Afghanistan
Pakistan Air Strikes Continue to Face Strong Reactions: Tolo News
Strong reactions continue at national level against Pakistani military’s air strikes and rocket attacks on Afghan provinces with many blaming Pakistan for violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. Click here to read…
Afghanistan PM in UN: Pakistan’s Airstrikes are Assault on Afghanistan’s Territorial Integrity: The Khaama Press
Afghanistan’s permanent mission in the United Nations has reacted to Pakistan’s recent airstrikes on Khost and Kunar provinces and added that the country has attacked Afghanistan’s territorial integrity. Click here to read…
Kabul: Tensions Should Be Solved Through Diplomatic Channels: Tolo News
The Islamic Emirate said that tension between Afghanistan and its neighbors will not benefit anyone. Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, called on the world, especially neighboring countries, to resolve tension through diplomacy and peace with Kabul. Click here to read…
Pakistan extends time for transportation of Indian humanitarian aid to Afghanistan: Hindustan Times
Pakistan on Sunday said it will extend by two months the time for India to transport 50,000 tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines to Afghanistan via the Wagah-Attari land border crossing. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
US to stand beside persecuted minorities worldwide: Ambassador Rashad Hussain- Daily Star
The United States is aware of human rights violations and is trying to stand by the minorities who are persecuted around the world, US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain said yesterday (April 17, 2022). Click here to read…
USAID project on nutrition ends- The Daily Star
The five-year “Strengthening Multisectoral Nutrition Programming through Implementation Science Activity” (MSNP) ended on Sunday, said a press release. Click here to read…
Dhaka slams US human rights report- Daily Star
The government yesterday said the US human rights (HR) country report “heavily underplayed” Bangladesh’s existing system of accountability over law enforcement agencies while Dhaka remains “intensely engaged” with the UN mechanism and US recommendations to protect human rights. Click here to read…
Rab helped contain militancy, don’t malign it: Shahriar- Daily Star
Describing elite force Rab as a “brand name for peace” in villages, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam today (April 17, 2022) said this institution should not be maligned which helped the country contain militancy. Click here to read…
Don’t harass UAE-bound workers with tourist visas at Dhaka airport: Parliamentary body- Daily Star
A parliamentary body today asked all authorities concerned not to harass UAE-bound migrant workers having tourist visas at the Dhaka airport. Click here to read…
Tendency to impose values of some countries, like LGBT rights, regrettable: Dhaka on US human rights report- Daily Star
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam today said the government will ask for explanation from the US side on the recently published human rights report, noting that there are fundamental flaws in it. Click here to read…
BSF returns Bangladeshi who crossed border to ‘watch IPL match in India’- Daily Star
Cricket fans are the most die-hard, it appears, as a Bangladeshi entered India illegally to watch the Indian Premier League (IPL). Click here to read…
The world after Covid is in need of food not weapons- Live Mint
Let’s not forget: Developing and poor nations require food, not weapons. The situation is fuelling inflation and the repercussions are being felt the most by developing countries. Sri Lanka is on the verge of bankruptcy and inflation is spreading like wildfire in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. Click here to read…
‘Ukraine crisis won’t put stability of Bangladesh’s macro-economy at great risk’- The Financial Express
“At this moment, it seems that the crisis will have an impact on the economy of Bangladesh, but it will not put the stability of the country’s macro-economy at a great risk,” the minister said while replying to a question from a lawmaker in the parliament on Monday, reports UNB. Click here to read…
Bhutan
48 in Reverse Isolation Facility test positive- Kuensel
Forty-eight Bhutanese in Reversed Isolation Facility (RIF) beneficiaries have tested positive to Covid-19 as of Thursday, April 14. Click here to read…
(Opinion) No miscarriage of justice: SC- Kuensel
Amidst numerous allegations against the judiciary and the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) for botched investigation and miscarriage of justice in sentencing a teacher who was convicted of sexually molesting 10 students in Tsirang, the judiciary issued a statement saying that there was no miscarriage of justice. Click here to read…
Developing innovative approaches to food and nutrition- Bhutan Times
As per the Bhutan Annual Country Report, 2021 released by World Food Programme (WFP) in 2021, a total of 1959 farmers comprising of 1,278 female and 681 male and 87 schools with over 14,200 students benefitted from WFP’s approach to develop innovative food systems and nutrition in the country. Click here to read…
India, Bhutan Discuss Waterways Cooperation for Development- NDTV
India and Bhutan discussed ways to harness the potential of waterways for the progress of both nations. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives welcomes more than 498,000 tourists so far in 2022: Edition MV
The statistics go on to reveal that the country saw 498,235 arrivals between January 1 – April 13, of which 131,764 tourists were welcomed during January and 149,008 arrivals were recorded in February, followed by 150,739 arrivals in March. Click here to read…
Opposition coalition criticizes Maldivian gov. for not condemning India’s action against its Muslims: Edition MV
The opposition coalition has expressed concern on Saturday over the Maldivian government’s failure to condemn the atrocities committed against Muslims in Madhya Pradesh, India. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Myanmar Political Prisoners not Among 1,600 Freed in New Year Amnesty- The Irrawaddy
Families of detained Myanmar protesters had their hopes dashed Sunday after political prisoners were not included in some 1,600 people released by the junta to mark the Buddhist New Year. Click here to read…
Myanmar’s purge of tycoon highlights tension within regime- NIKKEI ASIA
The arrest and detention of Khin Shwe, a longtime Myanmar tycoon, by the military regime last month hints at an irreconcilable split between Min Aung Hlaing’s ruling faction and Shwe Mann, a former general who was once among the country’s most powerful politicians. Click here to read…
Swamped by smuggled goods, Mizoram traders seek access to Myanmar- The Assam Tribune
India and Myanmar’s official trade through Mizoram and Manipur has been closed for many years although various drugs, arms and ammunition, endangered animals and other items valued at hundreds of crores of rupees are being traded illegally across the border. Click here to read…
Myanmar, the other nation being pounded by Russian military hardware, also needs international aid- Toronto Star
There were civilians only months ago. Now, these young activist soldiers have fled the cities for the countryside, where after scant military training they face the brutality of Russian attack helicopters, MiG fighter jets and heavy artillery. Click here to read…
Nepal
South Korean Ambassador meets with Minister Shrestha, EPS MoU renewal discussed- Himalayan
Ambassador of South Korea to Nepal, Park Chong-suk, on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Krishna Kumar Shrestha at the ministry in Singha Durbar. Click here to read…
Nepal records 12 COVID-19 cases on Sunday- Himalayan
The national active Covid-19 caseload of Nepal active caseload has reached to 375 on Sunday as 11 people tested positive for the infection in past 24 hours. Click here to read…
Nepal seeks overseas nationals’ help to build up forex reserves amid economic woes- Himalaya
Nepal is asking citizens living abroad to deposit funds in domestic banks as part of efforts to ensure the financial system has enough liquidity and to preserve foreign exchange reserves, finance minister Janardan Sharma said on Saturday. Click here to read…
‘Both Canada and Nepal can benefit from trade, investment cooperation’- Himalaya
Ambassador of Canada to Nepal Cameron MacKay presented his credentials to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari recently. Click here to read…
As political parties focus on winning seats, electorate takes a back seat- Kathmandu Post
Polling day is only 26 days away, but none of the parties except for Rastriya Janamorcha has unveiled their manifesto for the local level election. Click here to read…
(Opinion) Change on a Himalayan scale: Kanak Mani Dixit- Nepali Times
10 years after the first traverse, a German journalist runs the Great Himalayan Trail to document the changes sweeping Nepal. Click here to read…
CPN-UML secretariat meeting being held today- Republica
The main opposition CPN-UML has called a Secretariat meeting to discuss the local level election manifesto and other issues. Click here to read…
Pakistan
PM set to unveil cabinet despite last-minute niggles: Dawn
After a week-long delay, the government is forming the federal cabinet today (Monday) amid uncertainty whether Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) will become a part of it or abstain over a “disagreement” about the distribution of ministries. Click here to read…
Propaganda threatens state’s integrity, needs timely response: COAS: The Express Tribune
General Qamar visited the Lahore Garrison over the weekend, where he interacted with garrison officers and veterans in two separate sessions, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, said in a statement on Sunday. Click here to read…
Pak team to participate in IMF, WB meeting in US this week: The News
A high-powered Pakistan delegation is scheduled to visit Washington this week for participation in the upcoming annual spring meeting of the Breton Wood Institutions (BWIs) such as the IMF/ World Bank, with chances of fresh contacts with the International Monetary Fund on the sidelines of the meeting. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
How the war in Ukraine turned Sri Lanka’s economic crisis into a calamity: Washington Post
Climbing food prices drained the 32-year-old woodcutter’s savings, and his family sold their truck. Hunger began to gnaw at their bellies, and they pawned off their gold. Click here to read…
China’s ‘debt-trap diplomacy’ behind Sri Lanka crisis: Times Of India
While Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices and power cuts, many believe that China’s “debt-trap diplomacy” is behind the crisis, said a media report. Click here to read…
Sri Lankan protesters demand justice for 2019 attack victims: CNA
Sri Lankans protesting near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office on Sunday (Apr 17) remembered the more than 260 people who were killed in Islamic State-inspired terror attacks on Easter Sunday three years ago. Click here to read…
Sri Lankan delegation heads to US to seek $4 billion bailout package from IMF: The Hindu
A Sri Lankan government delegation is headed to the U.S. on Sunday to engage with the IMF to secure a $4 billion package as it desperately tries to salvage the country’s beleaguered economy currently reeling under a severe forex crisis. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka healthcare on verge of collapse in economic crisis: BBC
Doctors across Sri Lanka say hospitals are running out of medicines and essential supplies as the country’s economic crisis worsens. They fear a health catastrophe if international help doesn’t arrive soon. Click here to read…