foreign Ministry to expand consular services – Daily News

The Foreign Affairs Ministry is focusing on decentralizing consular services of the Ministry to provide an efficient service to the public. Accordingly, in addition to the existing regional offices, it is planned to further decentralize the service to main cities and it will be implemented according to the 2023 action plan, Director General of the Consular Division of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Prikayangika Wijayagunasekara said. She pointed out that in 2023, plans will be implemented with the aim of making the consular service of the Ministry into a more public friendly service. She stated this while participating in a special discussion organized by the Mass Media Ministry to inform the media about the operational plans of each ministry in 2023. Click here to read…

Free diesel for farmers, fishermen from China arrives – Daily News

Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong boarded the oil tanker “Super Eastern” and handed over the 10.6 million litres of diesel, a donation to Sri Lankan farmers and fishermen through related ministries. Distribution will start soon under a mutually agreed modality. The 10.6 million liters of diesel donation by China will be provided free to 232,749 farmers for harvesting 342,266 hectares paddy fields across in Maha Season 2022/23 (20L/hectare) Click here to read…

Neutrality over World Power Struggle – Daily News

Explaining our neutrality stance, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena noted as he addressed the Convocation of Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI) on October 28, 2022, “It is merely a detached neutrality in regional or international power games.” Obviously we wish to stay out of the developing power struggle for dominance between world powers. We fear the brutality of the West to side with China and we simply cannot afford to lose China. Hence, our strategy is to stay out of the fight altogether. As President Ranil Wickremesinghe observed whilst commenting on the conflict between Russian and West supported Ukraine, when elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled. Clearly we do not want to be the grass and are adapting the neutrality stance to keep the war (if it comes to that) and any other form of conflict out of our turf. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Putin: Forming ‘Truly Inclusive Afghan Govt’ is Priority: Tolo News

Russian President Vladmir Putin said that the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan is a priority for Russia and the countries of the region.Vladmir Putin at the Collective Security Treaty Organization meeting held on Wednesday in Yerevan, Armenia, said that Russia will cooperate to stabilize Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Pakistan to Begin Registration of Afghan Refugees: Tolo News

The Minister for States and Frontier Regions of Pakistan, Talha Mahmood, announced a registration drive for unregistered Afghan refugees in the country, Pakistani media reported. According to Pakistani media reports, the minister said the move will ensure the compilation of complete data of registered and unregistered Afghan refugees as well as those who have gone back to Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Dutch Airstrike of Afghanistan in 2007 Ruled ‘Unlawful’ by Court in the Netherlands: The Khaama Press

A Dutch court found on Wednesday that the bombing of a civilian complex in the central Afghan province of Uruzgan by Dutch forces in June 2007 was “unlawful” and that the Netherlands should compensate for the victims’ losses. Click here to read…

14 People Received Lashes in Eastern Afghanistan for ‘Moral Crimes’: The Khaama Press

The Taliban Head of Information and Culture for the province of Logar, Qazi Rafiullah Samim, told Agence France Presse (AFP) on November 23 that “14 people were sentenced to corporal punishments, 11 of them were men and three were women.” Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Work together to keep 1971 legacy alive: Indian envoy – The Daily Star

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay K Verma has said it is important to work together to keep the legacy of 1971 alive, especially among the younger generations. “That’s a very important task. We should not forget our history,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at the “Maitri Alumni Reunion 2022” held at Old India House yesterday evening. Click here to read…

The Assam factor – Dhaka Tribune

On November 19, 2022, a 55-member parliamentary delegation of Assam arrived in Bangladesh on a four-day visit; Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary led the group. The visit aimed to improve trade and connectivity between Bangladesh and the northeastern states of India. Bangladesh welcomed the delegation team with warm hospitality. This visit enhanced the “Assam Factor” of India-Bangladesh relations. In parallel, Assam’s chief minister again lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for showing zero tolerance against terrorism and extremism. These two gestures again indicated the consolidated India-Bangladesh relations. These incidents have significant implications for both Bangladesh and India as it is an inevitable fact that Assam is a key factor in India-Bangladesh relations. Click here to read…

China ships first batch of coaches for Padma Bridge Rail Link Projec – The Business Standard

The first batch of Chinese-made passenger coaches for the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project was shipped on Thursday (24 November). The shipment was an initial batch of 15 out of the 100 coaches made by CRRC Tangshan Co, and it departed from the Port of Tianjin, reports the Global Times citing China’s Heibei Daily. The coaches, designed to run at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour and with a broad gauge of 1,676mm, will be used in the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project. The 172-kilometre Padma Bridge Rail Link Project is scheduled to be completed in 2024. Passing through the Padma Bridge, the rail link is a vital channel that connects the trans-Asian railway network, and it is expected to greatly promote regional connectivity and the economic development of Bangladesh. Click here to read…

Bhutan

NC adopts UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime – Kuensel Online

The National Council unanimously adopted the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children (TIP) yesterday. All 23 Members of Parliament present in the House voted in favour of the Bill. UNTOC is considered the main international instrument in the fight against transnational organised crimeClick here to read…

Maldives

Maldives to put forward candidatures to the UNSC and ECOSOC – Raajje

Maldives is to put forward candidatures for membership as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2033-2034 and for membership of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), for the term 2027-2029. This decision was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. As such, the ministry revealed that it would be the first time Maldives becomes a member of both principal organs of the UN if successful. Click here to read…

NCGG Receives High Praise From Maldives Government For Its Capacity Building Programme For Maldivian Civil Servants – Orissa Dairy

The Indian delegation led by the Director General of NCGG, Shri Bharat Lal, accompanied by senior officials of the Govt of India, visited the Republic of Maldives from the 19th to 21st of November 2022. They reviewed the ongoing cooperation with the Civil Service Commission of Maldives based on the MoU signed during the State visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2019. As per MoU, in 2019-2024, 1,000 civil servants of Maldives were to be trained. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, a total of 534 civil servants of Maldives were trained in India. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar, a country in turmoil, emerging as key transit hub for wildlife trade – Down To Earth

It is a worrying new development for those engaged in wildlife conservation. Myanmar, a country at the crossroads of south, southeast and east Asia and for long rocked by political turmoil, may be emerging as a key transit hub for illegal wildlife trade (IWT), according to a new report. Live, exotic animals are being smuggled from the country to India’s Northeast for supply to the “growing and thriving exotic pet trade in India”, the report, by the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), has said. Click here to read…

Technical Problems Ground Myanmar’s JF-17 Fighter Jets Bought From China

Most of the newly acquired Chinese and Pakistan-made JF-17 fighter jets that the Myanmar regime has taken delivery of have been grounded due to technical malfunctions, according to analysts and former Myanmar Air Force pilots who monitor the junta’s air capabilities. The JF-17 fighters—lightweight multi-role combat aircraft jointly manufactured by China and Pakistan—that the Myanmar Air Force has added to its fleet have structural cracks and other technical issues, they told The Irrawaddy. Click here to read…

Religious Intolerance in Myanmar – World Religion News

Along the Bay of Bengal and wrapping around the Andaman Sea is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. It is home to 54 million, with 135 ethnicities. In 2017, there were widespread, well-planned, coordinated and violent attacks against the Rohingya perpetrated by the Burmese military. The military violence continues today and earlier this month extended to the Christian population with the bombing of a Baptist seminary. Click here to read…

Over 370 Indian victims of job rackets rescued from Myanmar – Free Press Journal

Over 370 Indians, who were victims of job rackets, have been rescued from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian mission in Yangon, Bangkok and Consulate in Chiang Mai have been actively pursuing these cases of Indians trapped in fake job rackets in Myanmar. “People from India and other places have got lured, got stuck in Myanmar and some in Laos and Cambodia also,” Bagchi said at a media briefing. Click here to read…

India’s Disturbing Ties with Myanmar Junta – The Irrawaddy

On November 22, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) put out a short, three-point press release announcing the working visit of foreign secretary, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, to Myanmar. Without saying too many things, it revealed one thing very unambiguously – as far as the relationship between the Indian government and the junta is concerned, it is business as usual. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal reviewing import ban after IMF prodding – The Kathmandu Post

Nepal is reviewing its seven-month-old import ban on certain products after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) questioned the wisdom of lengthening it since it was hurting trade and the economy. The Washington-based organisation has delayed the second instalment of a $400 million loan to Nepal till February 2023, stating that it had not fulfilled the conditions. Nepal has received $110 million as the first instalment. Click here to read…

Vote count update: NC wins 40 seats; UML 26 and Maoist 12– Khabarhub

Nepali Congress (NC) is still leading as the counting of votes is underway throughout the country. In the initial vote count of the election held on Sunday, Nepali Congress (NC) has taken the lead followed by CPN-UML so far. Till now, NC has won 40 seats and the UML 29. As of now, NC is still leading in 12 constituencies followed by UML, which is leading in 19 constituencies. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which has won seven seats, is leading in one constituency. Likewise, the Unified Socialist Party led by Madhav Kumar Nepal has won 10 seats. Click here to read…

Early trends in Nepal polls project ‘absolute hung’ Parliament

There are indications that none of the existing pre-poll alliances will cross over 50 per cent or 138-benchmark required to form the government in a House of 275. Normally, any two of the three parties —UML, Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre — together would have formed an alliance to form a government. But this time around, the projection does not seem to be heading in that direction as the UML and Nepali Congress forming a coalition looks unlikely. The Maoist Centre, which has alternatively aligned with these two poles, may not have the decisive size to add to form the majority. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Govt goes by seniority principle for change in command: The Express Tribune

President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday approved a summary sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the appointment of Lt-Gen Syed Asim Munir as the next army chief and Lt-Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza as the new Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), ending days of speculations. Click here to read…

PTI dials down rhetoric, hails top military appointments: The Express Tribune

Hailing the appointments of the next army chief and chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the PTI on Thursday hoped that the new leadership of the armed forces would play its role to strengthen the constitutional rights and democracy in the country. Click here to read…

PM Shehbaz leaves for Turkiye on two-day official visit: Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday left for a two-day official visit, from November 25 to November 27, to Turkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Click here to read…

‘Fiscal constraints hurting Pakistan’s telecom sector’: The News

Pakistan’s telecom sector has been passing through a difficult patch of fiscal constraints, including one of the highest taxation burdens, devaluation of the exchange rate, withdrawal of Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) and other problems, visiting GSMA head of Asia Pacific said on Thursday.
Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Those who cause violence in the name of human rights cannot be protected – President – Daily News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that he will never allow violence and anarchy to prevail under the guise of human rights, adding that if any party engages in such an attempt, the security forces will be used to suppress it completely. Under such circumstances, the President emphasized that everyone from the lower officer of the Army to the rank of Field Marshal is obligated to fulfill their responsibility. President Ranil Wickremesinghe said this delivering a special statement in Parliament yesterday (24). The President further said, “Before I talk about this subject, I must remember two things that I mentioned yesterday. MP Mujibur Rahuman said that three fears have arisen in the President’s mind. I want to tell you that a person cannot have three fears. The three fears occurred in Vishal Mahanuwara. Fear of disease, fear of inhumanity, and fear of death can occur in a group of people. I ask him to listen to the Ratana Sutra to clarify that point. A person never has three fears. Even if there is fear of Marikkar, even if there is fear of Hirunika, and even if there is fear of Rosy, it is not three fears. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka committed to safe, secure Indian Ocean – Minister – Daily News

Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC yesterday said Sri Lanka remains committed to safe, secure Indian Ocean and sustainable use of its maritime resources. He said that the X-Press Pearl incident is the worst maritime disaster that Sri Lanka has confronted in modern times. “The vessel was carrying a total of nearly 1,500 containers that included cargo with hazardous substances, in addition to about 325 metric tons of fuel on board. The said disaster is now considered as the largest ship disaster involving plastic pellets, hazardous and noxious materials, in the world”, the Minister said while addressing the 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers in Dhaka yesterday. Click here to read…

Export-oriented Market Economy, the Way Forward – Daily News

Glancing through the biography of T. S. Jinasena, the founder of the Jinasena Empire, showed that he hinged his life and his success on disciplined adherence to some simple idioms. This article takes three of TSJ’s idioms and applies them to Sri Lanka and our economic development. ‘You must make hay whilst the sun shines’, ‘You must cut your coat according to your cloth’, Beggars can’t be ChoosersClick here to read…

Afghanistan

University Entrance Exams Held Around Country: Tolo News

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

Bhutan fee funds happiness – TTR Weekly

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

Maldives

Maldives: the legacy of Islamic State – Lowly Institute

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

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

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

Nepal

Nepal faces constitutional crisis – Greater Kashmir

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

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

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

Pakistan

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

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

Govt unveils big power relief for exporters: The Express Tribune

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

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

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