Afghanistan

UNAMA Calls for Climate Change in Afghanistan to Be Addressed: Tolo News

As the UN climate change summit began in Egypt on Sunday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called for urgent global cooperation to stop the destructive effects of climate changes in Afghanistan.“The Afghan people stand on the precipice of devastating climate projections. As COP27 opens today, the UN in Afghanistan calls for urgent collective action to halt the destructive impact of the altering climate in the country that is one of the least prepared against climate shocks but is ranked the sixth most affected in the world to climate-related threats,” UNAMA report reads. Click here to read…

Islamic Emirate: Moscow Format Should Have Kabul Delegate: Tolo News

In response to TASS news agency’s reporting that Kabul would be absent from the “Moscow Format” meeting on Afghanistan which will take place in Moscow in mid-November, the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Emirate said that this meeting would be incomplete without a representative from the current government. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina: Bangladesh an ideal place for investment: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said many renowned companies from around the world are setting up their factories in the economic zones of Bangladesh. “Bangladesh has emerged as an ideal place for investment with a favourable investment climate. We are building 100 Special Economic Zones across the country with all amenities available. Many of the world’s famous companies are setting up their factories in these zones,” she said. Click here to read…

IMF team attends BERC presentation on setting power, gas tariffs: Dhaka Tribune

The visiting team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been keen to know how the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) sets power and gas tariffs. A four-member IMF delegation, led by Rahul Anand, head of its Asia and Pacific Division, has been in Bangladesh since October 26 to discuss the government’s request for a $4.5 billion loan and held a series of meetings with its different departments. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Sagar: Indian Army personnel, 350 trainees from Bhutan, Sri Lanka visit ICCC – Free Press Journal

India Army personnel, along with the 350 trainee soldiers from Bhutan and Sri Lanka, visited the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) set up by Sagar Smart City Limited on Friday to learn more about monitoring of administrative services. Click here to read…

Revival of a traditional art form – Kuensel Online

The exhibition by Rinzin Dorji and Penjor Dorji includes a piece that is 100 percent made in Bhutan, using nettle canvas and mineral paint. The event was organised to showcase works of art with the use of natural pigments – organic and mineral-based. The Executive Director of RTA, Rinzin Ongmo Dorji said that although RTA’s main mandate is to promote the traditional art form of weaving, the organisation also works towards promoting the other traditional crafts in the country. Click here to read…

Maldives

Tourism occupancy averages at 58.8 percent – Avas

According to the MMA’s October data, the occupancy rate stood at 58.8 percent this year, up 6.6 percent compared to the same period last year. While tourism occupancy peaked in February this year, standing at 72.7 percent, it stood at 70.1 percent earlier in January. According to MMA statistics, the number of flights to the Maldives is also increasing. The number of international flights arriving in the Maldives reached 11,070 as of September. There were 8,698 flights during the same period last year. Click here to read…

Goods worth MVR 39 bln imported thus far this year – Avas

The Maldives’ imports from January to September this year stood at MVR 39 billion. According to the central bank, Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) data, while goods worth MVR 39 billion have been imported thus far this year, imports stood at MVR 27 billion during the same period last year. This year’s figures are up by MVR 12 billion compared to 2021. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Australia under pressure to sanction Myanmar military after Amnesty

International report and leaked ANZ Bank transactions – ABCNet

The Australian government is under pressure to impose sanctions on Myanmar’s military junta and activists are calling on ANZ Bank to reconsider its dealings in the South-East Asian nation amid new revelations about jet fuel supply chains and transactions. An Amnesty International report released on Thursday called on the international community to “urgently prevent shipments of aviation fuel from reaching the Myanmar military”. Click here to read…

Crime Surges Under Myanmar Junta as Rule of Law Crumbles – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s citizens have witnessed surging crime in their neighborhoods since the military coup last year, as law enforcement deteriorates and the regime is unable to run the country properly. The country’s business hub, Yangon, is no exception. Click here to read…

Myanmar to top Asean summit agenda as G20 and Apec draw big powers to region – SCMP

Southeast Asia’s territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea are likely to take a back seat when officials gather this week amid growing violence in military-ruled Myanmar and heightened Sino-US tensions, analysts have said. Top diplomats from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) are set to convene in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh for an annual summit, which is also expected to draw world leaders to the region. The meeting often takes centre stage in Southeast Asia’s year-end diplomatic bustle but this time, it would wrestle for attention with other high-profile forums, including the G20 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summits in Bali and Bangkok, respectively. Click here to read…

Nepal

Hamro Nepali Party aims to emerge as an alternative force – Khabar Hub

The Hamro Nepali Party has made public its election commitment paper for, aiming at establishing itself as an alternative political force. At a program organized in Lalitpur on Sunday, the party said time has come to break the traditional standard of Nepali politics. The party launching ‘stick campaign’ said its political philosophy and principle would be ‘Nepal-ism’. The party has shared the national programme of constructing seven ring roads linking mountain, hill and Tarai regions in each province. The commitment document also stated that long term plan would be made for the development of health, education, agriculture and tourism. Click here to read…

Climate shocks add risks to Nepal’s power projects – Kathmandu Post

People’s Hydropower Company Limited had planned on completing the 54MW Super Dordi Hydropower Project B in 2021 before the landslide debris brought by the Dordi stream in Lamjung damaged the project’s dam in the monsoon last year. “We had completed 95 percent of the dam-related work, and the project’s overall physical progress was over 70 percent when the massive debris brought by floods damaged the intake,” said Keshav Bahadur Rayamajhi, managing director of People’s Hydropower Limited. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Imran endorses PM-suggested SC probe panel: Dawn

The PTI’s long march, which came to a standstill after the assassination attempt on Imran Khan in Wazirabad, will resume its journey on Tuesday (tomorrow) from the same place where the party chairman was injured in the gun attack. Click here to read…

PM Shehbaz arrives in Egypt to attend climate change summit: Dawn

PM Shehbaz was received at the international airport of Sharm El Sheikh by Egypt’s senior officials and the officers of the Pakistani embassy. The prime minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, cabinet members and other senior officials. Click here to read…

Pak-China ties: challenges & avenues: The Express Tribune

In a 47-point communique, both sides have brought up all issues of mutual interest worthy of in-depth analysis. In this limited space, I will address four points, particularly on the socioeconomic front. According to the numbers available publicly, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has already brought $46 billion worth of capital to Pakistan including concessionary loans, commercial debt and investment with state guarantees. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

President meets UN Secretary General: Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe met the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres in Egypt, Cairo where he briefed the Secretary-General on the Government’s plans on the National Environmental Policy.
The Secretary General recalled memories of his first visit to Sri Lanka in 1978, President Media Division (PMD) said. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

SIGAR Highlights Afghan Situation in Latest Quarterly Report: Tolo News

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction released its 57th quarterly report, in which it highlighted the political, economic, humanitarian and human rights situation in Afghanistan. The report underlined the establishment of the “The Afghan Fund,” saying that the US State Department did so to provide $3.5 billion in frozen Afghan central bank assets for the benefit of the Afghan people. Click here to read…

Czechia to Close Embassy in Kabul: Reports: Tolo News

Czechia will close its embassy in Kabul on January 1 this year, as no improvement in the country’s security situation is expected anytime soon, Anadolu Agency reported, citing the country’s local media. The Czech embassy opened in Kabul in 2007, temporarily closed in August 2021, and had to evacuate its staff due to the rapid advance of Taliban forces to the capital, according to Anadolu. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina: Mustaque, Zia were behind Nov 3 jail killings: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday told Parliament that those who killed Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman committed the November 3 jail massacre in 1975. Click here to read…

Bhutan

India defence secretary, COO Bhutan meet to enhance defence cooperation – Live Mint

India’s defence secretary Giridhar Armane and Chief Operations Officer Lt Gen Batoo Tshering, Royal Bhutan Army, met in New Delhi to enhance bilateral defence cooperation. “During their interaction, they discussed ongoing defence cooperation between the two country’s armies and reviewed areas of mutual interest to increase cooperation,” the ministry of Defence said in a press release. Click here to read…

Maldives

Single Use Plastic Waste Threatens Maldives – NTD

Community leaders in the Maldives have called for the world to stop using single-use plastics. The discarded waste often ends up on their picturesque beaches. Click here to read…

Maldives welcomed 153,737 tourists during October – Raajje

In the first two days of November alone, Maldives had welcomed 10,471 tourists. India remains the top source market for the archipelago nation’s tourism. Daily arrivals this ongoing month is much higher than that of September’s. Maldives welcomed a total of 153,737 tourists during October this year. This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism in its latest weekly statistics, publicized on Thursday. Click here to read…

Myanmar

Myanmar junta responsible for crisis, says Indonesia foreign minister – Reuters

Myanmar’s military government is responsible for a lack of progress on a peace plan agreed with ASEAN, Indonesia’s foreign minister said on Thursday, adding the regional bloc has done its part in trying to end hostilities in the strife-torn country. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has urged Myanmar to implement a peace plan agreed last year to halt a spiral of violence that has gripped the country since the military overthrew an elected government in Feb. 2021. Click here to read…

Myanmar court sentences ex-politician to 173 years in prison – Aljazeera

A court in military-ruled Myanmar has handed a 148-year prison sentence to a former parliamentarian from the deposed National League for Democracy (NLD) party, adding to a previous conviction which will now see Win Myint Hlaing, 52, spend a total of 173 years in prison. The sentence, which was handed down on Monday to Win Myint Hlaing after his conviction on terrorism charges, appeared to be the longest jail term given to any member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government and NLD party since the military grabbed power in February 2021. Click here to read…

Myanmar: Investigation reveals aviation fuel supply chain linked to war crimes – Amnesty

The international community must urgently prevent shipments of aviation fuel from reaching the Myanmar military, Amnesty International said today, as it published an investigation into the companies involved in the supply chain, as well as shocking new accounts of deadly air strikes on civilians. Deadly Cargo: Exposing the Supply Chain that Fuels War Crimes in Myanmar provides the most detailed look into aviation fuel since the military seized power in the 2021 coup, from the distant port where the fuel originally departed to the unlawful air strikes that killed civilians – and every step in between. Click here to read…

Myanmar could face aid ‘catastrophe’, experts warn, after junta law change – The Guardian

Myanmar’s junta has passed a law that grants it sweeping powers over aid delivery, prompting warnings of a “catastrophic” effect on services to those in need in the crisis-hit nation. Sources inside aid agencies in Yangon, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Guardian that the new rules would severely impact their ability to reach vulnerable communities, likely resulting in wholesale shutdowns of some programmes. Click here to read…

Nepal

India to import 22 megawatt more energy from Nepal – Khabar Hub

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has received approval from India to export 22 megawatt of power produced from Chilime Hydropower Company. Spokesperson of NEA Suresh Bahadur Bhattarai confirmed that the approval was obtained on October 31 from India’s Central Electricity Authority to export more power to India. With this approval, Nepal now would export 386 MW of power to India, Spokesperson Bhattarai added. Click here to read…

Supreme Court order against extending term of GMR Upper Karnali Hydropower Limited in Nepal – Economic Times

Nepal’s Supreme Court on Thursday issued an interim order and asked the government not to implement its decision to extend the term of India’s power giant GMR that is developing the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project. The Cabinet had decided to extend GMR’s term by two years. A single bench of Justice Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada issued the interim order against the Cabinet’s July 15 decision, according to the apex court sources. Click here to read…

Nepal’s Oli vows balanced ties with China, India if returned to power – The Print

Nepal’s main communist opposition party will balance the Himalayan nation’s ties with neighbours China and India for mutual benefit if it is returned to power in a general election this month, its leader said. oth Asian giants have been locked in a high stakes battle for influence in Nepal — sandwiched between the two countries — longing for a friendly government in Kathmandhu. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Attempt on Imran Khan’s life shocks nation: Dawn

In what appeared to be an assassination attempt, former prime minister Imran Khan was shot at and injured on Thursday evening when a suspect, standing in front of the container carrying the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief and senior party leaders, showered a volley of bullets with an automatic pistol when the party’s ‘Haqaaqi Azadi’ march reached Wazirabad’s Allahwala Chowk. Click here to read…

Imran named PM, interior minister, army officer for assassination bid: Umar: The Express Tribune

Umar issued a video statement, accompanied by a fellow party member and provincial minister Aslam Iqbal, wherein he disclosed that both of them had a conversation with Imran after the attack and the PTI chief revealed that he already had information about it. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Ban on travelling overseas under tourist visa and finding jobs stays: Daily Mirror

The Foreign Employment Ministry is to take every possible action to prevent all attempts to travel abroad for work under tourist visas. Addressing the media, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara advised the ministry officials to take action to send women abroad for all jobs especially to the countries such as the UAE and Oman under work visa. Click here to read…

Two Russian warships enter territorial waters of Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror

A detachment of Pacific Fleet ships led by the flagship of the Nakhimov Guards missile cruiser Varyag, the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs and the large sea tanker Boris Butoma have entered the responsibility zone of the TOF south of Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Female Students Above 6th Grade Get Schooling from Kabul Organization: Tolo News

An institution in Kabul is supporting girls’ education and providing work opportunities for nearly 2,000 girls above grade sixth in Kabul. In this institution, students take regular school lessons and prepare for the university entrance exam. They also learn practical skills like tailoringClick here to read…

Pakistan Calls for Sustained, Practical Engagement With Kabul: Tolo News

Addressing the 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that sustained and practical engagement with Afghanistan is important in order to help the Afghan people overcome the humanitarian and economic crises afflicting their country. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

PM Hasina pays homage to Bangabandhu, four national leaders on Jail Killing Day: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders marking the Jail Killing Day. In showing respect to the memory of the Father of the Nation and the four national leaders, the premier placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No 32 in Dhaka in the morning. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Army Chief Gen Pande holds talks with Bhutanese commander – Economic Times

Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande on Tuesday held wide-ranging talks with Royal Bhutan Army’s Chief Operations Officer Lt Gen Batoo Tshering on ways to expand bilateral military ties amid China enhancing infrastructure around Bhutanese territory in the Doklam plateau. Officials said the talks focused on various key dimensions of India-Bhutan defence cooperation and the two commanders reviewed the evolving regional security scenario. Click here to read…

Organisational rejig for Bhutan tourism – Telegraph India

The Bhutan government on Tuesday announced to absorb the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB), an autonomous organisation, into the ministry of economic affairs as one of its departments. North Bengal tourism stakeholders are keenly following the development as Bhutan contributes a good part of tourism revenue to their kitty. Till 2020, around 70 per cent of foreign tourists visiting Bhutan were Indians. Click here to read…

Maldives

Azur Air resumes flights to the Maldives – Edition

Russia’s charter airline Azur Air has resumed direct flights to the Maldives. Last Friday, the airline resumed service from Moscow to the Maldives for the high season. The flights were discontinued mid March following the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Click here to read…

Myanmar

ANZ, UOB face scrutiny over business with Myanmar military’s bank

Big banks, including Australia’s ANZ, have continued to do business with a bank owned by Myanmar’s military administration despite its bloody crackdown on anti-coup protests, according to an advocacy group and leaked documents. ANZ, one of Australia’s “big four” banks, was used by Hong Kong-based insurer AIA to transfer funds to Innwa Bank, which is owned by military conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), in August and September 2021. Click here to read…

Myanmar’s Lawyers Face Increasing Junta Threats – – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s defense lawyers for political detainees are facing increased threats from the junta which has carried out arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings since last year’s coup. The junta supporters watch them and encourage their arrest. There were calls for the arrest of a female lawyer who posted condolences on social media after the mother of her jailed client was killed in October’s blasts and junta shooting at the parcel drop-off at Yangon’s Insein Prison. Click here to read…

China Opens New Shipping Route to Myanmar From South China Sea – The Irrawaddy

In the latest sign of its growing ties with Myanmar’s military regime, China has opened a direct shipping route linking its international port in the South China Sea to Myanmar’s business hub, Yangon. Named after the Beibu Gulf Port complex in Guangxi Province, the new Beibu Gulf Port-Myanmar shipping route was opened last Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar announced on its Facebook page. Click here to read…

Number of Myanmar Children Made Homeless Under Junta Passes Half a Million – The Irrawaddy

The number of children in Myanmar forced to flee their homes to escape violence since last year’s coup has reached 520,000, according to Save the Children. More than 1.4 million people have been displaced by conflict in Myanmar – including over half a million children – with 1.1 million forced to flee since the military takeover and crackdown in February 2021, said Save the Children in a statement released yesterday. Click here to read…

Nepal

India provides 200 vehicles to Nepal for general elections – Times of India

On request of Nepal, the Government of India on Tuesday handed over a total of 200 vehicles that would be utilized at the time of general elections slated for 20th of this month. The Indian Ambassador to Nepal- Naveen Srivastava, handed over vehicles to Minister for Finance- Janardan Sharma as a gift from India for logistical support to various Nepali institutions for conduct of elections. Out of 200 vehicles 120 will be utilized by security forces and 80 vehicles by the Election Commission of Nepal. These vehicles would be useful in further augmenting the logistical arrangements of various institutions of Nepal across the country for conducting the polls. Click here to read…

Is Nepal Under China’s Thumb – Foreign Policy

On Nov. 20, Nepalis will head to the polls to elect their 11th government since the country became a democratic republic in 2008, after more than 200 years of monarchical rule. In that time, the continuous formation and breakdown of alliances have plagued Nepal’s politics, leaving voters disillusioned. Yet there is still a greater threat to the country’s young democracy: China has become increasingly more involved in Nepal’s domestic politics. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan, China agree to expand, accelerate CPEC: Dawn

China on Wednesday assured Pakistan of its continued support to the country’s sustainable economic and strategic projects, including expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Main Line-1 (ML-1) rail track besides an additional assistance package of RMB 500 million for the country’s flood-relief efforts. Click here to read…

Long march could go on for 10 months: Imran: Dawn

Addressing participants of the rally at Gakharmandi on the sixth day of the travails, the former prime minister asked the ‘institutions’ if they were neutral, then what was stopping them from holding “free and fair” elections. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Urgent Qatari medical aid arrives in Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror

An urgent shipment of medical aid has arrived in Sri Lanka, and which has been provided by the Qatar Fund for Development to support the health sector in the country, QNA reported. Qatar’s ambassador to Sri Lanka Jassim bin Jaber al-Sorour received the Qatari medical aid, which he handed over to Minister of Health of Sri Lanka Keheliya Rambukwella. Click here to read…

Economic crisis to reverse SL’s gains in economic freedom: Daily Mirror

As per the latest Economic Freedom of the World report, Hong Kong and Singapore top the index, continuing their streak as first and second, respectively. New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark, Australia, the United States, Estonia, Mauritius and Ireland round up the top 10. Research shows that people living in countries with high levels of economic freedom enjoy greater prosperity, more political and civil liberties and longer lives. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

US to act unilaterally against terrorist threats from Afghanistan – Dawn

The United States will continue to act unilaterally to address emergent terrorist threats from Afghanistan, the US State Department has warned. The warning followed news reports that Al Qaeda, the Islamic State militant group — which the US refers to as ISIS — and other terrorist groups have been reactivated in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover and were gradually becoming a major threat to the US and its allies. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

India helped maintain political stability in Bangladesh, says minister. He explains – Hindustan Times

Hasan Mahmud, one of the senior-most ministers in Hasina’s government and a top leader of the Awami League, said Dhaka had taken strong action against people involved in attacks on Hindus and there were 700 more Durga Pujas in Bangladesh this year as compared to 2021. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Indian Railways exploring logistic trade ties with Bhutan – Deccan Herald

Days after helping Bhutan to transport a consignment of vehicles from Chennai, Indian Railways have started exploring logistic trade ties with the neighbouring country. Officials of The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) on Tuesday met a delegation comprising officials of Bhutan’s foreign ministry, trade bodies and chamber of commerce at Alipurduar junction in North Bengal. Click here to read…

Why we need to act on climate change to avert glacial melting in Bhutan – WEF

At 4,200 metres above sea level, the remote highland community of Lunana – made up of a cluster of 17 villages – is a place almost untouched by visitors. Tucked away in a corner of the tiny Kingdom of Bhutan, it takes seven days to trek here from the capital Thimphu. The only other way in, depending on the weather, is a helicopter ride that follows the river bending and weaving between the mountains. Click here to read…

Foreign exchange quota misuse affects reserve – Kuensel Online

The foreign currency reserve is dwindling, risking the country’s ability to fund essential trade and foreign currency reserves. Bhutan’s convertible currency (CC) was reported at USD 717 million (M) as of June, according to the Royal Monetary Authority’s (RMA) provisional figure. It was short by USD 40M from the central bank’s threshold of USD 757M. If the CC is in a freefall, the tricks to get the greenback are not helping. Add on it the increased imports from third countries (having to pay in USD), Bhutanese travellers with a quota of USD 3,000 a year and the gaping loopholes jeopardise the CC, say many. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives sets new record for tourist arrivals in October – Avas

According to the Tourism Ministry, 153,000 tourists visited the Maldives in October. This is an eight percent increase compared to October 2021 and 2019. Ministry data shows 141,929 tourists visited the Maldives in October 2019 and 142,066 tourists in October 2021. The highest number of tourists visited the Maldives this year in February. With an uptick in arrival numbers last month, October becomes the month in which the second-highest number of tourists visited the South Asian archipelago this year. While the total number of tourists visiting the Maldives as of October 26 reached 1.3 million, this is a 33.5 percent increase over the same period last year. Click here to read…

Myanmar

New Zealand to reopen diplomatic post in junta-ruled Myanmar – Stuff.co.nz

Nearly two years since Myanmar’s military ousted a democratically-elected government in a coup, and after the onset of Covid-19, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) will send a high-ranking diplomat to Yangon to reopen New Zealand’s embassy. Click here to read…

Myanmar extends Covid-19 restrictions until end of November – DajjiWorld

Myanmar extended its Covid-19 preventive measures until November 30, the Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment for Covid-19 has said in a statement. The extension is applied to all Covid-19 restrictions that expired on October 31, except the ones that will be eased, the committee added. Click here to read…

HRW calls on international leaders to impose harsher sanctions on Myanmar junta ahead of Asia summits – jurist

Human Rights Watch (HRW) Tuesday urged governments attending Asian summits in November to support tougher sanctions to curb human rights abuses by Myanmar’s junta. The Myanmar junta seized power in February 2021 and has since then committed “widespread and systematic abuses,” according to HRW. Click here to read…

Nepal

India to export 600,000 tons of unmilled rice to Nepal – Khabar Hub

The Indian government permitted duty-free exports of rice to Nepal in a move that is seen as helping the Nepal meet its food security. Nepal relies on India to fulfill its food grain requirements. India is to allow cargoes of white and brown rice backed by letters of credit (LoC) issued before September 9 to be shipped overseas, Reuters has reported. Click here to read…

Ruling alliance intensifies campaign in Dhangadi – Himalayan Times

With the November 20 elections just around the corner, election campaign of the ruling alliance is running in full swing in Constituency No 5 of Kailali.Among their election agenda are pledges ranging from ending inundation and erosion, problems bedevilling Dhangadi, to developing it into a model city. Dhangadi is a major business hub in Sudurpaschim Province that falls in Kailali Constituency-5. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Pakistan approves deal to import 300,000 tonnes of Russian wheat – Aljazeera

The government’s Economic Cooperation Committee backs $112m deal aimed at meeting country’s shortfall after weak production, floods. The government of Pakistan has approved a deal worth nearly $112m to import 300,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia to meet its domestic shortfall. The deal endorsed by the Economic Cooperation Committee on Monday comes as Pakistan struggles to balance its fragile economy and manage the aftermath of devastating floods this summer that killed more than 1,700 people and affected some 33 million. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Economic crisis | Drug shortages persist in Sri Lanka – The Hindu

Sri Lanka’s health sector is still short of over 150 essential drugs. Sri Lanka’s painful economic crisis may have let up a little, mainly for those who can afford higher living costs, but shortages continue to affect its noted health care system, according to officials and medical practitioners. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

15 Months After Takeover, Islamic Emirate Not Recognized by World: Tolo News

Since the Islamic Emirate come to power in Afghanistan, nearly fifteen months ago, no country has recognized its government. However, the Islamic Emirate’s deputy spokesperson, Bilal Karimi, said that Kabul has completed all the requirements for recognition and that the international community should recognize it.

Click here to read…

Study Indicates 30% Increase in Child Laborers in Baghlan: Tolo News

The Department of Labor and Social Affairs in Baghlan said that the latest survey by a foreign institution, Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), with the ministry’s cooperation, revealed that more than 14,000 children are engaged in hard labor, which is a thirty percent increase from last year.

Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Can Dhaka become a top livable Asian city by 2035?: Dhaka Tribune

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, is currently the seventh least livable city in the world and initiatives are underway to turn it into a top livable city in Asia by 2035.

Click here to read…

50 years of Germany-Bangladesh development cooperation celebrated in Dhaka: Dhaka Tribune

High ranking officials of Bangladesh and Germany and representatives of other development partners and the Bangladeshi Society on Sunday celebrated 50 years of Development Cooperation between both countries. After a welcome by German Ambassador Achim Tröster, the parliamentary state secretary for Development Cooperation, Dr. Bärbel Kofler, delivered a speech highlighting achievements and challenges and describing pathways for the future development cooperation between Bangladesh and Germany, says a press release.

Click here to read…

Bhutan

Indian Railways goes International; Delivers 75 utility vehicles to Bhutan from Chennai for the first time – Zee News

Indian Railways had delivered its first shipment of commodities to Bhutan via a multi-modal route. A freight train brought 75 utility vehicles that Bhutan had purchased from Chennai to Hasimara Railway Station in West Bengal. According to them, the vehicles were transported by road to the neighbouring Himalayan country on Saturday morning after the freight train arrived at the Alipurduar railway station in northern West Bengal’s Alipurduar district late on Friday night.
Click here to read…

Army Chief visits India – Kuensel Online

On the invitation of the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, General Manoj Pande the Chief Operations Officer of the Royal Bhutan Army Lieutenant General Batoo Tshering is in India for a six-day visit. According to a press release from the Royal Bhutan Army, Lt General Batoo Tshering will meet the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Vice Chief of Army Staff and Director General of Military Operations.
Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives’ tourist arrivals exceeded total visitors of 2021 – Edition

Maldives’ tourist arrivals for 2022 has so far exceeded the total amount of tourists it welcomed in 2021, and are nearing the projected amount of tourist arrivals for this year. Last year, Maldives welcomed 1.3 million tourists. As per statistics released to the public by the Tourism Ministry, this amount was exceeded on Wednesday, October 26.
Click here to read…

Cigarette imports decline due to tax increase – Avas

Customs statistics have shown that cigarette imports into the Maldives have declined. Cigarettes are the highest-taxed item in the Maldives. While import duties on cigarettes have increased in recent years, a tax of MVR 3 is currently levied on each cigarette. According to customs statistics, the number of cigarettes imported into Maldives declined with the increase in import duties.
Click here to read…

Myanmar

Will Asean norms, absence of Malaysia’s top diplomat doom Myanmar peace plan – SCMP

As frustration builds within Asean on the lack of progress in solving Myanmar’s political crisis, concerns of an “internal rupture” and the coming Malaysian election could affect the bloc’s ability to pressure the junta at the regional leaders’ summit next month, analysts say.
Click here to read…

Border tensions: Myanmar’s BGP expresses regret – The Daily Star

Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) at a flag meeting with Border Guard Bangladesh has expressed sincere regret for all the recent incidents that took place in the Bangladesh-Myanmar border areas. Called to discuss the recent border incidents, the meeting was held at the BGB-2 Battalion office in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila yesterday. Both the BGB and BGP expressed their firm resolve to perform respective duties to maintain peace and order, and ensure the security of the people living in the border areas, Lt Col Iftekhar said at a press briefing.
Click here to read…

Tripura, Manipur to get international flights to Bangladesh, Myanmar under UDAN scheme – Deccan Herald

In what could be a major push to India’s Act East Policy, Tripura and Manipur capitals may soon be connected by air with neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar under the Centre’s UDAN scheme. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday announced that flights would soon begin between Tripura capital Agartala and Chittagong in Bangladesh, and between Manipur capital Imphal and Mandalay in Myanmar.
Click here to read…

Nepal

Will Nepal be a front for China-US rivalry – The Hans India

It is very likely that China will pursue the BRI with more vigour whereas the US and its allies may try to block the BRI projects. This may also cause unease in the South Asia region. China made an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the passage of the US-initiated Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact from the Nepali Parliament in February this year Powered By PlayUnmute Loaded: 0.50% Fullscreen As Chinese President Xi Jinping began his third five-year term as the General Secretary of Communist Party of China (CPC) on Sunday, the fresh political development in the northern neighbour was also deeply observed in next-door Nepal. In Nepal, Xi’s re-election to the party’s top job is being viewed from two perspectives.
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NC manifesto: Museums to be established in all seven provinces – The Himalayan Times

The Nepali Congress has prioritized the establishment of cultural museums in all the seven provinces to reflect the art, culture, costumes and ethnic identity of all castes and communities.In the manifesto released by the party for the November 20 elections to the House of Representatives and the Provincial Assemblies, the Congress has pledged to establish at least one province-level museum that reflects the language, literature, art, culture, music and history of different castes, communities and geography.
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Diplomatic note sent to India on Darchula incident – The Himalayan Times

The government has sent a diplomatic note to India over the death of a 10-year-old boy from Darchula district after he was hit by a stone on his head in course of road construction in the opposite side- Dharchula area of Uttarakhand, India.Spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry, Sewa Lamsal, informed that the government sent the diplomatic note to India via the Indian Embassy based in Kathmandu on Sunday.
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Pakistan

Imran claims dialogue on with ‘establishment’: Dawn

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chair¬man Imran Khan confirmed on Sunday that dialogue was underway with the powers-that-be to find a solution to the political crisis prevailing in the country, following the ouster of the PTI government in April through a no-confidence vote.

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Editorial: At a crossroads, again: Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rejected these gratuitous remarks, calling them “factually incorrect and misleading”. The American ambassador in Islamabad was summoned to the Foreign Office for an explanation. In another rebuke to Washington, a statement issued after a meeting of the country’s top army generals, declared that as a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan has taken all necessary measures to strengthen its nuclear security regime.

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PTI trounces PDM in Kurram by-poll: The Express Tribune

PTI chairman and premier Imran Khan on Sunday won the National Assembly constituency NA-45 Kurram, with a significant margin against his rival, JUI-F’s Jamil Khan, who was backed by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

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Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans fail to secure highly paid employment opportunities overseas: Daily Mirror

The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has directed the Foreign Employment Ministry and the Bureau of Foreign Employment (BOFE) to prepare an efficient programme within two weeks to send skilled and trained workers for overseas jobs in collaboration with vocational training institute.

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Afghanistan

Taliban denounce Pak PM Sharif’s ‘terror in Afghanistan’ remarks in UNGA address – Hindustan Times

Taliban has hit out at the U.S and Pakistan for claiming that terrorism exists in Afghanistan during the UN General Assembly address. In a scathing statement, the Afghanistan Foreign Ministry termed the claims as incorrect and pitched for UNGA seat handover to the Afghan government, who can then counter these ‘unsubstantiated’ concerns. Watch this video for more details. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Visit of Bangladesh Navy Operational Sea Training Group to SNC – Indian Navy

An eight member delegation from the Bangladesh Navy Operational Sea Training Group (BNOSTG) visited Headquarters Sea Training at Kochi to witness Operational Sea Training at Southern Naval Command. As part of the orientation training, interactive session along with practical classes on seamanship, firefighting, damage control, first aid and safety at sea were conducted. The interactive sessions also provided an opportunity to exchange the best practices followed. Click here to read…

No room to cut: Rising inflation traps Bangladesh climate migrants – Thomas Reuters Foundations

The rising cost of living is taking a heavy toll on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, including many already struggling to survive after climate change-fuelled disasters have claimed their homes and land. Bangladesh’s inflation rate is now about 7.5%, according to the country’s central bank, after the government dramatically boosted fuel prices in the face of rising global fossil fuel costs, in part as a result of the Ukraine conflict. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Vaccine Maitri: Bhutan and Nepal expressed their gratitude to India in UNGA, India sent vaccine to more than 100 countries – The Weekly Mail

Bhutan and Nepal expressed their gratitude to India at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. During this, he has expressed his gratitude for the significant support in the supply of covid-19 vaccines under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative of the Government of India. Let us tell you that under India’s Vaccine Friendship Initiative, neighbouring countries got a lot of help in vaccinating their population. Click here to read…

Maldives

Kyrgyzstan and Maldives sign agreement on the establishment of visa-free regime – Azer News

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Jeenbek Kulubaev met with his Maldivian counterpart Abdullah Shahid on September 23, Trend reports citing the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry’s press service. Click here to read…

The Maldives received 100,000 more Pfizer vaccine doses from the United States – The Paradise

The US government has provided the Maldives with an additional 100,620 doses of Pfizer vaccines as part of the COVAX deal. The latest shipment comes after the United States sent 439,920 Pfizer vaccine shots to the Maldives in January 2021 and January 2022.Click here to read…

Myanmar

India should negotiate with Myanmar military, ethnic groups to restore peace: Mizoram CM – Indian Express

India should negotiate with military authorities in trouble-torn Myanmar and various ethnic groups there to restore peace in the neighbouring country, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has said. India shares an over 1,600-km-long international border with Myanmar. Click here to read…

Recruitment Crisis Bites as Myanmar Junta Scrambles to Fill Gaps in Ranks – The Irrawaddy

“The Tatmadaw wants you,” used to be a familiar slogan on recruitment posters across Myanmar. Propaganda songs, like one which began: “Support the great Tatmadaw in every way to help it gain strength, never should we forget comrades who are our kin,” were played on the television and radio. But recruitment has broken down, forcing the regime to buy recruits since before the 2021 coup. Officers are being offered promotions and other incentives to find recruits, according to analysts. Click here to read…

Oral update on the human rights situation in Myanmar to the Human Rights Council – OHCHR

Military tactics increasingly involve indiscriminate attacks and weaponry. The growing use of air power and artillery during the monsoon season is significantly impacting civilians and residential areas. In Magway and Sagaing regions as well as Kachin, Shan, Kayah, and Kayin states, residential buildings – as many as 30,000 – schools and other civilian infrastructure have been burnt to the ground during military ground operations. Click here to read…

Nepal

‘Rapid demography change happening, Islamists getting help from Pakistan’: MP from Kapilvastu discusses growing security concerns at the India-Nepal border – OpIndia

There have been several reports in the recent past highlighting the rapidly changing demography in the sections of India near the Indo-Nepal border. The number of mosques and madrasas is constantly increasing. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited Nepal areas bordering India to take an account of the ground situation on that side of the border. This is the 23rd report in a series of articles documenting the facts discovered by the OpIndia team. Click here to read…

Pakistan

US asks Pakistan to better manage ties with India

The US has advised Pakistan to improve its ties with India even as it sidestepped New Delhi’s concerns over an upgrade assistance for Islamabad’s F-16s. “In our discussions today, we talked about the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during an event with Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Click here to read…

Pakistan FM replaced, veracity of audio tapes established – Tribune India

Rumours over the bugging of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office were vindicated after the ruling coalition government replaced its Finance Minister as was discussed in a viral audio tape of conversation between PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz and her uncle and PM Shehbaz Sharif. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka keen to restart cancelled Japanese projects; Japan willing to lead creditor talks – Economy Next

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi that his government is keen to restart Japan-funded projects cancelled by the previous administration, while Minister Hayashi has expressed his country’s willingness to take a leading role in Sri Lanka’s negotiations with her creditors. Click here to read…

HNB allocates Rs. 10Mn to assist MSMEs affected by the economic crisis – Colombo Page

Sri Lanka’s most MSME-friendly bank, HNB PLC, once again allocated Rs. 10 million to assist entrepreneurs affected by the ongoing economic crisis as a part of its flagship ‘Oba Venuwen Api’ initiative to rebuild and revive the economy. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Blast kills 1, wounds 3 in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province – Dajji World

One person was killed and three others injured as a blast rocked Faizabad city, the capital of Afghanistan’s northern Badakhshan province, Provincial Head of Information and Culture Department Qari Maazudin Ahmadi said. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Boat on way to Mahalaya festival sinks in Bangladesh, killing 24; at least 30 missing – Dajji World

At least 24 people have died after a boat capsized in the Koratoya river in Bangladesh’s Panchagarh district with passengers to a temple on board on the Mahalaya festival ahead of Durga Puja. Click here to read…

Rupee-Taka trade: Rupee loan facility to Bangladesh may be under consideration to lessen strain on its forex kitty – Times Now

Soon, India could extend a rupee loan line to Bangladesh and see trade happening in local currency as the neighbouring country faces a dollar crunch, decline in it’s foreign exchange reserves and a weakening taka.Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan unveils new national brand: ‘Believe’ – Kuensel Online

The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) launched the new brand Bhutan ‘Believe’ yesterday. The country unveiled a new tourism strategy, underpinned by transformations in three key areas: enhancements to its sustainable development policies, infrastructure upgrades, and the elevation of the guest experience. Bhutan’s new tagline, Believe, reflects this determined focus on the future, as well as the transformative journeys experienced by its guests. Click here to read…

Maldives

‘Bharat ko badhaai’: At UN-India event, Maldives FM begins address on a special note – Hindustan Times

Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid further said that India has been a valuable partner in helping meet challenges from disaster relief to addressing the Covid-19 pandemic and accessing vaccines to economic development and recovery. Click here to read…

Myanmar

US ‘Exploring Ways to Ramp Up Support’ for Myanmar Opposition: State Dept – The Irrawaddy

Earlier this week US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet met with representatives of Myanmar’s civilian parallel National Unity Government and some ethnic armed organizations. On Friday, he spoke with The Irrawaddy about those discussions, as well the ongoing US and international responses to the crisis in Myanmar. Click here to read…

Junta Watch: Drones Put Military on Edge; Nuclear Plans Proceed; and More – The Irrawaddy

The Myanmar military regime is installing anti-drone guns at important buildings and places, junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said at the regime’s regular press conference on Tuesday, an indication that the resistance’s drone warfare against the regime is working effectively. Click here to read…

Nepal

OpIndia Impact: Thermal cameras to be installed on the Indo-Nepal border, operators of Madarsas in border villages missing, pujari’s killer held after 2 years – OpIndia

The OpIndia team visited the Indo-Nepal border from August 20 to August 27, 2022, to learn about the ground realities of the demographic change amid the growing Muslim population and media reports of Islamic places of worship along the border. During this time, we obtained information about the Indian districts of Shravasti, Balrampur, Maharajganj, and Siddharthnagar, as well as the Dong and Kapilvastu districts in Nepal. Click here to read…

Pakistan

US’s $450 million F-16 package for Pakistan: A message for India, China factor, or quid pro quo – Times of India

America’s recent decision to approve a $450 million sustenance package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet has signalled a marked shift in Washington’s stand on Islamabad and stoked valid concerns in India. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry – CGTN

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry on the sidelines of the general debate of the UNGA 77 in New York on September 23. Wang Yi said that China and Sri Lanka established the relations of strategic partnership of cooperation, and the two countries have always shared weal and woe and treated each other in all sincerity. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is of great significance to inherit the past and usher in the future. Click here to read…

China’s military studies, implements spirit of key Party plenum: Xinhuanet

November 22, 2021

Two senior Chinese military officials, Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia, have asked all levels of the armed forces to study and implement the spirit of the sixth plenary session of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. Xu and Zhang, both members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Monday when meeting with members of the delegation interpreting and promoting the spirit of the plenum. Click here to read…

China to improve policy support for SMEs: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

China will further improve supportive policies to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tide over difficulties, according to a circular released by the General Office of the State Council. SMEs are the main force behind national economic and social development, but they are facing rising corporate costs and operational difficulties due to higher raw material prices, high logistics costs, sporadic resurgences of COVID-19, and power cuts in some areas, among other factors, the document noted. Click here to read…

China to launch pilot reform project on business environment in six cities: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

According to a recent guideline issued by China’s State Council, Six Chinese cities will launch a pilot reform project to improve business environment. The six cities are respectively Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Lu Xiangdong, an official from the General Office of the State Council, introduced that the guideline was issued after the State Council solicited a wide range of opinions from market entities and relevant parties and held in-depth discussions. Over 100 reform measures in 10 fields were raised, the official added. Click here to read…

Virtual currency pyramid scheme busted in east China: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

Police in China have busted a virtual currency-themed online pyramid scheme involving some 110,000 people and 1 billion yuan (about 156.4 million U.S. dollars). In April, police in Suining, east China’s Jiangsu Province, received a tip-off from a person who claimed to be trapped in the pyramid scheme operated by an investment platform called BBGO. Click here to read…

NDRC: Price level stable, controllable: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

China has the confidence and capability to keep prices stable within a reasonable range despite the expected inflationary pressure likely continuing globally, the country’s top economic regulator said. In recent months, prices of vegetables fluctuated periodically in some parts of China due to extreme weather such as heavy rains and low temperatures. Consumer goods prices also jumped due to rising energy and bulk commodity prices, the National Development and Reform Commission said. Click here to read…

China, ASEAN embark on new chapter with comprehensive strategic partnership: People’s Daily

November 23, 2021

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership on Monday, a step forward towards building a closer community with a shared future. This milestone development in bilateral ties, announced at the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations held virtually, is expected to promote peace, stability and prosperity not only in the region, but also across the world. Click here to read…

Greater efforts urged to encourage births as population growth slows: China Daily

November 23, 2021

Demographers have called for more efficient implementation of supportive measures to encourage births to address the country’s dwindling population growth, as indicated in the recently released China Statistical Yearbook 2021. The birthrate last year was 8.52 births per thousand people, the lowest level since 1978, according to the yearbook, which was compiled by the National Bureau of Statistics and published over the weekend. Click here to read…

Marriages in 2020 fall to 17-year low as declining trend continues: Global Times

November 22, 2021

The latest official data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that 8.14 million marriages were registered in 2020, down 1.13 million from 2019 and the lowest level in 17 years. But the divorce rate dropped last year, halting a years-long upward trend. This marks the seventh consecutive year of decline in marriages since 2013, when 13.4693 million couples were married. The number in 2020 was also the lowest since 2003, when 8.114 million marriages were registered, according to the China Statistical Yearbook 2021 published by the NBS recently. Click here to read…

China to establish negative list on celebrity-related content which promotes distorted values, hypes comeback of tainted entertainers: Global Times

November 23, 2021

China’s top internet regulator said it will establish a negative list to prohibit celebrity-related content from promoting distorted values, including abnormal aesthetics, hyping of vulgar scandals, and content that induces fans to blindly idolize celebrities or hype the comeback of entertainers who have illegal and unethical records. The notice released by Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Tuesday listed 15 measures in four aspects to strengthen how the online information about celebrities should be presented – content-oriented, information presentation, account management, mechanism of public opinion. Click here to read…

China to phase out less efficient electric motors in new green push: Global Times

November 22, 2021

China aims to tap into high-efficiency, energy-saving motors to further its green drive, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). The circular, an action plan that covers the period from 2021-23, stipulates that such advanced motors should account for over 20 percent of all motors in service by 2023, a move that will save 49 billion kilowatt (kW) hours of electricity a year. The annual production capacity of such motors should hit 170 million kW hours by 2023. Click here to read…

China outbound tourism set to jump more than 25% this year: Reuters

November 22, 2021

Chinese outbound tourism numbers are set to jump by more than 25% this year from 2020 but remain “basically at a standstill” compared to pre-pandemic levels, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday, citing official projections. The dramatic drop in travellers from China, the world’s most populous nation, since the rapid spread of coronavirus early last year, has left a $255 billion annual spending hole in the global tourism market. Click here to read…

China tests high-altitude weapons performance near border with India: South China Morning Post

November 23, 2021

China’s live-fire drills near its Himalayan border with India, revealed on Sunday by state media, showed the PLA had set up comprehensive training standards specifically designed for high-altitude artillery operations, according to military analysts. Footage broadcast by China Central Television showed infantry troops from the Xinjiang military district, part of the Western Theatre Command, conducting precision strike drills at an elevation of 5,200 metres (17,000 feet) in the Karakoram mountains. Click here to read…