Afghanistan
Mujahid: Not Recognizing Islamic Emirate Injustice to Citizens-Tolo News
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, considers the non-recognition of the caretaker government by the international community to be an injustice to the citizens of the country. Mujahid said the reasons provided by countries for not recognizing the caretaker government are illogical and added that these reasons are not based on international law. Click here to read…
TTP Leader Denies Operating from Afghan Soil, Rejects Al-Qaeda Support-Tolo News
The Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has denied receiving fund and training from Al-Qaeda and being operative from the Afghan soil or any Afghan citizen involved in their attacks. In a written message to the religious scholars and national and political leaders of Pakistan, Noor Wali Mehsud, the leader of the TTP said that they receive no cooperation from the Islamic Emirate. Click here to read…
Former UK minister refrains from disclosing soldiers’ names exposing War Crimes in Afghanistan-The Khaama Press
Johnny Mercer, former British Cabinet minister, stated he would not disclose the names of soldiers who exposed unlawful killings by UK Special Forces in Afghanistan, even if sentenced to prison. According to Sky News, Mercer made this statement after pressure from Charles Heyman, head of an independent inquiry into Afghanistan. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
PM’s Quota Remark: Late-night protests rock DU, other universities - The Daily Star
Tensions flared up at Dhaka University late last night as hundreds of students came out of their dormitories to protest what they said was a "disparaging comment" by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regarding quotas in government jobs. Click here to read…
Daughter’s illness or friction with Beijing? Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina cuts China trip short – The Print
It is unclear why Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cut short her recent visit to China — the first in five years — though diplomatic sources have attempted to downplay the matter by arguing that this is not the first time she has halted her travel abroad ahead of schedule. Click here to read…
Remittance from UAE: Wages or smuggled money being sent back? – Dhaka Tribune
In the fiscal year 2024, expatriates from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sent an impressive $4.60 billion to Bangladesh, marking the highest remittance amount from any country. Click here to read…
Bhutan
India, Bhutan to work together in areas of environment and climate change-Business Standard
India and Bhutan on Friday agreed to work together in the areas of air quality, forest, wildlife management and capacity building in the field of environment and climate change, with New Delhi suggesting holding joint working group meetings between the two countries. Click here to read…
Maldives
US renews travel advisory warning of high risk of terrorist attack in Maldives – Adhadhu
The US State Department has maintained its travel advisory for the Maldives at level two after an annual review, citing the high risk of attack by a terrorist group at any time. American citizens were advised to exercise caution when visiting the Maldives after a review of the annual travel alert for the Maldives by the State Department. The travel advisory for the Maldives was raised to level two in 2017 in connection with terrorism and political unrest. “Terrorist groups may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Attacks may occur on remote islands which could lengthen the response time of authorities,” the US travel advisory stated. Click here to read…
US-Maldives TIFA Council meeting held in Washington – Avas
The third meeting of the US-Maldives Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council took place on Friday in Washington, DC. The meeting was attended by the Maldives’ Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed, US Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch and several senior officials of both countries. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Myanmar’s Junta Navy Chief Replaced After Six Months - The Irrawaddy
Myanmar’s regime appointed Major General Htein Win as its navy commander-in-chief following the alleged interrogation of his predecessor, according to a Naypyitaw source. Former navy chief Vice Admiral Zwe Win Myint resigned in early July after around six months in the role. The source told The Irrawaddy on Friday: “After receiving the secret appointment letter, Maj Gen Htein Win from the Thanlyin cantonment in Yangon left for Naypyitaw to receive his promotion.” Click here to read…
Myanmar approves 7 new investments in June, creating over 3k jobs - The Star
Myanmar's Yangon Region Investment Committee (YRIC) approved seven new investments in Yangon In June, which will create over 3,000 jobs, Xinhua quoted the state-run media Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) report on Friday (July 12), citing the YRIC. Those investments are approved with a total capital amount of 4.023 billion kyats (about US$1.9 million) and US$4.845 million and 3,060 local job opportunities can be created, the report said. Click here to read…
Myanmar border fencing to end insurgent groups’ escape routes
Since May 3 last year, over 200 lives have been lost in the violence that erupted in Manipur, displacing thousands of people from their homes to other locations. To curb the violence, a large number of state police and central forces have been deployed. Additionally, strict patrolling is being carried out along the border with Myanmar to prevent insurgents’ groups from entering Manipur and perpetrating violence. Click here to read…
Indians recount horrors of being tricked into working for cyber fraud cell in Myanmar - New Indian Express
Hundreds of Indians have been duped into working for cyber fraud cells in places like Myanmar, where they are tortured for resistance or have to pay lakhs of rupees to return home. 25-year-old Sagar Chauhan from Lucknow recounts how he was hoodwinked, along with two other friends Ajay and Rahul, into working for an IT firm in Malaysia but ended up in Myanmar in a cyber fraud unit run allegedly by a Chinese man. Click here to read…
Myanmar alliance says it agreed to 4-day ceasefire with military in Shan state - Strait Times
An alliance of Myanmar ethnic minority armed groups said on July 14 it had agreed to a four-day ceasefire with the junta in northern Shan state, following weeks of clashes in which it seized territory from the military along a key highway to China. The ceasefire was slated to take place between July 14 and July 18. Northern Shan state has been rocked by fighting since late June 2024, when the so-called Three Brotherhood Alliance renewed an offensive against the military along the road to China’s Yunnan province. Click here to read…
Nepal
PM Modi congratulates Nepal's new PM KP Oli for his reappointment, vows to deepen bonds - India TV News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, congratulated K P Sharma Oli, the leader of Nepal's largest communist party, who was reappointed as Nepal's Prime Minister for a fourth term on Sunday. In a social media post, PM Modi wrote: "Congratulations @kpsharmaoli on your appointment as the Prime Minister of Nepal. Look forward to working closely to further strengthen the deep bonds of friendship between our two countries and to further expand our mutually beneficial cooperation for the progress and prosperity of our peoples." Click here to read…
No hope of survivors in Nepal bus accident, 55 still missing - Hindustan Times
Rescuers in Nepal ruled out chances of finding survivors in last week's landslide that swept two passenger buses carrying 65 people into a river swollen by heavy rain, authorities said on Monday. Hundreds of security personnel resumed search operations early on Monday to locate the buses and 55 passengers who remained missing, over 72 hours after the accident. Click here to read…
International Monetary Fund approves disbursement of US$41 million for Nepal - Kathmandu Post
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved disbursement of US$41 million for Nepal on Tuesday. Concluding its fourth review under the four-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF), the international organisation allowed authorities to withdraw the equivalent of US$41.3 million, taking the total disbursement of financial support to Nepal under the programme to US$247.7 million. Click here to read…
Pakistan
Govt to keep lid on funds to meet IMF targets-Dawn
Despite protests from the Ministry of Planning, the Ministry of Finance has decided to keep the lid on federal financing of development and recurrent expenditures through back-loaded releases of funds to meet the IMF’s primary surplus targets at any cost. According to fresh notifications from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives shall authorise only 15 per cent of funds for approved development projects in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year. Click here to read…
Baloch Yakjehti Committee postpones sit-in after agreement with govt-Dawn
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) activists have called off their two-week-long sit-in against the alleged enforced disappearance of an activist after successful negotiations with the authorities. The protesters held negotiations with the government-nominated committee, headed by Quetta Division Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat, and signed an agreement on Sunday following successful talks. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka limits bilateral engagements ahead of Presidential Elections – Daily Mirror
The government has limited its bilateral engagements including entertaining foreign leaders except Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi within the next couple of months because of the presidential elections, Daily Mirror learns. Click here to read…
Government approval rating tripled in July compared to four months ago: Verité Research – Daily Mirror
The latest round of the Gallup style ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll of Verité Research revealed that over three times as many people approve of the government and feel better about the economy and the country’s economic trajectory compared to four months ago, the Verité Research said. Click here to read…
