Tag Archives: Nepal Election

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – November 25, 2022

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…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – November 24, 2022

Afghanistan
Blinken: Qatar Continues to Be Main Transit Point for Afghans: Tolo News

US Secretary Antony Blinken at a press conference said that after the Islamic Emirate took power in Afghanistan Qatar played an indispensable role in helping them relocate tens of thousands of at-risk Afghans, aid workers, diplomats, and others. Click here to read…

US Providing $327 Million In Aid to Afghanistan, Blinken Says: Tolo News

The United States will provide an additional $327 million in aid to Afghanistan to shore up humanitarian assistance, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday. “This assistance from the United States will continue to support the scaled-up humanitarian response in Afghanistan and neighboring countries through international humanitarian organizations,” Blinken said in a statement. Click here to read…

Taliban Requests Afghan Refugees to Abstain from Protesting in Pakistan and Iran: The Khaama Press

Afghan refugees were urged not to participate in the protests since they were Pakistani and Iranian domestic affairs, according to Abdul Rahman Rashid, the Taliban’s deputy minister for refugees and repatriation. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
IORA Council of Ministers meet today – The Daily Star

Bangladesh today hosts the 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers meeting in the capital aimed at boosting cooperation among the regional countries to ensure a free, open and secure Bay of Bengal and Asia-Pacific. Ministers, state ministers and assistant ministers from the 23 IORA member states are already in Dhaka to attend the meeting. “We want free, inclusive, secure and peaceful navigation for all without any encumbrance in the region,” Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters following bilateral meetings with ministers of Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Tanzania and Japan at the Hotel InterContinental yesterday evening. Click here to read…

Jessore rolls out the red carpet for PM Hasina – Dhaka Tribune

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a public meeting in this stadium on December 26, 1972. Jessore, one of the oldest cities in the country, is ready to receive Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday as she is set to attend the first massive political rally of the ruling party outside Dhaka in the lead up to the next general election. People of Jessore and southern parts of the country are enthusiastic about attending the grand rally, as this will be Sheikh Hasina’s first visit to the city in almost five years. Click here to read…

3 binding conditions for IMF loan – The Daily Star

The International Monetary Fund is set to tag three binding conditions and a host of structural reforms for the prospective $4.5 billion loan to Bangladesh, as the Washington-based multilateral lender looks to bring in lasting reforms in the country. The mandatory conditions — which are specific, measurable targets called quantitative performance criteria (QPC) — would be a minimum level of net international reserves and domestic revenue collection and a ceiling on the government’s budget deficit, The Daily Star has learnt from people involved in the negotiations with the IMF staff mission to thrash out the terms for the loanClick here to read…

Bhutan
State set to tie up with Bhutan to develop Buddhist circuit – The Hindu

Bhutan is set to join the league of nations that are setting up monasteries near the Buddhavanam project being executed by the State near Nagarjunakonda. A delegation of Buddhist monks from Bhutan on Wednesday interacted with Minister for Culture V. Srinivas Goud and evinced interest in taking the project to the next level. “Maharashtra, Bihar and other states have a Buddhist circuit. But they don’t have what Telangana has. You have Acharya Nagarjuna,” said Khenpo Ugyen Namgyel, Secretary of Central Monastic Body of Bhutan leading a delegation of 24 monks. Click here to read…

Bhutan joins the seed-sharing initiative – Kuensel Online

Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Nepal, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam signed an agreement to foster cross-country seed-sharing and empower the region’s seed sector yesterday in Thimphu. Called Seeds Without Borders, the agreement aims to speed up the distribution of modern, climate-resilient rice varieties across nations to help vulnerable farmers establish a secure food supply for their families and earn a higher income. Bhutan joined the Seeds Without Borders agreement on June 13, 2018. Click here to read…

Maldives
EU Ambassadors call on pres. ahead of sixth Maldives – EU Policy Dialogue – Raajje

The delegation called on President Solih at the President’s Office, on Wednesday and was headed by The EU Ambassador to Maldives, Denis Chaibi. The delegation included Ambassador of Italy to Maldives Rita Manella, Ambassador of Austria to Maldives Katharina Wieser, Ambassador of Germany to Maldives Holger Seubert, Ambassador of Netherlands to Maldives Bonnie Horbach, Chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of Romania Victor Chiujdea, and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of France Aurélien Maillet. Click here to read…

Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister thanked Indian Govt for its contributions to enhance skills, competence of civil servants of Maldives – News On Air

Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid has thanked the Indian Government for its contributions to enhance the skills and competence of civil servants of Maldives. He expressed his gratitude during a meeting held with Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Mr. Bharat Lal. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Hun Sen: Myanmar sliding into full-fledged civil war – Phnompen Post

Myanmar is moving towards a full-fledged civil war, Prime Minister Hun Sen warned while addressing senior military leaders from many countries including China and the US at the opening ceremony of the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) in Siem Reap on November 23. He said the civil war was already underway in some parts of Myanmar. “Cambodia, as the victim of more than three decades of civil war, has useful experience to share in making, building and maintaining peace and building a post-war nation,” he added. Click here to read…

Restoration of democracy in Myanmar is crucial for ‘sustainable’ repatriation of Rohingya, says Japan – UNB

Japan is banking on restoration of democracy in Myanmar for the sustainable repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya in Bangladesh. “Sustainable repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya would be possible after the resumption of democracy in Myanmar,” visiting Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs TAKEI Shunsuke. Click here to read…

Myanmar Regime and Russia Sign Nuclear Power Plant Memorandum – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s junta signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday with Rosatom, Russia’s state-run nuclear corporation, according to a Rosatom press release. The military regime’s Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE) and Rosatom signed the MOU on Tuesday on the sidelines of the ATOMEXPO-2022 in Sochi, Russia. The proposed nuclear power plants will be based on Russian small modular reactor technology. Click here to read…

US, China defence chiefs meet in Cambodia – Mizzima

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe in Cambodia on Tuesday, with both sides describing the talks as productive without backing away from their core positions. The rival powers have clashed over a host of issues including Taiwan, security and human rights, but there have been attempts to lower the temperature since a rare summit between the leaders of both countries last week. Click here to read…

ANZ will become first international bank to withdraw from Myanmar – Mizzima

The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) said it will withdraw from Myanmar by early 2023, making it the first international bank to withdraw from the country. The withdrawal follows the October 2022 blacklisting of Myanmar by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. Click here to read…

Nepal
China Encroaches On 36 Hectares of Nepal’s Land At 10 Places: Report – NDTV

China’s salami-slice strategy on Nepal’s northern border has resulted in the encroachment of 36 hectares of Nepal’s land at 10 places on the northern border by China. According to the survey document issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, China encroached on 36 hectares of Nepal’s land at 10 places on the northern border. Similarly, the study conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs has concluded that it is necessary to include border issues in the “state policy” of Nepal, reported Meta Khabar. Click here to read…

Vote count update: NC wins 25 seats; UML 15 and Maoist 7 – 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 in 25 constituencies and the UML in 15 constituencies. As of now, NC is still leading in 31 constituencies followed by UML, which is leading in 29 constituencies. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which has already won five seats, is leading in four constituencies. Click here to read…

Aid or political interference? China finances NGO with links to Nepal former PM Oli’s party ahead of polls – Times Now

China has begun helping political organisations in Nepal. High-level sources speak of financial help from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu to an NGO with political links. The payout is believed to be about one crore Nepalese Rupees. This is being seen by some as interference with the country’s political process. The NGO has strong links with former Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli, president of the Communist Party of Nepal, the CPN-UML Some members of the NGO are contesting the polls as candidates of Oli’s party. The Chinese have good reason to support Oli for Nepal signed a crucial Transit and Transport agreement with China in 2015 when Oli was the PM. Click here to read…

Chen Song to be China’s Nepal envoy – The Kathmandu Post

China has proposed Chen Song, one of its senior diplomats, as the new ambassador to Nepal. Chen is currently deputy director general at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will replace Hou Yanqi, who has already returned to China after completing her four-year tenure in October. The Chinese side informally communicated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about its decision to appoint Chen as the new envoy but no official communication has yet been made, according to a foreign ministry official. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Imran insists Alvi will consult him on chief’s selection: Dawn

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has claimed that President Dr Arif Alvi will “definitely” consult him as soon as the summary for the appointment of next army chief reaches his office. Click here to read…

Army role in politics is unconstitutional, says Gen Bajwa: The Express Tribune

Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Bajwa said on Wednesday the military had started “its catharsis” and would remain apolitical in the future, emphasising that political parties should also reflect on their behaviour so that there was an “elected” government in the country instead of “selected” or “imported” one. Click here to read…

Pakistan continues talks with IMF on flood expenditures: The News

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistani authorities are continuing talks for finalising reprioritizing expenditures on floods, including BISP spending and rehabilitation needs besides accelerating reforms to preserve fiscal stability. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
No room for another ‘aragalaya’ – Daily News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday emphasized that any attempts to create another Aragalaya (struggle) aiming at changing the government will not be allowed in the country. He said that military will be deployed and Emergency Law will be enforced to prevent such attempts as there is no room for Dinh Diems in this country. “The military will be deployed. Emergency Law will be enforced. Another Aragalaya will not be allowed. I won’t let Dinh Diem’s rule in this country. There is no room for Dinh Diems in this country.” he said. Click here to read…

President calls for All-Party meeting to discuss national issue – Daily News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday called for an All-Party meeting to discuss and solve the national issue. Speaking in Parliament yesterday, President Wickremesinghe said the meeting can be held during the second week of December. The President noted that once the 2023 Budget process is complete on December 8, all parties can convene for the decisive meeting. President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the matter has been discussed on various occasions and various opinions have been expressed and therefore it is imperative that all parties convene and come to a consensusClick here to read…

Towards a new election culture – Daily News

The long-awaited law to limit election campaign funding is to become a reality at last. Cabinet approval was received on Monday for the enactment of the Campaign Finance Bill that will bind all candidates contesting elections, of whatever variety, for their campaign spending to be done under the strict supervision of the National Elections Commission (NEC). In fact, it was formulated in 2016 and was awaiting approval of the Attorney General, which has been finally obtained. Accordingly, the Draft Bill will be gazetted following which it will be presented to Parliament. Once the Bill becomes law, all candidates shall bear responsibility for funding his/her election campaign. In addition he/she will also have to disclose the source(s) of such funding. A ceiling will also be placed on the amount spent on a single electorate while the candidates will also be required to open a Special Elections Account (SEA) which will be the only source from which candidates can withdraw funds for their campaign funding. The new law is a revolutionary step and will go a long way in changing the present election culture which is reeking of corruption. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – November 23, 2022

Afghanistan
Exhibit Held in Kabul to Display Domestic Products: Tolo News

The Ministry of Industry and Mines (MoIC) said that efforts are underway in support of the private sector and that such exhibitions will be held outside the country to promote markets for Afghan products. “We are hoping for a day that such exhibitions will be held in Arabic countries like the UAE, and other countries like China and Central Asia as well as neighboring countries,” said Nooruddin Azizi, acting Minister of the MoIC. Click here to read…

Afghan Families Sell Belongings to Make Ends Meet: The Khaama Press

According to Martin Schuepp, Director of Operations of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), an average Afghan family can only afford 82% of basic food commodities, expressing concerns over the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

DABS Says Uzbekistan Technical Issues Caused Rolling Blackout in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

During a press conference on Monday, November 21, Engineer Safiullah Ahmadzai, Chief Operating Officer of DABS, stated that the cause for the shortage of electricity and subsequent power outages is due to a technical difficulty in Uzbekistan’s gas system. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
BNP’s Dec 10 Dhaka rally: Cops, AL to be on high alert – The Daily Star

Law enforcers have taken all-out measures, including keeping Dhaka city BNP leaders and activists under close watch, to pre-empt “potential subversive activities” centering on the BNP’s Dhaka rally on December 10. Click here to read…

Dhaka should focus more on Indo-Pacific’ – The Daily Star

The Indo-Pacific region has become a focus for the world powers. Dealing with them has become challenging for many countries. How should Bangladesh handle such a situation? Ali Riaz, a distinguished professor at the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, yesterday shared his views with The Daily Star’s Porimol Palma…Bangladesh, and South Asia as a whole, always looked at West Asia and Central Asia, which were the gateways to the world. It is no longer the case now. The whole economy has shifted towards the Indo-Pacific. Also, the geopolitical importance of the region has increased manyfold because of the rise of China. Click here to read…

Military diplomacy: A vital tool to mend Myanmar-Bangladesh ties – Dhaka Tribune

The military cooperation between Myanmar and Bangladesh has a lot of promise. There are several areas where the two countries may engage and work together, with the most essential being the improvement of relations. In a fresh turn of events, a three-person delegation from the Myanmar army met with the Bangladesh army in Dhaka. The two sides talked about promoting regional security and stability as well as the prompt repatriation of the Rohingyas. The Myanmar Army was reminded by the Bangladesh Army to exercise caution when undertaking any operations in the border regions. Click here to read…

Bhutan
ISRO to launch satellite developed by Bhutan – The Tribune

The ISRO is gearing up to launch the next PSLV mission from the spaceport at Sriharikota on November 26, which will carry a Oceansat-3 satellite and eight nano-satellites, including one developed by Bhutan scientists. India had, in September last year, signed an agreement with Bhutan for the joint development of the satellite, which was initiated following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Thimphu in 2019. Click here to read…

Buddhist confederation, monastic body hosting delegation of Bhutanese monks from Nov 22 to 30 – The Print

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 22 (ANI): The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) in coordination with the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan is hosting a 24-member delegation of Bhutanese monks who are visiting India from November 22 to 30, said officials.During this tour, the monks are scheduled to visit various religious and Buddhist heritage sites in India including Nagarjuna Konda, Buddhavanam, Amravati, National Museum, and Sankissa, among others. Click here to read…

Maldives
Discussions held on expanding Maldives-Sri Lanka relations in investment, trade – Raajje

The discussions were held between Vice President Faisal Naseem and High Commissioner of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Maldives, Adam Maznavee Jaufer Sadiq. They discussed the exchange of technical and professional expertise between Maldives and Sri Lanka. Discussions have been held on ways to further expand relations in investment and trade, between the governments of Maldives and Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

India retains lead as top tourism market of Maldives this year – NewsOnAir

India has retained its lead as the top tourism market of Maldives this year. Close to two lakh Indian tourists visited Maldives in 2022 so far. The Indian mission in Maldives in a tweet said that India has been the biggest contributer to tourism in Maldives since 2020. The High Commission of India in Male also congratulated Maldives on securing World’s leading destination title for 2022 at the world travel awards earlier this month. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Myanmar’s Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Denies Latest Corruption Charges in Court Appearance – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s ousted leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi denied further corruption charges when she testified on Tuesday in a junta-controlled court, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been a prisoner since the military toppled her government in February 2021, ending the Southeast Asian nation’s brief period of democracy. Click here to read…

NUG Suggests How ASEAN Can Get Meaningful Changes From Myanmar Junta – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military regime released 402 political prisoners last week as part of its amnesty for nearly 6,000 inmates. The move was hastily embraced by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) special envoy for Myanmar, who said the release was a sign of good will and an important gesture suggesting that the ruling junta is ready to change, despite the fact that Myanmar has been in turmoil since last year’s coup. Click here to read…

Siem Reap ADMM Retreat in full swing without Myanmar – Khmertimeskh

The ASEAN defence ministers, except Myanmar, discussed the rapid changes in global security environment as they convened for the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat) in Siem Reap yesterday. Besides the ADMM Retreat, held under the theme ‘Solidary for Harmonised Security’, Cambodia is also hosting the 9th ADMM-Plus, the ASEAN-US Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting and the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting from November 21-23. Click here to read…

Nepal
Vote count update: NC wins 12 seats; RSP 4 and UML 3 – Khabarhub

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 in 12 constituencies and the UML in three constituencies. As of now, NC is leading in 45 constituencies followed by UML, which is leading in 43 constituencies. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which has already won four seats, is leading in five constituencies. Likewise, the Unified Socialist Party led by Madhav Kumar Nepal has won one seat and is leading in five constituencies. Click here to read…

Poor transfer of Congress votes weighing down coalition partners – The Kathmandu Post

Congress voters seemed reluctant to back other coalition candidates. But they voted for the UML in some places. Preliminary results of the federal and provincial polls held on Sunday suggest the votes of Nepali Congress have not been transferred to other coalition partners. This had been long feared. The transfer from Nepali Congress to CPN (Maoist Centre) was thought to be particularly hard; Congress leaders were among the main Maoist targets during the decade-long bloody insurgency. Nonetheless, an electoral alliance was forged between the Congress, the Maoist Centre, the CPN (Unified Socialist) and the Rastriya Janamorcha. Click here to read…

After ballot paper mix-up, calls grow for shift to electronic voting – The Kathmandu Post

In Ilam constituency 1, some 100 ballot papers of the first-past-the-post (FPTP) elections for the House of Representatives were found dropped into the boxes meant for FPTP votes for the provincial assembly. Similar thing happened at a polling centre in Rukum East. In the press meet after the conclusion of the voting on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Thapaliya had said they had received several complaints of ballot paper mixup. Following such complaints, the commission decided to count the votes under all four categories—FPTP and proportional representation of both the lower house and provincial assemblies—simultaneously. Click here to read…

Pakistan
PM Office receives summary for top military appointments: Dawn

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Wednesday morning that it has received the summary from the Ministry of Defence with a “panel of names” for the appointment of the new chief of army staff (COAS) and the chairman joint chief of staff committee (CJCSC). Click here to read…

Govt shares revised budget framework with IMF: The Express Tribune

Despite the worst flood in the country‘s history and hundreds of billions of rupees in unbudgeted subsidies, Pakistan has initially projected only Rs990 billion fiscal slippages in this financial year, hardly showing a negative impact of Rs55 billion on its revenues. Click here to read…

Row over sugar export further delays crushing: The Express Tribune

In what appears to be a deliberate move, the sugar mills in Punjab have refused to start the sugarcane crushing season from November 25, as a deadlock between the government and mills over permission to export the sweetener persists. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Second Reading of Budget 2023 passed with majority of 37 – The Island

The second reading of Budget 2023 was passed with a majority of 37 votes in Parliament yesterday. The vote taken at 6 pm received 121 votes in favour and 84 votes against. The SJB, JVP, SLFP and SLPP dissidents voted against the Budget. Click here to read…

P627 Patrol Vessel commissioned as Vijayabahu – Daily News

The Offshore Patrol Vessel P627 the most recent addition to the Sri Lanka Navy fleet received from the United States (U.S.) Coast Guard was commissioned as Vijayabahu under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday (22). The commissioning ceremony was held at the Colombo Port. The Vessel P627 began her home-bound journey from the Port of Seattle on September 3, 2022 and arrived in Colombo on November 2 after about 10,656 nautical miles (19,734 km) of sea passage. The President as Chief Guest was accorded a Guard of Honour by the Sri Lanka Navy. The President boarded the, SLNS Vijayabahu Vessel accompanied by Navy Commander Vice Admieal Nishantha Ulugetenna and unveiled the ship’s name board. Click here to read…

China Spy Ship Row: Sri Lanka FM Ali Sabry says New Delhi’s sensitivities will be kept in mind – WION

In the backdrop of the visit of Chinese spy ship, Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry has said that Indian “Indian sensitivities will be kept in mind” so that it doesn’t lead to any “unpleasantries” for both the countries. Remember Chinese spy ship or as Beijing has been terming it research vessel research vessel Yuan Wang 5 had visited the Sri Lankan port of hambantota raising concern for New Delhi. Speaking exclusively with our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Colombo, FM Sabry said, “everyone who will be entitled will be known in advance, we will have a known procedure in place so that no one is surprised, so therefore it is important we also have the freedom of navigation in the Indian ocean.” Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – November 22, 2022

Afghanistan
Acting Min. Muttaqi Meets with Norwegian Charge d’Affaires: Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with Norway’s chargé d’affaires in Afghanistan to discuss political and humanitarian cooperation. Amir Khan Muttaqi said during the meeting that attempting to leverage Afghanistan is useless and that the international community should instead choose the path of engagement. Click here to read…

Kabul Province Students Complain of Lack of Buildings, Teachers: Tolo News

Students complain of a lack of buildings and of teachers in the Khaki Jabbar District of Kabul. They said that the cold weather has made it difficult for them to continue their education and that they lack a proper space to study. “We ask them to build structures for us, because even when it rains we sit here,” said Hasib, a student. “The shop was cold, we came out and here the ground is wet, we ask them to build buildings for us, it’s cold here, we can’t study, we all get sick here,” said Mohammad, another student. Click here to read…

Yesterday’s Military Men, Today’s Coal Mining Workers; Mine Collapse Kills 2 Miners: The Khaama Press

Two military men of the fallen Afghan government, who worked at a coal mine in the northern province of Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover of the country, died after the mine collapsed, local sources said. Click here to read…

Events in motion to have new chief within the week: Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday sought a defence ministry summary for the appointment of the new army chief, along with the service dossiers of all prospective candidates, as the government seems set to name outgoing Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s successor by Friday. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
New Indian envoy calls on Momen – Dhaka Tribune

Newly appointed Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Praney K Verma yesterday made his maiden call on foreign minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen at the foreign ministry. Both considers India as the closest and the most important neighbor and termed the relations as “Solid and Unique one”. Momen stressed on Bangladesh as a “Regional Connectivity Hub” and India being the closest neighbor can reap the benefits of the connectivity outlook. He also referred to Indo-Pacific region, stressing upon the need for international rules and norms based free and fair connectivity amongst the countries of the region. Whereas the Indian envoy stressed upon the India’s Presidency of G20 and Bangladesh’s active participation to promote issues of mutual interest in the global discourseClick here to read…

21st century is Asia-Pacific century – New Age

THE US empire is going to face competition in the Asia-Pacific. Years ago, the empire could not have imagined it. The competition will be tougher. To the empire, the Asia-Pacific region was its own yard, a self-sphere for maneuvering, forward positioning to counter the then-Soviet Union and China, dominance, and resource and labor exploitation. All the economic potentialities of the region were within easy reach of the empire. That was the reality, and the empire imagined that this reality would perpetuate. Click here to read…

A red alert indeed – The Daily Star

We are shocked to learn that two militants escaped police custody from the Dhaka court premises on Sunday. Reportedly, four cops were escorting the two death-row convicts along with ten other militants to the prison cell when unidentified individuals attacked a constable, and snatched the two. Both were members of the banned militant outfit Ansar Al Islam, and convicted in the murder cases of slain publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan and blogger Avijit Roy. Such dangerous criminals being on the loose, amid suspicions of a resurgence in militant activities fueled by mysterious disappearances of young men in recent months, is indeed concerning. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Govt. recommends loan rescheduling to resolve NPLs – Kuensel Online

The government has recommended rescheduling the loan repayment period to the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) to resolve non-performing loans (NPL), Finance Minister Namgay Tshering said. Suppose the loan repayment period is extended from 10 to 20 years, it could benefit both the lenders and the borrowers, he said when quizzed by the Nanong-Shumar MP Lungten Namgyel on NPLs in the National Assembly on November 18. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives-Mauritius boundary dispute; the unspoken – Edition

For years Maldives has maintained its position regarding the boundary conflict it has with neighboring Mauritius, claiming the former’s decision to vote against the 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion has never been about supporting colonizers to maintain their colonial control – but rather it was always tied to the fears over Maldives possibly having to relinquish territorial control from part of its border, specifically by the disputed line. Click here to read…

Structural Issues Plague the Fight Against Terrorism in the Maldives – European Eye on Radicalisation

Known for being a popular tourist destination, the Maldives is facing a lesser-known challenge of extremism. It has more than 1,400 extremists residing within the country and is also holds the world’s highest record for foreign terrorist fighters per-capita. With the growing awareness of this challenge, the Maldives has undertaken various institutional, technical, and legal initiatives in recent years to tackle the problem. However, its reforms weigh thin against its broader domestic structural challenges that fuel extremism. Prevalent political, economic and social conditions, directly and indirectly, contribute to the country’s extremist challenges and even fuel them further. Click here to read…

Myanmar
India’s foreign secretary visits Myanmar, discusses border management – Business Standard

India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Monday concluded a two-day visit to Myanmar during which he discussed issues relating to border management and security. Kwatra’s visit came amid escalating violence between ethnic armed organisations and the Myanmar army that could have some impact on the border regions in India’s northeastern states. Click here to read…

Russia, Myanmar Only States to Use Landmines in 2022, Report Says – VOA

Russia and Myanmar are the only two countries to have used antipersonnel mines this year, according to the latest annual report from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). Neither country is among the 164 states that are party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Click here to read…

Myanmar crisis: Rights expert urges Korea to play ‘enhanced leadership role’ – UN News

Concluding a six-day official visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK), a UN-appointed independent human rights expert urged the country to help reverse the international community’s failure to address the crisis in Myanmar by taking the regional lead in ending violence against civilians there. “The Republic of Korea can play a vital leadership role in denying the Myanmar junta the means to continue holding 54 million people hostage while becoming a leader in providing humanitarian support to those in desperate need’’, said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, in a statement on Monday. Click here to read…

Nepal
Nepal poll results signal upset – Nepali Times

While early results show that the rivalry between the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML that dates back 30 years is still as fierce as ever, Nepal’s politics may be seeing the dawn of a new era. The reason for this appears to be mainly that many supporters of the NC and Maoist-Centre voted for independents or rebel candidates, rejecting the alliance of convenience between the right and left-wing parties. Although the UML is also losing a lot of votes to new and independent candidates, the opposition UML appears to have been able to better ride out the storm. Click here to read…

Rastriya Swatantra Party emerges as third largest in initial PR votes count – My Republica

The newly-formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)-led by Ravi Lamichhane has stood third in the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system in the initial vote counting. According to the EC data, the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has secured 7,881 votes and the CPN-UML 6,486 votes under the PR electoral system. CPN (Maoist Center) is trailing behind the RSP with a total of 2464 votes followed by RPP with a total 1813 votes so far. Click here to read…

Could the rise of Rastriya Swatantra Party boost anti-federal forces? – The Kathmandu Post

The newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party, which is doing rather well in the federal elections based on votes secured in the early stages of vote-counting, didn’t field candidates in provincial elections. Lamichhane is not the only next-generation leader with reservations over the current provincial setup. Balen Shah, mayor of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, was also seen avoiding casting votes for provincial candidates. After Shah cast his vote in federal elections, the police personnel present at the polling booth appeared to have asked him to also vote for provincial assembly candidates. He ignored the call. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Pak-Afghan border reopens after a week: Dawn

Pakistan on Monday reopened its border with Afghanistan at Chaman, which remained closed for a week hampering trade between the two neighbouring countries as well as the movement of people through the Friendship Gate. Click here to read…

Pakistan’s default risk worsens: The Express Tribune

The perception of Pakistan’s risk of default has worsened with the five-year credit default swap (CDS) surging by 30 percentage points in a week to 93% on Monday ahead of the repayment of $1 billion for a maturing international bond early next month. Click here to read…

Inquiry into Bajwa family tax record leak ordered: The Express Tribune

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has taken serious notice of the illegal and unwarranted leakage of tax information of the family members of General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance on Monday. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Govt’s intention to resume negotiations on FTAs – Secretary to the President – Daily News

The Government’s intention was to resume negotiations on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), said Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake. It is the vision of the President that Sri Lanka will integrate with the global value chains and with the largest economies in South Asia and East Asia and then expand to the eastern region linking to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Further, the Secretary to the President invited private sector stakeholders to creatively engage in this development initiative as they are the ultimate beneficiaries.He made these observations during an awareness session on the resumption of negotiations of Free Trade Agreements held for Trade Chambers and Industry Advisory Committees at the Finance Ministry in November (16). Click here to read…

ADB to help set up University on Climate Change – Daily News

The Commonwealth and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have come forward to help Sri Lanka to set up a University on Climate Change, Senior Advisor to the President and United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said.He said that the above was agreed during the meetings held on the sidelines of the COP 27 in Egypt. He pointed out that a number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Korea are willing to help Sri Lanka to face the impacts of climate change, adding that the Government intends to discuss with them in the near future. Click here to read…

President assures his support to expand Scout Movement – Daily News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe assured to provide the necessary assistance to expand the Scouting Movement by increasing its membership to 200,000 covering all nine provinces by 2024. The President also mentioned that he would seek the support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth Affairs for this purpose. The Sri Lanka Scout Association officially conferred the title of Chief Scout and Patronus to President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday morning (21) at the President’s Office, where he made these comments. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – November 18, 2022

Afghanistan
Participants at Moscow Format Release Joint Statement: Tolo News

The participants of the Moscow Format discussed the current situation in Afghanistan with an emphasis on regional security, military-political stability, socio-economic and humanitarian issues, a joint statement of the meeting participants saidClick here to read…

Taliban Reaffirm Afghanistan Not a Threat to Other Nation: OIC Meeting: The Khaama Press

In a meeting with representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the second deputy prime minister Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan soil will not be a threat against other countries. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
Towards stronger ties with Singapore – Dhaka Tribune

Bangladesh’s next step in its economic journey is shedding its LDC tag and becoming a full-fledged middle-income economy this year. As has been reiterated time and time again, this transition shall not be easy, and it will require significant planning. Bangladesh is hoping that Singaporean entrepreneurs pay heed to the prime minister’s words and explore the investment opportunities Bangladesh offers. Simultaneously, we must continue to not only establish ties with other nations, but continue to work on our overall business climate, that remains far from ideal, so that we truly become a desirable destination for foreign investment. Click here to read…

BGB, BSF reaffirm vow to bring down border killings to zero – Dhaka Tribune

A five-day regional commander level border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) ended in Kolkata on Wednesday renewing the consensus in bringing down the border killings to zero level…The two sides also agreed to conduct joint patrolling at risky bordering areas, strengthen awareness-raising program and take up various socio-economic development programClick here to read…

Home minister in New Delhi to join international conference on terror financing – Dhaka Tribune

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan arrived in India’s New Delhi on Thursday to attend an international ministerial conference on how to deal with terror financing, including legitimate and illegitimate funding routes. The third ministerial “No Money for Terror” conference, organized by the Indian government in New Delhi on Friday and Saturday, will be attended by representatives of 76 countries to discuss terrorist financing and related issues. Home ministers of about 20 countries including Russia, France, Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore are expected to participate in the event. Click here to read…

Bhutan
CMD, WAPCOS visited Punatasangchhu Hydroelectric Projects in Bhutan – PSU Connect

Shri R. K. Agrawal, CMD, WAPCOS & NPCC visited Punatasangchhu-I (P-I), 1200 MW and Punatsangchhu-II (P-II), 1020 MW Hydroelectric Projects in Bhutan on 16th November 2022. Shri S. K. Yadav, Managing Director (PHPA-I) and Shri R. K. Chandel, Managing Director (PHPA-II) along with their respective teams were present. WAPCOS is the Engineering Consultant for both the Projects. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives: Achieving debt sustainability might prove difficult – ORF Online

Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer told Parliament that at 108 percent of the GDP, ‘debt sustainability is the biggest target’ of his budget in the new fiscal, beginning in January. In reality, balancing the debt is challenging, especially because the presidential election is due in the last quarter of 2023. Apart from unanticipated expenses that could not be put off as always, in popular democracy, demands from various sections, both within Parliament and outside, will entail additional allocations. Click here to read…

Myanmar
A Must-Read Guide to Myanmar Junta’s Deadly Air Strikes – The Irrawaddy

Since shortly after the coup, the Myanmar military regime has been consistently launching air strikes across the country in an attempt to crush local resistance forces it designates as “terrorist” groups. As the junta is losing the ground battle, the aerial bombing campaign has sharply escalated in recent months with near daily attacks in the resistance strongholds of Sagaing and Magwe regions and Kayah, Karen and Chin states. Using helicopters, jet fighters and surveillance drones, the junta has also deliberately and indiscriminately attacked civilian targets in those areas, inflicting heavy casualties on local residents including children. Click here to read…

Myanmar Will Not Hold an ‘Election’ in August 2023 – The Irrawaddy

An election is understood to mean “a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position.” Myanmar’s junta has claimed it will organize an ‘election’ for August 2023. Don’t call it what it isn’t. The junta’s event, whatever it is and looks like, will in no way be an election. If analysts, media, and diplomats use the term ‘election’, the onus is on them to justify and prove why and how exactly it wasn’t legitimate when in fact it wasn’t even what happened. Click here to read…

Some Political Prisoners Among Almost 6,000 Freed in Myanmar Junta Amnesty – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military regime released some political prisoners including a minister from the country’s ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), the party’s spokesperson, a former student leader and an anti-regime activist Buddhist monk among almost 6,000 prisoners granted amnesty on Thursday. Click here to read…

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Nepal
Ruling alliance appeals for votes for its candidates – The Kathmandu Post

In a joint appeal issued a few hours before the commencement of the silence period, the four-party alliance solicits votes promising political stability and prosperity. The coalition said that the threat of regression has not yet subsided, and said that if the alliance does not get a majority, the same trend may return. The leaders have claimed that the goal of the alliance is to prevent any kind of attack on the constitution and raise the country to the level of a developing country by completing development projects on time. Click here to read…

Interview: ‘Monarchy in Nepal Will Mean More Respectful Ties With India, China’: RPP Leader – The Wire

Asserting that a return to monarchy would help Nepal to build a strong bulwark against foreign interference, a senior official of Nepal’s pro-royal party also noted that the border controversy – or the new political map depicting disputed territories under India’s control – is not an issue that will find resonance with the electorate in the current general elections. With Nepali citizens disenchanted with traditional politics, RPP hopes to capture some of the frustration this time with more votes. Click here to read…

Forex reserves increase by $130m in one month – The Himalayan Times

Significant improvement in remittance inflow coupled with import restrictions on certain non-essential goods seem to have propped up the country’s foreign exchange reserves, which rose by $130 million in the one-month period between mid-September and mid-October, as per the latest macroeconomic update unveiled by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) today. Click here to read…

Pakistan
‘Unrealistic’ flood cost baffles IMF: The Express Tribune

Pakistan on Thursday had to concede to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) demand to exhibit the flood reconstruction cost in this year’s budget after the global lender found the projected relief operation estimates of Rs251 billion or $1.1 billion “unrealistic”. Click here to read…

Imran believes threat to his life still very much there: The Express Tribune

PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan has said that there still remained a threat to his life even after an assassination attempt in Wazirabad earlier this month. Imran was wounded on November 3 in the shooting at a rally, part of a rolling march that he has led to press for a general election, since he was ousted in a parliament vote in April. Click here to read…

‘Neither president nor PTI will object to new COAS appointment’: The News

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and his party will neither want a confrontation with the new military establishment nor President Dr Arif Alvi will show any resistance or create any hurdle in the appointment of the army chief by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a senior PTI leader has claimed. Click here to read…

PM Shehbaz Sharif consults PDM on army chief appointment: The News

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has made consultations with the senior leadership of allied parties of the government prior to the appointment of the new army chief. The allied parties have reportedly fully mandated the premier for making the appointment as per set procedure and traditions. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – South Africa ties based on economic cooperation and investment – Daily News

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who was in Sri Lanka for a short visit on Wednesday (16) after attending the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Katunayake Air Force base for bilateral discussions. The discussions were focused on further strengthening the bilateral relationship aiming at economic cooperation and investment, expanding tourism in Sri Lanka, and receiving South African assistance, guidance and counseling in setting up a credible truth-seeking mechanism to achieve a lasting reconciliation amongst communities.The two state leaders exchanged mementoesClick here to read…

Reforms and Investor Confidence – Daily News

Realising this imperative need, President Wickremesinghe presented a reforms-filled Budget 2023, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance earlier this week. The budget is aimed at making the Government less of a burden on the Treasury and the Government would make reforms to change the economy. At the same time he dismissed the critics who alleged that the reforms were done due to the conditions laid down by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “The economic reforms we are bringing are not limited to the reforms agreed upon with the IMF. The economic reforms proposed by the IMF are limited to economic stabilisation only,” he said. He did not refrain from telling the people about the truthful situation in the country. “There is no future for the country by continuing on this popular path. There is no prosperity for the country by giving concessions while being in debt to others. So, let’s get out of this situation now. Let’s change our thinking patterns.” Click here to read…

President to inaugurate Sri Lanka Economic Summit on Dec. 5 – Daily News

The upcoming Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2022, (SLES 2022) one of the most anticipated annual economic event in Sri Lanka, will be inaugurated by the Chief Guest, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, under the theme Resetting from Turmoil to Opportunity on December 5, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo. SLES 2022 is scheduled to be held on December 5 and 6 as a hybrid summit. This year the Summit will focus on key levers that will lead to macroeconomic stability, charting a course toward sustainable revival as the country embarks on the monumental task of economic recovery. Click here to read…