Afghanistan
Afghanistan: 27 children Killed in Just 3 Days, UN Agency Says: Tolo News
The UN's agency for children, UNICEF, in a statement on Monday said that 27 children were killed and 136 more were wounded in ongoing fighting in Kandahar, Khost and Paktia provinces in the last 72 hours. The UN agency said it is "shocked by the rapid escalation of grave violations against children" in Afghanistan. According to the agency, 20 children were killed and 130 more were wounded in Kandahar; 2 children were killed and 3 more were wounded in Khost; 5 children were killed and 3 more were wounded in Paktia in the last 72 hours.
Struggle for internal consensus?, Ghani meets political leaders: The Khaama Press
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani meets political leaders and discussed Afghanistan’s ongoing security situation in Presidential Palace (ARG) on Monday, August 9.The fresh intra-leaders get-togethers and that with President Ghani come at a time when the Taliban have toppled four provinces and have entered the fifth provincial capital of Takhar province.
Ghani, Political Leaders Agree on Public Forces Command Center: Tolo News
A group of political leaders and President Ashraf Ghani at a meeting on Monday agreed to form a joint command center for public uprising forces to better manage, equip and strengthen them in the fight against the Taliban, sources said. Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and other political leaders including Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Mohammad Yunus Qanooni, Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Mohaqiq, as well as the speakers of the National Assembly attended the meeting at the Presidential Palace on Monday, according to a Palace statement.
Taliban warns US against further interference in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press
The biggest ally of Afghanistan in the past twenty years and one of the biggest causes the Taliban have fought against, the United States is warned by the group no to intervene further in Afghanistan’s affairs. The Taliban’s political office spokesperson Naeem Wardak made the remarks in his recent interview with Al Jazeera. The alert apparently comes after US president Joe Biden ordered the use of B-52 bombers to target the Taliban around Afghanistan
235 New Cases of COVID-19, 25 Deaths Reported in Afghanistan: Tolo News
The Ministry of Public Health on Monday reported 235 new positive cases of COVID-19 out of 1,505 samples tested in the last 24 hours. The ministry also reported 25 deaths and 557 recoveries from COVID-19 in the same period. The figures are almost similar to the daily report on Sunday, which was 320 cases and 28 fatalities, but it is lower than the daily cases reported during the last week of July.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh announces discovery of 28th gas field- The Financial Express
“State-run Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Company (BAPEX) has discovered a new gas field in the Sylhet region of the country. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid formally announced the discovery of the country's 28th gas field in Zakiganj of Sylhet”
Economy tops the agenda- The Financial Express
“The government has finally decided to lift the lockdown from August 11 for obvious reason-the overriding economic necessity.There was of course pressure from the industry, especially, the readymade garment (RMG) sector, as they have the buyers' deadlines to meet. There were also compulsions arising from the condition of those who depend on daily earnings.”
Bangabandhu’s green revolution helps Bangladesh to become surplus in food production- Bangladesh Post
“Green revolution movement announced by Father of the Nation Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to encourage people with ‘grow more food’ after the independence in 1972 was the ‘turning point’ of today’s success of surplus food production, making the country self-reliant for staple food-grains. The country has also ranked third in vegetable production and forth in fish production in the world.”
US provides additional $11.4m to Bangladesh as COVID assistance- The Bangladesh Today
“The United States (US) has announced to provide an additional 11.4 million US dollars to Bangladesh as urgent COVID-19 assistance to accelerate the country’s efforts to roll out an effective COVID-19 vaccination campaign.”
Import of green chilli from India begins- Daily Observer
“Import of green chilli from India has finally begun to reduce the price of this hot-tasting pod. The Ministry of Commerce has already issued import permits (IPs) in favour of the importers to import the widely used item in many cuisines”.
Bangladesh-India flights to resume in Aug- Daily Sun
“Bangladesh and India are all set to resume flights between the two countries likely from the third week of this month under the 'air bubble' arrangement considering the urgency of movement of people of both the countries.”
Liberation War Award launched- The Daily Star
“Bangladesh has introduced the "Liberation War Award" to honour the significant contribution and glorious role of individuals and organisations or institutions in the country's Liberation War. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs yesterday issued a notification detailing the Liberation War Award Policy-2021.”
Bhutan
Major digitalisation of schools begins- Kuensel
“The education ministry (MoE) in an effort to digitalise schools, as a part of the Education Flagship Programme, has started to install computers in all schools, including extended classrooms. The flagship programme attempts to ensure that the students are engaged with ICT Technology (ICT) from pre-primary and make students IT literate. Ministry officials said that teachers are also being trained.”
Govt. requests additional Moderna vaccine for children from the U.S- Bhutan Times
“After the first shots of the Moderna vaccineswere administered to children aged between 12-17 years in nine high-risk districts, the government has requested the United States for additional doses of about 145,000 Moderna vaccines to continue jabbing eligible children.”
Health Minister sends letter of thanks to the U.S for Covid-19 vaccine donation- Bhutan Times
“In a letter dated 30 July – three days after the successful second round nationwide immunization drive against Covid-19 – health minister Dasho Dechen Wangmo sent a letter of thanks to the U.S for its generous donation of vaccines to Bhutan.”
Samten Tenzin Drolma wins Indian Embassy’s Videobyte competition- Bhutan Times
“As part of the ongoing India@75 Special Week in Bhutan, the Embassy of India invited youths to speak on the theme: ‘What India means to me?”. A Class 12 student, Samten Tenzin Drolma from Motithang Higher Secondary School won the first prize in the competition.”
Bhutan receives its first tourist- BBS
“After almost one and a half year, Bhutan received its first tourist today. This has come as a huge relief for those working in the tourism and travel industry. The country suspended the entry of tourists after detecting its first Coronavirus case in an American tourist in March last year.”
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Maldives
US donates Pfizer vaccines to the Maldives – Avas
The Government of the United States of America donated 128,700 doses of Pfizer vaccine to the Maldives through the COVAX facility. On behalf of the Government of Maldives, Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Health, received the vaccines at a ceremony held Monday at Velana International Airport
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COVID-19: 13 islands under HPA monitoring - Avas
13 islands remain under the Health Protection Agency (HPA)'s monitoring status due to the islands' COVID-19 situation. Although the number of islands under HPA monitoring decreased over the past weeks, the number has started increasing once again. Out of the islands that were put under HPA monitoring last month, nine islands remain in monitoring.
Crisis in Myanmar & Maldives to leave an effect on India? | Latitude
In this episode of Latitude, Maroof Raza discusses two of India's neighbours who have been receiving attention from China for decades now. Both Myanmar and Maldives have been receiving Chinese interests, in order to exploit the strategic advantages that these two countries have to offer. China's interest and presence in two of India's neighbours have now been a cause of concern in New Delhi. India considers both Maldives and Myanmar as important neighbours and has made some efforts to keep them humored. India's ties with the Maldives have achieved new strengths since 2018. Maroof Raza speaks to Rajiv Bhatia and Dnyaneshwar Mulay, former diplomats to decode the situation of unrest in Myanmar and the spill-over effect of China's interest in the Maldives as well.
Myanmar
Myanmar Military and Ethnic Armed Groups Clash Close to Border With China - The Irrawaddy
Ethnic armed groups from the Northern Alliance clashed with junta soldiers close to the border with China in northern Shan State last week, forcing hundreds of villagers to flee their homes. Fighters from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) ambushed the Myanmar military with mines on the Pansai–Mongkoe Road in Muse Township, Shan State on August 3.
Myanmar junta expedites work on China funded Kyaukphyu port - The Economic Times
Myanmar junta's decision to expedite China funded Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (KPSEZ) and deep-sea port project could emerge as a challenge for India built Sittwe Port given geographical proximity between the two ports. The junta has recently invited bids to provide legal services to the KPSEZ and deep-sea port project in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State, a key strategic component of China ‘s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Kayah State Firefight - The Irrawaddy
At least 10 military regime soldiers were reportedly killed and others wounded on Sunday in a shootout with ethnic armed groups the Karenni Army (KA) and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) in Kayah State, southeastern Myanmar. Civilian resistance fighters and troops from the KNDF and KA, the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party, ambushed around 300 junta troops on Sunday morning near the border between Shan State’s Pekon Township and Kayah State’s Hpruso Township.
Nepal
EC recognises Yadav as sole chair of JSP-N- The Himalayan
“The Election Commission today updated the record of 35-member executive committee of the Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal recognising Upendra Yadav as the only party chair. Spokesperson for the EC Raj Kumar Shrestha said Mahantha Thakur was not listed as the party's co-chair among its 35 executive members. JSP-N leader Ram Sahay Yadav said the party had demoted Thakur to a general member after he went against the party's decisions.”
UN climate report declares planetary emergency- Nepali Times
Hundreds of scientists spent the past two years drafting a 4,000 page report for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), but even as they did so, news of climate calamities were coming in thick and fast: heat waves, continental-scale wildfires, flash-floods, biodiversity loss… Even under the best-case scenario of reduced greenhouse gas emission, global average temperature is set to exceed 1.5°C by the turn of the century. The Himalaya will get hotter faster than other parts of the world, and could warm by 1.8-2.2°C.”
Outgoing French ambassador: Understanding Nepal takes time and effort, but it has a lot of potential for growth- Online Khabar
“France is one of the oldest diplomatically connected friends of Nepal, with each other’s embassies established in other countries in 1967. Since then, several ambassadors from both sides have contributed to strengthening the relations. Three years ago, François-Xavier Léger succeeded Yves Carmona as the French ambassador to Nepal. During his time, Léger, besides his regular diplomatic dealings, has been very active in many non-political affairs and collaborations, especially with young entrepreneurs of Nepal.”
Conflict of interest continues unchecked in Nepal’s government, parliament- Online Khabar
On July 26, a former president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Pashupati Murarka, tweeted something that made the rounds on social media. In the tweet, he questioned why a businessperson could not become a minister while journalists, lawyers, doctors and bureaucrats could.”
Gurkhas in British Army: Ex-Gurkha veterans launch hunger strike- Republica
“The ex-Gurkha veterans, who staged a relay hunger strike in front of the office of the British Prime Minister for the past 17 days demanding equal pension pay, have now launched a fast-unto-death campaign. Gyan Raj Rai, a former Gurkha veteran and a participant in the hunger strike, shared they were forced to launch fast-unto-death when their demands were not addressed despite repeatedly approaching Nepal and British governments through several mediums. "We resorted to going on a hunger strike as all other alternatives have been used up.”
Sri Lanka
Lockdown is not ruled out - Daily Mirror
Health authorities say a lockdown has not been completely ruled out and appropriate steps will be taken when required. Government sources said that a brief lockdown and other restrictions are being considered to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Sources said that a final decision will be taken following a thorough review of the situation. Last Friday it was decided to revise some of the restrictions on weddings and funerals and not enforce a lockdown. Meanwhile, Deputy Director-general of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said that enforcing a lockdown is among the options available.
2,953 COVID-19 patients detected - Daily FT
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 332,947 with the detection of 2,953 COVID-19 patients yesterday. The detections include 2,938 persons from the New Year cluster, which has grown to 227,587 since it emerged after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April. The Peliyagoda cluster, which is no longer active, is the country’s second-biggest cluster, with 82,785 patients. The Prisons cluster has 7,932 persons linked to it and the Divulapitiya cluster has 3,059 persons linked to it. The cumulative patient count of the four clusters is 324,316.
China prioritises supporting the suppression of COVID in SL - Daily FT
The Chinese Government is giving priority to providing all assistance to control the COVID-19 epidemic in Sri Lanka and accordingly steps will be taken to provide grants and necessary assistance to Sri Lanka in the future, said Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong. He was speaking at a special discussion between the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi at the Chinese Embassy yesterday (9). The Minister of Health said that it was a great consolation for the Chinese Government to provide 80% coverage of vaccines to Sri Lanka to make the vaccination program a success and strengthen the country.
The X-Press Pearl disaster and the imperative for regional maritime cooperation - The Island
The X-Press Pearl fire was controlled only after Sri Lanka received emergency support from India, and this clearly highlights the inadequacies of current institutions to handle a crisis of this scale. While Sri Lanka does have a domestic structure in place to prevent and manage marine pollution, it is crucial that the country works closely with others in the region to achieve the same.
Sri Lanka can achieve this only through regional cooperation —with countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh— that is based on the facilitation of knowledge, resource sharing, constant communication channels and the formulation of standardised security measures for responders. However, this must occur through a formal, binding mechanism for otherwise, any assistance provided will be purely voluntary and context dependent.
Pakistan
Pakistan a democracy only in name: Hamid Mir: Dawn
The anchor and host of the now-off air primetime show Capital Talk on Geo, Hamid Mir, in a wide-ranging interview to the BBC World Service, criticised the shrinking space for press freedom and the growing “climate of fear” for journalists in Pakistan. Hamid Mir spoke from Islamabad with Stephen Sackur, the host of the BBC show HardTalk.
Terrorist havens at Pak-Afghan border source of instability: Pentagon: The News
The Pentagon on Monday once again lumped blame on Pakistan for the volatile Afghan situation by saying terrorist safe havens at the Pak-Afghan border were the sources of instability and insecurity. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stressed the neighbours of Afghanistan to refrain from actions that jeopardize the regional security. He said a dialogue was underway with Pakistan on safe havens at the Pak-Afghan border. He said that Pakistan had also been a major victim of terrorism.
Pakistan gets 1 million Covid antigen rapid test kits from US: The Express Tribune
The United States, through its Agency for International Development (USAID), mobilised an airlift of Covid-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that arrived in Pakistan to help efficient diagnosis of Covid-19 and enable the country to respond to urgent health needs. These new rapid diagnostic tests detect infection in minutes and greatly enhance real-time monitoring, enabling health officials to quickly identify hotspots of infection.
Pakistan being made 'scapegoat' for others’ mistakes in Afghanistan: FM: The Express Tribune
Days after being snubbed at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session on Afghanistan despite Pakistan's request, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday regretted that the country was being made an "scapegoat" for the mistakes of others in Afghanistan. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Qureshi said that Pakistan itself is a victim.
