Afghanistan
MoFA Criticizes Presence of US Drones in Afghan Airspace: Tolo News
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed criticism over reports of US drones that are flying above Afghanistan and called on Washington to stop the violation of Afghan air space. Muttaqi called on the international community to put pressure on the US to stop violating Afghan airspace. Click here to read...
Hundreds of Kilograms of Drugs Trafficked by 2 Afghan Nationals Seized by Indian Police: The Khaama Press
Two Afghan nationals were reportedly arrested in New Delhi, India’s capital, for trafficking 312.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin worth hundreds of millions of dollars (Rs. 1,200 crores). The Indian special cell, according to Indian media, apprehended two Afghan nationals who were in possession of drugs close to a metro station in New Delhi, capturing hundreds of kilograms of drugs in “one of the largest seizures” of drug operations in Indian history. Click here to read...
Bangladesh
Target $100b export by 2030: BGMEA focuses on Asia, non-cotton items: The Daily Star
Bangladesh's garment manufacturers are pinning their hopes on the burgeoning Asian markets and the growing use of non-cotton apparel items to elevate their export earnings to $100 billion by 2030. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) is drawing up a roadmap to hit the target, in association with an international lender and an international research firm. Click here to read...
Bangladesh-India sign first defence contract under $500 million LoC: Dhaka Tribune
Bangladesh and India have signed the first contract under $500 million Line of Credit (LoC) which India finds an important first step in strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries. “I think the first contract under the defence Line of Credit was signed earlier this week. I'm sure you have been following this closely. It was a modest amount but it was an important first step," said Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra in New Delhi on Tuesday night. Click here to read...
Jaishankar: For Indians, Bangabandhu is a man of action, courage, conviction: Dhaka Tribune
External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar has said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, for them in India, is iconic - a man of action, courage and conviction. Click here to read...
SEAR commits to universal access to people-centred mental health care and services - Kuensel Online
WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) member countries adopted the Paro Declaration which commits to universal access to people-centred mental health care and services. The Paro Declaration was adopted at the ministerial roundtable meeting on addressing mental health through primary care and community engagement on the second day of the ongoing 75th Session of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee Session. Click here to read...
Maldives
Cabinet clears India-Maldives MoU on disaster management - Indian Express
THE UNION Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between India and Maldives in the filed of disaster management. The MoU was signed between the National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA) of the two countries on August 2. Click here to read...
First visit by UN experts on discrimination against women and girls: Maldives - OHCHR
A United Nations expert group on discrimination against women and girls will undertake its first official visit to the Maldives from 11 to 22 September 2022 to assess progress and challenges in achieving gender equality and eliminating discrimination against women and girls in the country. Click here to read...
Myanmar
Airspace violation and shelling: Reckless mistakes or acts of provocation - TBS News
Over the last two weeks, Dhaka summoned the Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka, U Aung Kyaw Moe, three times over their army's mortar shells landing on Bangladesh soil. The Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon also raised the issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar. Click here to read...
India supports all efforts towards repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar: MEA - Economic Times
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, on September 06, said that India supports all efforts toward repatriating Rohingyas to Myanmar. Addressing a Press Conference, Kwatra said, "We are aware of the Rohingya issue. There is a global appreciation of Bangladesh's role in giving them refuge. We have also provided financial help. In the future, whatever assistance is required, GoI will give. India supports all efforts towards their repatriation to Myanmar. Click here to read...
Fighting Flares Up Between Military And KIA In Northern Shan State - BNI Online
Fighting between the Burma Army (BA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) brought traffic to a standstill in Kutkai Township on Sunday, 4 September. An anonymous motorcyclist said: “We heard guns and heavy weapons fired” near the highway outside Mang Pein village in the village tract sharing the same name for about an hour at midday. Click here to read...
Myanmar conflict under control, junta chief says - Reuters
Speaking to Russian news agency RIA in a rare interview published on Wednesday, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said it was too soon to discuss postponing the elections, tentatively slated for August next year, and the junta still had plenty of time to restore order. Click here to read...
30,401 from Myanmar took refuge in Mizoram after Feb 2021 coup: Minister - Business Standard
Altogether 30,401 people from Myanmar have crossed the international border and taken refuge in Mizoram after the neighbouring country's military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February last year, state Home Minister Lalchamliana has informed the assembly. Click here to read...
Displaced IDPs increase up to 9600 in Rakhine and southern Chin State due to recent conflicts: UN - Narinjara
No less than 9600 people have been displaced because of the ongoing military conflicts between the Burmese forces and Arakan Army members in various parts of Rakhine and Paletwa township of Chin State, said the UN. As of 5 September, these people have fled their places and it has finally increased the total number of internally displaced people (IDPs) up to 84,000, stated in UN figures. Click here to read...
Nepal
Nepal on the horns of dilemma over China’s Global Security Initiative - Kathmandu Post
On Tuesday, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala sought the government’s position on the Global Security Initiative (GSI) pushed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and first announced at the Boao Forum for Asia in AprilClick here to read...
Rising cases of love jihad in Nepal and its Delhi connection, smuggling plaguing India’s border with Nepal: Ground report - OpIndia
Several recent reports have shown that demography is changing rapidly along India’s border with Nepal. The number of mosques and madarasas is constantly increasing. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited several areas in Nepal bordering India to observe the ground situation. What follows here is the third episode of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team. Click here to read...
BRI contributes to the devt of Nepal - Global Times
Since Nepal joined the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2017, the two countries have cooperated on a widely based on mutual trust and mutual benefits, which also benefits the development of South Asia. The BRI is "the foundation for global development and the elimination of poverty," said a recent article published by Kathmandu Tribune, an online English daily in Nepal. Click here to read...
Pakistan
Floodwaters from Manchhar, MNVD breaches pose threat to Bhan Syedabad: Dawn
Floodwater from breaches in Manchhar Lake is increasing pressure along Indus Link canal near Bhan Syedabad town after having inundated several villages in the union councils of Wahur, Arazi, Dal, Bubak and Jaffarabad in Sehwan taluka on Wednesday. Click here to read...
Power tariff rebate to be recovered: Miftah: The Express Tribune
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Wednesday cleared the air about electricity relief to the consumers of 300 units a month on account of the fuel cost adjustment (FCA) for the month of June -- being recovered in coming months. Click here to read...
Probe reveals Imran withdrew Rs8m from PTI account: The News
Fifty-two transactions from five bank accounts of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should have been flagged as suspicious, a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) probe said. These include two large withdrawals made by party Chairman Imran Khan amounting to Rs8 million from a PTI account in March 2013. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka explores US $ 6 billion fuel credit line from Saudi Arabia: Daily Mirror
Environment Minister Naseer Ahamed, in his capacity of the president’s envoy to Saudi Arabia, has initiated discussions with the Saudi government last week seeking for a five year credit line of US $ 6 billion for the supply of fuel on a government to government basis, as a long-term solution to Sri Lanka’s current economic crisis, Daily Mirror learns. Click here to read...
'Sri Lanka’s economic crisis a result of past impunity…': UN report: Hindustan Times
Sri Lanka is facing a “devastating” economic crisis, a UN report has said, noting that “impunity” for past and present human rights abuses, economic crimes and corruption were the underlying causes for the island nation’s collapse. Click here to read...
