Afghanistan
Reuters Sources: US to Discuss Frozen Funds With Kabul: Tolo News
(Reuters) US President Joe Biden’s administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan’s foreign-held assets despite the late al Qaeda leader’s presence in Kabul and foot-dragging by the Islamic Emirate and Afghan central bank, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation. Click here to read…
Revocation or Extension: Taliban Official’s Travel Ban Waiver to Be Reviewed by UNSC Today: The Khaama Press
The UN Security Council (UNSC) will vote today on whether to extend the 13 Taliban officials’ travel exemptions or to rescind their waivers in light of the disagreements among UNSC member statesClick here to read…
US to Push Forward Afghan Asset Talks with Taliban: The Khaama Press
Despite tensions between the US and the Taliban over the presence and assassination of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul, US President Joe Biden’s administration will move forward with negotiations to release billions of dollars of Afghan frozen foreign assets, Reuters reported citing sources. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
BPC plans to import diesel, jet fuel from Russia: The Daily Star
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is considering buying discounted diesel and jet fuel from Russia as it seeks relief from the elevated prices in the global market. Click here to read…
Envoy: UK ready to send independent observers to Bangladesh national polls: Dhaka Tribune
British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson on Monday said the United Kingdom is ready to send independent observers to the national election of Bangladesh if the country’s Election Commission allows for it. Click here to read…
UN special envoy for Myanmar in Dhaka: Dhaka Tribune
UN special envoy for Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer arrived in Dhaka Monday on a four-day visit.She is expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman, and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Bhutan forex reserves plummet : Another economic crisis waiting to happen in India’s neighbourhood – Times Now News
As Bhutan’s foreign exchange reserves plummet, the nation said it would ban the import of all vehicles except utility vehicles, heavy earthmoving machines and agriculture machinery, according to a Reuters report. Click here to read…
Bhutan: The First Carbon Negative Country In The World – Earth.Org
Bhutan is both the happiest and also the greenest country in the world. In the past 50 years, the Bhutanese government chose to measure progress beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP), by focussing instead on the Gross National Happiness (GNH) and placing emphasis on environmental protection. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives Environment Minister Ali Solih stabbed near Male – Indian Narrative
According to The Times of Addu, Solih was attacked while he was riding his motorcycle on a road in Hulhumale. Maldivian media reported that the perpetrator recited some verses of the Quran before launching the attack on Solih’s neck from behind. The knife missed the neck but slit part of his left arm. Click here to read…
Maldives tourist arrivals exceed 1.02 mil by mid-August – Edition
According to the government body’s latest statistical update, tourist arrivals so far in 2022 observe an annual increment of 47.9 percent in comparison with the same period last year. In 2021, tourist arrivals by the same review period reached 695,406. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Myanmar junta naval fleet attacked by PDFs in Katha, Sagaing – Mizzima
A video released on 19 August purports to show a Myanmar army fleet sailing upstream from Katha, Sagaing Region to Bhamo in Kachin state being attacked by missiles, according to Katha PDF. The fleet contained supply ships and six warships was attacked by free-flight missiles and electric-shocked grenades launchers on 18 August at 11:00 am along the Ayeyarwaddy River near Nakuu Village, six miles north of Katha town. Click here to read…
Can Bangladesh-Myanmar military ties stabilise the region – The Daily Star
Myanmar always gets priority in Bangladesh’s economic and security strategy. Although democratic Bangladesh has a moral dilemma in supporting the military government, it has yet to formally condemn the military coup or demand Aung San Su Kyi’s release. It underscores Dhaka’s careful support for the junta’s “one-Myanmar government policy.” Click here to read…
It’s Time to Help Myanmar’s Resistance Prevail – USIP
The international community can be divided into three camps in dealing with Myanmar’s brutal coup regime. One consists of a shameless group that includes Russia, China and India that supports the junta and, in the case of Russia and China, supplies weapons to further their own narrow national interests. A second is a divided ASEAN that cobbled together and continues to promote the so-called “five-point consensus,” an incoherent initiative that was dead on arrival more than a year ago. The third is the West, which has imposed sanctions, offered humanitarian aid and taken a strong rhetorical position opposing the coup, yet criticizes armed resistance and avoids bold action, favoring instead the cautious, ineffectual path of supporting ASEAN’s failed plan. Click here to read…
Even as the West tries to wean itself off Russian oil, Moscow has found itself yet another buyer: Myanmar – Business Insider
Despite sanctions and boycotts over its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has managed to acquire new customers for its energy products. This time, Myanmar is joining the line to buy Russian gas and fuel oil, according to Reuters and Bloomberg. Click here to read…
Nepal
Explained | The controversy around Nepal’s new citizenship law – The Hindu
On August 16, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari sent back the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2006 to the Pratinidhi Sabha (House of Representatives), the lower house of the Nepal Parliament, urging the members to reconsider the ActClick here to read…
China shuts down borders with Nepal citing Covid, containers worth billions of rupees remain stranded – Op India
China has, once again, shut the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi border points between Nepal and China, citing an increase in the number of Covid cases in the cities near the transfer points. Nepali customs officials say that the Tatopani border is closed since Wednesday whereas the Rasuwagadhi point is shut since last weekend. This decision comes as a big setback for Nepalese traders who will be incurring losses worth millions of Nepalese rupees ahead of the famous Nepalese Dashain festival. Click here to read…
Nepal gives India two power projects quit by China – Economic Times
India has expanded power sector partnership with Nepal with Kathmandu awarding the much-delayed West Seti Hydropower Project and Seti River Hydropower Project in the western part of the Himalayan nation to a leading Indian firm nearly four years after China withdrew from these projects. Click here to read…
China’s Belt and Road Initiative faces protests in Nepal amid fears of Beijing’s expansionist designs – Zee News
The Youth Department of Nepal`s Rashtriya Ekta Abhiyan held a protest rally demanding the revocation of the agreement on China`s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the cancellation of the Muslim Commission, local media reported.The rally from Maitighar Mandal in Kathmandu to Naya Baneshwar witnessed the participation of hundreds of people. Click here to read…
Pakistan
No-province-safe-from-rain-related-devastation: Dawn
As heavy monsoon rains and flooding continued to cause widespread damage to areas across the country, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday declared a state of emergency in four districts, relief goods were airdropped in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts of Punjab, dozens of families were shifted to tents in Gilgit-Baltistan after their villages were destroyed and efforts still under way to restore the National Highway link between Punjab and Balochistan. Click here to read…
IHC grants Imran protective bail till August 25 in terrorism case: The Express Tribune
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan protective bail till August 25 a day after he was booked under terrorism charges. Click here to read…
Pakistan to get $2bn from Qatar: SBP: The News
Pakistan will receive $2 billion from Qatar in bilateral support to help ease the South Asian nation’s funding crunch and the consequent risk of a default, the central bank said on Monday.The country will also get $1 billion in oil financing from Saudi Arabia and a similar amount in investments from the UAE. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
SL ranks 5th among 10 countries with highest food price inflation: World Bank: The Daily Mirror
Sri Lanka ranked 5th among the 10 countries with the highest food price inflation in the latest World Bank assessment.According, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, Venezuela and Turkey ranked first four countries in the assessment while Iran, Argentina, Suriname, Ethiopia and Moldova ranked behind Sri Lanka. Click here to read…
‘Bad bank’ mooted to deal with tourism industry debt: The Daily Mirror
The Sri Lanka tourism authorities, led by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, are actively contemplating on setting up what is called a ‘bad bank’ to restructure the debt of the crisis-hit tourism sector, Mirror Business learnsClick here to read…
India hands over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer to Sri Lanka: The Economic Times
India on Monday handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer to the crisis-ridden neighbour Sri Lanka. “Adding to the fragrance of friendship and cooperation. High Commissioner formally handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer supplied under India’s special support to the people of Sri Lanka,” tweeted the High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Click here to read…