Afghanistan
U.S. Simplifies Application Process for Afghan Special Immigrant Visa: Tolo News
The United States will simplify the application process for Afghan special immigrant visas with applicants only needing to file one form, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Click here to read...
Qatar Foundation Reports Helping More Than 400 Families in Nimroz: Tolo News
A Qatari foreign aid organization has provided food aid to more than 400 families in Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz. The aid was provided by Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani charity, also known as the Qatar FoundationClick here to read...
Earthquakes Devastate Quake-Hit Afghanistan Again: The Khaama Press
Two relatively powerful earthquakes have been reported by local sources in the provinces of Paktika, Paktia, Logar, and Badakhshan. In the Gayan district of Paktika province, which was already severely damaged by the earthquake on June 22nd, reports of damages include the demolition of several homes and the injury of many people. Click here to read...
Taliban’s Central Bank Injects $12 Million to the Market to Maintain the Currency Value: The Khaama Press
The Central Bank will hold a foreign currency auction on Tuesday, 19 July, according to the Central Bank’s newsletter, inviting banks, money exchange dealers, and other competent parties including qualified money service companies to participate. Click here to read...
Bangladesh
Economic jitters felt by stock market- The Daily Star
The jitters surrounding the state of the economy are reverberating on the stock market, with the key index dropping for the fifth day in a row. Click here to read...
Indian army chief here on a 5-day visit- The Daily Star
Indian army chief General Manoj Pande yesterday lauded Bangladesh Army's leadership and overall high standards. Click here to read...
Bangladesh seeks time to respond to UN- The Daily Star
Bangladesh has sought a week from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to respond to a letter wanting to know the country's human rights issues and the government's relations with rights bodies. Click here to read...
India for 4th Dhaka-Kolkata train service- The Daily Star
India has formally proposed to operate a fourth inter-country train service from Dhaka to Kolkata. Click here to read...
EU delegation here to talk about trade standards- The Daily Star
A six-member delegation of the European Parliament arrived in Dhaka yesterday to learn about the country's trade with Europe and its progress in adapting to more demanding trade standards. Click here to read...
Bhutan
PM assures Autsho shopkeepers follow-up on plot allotment issue- Kuensel
The shopkeepers of Autsho town say they are hopeful of getting plots in the town after Lyonchen Dr Lotay Tshering committed to follow-up with the relevant agencies regarding the long overdue plot allotment of Austho satellite town last weekend during his visit to Lhuentse. Click here to read...
New machines to reduce TB testing time- Kuensel
The health ministry (MoH) yesterday launched VITEK MS and VITEK 2 compact services at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDNRH) that would cut turnaround time and improve service delivery with efficient and test results. Click here to read...
Bhutan to host 75th RCM- Kuensel
Bhutan will host the 75th Regional Committee Meeting (RCM-75) for the third time this year from September 5 to 9 in Paro. Click here to read...
Maldives
Indian travel agents arrives in Maldives for familiarization trip - Raajje
Travel agents from leading travel agencies from India have arrived in the Maldives on an invitation by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relation Corporation (MMPRC) on a familiarization trip. Click here to read...
President ratifies the Evidence Act - Raajje
President Solih ratified the Evidence Act on Monday. The Evidence Act bill was passed by the Parliament at the 22nd sitting of its second session on June 30, 2022. The act specifies the procedures to be followed when gathering evidence in civil and criminal proceedings. The act also specifies the processes to be followed when submitting, accepting, and evaluating evidence. Click here to read...
Myanmar
Thailand’s Myanmar Policy Is Costing Communities on Both Sides of the Border - The Diplomat
On June 30, a Myanmar air force jet, identified as a Russian-made MiG-29, violated Thai airspace while on a bombing raid in eastern Myanmar. The jet’s incursion prompted the evacuation of homes and classrooms in the Phop Phra district of Thailand’s Tak provinceClick here to read...
China-Backed Illegal Rare Earth Mining Surging in Northern Myanmar - The Irrawaddy
Illegal rare earth mining has surged in northern Kachin State since last year’s coup in areas along the border with China controlled by a militia sponsored by the Myanmar military. Click here to read...
Myanmar leader shops for support, weapons in Moscow - Aljazeera
With both regimes increasingly isolated on the world stage, Myanmar’s top general has been in Moscow to meet senior officials from Russia’s defence ministry, pledging deeper military ties and cooperation on nuclear energy. Click here to read...
Six Myanmar Regime Officials Assassinated in Yangon in Last Four Days - The Irrawaddy
At least six Myanmar junta officials including a judge and an army captain have been killed in the commercial capital Yangon in the last four days. On Monday morning, army captain Aung Naing Phyoe from the military’s weapons factory and his wife Ma Jue Jue Aung were shot dead by gunmen in Yangon’s Hlaing Township while they were drivingClick here to read...
India signs MoUs with Myanmar, other countries to increase pulses import - ZeeBiz
In a bid to ease the supply-side pressure amid rising inflation, the government has decided to increase the import of Tur and Urad for the next five years. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday issued a notification stating that New Delhi will import Tur and Urad from Myanmar, Malawi and Mozambique. Click here to read...
Myanmar central bank orders firms with up to 35% foreign ownership to convert forex - ChannelNewsAsia
Myanmar's central bank has ordered companies with up to 35 per cent foreign ownership to convert foreign exchange into the local currency, state media reported on Monday, extending a rule aimed at relieving pressure on the kyat to include more businesses. Click here to read...
Nepal
Nepal Oil to pay Rs17 billion to Indian oil supplier to reduce outstanding dues- The Kathmandu Post
Despite reduced fuel cost amid decreasing fuel price internationally, the oil monopoly has kept prices unchanged. Click here to read...
Dahal receives warm welcome in Delhi as Nepal’s envoy is kept cooling his heels- The Kathmandu Post
Officials at the Nepali embassy say they are still awaiting response from the Indian ministries for formal meetings with Shankar Sharma, Kathmandu’s ambassador to India. Click here to read...
Government to provide Rs 7 billion loan to NOC- The Himalayan Times
The government is to provide a loan of Rs 7 billion to Nepal Oil Corporation to make the supply of petroleum products smooth. Click here to read...
Ban continues on import of 10 types of goods- The Himalayan Times
The government has retained the prohibition on the import of 10 various goods. Before this, the ban had been imposed until the end of Asar (July 16). It has been extended till August 30. Click here to read...
Undeterred coalition resolves not to rush into election: Dawn
Amid the opposition Pakis¬tan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) fresh demand for early general elections after registering a thumping victory in the crucial Punjab by-elections on Sunday, the two main component parties of the ruling coalition — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakis¬tan Peoples Party (PPP) — on Monday insisted the Nat¬ional Assembly will complete its term until mid-next year, and general elections be held after the government carries out electoral reforms and fixes the economy. Click here to read...
Basking in poll glory, Imran toughens line: The Express Tribune
A day after securing a resounding victory in Punjab by-polls, former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday reiterated his demand for holding fresh elections in the country under a new chief election commissioner (CEC). Click here to read...
US dollar soars to new high against PKR in interbank market: The News
The Pakistani rupee depreciated further in the interbank market on Tuesday hitting a new low of 216.75 in the interbank market against the US dollar.The rupee lost 1.55 during the intraday trade. It lost 4.25 rupees or 1.97% against the greenback on Monday and closed at 215.20, suffering one of the biggest single-day falls. Click here to read...
Remittances surge to record high of $31.2bn in FY2022: The News
Pakistan received $31.2 billion in remittances from overseas in July-June FY2022, a 6.1 percent increase from $29.4 billion in the previous year. Remittances increased 18.4 percent month-on-month to $2.76 billion in June. These inflows saw 1.7 percent year-on-year growth in June. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa withdraws from Presidential nomination- The Daily Mirror
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has decided to withdraw his presidential nomination and the SJB will support SLPP MP Dullas Allahapperuma in the Presidential election in Parliament tomorrow. Click here to read...
Israel’s Arkia considering to operate flights to Sri Lanka- The Daily Mirror
Israel’s second largest airline, Arkia is looking at expanding its operations to Sri Lanka and Thailand, following Saudi Arabia’s plan to allow unfettered access to its airspace to Israeli airlines. Click here to read...
70% of Sri Lankans believe that the Executive Presidency should be abolished- The Daily Mirror
The June 2022 syndicated survey conducted by Verité Research, revealed that 70% (± 2%) of the country's population is of the opinion that the executive presidency should be abolished. Click here to read...
Freighted petrol undergoes quality sampling, unloading tomorrow: Minister- The Daily Mirror
One shipment of Petrol reached the country is presently undergoing quality sampling and unloading will begin tomorrow, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said. Click here to read...
RW to seek assistance of UK govt. & intelligence over Easter Sunday attacks- The Daily Mirror
Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe today stated that the absence of a proper Easter Sunday investigation has meant that this issue has still not been fully resolved and he is requesting the assistance of the UK Government and their intelligence services. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka’s ambassador urges ADB and World Bank to take bigger role in debt restructure- The Island
Sri Lanka has not reached any initial agreement with the IMF on debt relief, and its largest creditors -the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank – are urged to come up with a package that would speed up its debt restructuring process, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to China Palitha Kohona told the Global Times in an exclusive interviewClick here to read...
