Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

Bangladesh

PM Hasina invites Biden to visit Bangladesh: Dhaka Tribune

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

Bhutanese products gain access to international markets -Kuensel Online

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

Maldives

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

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

Saudi Arabia, Maldives sign political consultations agreement – Saudi Gazette

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

Biden urges world to help ‘underwater’ Pakistan: Dawn

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

Current account deficit narrows to $0.7bn: Dawn

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

National inflation breaches 70% in August: Daily Mirror

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

Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

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

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

Maldives

Maldives-Middle East Connections – MEI@75

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

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

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Enforced disappearances violation of Constitution’: The News

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

Invites them to invest in Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror

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

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

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

Afghanistan

Bashir Noorzai Released by US in Exchange for Mark Frerichs: Muttaqi: Tolo News

Haji Bashir Noorzai, a senior member of the Taliban, arrived in Kabul today after being released from detention by the US, a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate said on Twitter. Speaking at a gathering held to announce the release of Bashir Noorzai, acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Noorzai was released in exchange for American citizen Mark Frerichs. Click here to read…

Calls Mount to Reopen Girls’ Schools Above Grade 6: Tolo News

The former deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hekmat Khalil Karzai, expressed criticism over the closure of girls’ schools above grade six for over a year. “In the 21st century, Afghanistan is the ONLY country in the world where girls above grade six are banned from going to school,” he said. “A full year has gone by where girls have been deprived of their dreams and future. All of us are not only responsible but should be ashamed!” Click here to read…

Taliban Conducts Nighttime Door-to-Door Search: The Khaama Press

Local sources in the central and southern Afghan provinces of Parwan and Kandahar, respectively, have said that the Taliban has begun carrying out sweeping door-to-door searches. In the Kolami area of the Salang district of Parwan province, the Taliban are said to have first arrested men and searched homes while breaking in, according to sources in Parwan. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

President Murmu meets Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, sister ahead of Queen’s funeral: Mint

As world leaders gather to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch of British history, President of India Droupadi Murmu took to Twitter to post a picture where she met with Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana. Click here to read…

PM Hasina in New York to attend UNGA: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in New York, USA to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). A VVIP chartered flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage landed at JFK International Airport here at about 10:25pm (New York time). Click here to read…

Bhutan

Climate change is a major threat for Bhutan: Kanni Wignaraja – Kuensel Online

The UN Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja, said that climate change is a major threat facing Bhutan as global warming increases the risk of glacial lake outburst floods. Click here to read…

King and Queen of Bhutan dubbed the ‘Prince William and Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’ paid their respects to Her Majesty and joined world leaders for the ‘reception of the century’ at Buckingham Palace – Daily Mail

The King and Queen of Bhutan last night paid tribute to the Queen while she was lying-in-state at Westminster Hall. King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema, dubbed the ‘Prince William and Kate Middleton of the Himalayas’, made the journey to London ahead of the state funeral todayClick here to read…

Maldives

How The Maldives Is Fighting The Climate Crisis With Coral Reefs – Plant based News

The result of this is that, by 2050, 80 percent of its islands could become uninhabitable at current global warming rates. Despite only being responsible for around 0.003 percent of global emissions, the island is set to be adversely affected by the climate crisis. Currently, more than 90 percent of the islands in the Maldives have severe erosion, and 97 percent of the country no longer has fresh groundwater (the water found beneath the Earth’s surface). Click here to read…

Myanmar

Lured by IT jobs in Thailand, over 300 Indians held hostage in Myanmar, forced to do cybercrime activities; also given ‘electric shocks’ – Times Now News

In a disturbing news, it is alleged that more than 300 Indian have been held hostage in Myanmar after they were lured to Thailand by a job racket. At least 60 people are from Tamil Nadu. The hostages are being forced to work in cybercrime industry. A report in Times of India said these hostages are being held by a gang at Myawaddy in Myanmar. Click here to read…

Bangladesh-Myanmar border tension: ASEAN envoys to relay Dhaka’s concerns – TBS News

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) envoys stationed in Dhaka have said they will relay Bangladesh’s concerns over the situation along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border to their capitals. Acting Foreign Secretary Rear Admiral Md Khorshed Alam (retired) briefed the heads of missions from the southeast Asian countries in Dhaka Monday and informed them about the current situation in the bordering areas of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Click here to read…

Jaishankar discusses G20, situation in Myanmar with Indonesian counterpart – Money Control

The sources added given that India will be succeeding Indonesia as the G20 Chair, it is important that the Indonesian presidency is successful. It was also underlined during the meeting on how to focus the world’s attention on the relevant and pressing issues currently facing the planet, which is the big concern right now. Click here to read…

Myanmar military helicopters strafe religious school, killing 7 children and at least 6 adults: eyewitness report – SCMP

Government helicopters have attacked a school and village in north-central Myanmar, killing at least 13 people including seven children. Civilian casualties often occur in attacks by the military government on pro-democracy insurgents and their allies. However, the number of children killed in the air attack on Friday last week in Tabayin township appeared to be the highest since the army seized power in February last year, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Click here to read…

Regime imposes travel ban on local, international NGOs in Arakan State – BNI Online

Myanmar’s military regime has barred local and international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) from travelling to multiple townships in Arakan State following the renewed fighting between junta troops and the Arakan Army (AA) over recent weeks. Local and international NGOs have been barred from travelling to Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, Minbya, Mrauk-U and Myebon townships as of Friday, an employee from an international NGO told DMG on condition of anonymity. Click here to read…

Nepal

‘Nepal is well positioned to leapfrog to a green development path’ – Himalayan Times

World Bank’s recently launched Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) has highlighted the impacts of climate risk and suggested Nepal to take an integrated approach to water, agriculture, and forests, harness the hydropower opportunity and energy transition, manage sustainable urbanisation, and strengthen low-carbon resilient connectivity. Click here to read…

India considers laying more petro pipelines for Nepal – Live Mint

India is considering setting up more pipelines for transporting refined petroleum products such as diesel to Nepal, two officials aware of the development said, outlining a measure to enhance New Delhi’s ties with Nepal and thwart China’s influence in the neighbourhood. Click here to read…

India, Nepal lay foundation stone for cross-border bridge – Big News Network

Senior officials of India and Nepal on Monday laid the foundation stone for the construction of a motorable cross-border bridge over the Mahakali River. Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of India’s northern Uttarakhand state took part in a special prayer ceremony before he laid the foundation stone on the Indian side of the border. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Gastro, malaria claim 12 more lives: Dawn

Twelve more flood victims died of gastroenteritis and malaria within a day in different areas of Dadu and Kandhkot-Kashmore districts on Monday. The two diseases have so far proved to be the major cause behind most of the deaths among internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in squalid conditions at relief camps and flooded localities. Click here to read…

Editorial: The youngest victims: Dawn

FOR millions of children in Pakistan, life is going to be particularly precarious in the coming months, with consequences that will last well into the future — at least for those of them that manage to make it to adulthood. Click here to read…

COAS meets Chinese defence minister: The News

He expressed these views while talking to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa who is on an official two-day visit to China. General Bajwa called on Chinese Minister for Defence General Wei Fenghe, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said on Monday. Click here to read…

Nation won’t forget traitors behind ‘imported’ govt: Imran: The News

Address a public meeting here, Imran asked the youth to break the idols of fear and scare those who scared them over phone from unknown numbers. He said those scaring the youth were worth nothing adding that the decision to elect their representatives to lead the country rested fairly and squarely with the people and none else. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

People’s revolt inevitable if no polls are held within 6 months. Ven. Dhammarathana: Daily Mirror

If a general election is not held within the the next six months after the formation of an all-party government, a revolt by public could become inevitable, Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya head Ven. Valahangunawewe Dhammarathana Thera said. He made this comment when Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited the temple yesterday. Click here to read…

Tourist arrivals during Sept. 1-15 hit almost 15k: Daily Mirror

Tourist arrivals for the first 15 days of September totaled 14,833, bringing the arrivals for the January 1 to September 15 period to 511,263. An analysis of the daily arrival numbers, as shared by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, showed that the average arrival per day for the month is 988. Click here to read…

‘China a very close friend, but India is…’: Sri Lanka envoy on research ship: Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda on Monday extended gratitude to India for providing a “strong lifeline” during the economic crisis in the island nation and hoped that it will play a crucial role in the economic revival of his country. Click here to read…

Chinese premier, Vietnamese PM hold phone conversation: Xinhuanet

September 19, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday talked over phone with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on bilateral ties. In the phone call, Li said China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong communicate frequently, strongly promoting the development of bilateral relations. Click here to read…

China mulls measures to further boost foreign investment: Xinhuanet

September 19, 2022

China will take measures to boost foreign investment, with the manufacturing industry as a priority, the country’s top economic planner said Monday. China will facilitate the exchange of business personnel of foreign companies on the premise of strictly implementing epidemic prevention, as part of the efforts to address their outstanding problems, Meng Wei, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference. Click here to read…

Chinese Defense Minister meets Pakistani Chief of Army Staff: China Military

September 19, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe held a meeting with General Qamar Javed Bajwa, chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, in Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, on Monday morning. Gen. Wei Fenghe expressed his condolence over the severe floods hitting Pakistan. “China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the friendship between China and Pakistan has become stronger as time goes by. Click here to read…

Cybersecurity law violators to face heavier penalties: China Daily

September 19, 2022

The Cyberspace Administration of China proposed a series of amendments to the Cybersecurity Law last week that would raise the size of fines for some violations and diversify penalties for infractions committed by operators of critical information infrastructure. Click here to read…

Former senior Qinghai provincial legislator expelled from CPC, public office: China Daily

September 19, 2022

Li Jiexiang, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of Qinghai Provincial People’s Congress, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office over severe violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body said Monday. Click here to read…

China-Eurasia Expo kicks off in Xinjiang, rebukes US-led crackdown: Global Times

September 19, 2022

Over 3,600 companies from 32 countries and regions attended the 7th China-Eurasia Expo, which was launched on Monday in Urumqi, Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as the region strives to build itself into a bridgehead of Belt and Road cooperation despite the US’ economic suffocation of this strategically important regionClick here to read…

One-third of China’s land protected under ecological ‘red line’ scheme: Reuters

September 19, 2022

Nearly a third of China’s land is now off-limits to development under a scheme known as the “ecological protection red line”, a senior official said at a news briefing on Monday, bringing the country in accord with global biodiversity targets. China first proposed its “red line” scheme in 2011 to put an end to decades of “irrational development” that had encroached on forests, wetlands and other precious ecosystems. Click here to read…

Head of Hong Kong journalists group charged with obstructing police: Reuters

September 19, 2022

The head of Hong Kong’s leading journalist group was charged on Monday with obstructing police officers, a case seen by critics as a further blow to media freedoms in the Chinese-ruled city. Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was detained on Sept. 7 by two plainclothes officers while he was out reporting a story. Chan, who requested the officers identify themselves before handing over his identity document, was handcuffed and arrested. Click here to read…

UK might ax Confucius Institutes: Taipei Times

September 19, 2022

A group of cross-party British lawmakers is in talks with Taiwan to provide Chinese-language teachers to the UK as the British government seeks to phase out Chinese state-linked Confucius Institutes. There are 30 branches of the institute operating across the UK. Although controversies have existed for many years, they have continued to teach Britons Chinese language, culture and business etiquette. Click here to read…

As African countries pivot, China seizes chance to become a major military player: South China Morning Post

September 20, 2022

At a meeting of Chinese embassy officials and business representatives with immigration and security officials of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) earlier this month, one of the main topics was the safety of Chinese citizens and enterprises in the country. Click here to read…

China’s Greater Bay Area factories mostly staying put, but many have diversified abroad, survey finds: South China Morning Post

September 20, 2022

Manufacturers across China’s main economic and export engine – the Greater Bay Area – have really had to rein in their business plans this year, with small and medium-sized firms in a particularly difficult position, according to an annual survey.Information on the ground earlier this year indicated that companies in the region had a weak appetite for long-term investments, such as production expansions. And many were shelving or decelerating plans to move capacity outside China or to invest in technological upgrades, according to Standard Chartered’s annual survey of manufacturers operating in the Greater Bay Area. Click here to read…

China issues regulation on managing, overseeing leading officials: Xinhuanet

September 20, 2022

The General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has issued a regulation on improving the framework of systems for strictly managing and overseeing leading officials. The regulation aims to improve the mechanism for selecting and appointing leading officials, selecting outstanding individuals to take up posts and awarding them while filtering out the more mediocre officials. Click here to read…

Innovative SCO cooperation sought: China Daily

September 20, 2022

To offer better support for strong talent growth in enhancing opening-up, the Qingdao, Shandong province-based China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area has explored innovative cooperation with SCO member states in education. Click here to read…

New search for national mineral resources to begin: Global Times

September 20, 2022

China will begin a new program of exploration for mineral and energy resources, said the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) while reporting on the nation’s energy and mineral resources in the past decade. Click here to read…

China sees rapid development of logistics equipment manufacturing: People’s Daily

September 20, 2022

China has ranked at the top of the world in express parcel volume for eight consecutive years since 2014. Its express parcel volume surged 18-fold from 5.7 billion pieces in 2012 to 108.3 billion pieces in 2021. However, the capacity of express warehouses was often overwhelmed due to the rapid-growing business volume, which remained a serious challenge for the industry. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

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

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

Moscow Stresses Need for Inclusive Afghan Govt: Tolo News

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

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

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

Bhutan is 127th on human development index – Kuensel Online

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

Maldives

Tourist arrivals at 1.13 mln – Avas

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

Maldives granted SCO’s dialogue member status – Avas

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

Myanmar

On Leadership and Power in Myanmar – The Irrawaddy

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

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

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

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

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

Nepal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

Sri Lanka to brief creditors on IMF deal: Daily Mirror

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

Maintaining CPC’s position as leadership core in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics: Xinhuanet

September 16, 2022

When the Communist Party of China (CPC) reviewed the historic achievements and shifts accomplished in the past decade, the upholding of the CPC’s overall leadership was highlighted. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has taken a clear stand on upholding and strengthening overall Party leadership, providing fundamental guarantees for the cause of the Party and the country. Click here to read…

Xi meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi: Xinhuanet

September 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday morning at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand. Xi pointed out that China and Iran enjoy a longstanding friendship and that their relations have stood the test of a changing international landscape. Click here to read…

Full text of Xi’s speech at SCO Samarkand summit: Xinhuanet

September 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) here on Friday. The following is the full text of the speech: Click here to read…

Xi meets Pakistani PM Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif: Xinhuanet

September 16, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday Morning at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand. Xi pointed out that China and Pakistan are close neighbors linked by mountains and rivers and with a shared futureClick here to read…

China property investment down in January-August: Xinhuanet

September 16, 2022

China’s investment in property development went down 7.4 percent year on year in the first eight months of 2022, widening by 1 percentage point from that in the first seven months, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday. Click here to read…

ASEAN Media Partners Forum boosts cooperation: China Daily

September 16, 2022

The 2022 ASEAN Media Partners Forum, co-sponsored by the Central Radio and Television Administration and the government of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was held in Nanning, Guangxi, on Thursday. Click here to read…

China sanctions CEOs of Raytheon Technologies, Boeing Defense over arms sale to Taiwan region: Global Times

September 16, 2022

The Chinese government is set to impose sanctions on Gregory J. Hayes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Raytheon Technologies Corporation, and Theodore Colbert III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, following recent US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. Click here to read…

China property investment down in January-August: Xinhuanet

September 16, 2022

China’s investment in property development went down 7.4 percent year on year in the first eight months of 2022, widening by 1 percentage point from that in the first seven months, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday. Click here to read…

China Telecom investigates fire in Changsha building; no casualties reported: Global Times

September 16, 2022

The large fire that engulfed a high-rise building belonging to China Telecom in Changsha, Central China’s Hunan Province, has been put out. No casualties were reported, the group announced Friday on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo. The group said that it had shut off power to some facilities in the building. Some customers’ mobile phones were affected and the group was dealing with the issue, read the announcement. Click here to read…

Chongqing reports first monkeypox case in Chinese mainland, low risk of transmission: authorities: Global Times

September 16, 2022

A monkeypox case was reported in Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality on Friday. It is the first time that the disease has been discovered in the Chinese mainland, following reports of it in China’s Taiwan and Hong Kong regions. Click here to read…

Xi urges SCO to strengthen cooperation, promote building of closer SCO community with shared future: China Military

September 17, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to uphold the Shanghai Spirit, strengthen unity and cooperation, and promote the building of an even closer SCO community with a shared future. Click here to read…

China raises holdings of Treasuries in July, Japan cuts holdings, U.S. Treasury Department data show: Reuters

September 17, 2022

China increased its holdings of Treasuries in July for the first time in eight months, while Japan reduced its U.S. government debt load, data from the U.S. Treasury department showed on Friday. China’s stash of Treasuries rose to $970 billion in July, from $967.8 billion in June, which was the lowest since May 2010 when it had $843.7 billion. Click here to read…

China, Russia to hold meetings on security, law-enforcement: Xinhuanet

September 18, 2022

Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, will travel to China for the 17th round of China-Russia strategic security consultation and the 7th meeting of the China-Russia law-enforcement and security cooperation mechanism from September 18 to 19, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Sunday. Click here to read…

China’s large UAV completes first meteorological observation operation in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau: Global Times

September 18, 2022

The first test flight of the domestically developed plateau meteorological observation variant of Wing Loong II drone in China’s Qinghai-Xizang Plateau was conducted successfully over the weekend, which will provide more data for ecological protection on the plateau and scientific response to climate change. Click here to read…

China sees two manned submersibles put into joint operation in deep sea for first time: Global Times

September 18, 2022

China’s deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe (Striver) has recently completed assigned tasks in the South China Sea at a depth of 1,500 meters with a 4,500-meter manned submersible, which is the first time that two manned submersibles have been put into a joint operation in China. Click here to read…

CH-4, WZ-7 drones spotted in PLA patrols near Taiwan island for 1st time: Global Times

September 18, 2022

The defense authority on the island of Taiwan on Saturday spotted a CH-4 armed reconnaissance drone of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) near the island for the first time, marking the sixth type of drone that has appeared in the region in September following the WZ-7 high-altitude reconnaissance drone that made its debut on Thursday. Click here to read…

Central enterprises to establish chief compliance officer; compliance reviews embedded in business management: Global Times

September 18, 2022

China’s central government-owned companies should establish chief compliance officer and compliance reviews must be embedded in the business management process, a document released by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) said. Click here to read…

China’s rice imports jump over 42% in Jan-Aug amid low prices: Global Times

September 18, 2022

China’s cumulative imports of rice showed rapid growth during the first eight months of this year, customs data showed on Sunday. The rise in rice imports, which are expected to be mainly used as feed grain, mainly reflected low global prices and does not reflect changes in domestic output due to drought, experts noted. Click here to read…

Chinese cities race to experiment autonomous driving, ready to accelerate commercial use: Global Times

September 18, 2022

Don’t get surprised if a visitor board a taxi or bus in Shenzhen, a tech hub in South China’s Guangdong Province, and can’t find a driver. Nowadays, more cities in China are offering driverless public transport, reflecting the rapid growth of autonomous driving in the country. Click here to read…

Crash victims in southern China were on COVID quarantine bus: Reuters

September 18, 2022

The victims of a bus crash which killed 27 people and injured a further 20 in southwest China’s Guizhou province were in an official government health vehicle and were being transported for COVID reasons, local media reported on Sunday. Click here to read…

Officials in Tibet’s capital Lhasa apologise for handling of Covid lockdown after string of complaints: South China Morning Post

September 18, 2022

The authorities in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa have apologised for their handling of the city’s lockdown after angry residents complained about food shortages, a lack of proper care for hospital and quarantine patients, and a chaotic mass-testing system.
Zhandui, one of the city’s vice mayors, bowed in apology during a media briefing on Saturday night and said the complaints had highlighted the city government’s shortcomings and weaknesses. Click here to read…

China’s top police chief warns law enforcement to stay alert to risk of ‘colour revolution’ ahead of major Communist Party gathering: South China Morning Post

September 18, 2022

China’s top police chief has hailed law enforcement’s role in supporting the implementation of Hong Kong’s national security law and urged police to stay alert to the risk of a “colour revolution” in an article for a leading Communist Party journal ahead of the year’s biggest political set piece. In the article, Wang Xiaohong, the minister for public security, also stressed the importance of loyalty to President Xi Jinping and the leadership, urging law enforcement to “clear risks” and “maintain stability” ahead of next month’s party congress, where Xi is expected to secure a norm-breaking third term. Click here to read…

Biden again says U.S. will defend Taiwan if China invades: Kyodo

September 19, 2022

President Joe Biden said in an interview aired Sunday that U.S forces would defend Taiwan if it is attacked by China, the clearest response yet to the issue of whether the United States will come to the aid of the self-ruled island. Click here to read…

Frugal is the new cool for young Chinese as economy falters: Reuters

September 19, 2022

Before the pandemic, Doris Fu imagined a different future for herself and her family: new car, bigger apartment, fine dining on weekends and holidays on tropical islands. Instead, the 39-year old Shanghai marketing consultant is one of many Chinese in their 20s and 30s cutting spending and saving cash where they can, rattled by China’s coronavirus lockdowns, high youth unemployment and a faltering property market. Click here to read…

China to accelerate projects, boost consumption to spur recovery: Reuters

September 19, 2022

China will speed up fund injections to expedite project construction and boost domestic consumption, China’s state planner said at a news conference on Monday. That came after the world’s second-biggest economy slowed sharply in the second quarter, dragged down by a deepening property crisis, and slowing exports and imports. Click here to read…

Former general manager of China’s state railway expelled from Party: Global Times

September 19, 2022

Sheng Guangzu, former general manager of China’s state railway, has been stripped of his Party membership for severely violating Party discipline, and for criminally profiting from his influence, according to China’s anti-graft body. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

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

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

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

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

Bangladesh

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

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

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

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

Bhutan

Bhutan is 127th on human development index: Kuensel

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

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

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

Maldives

Abdul Ghafoor officially appointed Ambassador to US: Sun Online

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

Discussions underway on controlling drug prices: Avas

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

Myanmar

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

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

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

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

Pakistan

Editorial: No end to impunity: Dawn

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

Putin offers Shehbaz gas to warm ties: The Express Tribune

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

Sri Lanka

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

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

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

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

Afghanistan

UK Donates £24M to UNICEF to Help Afghan Children: Tolo News

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has contributed an additional GBP 24 million towards UNICEF’s $2 billion Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Afghanistan, UNICEF said in a report.The funds will help UNICEF provide “lifesaving nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection services to over 1.6 million people affected by the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. Around 1.3 million – 77 per cent – are children.” Click here to read…

Afghanistan Tipping ‘Towards Authoritarianism’ Says UN Rights Expert: Tolo News

A UN expert said on Monday that human rights had deteriorated under the Islamic Emirate, describing a “staggering repression” of women and girls and a “descent towards authoritarianism”, while Afghan women urged the global body to act. Click here to read…

Pakistan Seeks Taliban to Arrest JeM Jihadist Militant Group Chief: The Khaama Press

Pakistan, in a letter to the Taliban in Afghanistan, demanded the arrest of Maulana Masood Azhar, the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), a Jihadist militant group based in Pakistan, hinting that he is in Afghanistan, Pakistani media reported. Click here to read…

US Transfers $3.5 Billion in Afghan Assets to Swiss Trust: The Khaama Press

The US reportedly says it would transfer $3.5 billion in Afghan Central Bank assets frozen when the Taliban took power last year to a new Swiss-based trust fund. According to international media reports, Afghan central bank assets will be moved to a new Swiss-based trust fund that will be protected from the Taliban and utilized to assist stabilize Afghanistan’s collapsing economy. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina leaves Dhaka to attend 77th UNGA: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka on Thursday for the United Kingdom en route to New York to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Click here to read…

Bangladesh, Bhutan to finalize transit agreement, protocol: Dhaka Tribune

The two-day commerce secretary level meeting between Bangladesh and Bhutan ended today in the capital with a set of decisions including to finalize transit agreement and protocol in a bid to strengthen implementation of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) signed between the two countries. Click here to read…

Bhutan

PM Modi meets Bhutan King – Tribune India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and the two dignitaries discussed various ideas to further strengthen the close and unique India-Bhutan friendship. Click here to read…

Transit deal with Bhutan edges closer to reality – The Daily Star

A transit agreement between Bangladesh and Bhutan was finalised yesterday with senior officials of both countries agreeing to draft terms and conditions at a secretary level meeting in DhakaClick here to read…

Maldives

Bangladeshi Workers in the Maldives: The Thin Line between Migration and Trafficking – Asia Foundation

Dreaming of better fortune for his family, “Hasan” left his remote Bangladeshi village for a job in Saudi Arabia. To pay for his trip, his family sold their only resource, a small piece of land, and borrowed from relatives and a local welfare association. They handed the money—roughly 5,500 U.S. dollars—to a local dalal (broker) who promised Hasan an office job for 50,000 Bangladeshi taka per month. Click here to read…

Health Sector: Good performance, high costs, says the World Bank – Avas

The World Bank’s Maldives Public Expenditure Review (PER) shows that infant mortality in the Maldives fell by 2.8 percent from 2014 to 2019. The report said maternal mortality was also reduced by three percent during the period. Click here to read…

Myanmar

An illegitimate junta can’t fix Myanmar’s broken economy – Frontier Myanmar

The country’s economic predicament is inseparable from its political crisis. To help resolve it, foreign nations must go beyond the old playbook of symbolic sanctions and empty statements. Click here to read…

Myanmar Military Must Stop Shelling at Bangladesh Border – Daily Times

Myanmar’s Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh and India, has been in conflict for two months, affecting neighbouring countries as well. Especially, the residents of Ghumdhum and Tambru border areas of Bandarban are in a panic. On the other hand, many people of these states fled and took refuge in India. Ammunition from the Myanmar army is coming to our borderClick here to read…

RI confirms Myanmar’s absence from upcoming New York meeting – Jakarta Post

Myanmar will not participate in the upcoming ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with the United Nations secretary-general and the president of the 77th UN General Assembly (AUMM), Indonesia says. Click here to read…

Junta arrests 15 demanding UN extend term of Myanmar rep – RFA

Authorities in Myanmar’s commercial capital Yangon arrested 15 people on Tuesday evening after breaking up an anti-junta protest calling on the United Nations to extend the tenure of the shadow National Unity Government’s (NUG) envoy to the world body. Click here to read…

Myanmar’s workers left vulnerable as junta crushes unions – RFA

Myanmar’s labor unions have been all but crushed amid a crackdown by the junta in the more than 19 months since the military seized power in a coup, according to union officials and the workers who they represent. Click here to read…

Nepal

Vacancies for Nepalese under Agnipath may be withdrawn for time being if Kathmandu does not act soon: Army chief – Times of India

India may be forced to withdraw vacancies for enlisting soldiers from Nepal under its new Agnipath scheme in the ongoing recruitment cycle if the landlocked country does not take a decision in time, Army chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

EAM Jaishankar meets Nepal’s foreign secretary for bilateral cooperation – Business Standard

Nepalese Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday and apprised him of his talks with his Indian counterpart, Vinay Kwatra. “Pleased to receive Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal. Glad to learn from him that his discussions in India have been productive,” Jaishankar said in a tweet. Click here to read…

Is Nepal on track to attract climate finance to meet the challenge – My Republica

Endorsed by the cabinet in October 2021, Nepal’s national adaptation plan that covers the period of 2021 to 2050 has identified various adaptation programs to be implemented under three phases–immediate, mid-term and long term. Click here to read…

United States on mind, China steps up bid to cultivate ties with Nepal’s parliament – Dajji World

In a bid to cultivate ties with Nepal’s parliament, China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu signed an agreement with Agni Prasad Sapkota, speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, on Monday. Li and his Nepali counterpart Sapkota inked the six-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) following their hour-long delegation-level talks at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwar. Click here to read…

Pakistan

$150m pledged, but only $38m received so far: Dawn

Responding to a flash appeal jointly launched by Pakistan and the United Nations for an initial funding of $160 million, pledges amounting to $150 million have been made and, so far only $38.35 million of this amount has been converted into assistance, the United Nations’ Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Even friendly countries ‘fatigued’ by our aid seeking: PM: Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday presented a dismal picture of the country’s economy and regretted that friendly countries had started looking at Pakistan as a country that was always asking for money. Click here to read…

India concerned about US package for Pakistan F-16 jets: The Express Tribune

India is concerned about a US decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan’s fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft, the Indian defence minister told his US counterpart on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Panic grips Swat after spurt in TTP activities: The Express Tribune

The scenic Swat valley remained tense on Wednesday after a sudden spurt in the attacks by the militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the latest being an attack on a police post in the Matta Tehsil of the district. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Leading US Senators unveil a resolution calling for int’l approach to address SL’s crisis: Daily Mirror

Leading US senators, including the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez have introduced a Senate resolution calling for a comprehensive international approach to address Sri Lanka’s current political and economic crisis, including challenges related to poor governance and economic policy under the Rajapaksa family’s ruleClick here to read…

Sri Lanka’s economy at ‘absolute bottom’ after debt default, political tailspin: Hindustan Times

Sri Lanka’s economy likely shrank the most in two years amid a debt crisis that triggered a default and widespread protests that brought the nation to a standstill leading to the ouster of the president. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Transfer of Goods Across Afghanistan Has Increased: MoF: Tolo News

The transfer of commodities between South Asian Nations and Central Asia via Afghanistan has increased threefold compared to previous years, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said. According to the MoF, the Islamic Emirate has earned a good income from transit between South Asia and Central AsiaClick here to read…

Pakistan Snubs Flood Donation from Bangladesh amid Economic Crisis: The Khaama Press

Pakistan rejected Bangladesh’s offer to supply humanitarian aids worth of Tk 14 million (roughly $145,000) according to local media, as the country continued to suffer great lose during monsoon floodings. Click here to read…

Taliban Failed to Uphold any Promises Made: Tomas Niklasson at HRC 51: The Khaama Press

At the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC 51) in Geneva Monday, the Special Envoy of the European Union for Afghanistan Tomas Niklasson said the Taliban have failed to uphold any promises made, recalling Afghanistan is a party to the Rome Statute. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Floating exchange rate takes effect, finally: Daily Star

Bangladesh has finally embraced a floating exchange rate as the central bank adjusted its interbank foreign exchange rate yesterday in line with market realities. As a result, the taka lost its value by 11.73 per cent, the sharpest depreciation faced by the currency in the country’s history. It has fallen by 25 per cent in the past year against the dollar. Click here to read…

Bangladesh can be the global lab for climate solutions: Daily Star

Over the last 50 years, Bangladesh has been recognised in South Asia as well as around the world as a laboratory for development success in alleviating poverty, girls’ education and inclusion in the workforce, and unlocking the potential of the private sector in banking, industries and commerce, among others. Click here to read…

Momen hails PM Hasina’s India visit: Dhaka Tribune

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent state visit to New Delhi has added a “significant momentum” to Bangladesh-India bilateral ties which bears the testimony of time tested friendship. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan ratifies International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement – The Print

“Ambassador of Bhutan to India Maj Gen Vetsop Namgyel handed over the instrument of ratification to Secretary ER Dammu Ravi, in the presence of DG International Solar Alliance,” tweeted the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies. Click here to read…

India imposes 20 percent export duty on rice – Kuensel Online

The price of staple food rice could shoot up 20 percent if the Government of India’s (GoI) new rice export policy is applicable to Bhutan. The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, GoI, announced on September 8 of imposing a 20 percent export duty on rice. It came into effect on September 9. Click here to read…

Maldives

Changes to Maldives foreign policies bolster sovereignty: President – Edition

The changes to Maldivian foreign policies have further bolstered independence and national sovereignty, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The Maldivian head of the state made the remark at the commemoration event to celebrate 130th anniversary of the country’s military. According President Solih, the Maldivian foreign policy is formed on the backbone of unison. Click here to read…

Prison-Based Radicalization to Militant Jihadism in the Maldives – Homeland Security Today

With fewer than 400,000 people living on approximately 200 islands, the Maldives has tended to be overlooked in terrorism research, often overshadowed by its neighbors like Pakistan and Indonesia. In recent years, however, the Maldives has garnered increased focus. According to some measures, the Maldives was the nation with the highest per capita number of foreign terrorist fighters [FTF] joining ISIS and al Qaeda in recent yearsClick here to read…

Illegal Supply of Explosives to Myanmar: NIA Conducts Searches in Mizoram – News 18

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at two locations in Mizoram in a case related to illegal supply of huge quantities of explosives from India to Myanmar, an official said. Three accused, including one Myanmarese national, were arrested and charge-sheeted in the case by the federal agency on April 19. Click here to read…

UN investigator says Facebook provided vast amount of Myanmar war crimes information – ABC Net

The head of a UN investigation team on Myanmar says Facebook has handed over millions of items that could support allegations of war crimes and genocide. UN investigators said hate speech spread on Facebook fuelled the violence in Myanmar. The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) aims to build case files for proceedings in national, regional or international courts. Click here to read…

Myanmar: Death of Activists in Custody – Human Rights Watch

Myanmar’s military and police are responsible for scores of deaths in custody since the February 1, 2021 military coup, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch documented the deaths of six detained activists that involved apparent torture or the denial of adequate medical care. The junta authorities have not seriously investigated these deaths or taken action against those responsible. Click here to read…

China-backed Port in Western Myanmar Depriving Locals of Land and Jobs – The Irrawaddy

Despite the efforts of Myanmar’s military regime to expedite the development of the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (KPSEZ) and deep sea port in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the project is facing significant delays due to local protests and the impact of last year’s coup. Click here to read…

A lot has to be done in India-Myanmar trade, says Myanmar envoy Moe Kyaw Aung – The Print

India and Myanmar share good relations and a lot has to be done in the field of trade and investment, said the Ambassador of Myanmar to India, Moe Kyaw Aung on Monday. Speaking at a roundtable session on Bilateral Trade Opportunities between India and Neighbouring countries, Moe Kyaw Aung said, “India and Myanmar enjoy good relations. We’ve strong cultural ties and share a long land border. A lot has to be done pertaining to trade and investment.” Click here to read…

India’s Cooperation With Myanmar’s Junta is not Yielding Results – The Irrawaddy

India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar defended his country’s ties with Myanmar’s military regime last month, arguing that a working relationship with the junta is needed because of issues such as organized crime, COVID-19 and Indian insurgents based in Myanmar. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal-India discuss crucial bilateral issues at foreign secretary-level talks held in New Delhi on Tuesday – Kathmandu Post

Nepal and India held a foreign secretary-level meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday wherein officials from the two governments discussed bilateral issues ranging from boundary matters to energy cooperation. The meeting also discussed a review of the Treaty of Trade and Transit and the construction of a liquefied petroleum gas pipeline from Motihari, India to Chitwan among others. Click here to read…

Nepali students coming to Russia due to allurement in trouble, says Nepali Embassy – Khabar Hub

The Nepali Embassy in Moscow, the Russian Federation, has said the Nepali students going to Russia for various allurements are getting in trouble due to lack of knowledge of language and the situation there. The Embassy, through a press release, appealed to all the Nepali students and parents concerned not to be lured by any kind of false promise or allurement, except only for study, while going to Russia on student visa. Click here to read…

Nepal backs ‘One China’ policy – Tribune India

China’s top legislator and third-ranked leader in the country’s political hierarchy Li Zhanshu today held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and other top political leaders of Nepal during which they discussed matters of mutual interests, including bilateral trade, investment and connectivity. Click here to read…

Lack of a tripartite deal and transmission line may delay power export to Bangladesh – Kathmandu Post

Although Bangladesh has shown interest to import Nepali electricity, it will not be easy for Nepal to export power without an official nod from India. As Nepal and Bangladesh do not share borders and India lies between the two countries, India’s cooperation will be crucial to enable trading of electricity between Nepal and Bangladesh. Experts say a tripartite agreement is essential for this. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Festering food crisis worries Red Cross; Guterres terms floods ‘unnatural’: Dawn

International agencies have sounded the alarm over the acute food crisis expected to hit Pakistan in the wake of catastrophic floods as the UN chief declared that climate change impacts were “heading into uncharted territories of destruction”. Click here to read…

No plans for Shehbaz-Modi meeting: Dawn

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has no plans to meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on September 15 and 16. Click here to read…

Proposal of army chief’s extension is subject to snap polls: Imran: The Express Tribune

Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has clarified that he did not talk about giving extension to the army chief but suggested deferring the new appointment till after the next general elections. Click here to read…

Cabinet rejects increase in medicine prices: The Express Tribune

The federal cabinet rejected a summary moved by the Ministry of National Health Services for increasing the retail price of 10 medicines, as the prime minister directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to take steps to keep banks open on holidays in the flood-ravaged areas. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Ranil’s exit will be more fearsome than Gota’s: Hirunika: Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s exit from office will be more fearsome than former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s, former MP and Samagi Wanitha Balawegaya Head Hirunika Premachnadra said today. “Ranil’s exit will happen soon and it will be more fearsome than that of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He will be removed instantly and may end up in prison,” Ms. Premachandra told a press conference. Click here to read…

Govt. to review suspended imports list every fortnight: Daily Mirror

The government is reviewing the suspended imports list every fortnight to lessen the impact on industries, a Cabinet Minister said. As per recommendations of the Central Bank, the government imposed a temporary ban on a wide range of goods with effect from August 23 under the Import and Export Control Act in order to manage the limited forex reserves. Click here to read…

Sri Lankan president under fire over govt expansion amidst economic crisis: Indian Express

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has come under fire from the Opposition over his government expansion with 37 state ministers and with moves underway to appoint at least 12 more Cabinet ministers soon at a time when the island nation is facing bankruptcy. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Education Minister’s Remarks Trigger Strong Reactions: Tolo News

The remarks of the education minister regarding girls’ schooling has faced a strong reaction inside and outside Afghanistan. In a visit to Uruzgan province, the, acting Minister of Education, Noorullah Munir, said that people do not want their girls to attend school in the current situation. Click here to read…

Pakistan Increases Tariff on Afghan Fruits, Concerning Traders: The Khaama Press

Afghan fruiterer and exporters worried about their gross income amid increasing tariffs by Pakistan, according to sources, as the country announced looking for new markets to export coals out of Afghanistan. According to farmers, Pakistan increases customs tariffs in fresh fruit exports every year, when most harvest their best products – mainly fruits. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Report: A grim picture of human rights in Bangladesh: Dhaka Tribune

Citing numerous cases of sexual assault, violence against women and children, murder after rape, deaths by law enforcement agencies, and political violence, the monthly human rights violations monitoring report of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has painted a grim picture in Bangladesh during January-August this year. Click here to read…

Prolonged Rohingya stay impacts Bangladesh’s stability, says PM Sheikh Hasina: The Hindu

In August, the refugees marked the fifth anniversary of a mass exodus of more than 700,000 Rohingyas into Bangladesh who were fleeing a harsh crackdown by Myanmar’s military Bangladesh’s Prime Minister said on Monday that the prolonged stay of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in the country has become a serious security and stability concern. Click here to read…

Bhutan

“

Carbon Negative” — The First of Its Kind – Harvard International Review

As the world’s richest countries fail to meet emissions reductions targets year after year, the small kingdom of Bhutan, tucked away in the Himalayas with a population of less than one million people, became the first country to reach carbon neutrality. In fact, Bhutan is now actually carbon negative—a term coined by former Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay that refers to the fact that Bhutan currently offsets over four times as much carbon as its economy emits. Click here to read…

Royal Friendships connect Bhutan and the UK – The Statesman

Relations between Bhutan and the United Kingdom is characterised by historical contact since the 18th century, recent cooperation in Bhutan’s development process, the education of many Bhutanese students in the United Kingdom, and the friendship between members of the Royal families of the two countries. Click here to read…

Maldives

Simplifying the process of developing land use plans is important: President – Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that it is important to simplify the process of developing land use plans of outer islands. The President made this remark at the second session of the third Viavathi Raajje Conference, on Sunday. During the session, President Solih noted that amending laws, if necessary to address recurring issues that arise while formulating the plans is also important. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives stand neck-deep in Chinese debt: Forbes – The Print

Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives are among the biggest debtors of China. Pakistan owes USD 77.3 billion of external debt to China, according to Forbes. Maldives’ debt to 31 per cent of its Gross National Income (GNI). Maldives’ total debt amounts to MVR 86 billion by the end of 2020, MVR 44 billion of which is external debt, reported The Island Online. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Military Crony Linked to New Ownership of Ooredoo’s Myanmar Unit – The Irrawaddy

Qatari telecom Ooredoo’s operation in Myanmar is now de facto owned by Zaw Win Shein, a military crony and the adopted son of a general who served as a minister in the military proxy Thein Sein administration, which ran Myanmar from 2011 to early 2016. Click here to read…

Geopolitics keeps Myanmar’s junta close to India, China – New Indian Express

Notwithstanding the growing level of intolerance against dissenters that has led to executions, unwarranted jail terms and arrests, the military junta-led government in Myanmar due to geopolitics and its strategic location has managed to retain its clout with India, China and Russia. Click here to read…

Prolonged Rohingya stay impacts Bangladesh’s stability, says PM Sheikh Hasina – The Hindu

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister said on Monday that the prolonged stay of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in the country has become a serious security and stability concern. Click here to read…

Rare Earths Supply Stifled By Controversy In Myanmar – OilPrice.com

In last month’s MMI, MetalMiner reported how nations all around the globe were searching for alternatives to rare earth exports from China. After all, the ongoing Chinese property crisis and limited industrial output continue to strain the country’s rare earths industry. Aside from the supply problems, many nations simply want to break their dependence on Chinese rare earth elements. Click here to read…

Human Rights Council Discusses Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar and in Sri Lanka – OHCHR

The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive dialogue with Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar, followed by an interactive dialogue with Nada Al-Nashif, Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, on the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

Myanmar: Military’s Real Weak Spot Is Economic Ineptitude – Eurasia Review

Sept. 7 marked the first anniversary of the shadow National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar’s declaration of a defensive war against the military. Few at the time gave them much hope against a well-armed and brutal military that had ruled the country for all but seven of the past 60 years. Click here to read…

Myanmar Set For Blacklisting by Financial Watchdog – The Diplomat

Military-ruled Myanmar could soon join North Korea and Iran on a key international financial blacklist, dealing a blow to the military junta’s hopes of stabilizing the country’s economy. Nikkei Asia, citing four Western and Asian government officials familiar with the matter, reported yesterday that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is expected to approve Myanmar’s addition to its “call to action” blacklist next month. Click here to read…

Fresh Influx of Myanmar Nationals Into India’s Mizoram State – The Diplomat

The Indian government and civil society organizations are engaged in hectic efforts in the border state of Mizoram to rehabilitate refugees who have crossed over from Myanmar following a recent eruption of violent conflict between government troops and a rebel outfit. Click here to read…

Nepal

Nepal mocks green pledges by approving new oil pipelines – Kathmandu Post

Nepal has proposed to switch from petrol-powered automobiles to electric vehicles by 2031, and pursuant to this policy, the 2020-21 budget unveiled by the then KP Sharma Oli administration contained a strategic plan to lower oil imports, and with it, the resulting air pollution. Click here to read…

Nepal and China agree to enhance cooperation on multiple fronts under the BRI framework -Kathmandu Post

Nepal and China on Monday agreed to increase their engagements and exchanges on governance, legislative and supervisory practices under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI). The understanding was reached between Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota and visiting head of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress Li Zhanshu after delegation-level talks in the parliament building on Monday evening. Click here to read…

Nepal moves one spot up in Human Development Index, ranks 143rd- Kathmandu Post

Though the country climbed up one position in the ranking, the Human Development Index (HDI) value declined from 0.604 to 0.602 due to continued turbulence caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Human Development Report 2021-22 unveiled in Kathmandu on Monday. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Flood dashboard launched as govt warns of more rains: Dawn

The government on Monday launched its ‘Digital Flood Dashboard’ to ensure transparency in the allocation of funds and to keep the nation informed about the rescue and relief activities in the flood-hit areas. Click here to read…

Pakistan lacking ‘effectiveness’ on four FATF-linked goals: Dawn

The Asia-Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering has rated Pakistan’s level of effectiveness as ‘low’ on 10 out of 11 international goals on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terror (AML/CFT), even though the country is now compliant on 38 out of 40 technical recommendations. Click here to read…

Ties with France to be deepened: PM: The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan was committed to further deepen its relations with France across all areas of mutual interest, saying continued engagement would further deepen mutually beneficial relations. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka situation fragile, called for accountability- UNHRC: Daily Mirror

Presenting a report on SriLanka, acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Nashif told the Human Rights Council that the situation here was fragile and called for accountability. The report says Sri Lanka’s new Government should embark on a national dialogue to advance human rights and reconciliation. Click here to read…

Govt. declare next Monday holiday and mourning day: Daily Mirror

The government to declare a special public holiday for government institutions on September 19 on account of the royal funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration has issued a letter to the ministry secretaries and head of government institutions. Click here to read…

India raises Sri Lankan Tamil issue in U.N.: The Hindu

India on Monday voiced concern over the “lack of measurable progress” in Sri Lanka’s promised political solution to the long-pending Tamil national question, while making an unusual reference to the crisis-hit island nation’s “debt-driven” economy in the context of its current crisisClick here to read…