Afghanistan
Balkhi: By Closing Chapter of War, We Want to Open New Chapter with US-Tolo News
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told CBS News that the interim government intends to establish new relations with the United States by closing the chapter of war. Balkhi also stated that the military equipment left behind by the US belongs to the Afghan government and will remain under Afghanistan's control. Click here to read…
7 Former Afghanistan’s Army Black Hawk Helicopters transferred from Uzbekistan to US-The Khaama Press
The media in Uzbekistan have reported that seven Black Hawk helicopters from the former Afghanistan’s army, which had been taken to Uzbekistan, have now been transferred to the United States. According to reports, the Pentagon deemed these helicopters fit for use and relocated them to the U.S. Uzbekistani media stated that a total of 22 military aircraft and 24 helicopters from the former Afghanistan’s army were in Uzbekistan. Of these, seven helicopters have now been sent to the U.S. Click here to read…
US delegation holds talks with Afghanistan’s former leaders in Turkey-The Khaama Press
Members of the High Council of National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan, composed of key leaders from the former government, have stated that they met with an American delegation. Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, told Voice of America on Tuesday, February 4, that several members of the High Council of Resistance, including himself, met with a delegation sent by the Global Peace Operations Initiative. Click here to read…
Tajikistan seizes 121kg of Methamphetamine smuggled from Afghanistan to China-The Khaama Press
Tajikistan’s Drug Control Agency has reported the seizure of 121 kilograms of methamphetamine from a truck carrying goods from Afghanistan, headed towards China. The drugs were hidden among precious stones on the Dushanbe-Kulma highway. The Drug Control Agency revealed that the methamphetamine was being trafficked from Afghanistan to China through Tajikistan. This marks a significant bust along the major transit route between the two countries. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
Reform recommendations: Decentralised judiciary at the core – The Daily Star
The Judiciary Reform Commission recommends curbing the president's power to pardon convicts and establishing permanent High Court benches at every divisional city. It also proposes establishing civil and criminal courts at upazilas; reducing the mobile court's jurisdiction in sentencing; formulating legislation to establish an independent criminal investigation agency; and preventing filing of false cases with a law. Click here to read…
Govt aiming for record power generation this summer – The Daily Star
The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) has projected the highest electricity demand during the summer months would be 18,000 megawatts (MW), while the highest production target is 17,260MW. That means the country may face at least 740MW of load shedding. In 2024, the highest demand was projected at 17,800MW while the highest generation was 16,477MW. Click here to read…
Sheikh Mujib's mural demolished in Sylhet – Dhaka Tribune
The mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, installed in front of the Sylhet deputy commissioner's office, has been demolished with a bulldozer. According to witnesses, a group of angry protesters arrived at the site around 9:30pm on Wednesday with a bulldozer. Initially, they could not be there because the main gate was locked, but they managed to break the lock and stormed into the premises. Click here to read…
Protesters demolish Sheikh Bari in Khulna – Dhaka Tribune
In protest against Sheikh Hasina’s online speech announcement, while she remains in India following her downfall in the mass uprising, protesters demolished Sheikh Bari in Khulna. At around 9:00pm on Wednesday, the protesters began vandalizing the house while chanting slogans against Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League. Click here to read…
Protests, vandalism at Dhanmondi 32 – Prothom Alo
A group who are regarded as revolutionary students and people staged a protest at the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in the capital on Wednesday evening. The demonstration began around 8:00pm when protesters broke the entrance and entered the building premises. Until the filing of this report, a large number of demonstrators were marching in the area, chanting slogans against dictatorship, fascism, and the Awami League. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Bhutan and FAO launch “One-Child, One-Egg” initiative – Kuensel
Starting this academic session, around 32,000 students in 300 pilot schools selected for the “One-Child, One-Egg” initiative will receive one egg per day through the school feeding programme to tackle nutritional deficiencies among school children in the country. The director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, Dr QU Dongyu and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay launched the initiative in the capital on January 4. For the initial phase of the pilot project, the FAO has committed USD 2 million by the first quarter of 2025, aligning with the school’s new academic year, before scaling it nationwide. In Bhutan, malnutrition remains a significant concern, with 17.9 percent of children under five stunted, 8.7 percent underweight, and 36.5 percent of adolescent girls are anemic. Click here to read…
Bhutan secures USD 20 million GEF LDCF Grant for Urban Climate Resilience Project – The Bhutanese
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), a multilateral fund committed to tackling biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution, has approved a USD 20 million grant under its Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) for Bhutan’s Enhancing Climate Resilience of Urban Landscapes and Communities in the Thimphu-Paro Region (ECRUL) project. With additional co-financing commitments exceeding USD 62 million from the government, this initiative addresses critical climate challenges in the Thimphu-Paro region, the country’s primary urban centers. These areas contribute over 40% of the national GDP and house a quarter of the country’s population. However, rapid urbanization and escalating climate impacts have left them vulnerable, including flooding, landslides, and water scarcity. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives-Ireland Eyes Collaboration on Tourism, Environment Sustainability – PSM News
The government on January 5 held extensive discussions with the Ireland Envoy to enhance collaboration between the two countries in tourism, environment sustainability and climate change. The discussions were held during Ambassador of Ireland to the Maldives, Kevin Kelly’s courtesy call on Minister of Tourism and Environment, Thoriq Ibrahim. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, discussions between the Minister and the Ambassador centred around collaboration opportunities in tourism, environment sustainability and climate change. Minister Thoriq, in a post on social media platforms shortly after the meeting, said that Ireland has always been a strong advocate for small island developing states, particularly in the climate change arena. Click here to read…
Maldives and India Discuss Expediting Thilamale’ Bridge Project – PSM News
The Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib and the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives G Balasubramanian have discussed accelerating the progress of the Thilamale’ Bridge project. The Thilamale' Bridge Project, valued at USD 500 million, is funded through a USD 100 million grant from the Indian Government, a USD 400 million line of credit, and support from the Maldivian Government. The bridge will span a total of 6.7km. Under the project, the bridge segment connecting Male' City and Gulhifalhu is set to conclude on 31 March 2026, and the component interlinking Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi is scheduled to finish by 30 September 2026. Meanwhile, the entire project is also slated for completion by 30 September 2026. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Singapore Remains Biggest Foreign Investor in Myanmar – The Irrawaddy
Singapore remains the top investor in junta-ruled Myanmar despite growing calls from human rights groups to block the flow of funds, arms, and jet fuel to the regime. Businesses in the Lion City invested US$456 million in projects in Myanmar last year, according to the junta-controlled Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA). Among 53 countries or regions that put money into Myanmar, the largest investors were Singapore, China, and Thailand as of the end of 2024. The sectors with the most investment are energy, oil and gas, and manufacturing. Click here to read…
Myanmar junta forces, TNLA engage in heavy fighting in southern Nawnghkio Township – Myanmar Now
Major clashes have been reported in northern Shan State’s Nawnghkio Township as regime forces attempt to drive the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) out of a key village, according to sources close to the group. Tawng Hkam, located at the southern edge of the township, has been heavily contested since the TNLA and its allies seized control of the town of Nawnghkio, some 20 miles to the north, in July of last year. “The military is currently pushing into Tawng Hkam and we’ve had to withdraw our forces from a few positions,” a source close to the TNLA told Myanmar Now on January 5. Click here to read…
Pakistan
Zardari, Xi chart course for expansion of CPEC-Dawn
President Asif Ali Zardari met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Wednesday, reaffirming the long-standing strategic partnership between the two nations and exploring new avenues of cooperation under CPEC 2.0. According to the Presidency, the meeting was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where the two leaders also discussed regional and international issues of common interest, and opportunities to further expand the scope of bilateral partnership, especially through continued high-level exchanges. Click here to read…
Terrorist attacks will not disrupt Pakistan-China's long-standing ties, Zardari assures Xi-The Express Tribune
President Asif Ali Zardari reassured China on Wednesday that militant attacks would not disrupt Pakistan’s long-standing ties with its all-weather friend. Following the meeting, both presidents witnessed the signing of several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening collaboration in areas such as science and technology, clean energy, socio-economic development, and media. Click here to read…
Pakistan, China agree to strengthen intelligence sharing- The Express Tribune
Pakistan and China have agreed to enhance intelligence sharing and security cooperation, following a high-level meeting between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Chinese counterpart, Qiu Yanjun, in Beijing. During the meeting, discussions focused on securing borders for paramilitary forces and enhancing cooperation in this regard. Both sides also deliberated on the use of advanced technology for police and paramilitary forces. Click here to read…
US aid suspension to hit 60 health facilities in Pakistan-Dawn
Effects of the suspension of all US foreign aid programmes have started to appear in Pakistan as over 60 health facilities will be closed down, leaving 1.7 million people, including 1.2m Afghan refugees, cut off from life-saving reproductive health services. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
“Please read the Presidential Commission report”- Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Daily Mirror
In response to a text message forwarded to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by this newspaper regarding the allegation Maulana has leveled against him for conspiring in the Easter Sunday attack to come into power, the former President claimed that he doesn’t know anything regarding these allegations. Click here to read…
‘We are all warriors on the same battlefield’: President – Daily Mirror
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today that all the people are warriors on the same battlefield in the quest to attain comprehensive economic, social and cultural freedom. Addressing the 77th Independence Day celebration, the President said, "Collectively, we must persist in our struggle for freedom on behalf of this motherland." Click here to read…
