Afghanistan
Uzbekistan Halts Power Supply to Afghanistan: DABS – Tolo News
The country’s power distributor, Da Afghanistan Bereshna Sherkat, said on Sunday that the imported electricity from Uzbekistan has been disconnected due to technical issues. DABS official Safiullah Ahmadzai said that Islamic Emirate officials are negotiating with Uzbekistan officials about the reconnection of power supply to the country. He said to address the lack of electricity in Kabul, the company has activated the Tarakhil thermal power station. Click here to read…
Former woman MP shot dead in Afghanistan – The Tribune
A former Afghan female lawmaker who refused to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover was shot dead along with her bodyguard by unidentified assailants in Kabul late Saturday night. This is the first time a lawmaker from the previous administration has been killed in the city since the takeover. Mursal Nabizada (32), extremely critical of the Taliban’s policies, was elected MP under the previous western-backed government from a constituency in Nangarhar district, considered the base of the Islamic State (IS). Click here to read…
Afghan bank’s cash remarks ‘misleading, unhelpful’ says UN – Devdiscourse
The United Nations (UN) mission in Afghanistan has slammed the Taliban-controlled central bank for making what it described as “misleading and unhelpful” remarks about cash destined for humanitarian work in the ravaged country. “CLARIFICATION 1-Cash shipped to #Afghanistan by the UN is placed in UN accounts in a private bank. It is used by UN agencies to support its humanitarian work 2-Announcements by non-UN entities about UN fund shipments are misleading & unhelpful,” the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) tweeted. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
Bangladesh pins hopes on nuclear energy as its way out of power cuts and rising fuel prices – Scroll
The Rooppur nuclear plant is being built by Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation, using Russian technology and a Russian loan of $11.38 billion to be repaid over two decades from 2027. Click here to read…
Let’s talk the talk: Confronting Bangladesh’s national security threats – Dhaka Tribune
The discourse of national security takes place rarely, and even in such rare discourses, there is a deliberate effort to demilitarize it. It is often portrayed to the public and indoctrinated in academic settings that Bangladesh has no security threats. Therefore, all it needs to do is focus on economic development. Click here to read…
Cutting Extrajudicial Killings: US satisfied with Rab’s progress – Daily Star
Visiting US Assistant Secretary Donald Lu yesterday expressed satisfaction that Rab reduced extrajudicial killings since late 2021, when the US imposed sanctions on the forceClick here to read…
Bhutan
China, Bhutan agree to expedite negotiations to resolve border dispute – The Economic Times
China and Bhutan have reached a “positive consensus” to push forward the implementation of the agreement to expedite negotiations to settle their border dispute through a three-step roadmap. The 11th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the China-Bhutan Boundary Issues was held in China’s Kunming city from January 10 to 13, according to a joint statement issued by both countries. Click here to read…
New Delhi hopes Bhutan will factor in Indian concerns on trijunction – The Economic Times
Following Bhutan-China expert group meeting in Kunming on boundary issues, India is hopeful that its concerns on the trijunction will be considered in the next round of Sino-Bhutanese consultations. Senior Indian officials visiting Thimphu, coinciding with the January 10-13 meeting in the Chinese city, underlined the special nature of Indo-Bhutanese ties, people in the know said. It is understood that various aspects of Bhutan-China talks were discussed. Click here to read…
Bhutanese economy to grow at 4.1 percent in current FY: World Bank – Kuensel Online
The World Bank forecast the Bhutanese economy to grow by 4.1 percent in the fiscal year 2022-23, in its report “Global Economic Prospects” report, released on January 10. The reopening of borders in September last year is expected to support growth in the industry and services sector, the Bank said. Bhutan’s growth has revised down by 0.6 percentage points from the World Bank’s June projection last year of 4.7 percent. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives Presidential Election to be held on Sept 9 – Avas
The Presidential Election will be held on September 9 this year. The date of the election was announced by the Elections Commission (EC) at a press conference at the Manhattan Business Hotel this morning. EC’s President, Fuwad Thawfeek, said if the election goes to a second round, the voting of the final round would be held on September 30. This year, 280,000 people are eligible to vote in the election, he said. Click here to read…
Cambodian PM arrives in the Maldives on official visit – Avas
The Prime Minister of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, arrived Sunday morning on an official visit to the Maldives at the invitation of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. This is the Cambodian Prime Minister’s first visit to the Maldives. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Local resistance, not foreigners, key to Myanmar’s future – Financial Review
Myanmar’s abject deterioration since the February 2021 military coup accelerated throughout 2022, with more violence, retribution and pain spread across the rapidly impoverishing country of 55 million people. The military regime spent the year trying to reinforce its positions on the battlefield and its claims to institutional legitimacy. It is failing on both fronts. Click here to read…
Global firms help Myanmar’s military make weapons, says report – BBC
Myanmar’s military is producing a vast range of weapons to use against its own people thanks to supplies from companies in at least 13 countries, former top UN officials say. The US, France, India and Japan are among those named, despite Western-led sanctions intended to isolate Myanmar. The report says the home-produced arms are used to carry out atrocities against those who oppose the military. Click here to read…
Myanmar shadow government raises $132m to oppose junta – Strait Times
Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government said it has raised more than US$100 million (S$132 million) to fund its democracy effort and topple the junta. About 45 per cent of the funds are from the sales of so-called Spring Revolution Special Treasury Bonds, according to Mr Tin Tun Naing, shadow minister for planning, finance and investment. Click here to read…
Myanmar Junta Airstrikes On Rebel Camps Spark Scare In Mizoram – Swarajya Marg
Airstrikes by Myanmar’s ruling junta on the headquarters of the Chin National Front (CNF), the political wing of the rebel Chin National Army (CNA), earlier this week has caused a scare in neighbouring Mizoram. Fighter jets of the Myanmar Air Force dropped bombs on the CNF headquarters at Mount Victoria in Chin province of that country, killing five CNF members and injuring scores of others, on Tuesday (10 January) and Wednesday (11 January). Click here to read…
Nepal
68 dead in Nepal’s worst domestic air disaster – The Kathmandu Post
Nepal saw its worst domestic air disaster on Sunday morning when Yeti Airlines flight NYT 691 from Kathmandu to Pokhara crashed a few minutes before landing at the new international airport. The plane carried 72 persons, including passengers and crew, and 68 had been confirmed dead as of Sunday evening, the country’s civil aviation regulator said in a statement. Rescue efforts have been suspended for Sunday. Click here to read…
Govt forms panel to probe plane crash- The Himalayan Times
The government has formed a five-member probe committee to investigate Yeti Airlines plane crash near Pokhara Regional International Airport today. An emergency Cabinet meeting held today decided to form a panel under former government secretary Nagendra Ghimire to investigate the accident and submit its report within 45 days, said government Spokesperson and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel. Click here to read…
Kerung border reopening brings little joy to traders – The Kathmandu Post
Nepali traders had cheered when China allowed two-way trade to resume at the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border last month, but they are finding out that the joy may have been premature. Beijing has declared that exports from Nepal will be allowed to pass only on a fortnightly basis. Imports to Nepal, however, are permitted to pass daily, officials said. “For now, China has allowed 14 goods carriers to cross the border every fortnight,” Narayan Prasad Bhandari, chief of the Rasuwa Customs Office, told the Post. Click here to read…
Nepal PM Prachanda says he will visit India soon – The Hindu
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that he will visit India soon on his first foreign trip after assuming the top executive post of the country for the third time. However, the Nepal government is yet to officially announce the Prime Minister’s visit to India. The date and itinerary of the visit are yet to be finalised. Click here to read…
Pakistan
Embarrassing to ask for more loans: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif – OpIndia
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, said that it is becoming very embarrassing for him to ask for further loans from other countries. Pakistan, which is perennially in an economic crunch, is once again getting bailed out by other countries like Saudi Arabia. The Pakistan PM thanked Saudi Arabia for their support but at the same time, mentioned that it is not a solution as the loans would have to be returnedClick here to read…
Oil dips, but hovers near 2023 highs on China demand optimism – Dawn
Oil prices dipped in early Asian trade on Monday, but held close to the highest levels since the start of the year on optimism that China’s reopening will lift fuel demand at the world’s top crude importer. Brent crude fell 36 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to $84.92 a barrel by 0116 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $79.65 a barrel, down 21 cents, or 0.3pc amid thin trade during a US public holiday. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
HC Moragoda meets Gujarat State Governor, Chief Minister – Daily News
The High Commissioner congratulated the Chief Minister on his resounding victory at the recently concluded assembly elections in Gujarat. The discussion focused on the interactions between the State of Gujarat and Sri Lanka in multiple spheres and particularly in the tourism sector. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka to cut army by half after financial crisis – Deccan Herald
Bankrupt Sri Lanka will drastically slash its military, the defence ministry said Friday, as the government works to overhaul its shambolic finances after an unprecedented economicClick here to read…
We are discussing problems of Tamil people, says Sri Lankan President on Pongal festival – The Print
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday said his government is discussing problems of the North and the Tamil people, in a step towards reconciling the island nation that has suffered three decades of war and insurgency. Click here to read…