Afghanistan
Afghanistan revokes membership in the Rome Statute-The Khaama Press
The Taliban government has announced the termination of Afghanistan’s membership in the Rome Statute following a request from the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the arrest of Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada. In a statement released on Thursday, February 20, the Taliban government declared that Afghanistan’s membership in the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court would no longer be recognized. Click here to read…
Japan donates $500,000 to Afghanistan’s healthcare system-The Khaama Press
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced Japan’s donation of 500,000 dollars to provide health services to vulnerable Afghans, particularly women and children in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, February 19, the organization welcomed Japan’s contributions in a statement. The statement highlighted that, with Japan’s support, the WHO will launch a 12-month project in March this year to deliver healthcare services. Click here to read…
DABS Invests Over Four Billion Afghanis in Power Supply Projects-Tolo News
Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) announced that more than four billion Afghanis from the national budget have been spent on power supply projects. Click here to read…
Bangladesh
President, CA pay homage to language heroes – The Daily Star
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus have paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement, marking the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day. They separately paid homage by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital after 12:01am today, reports BSS. Click here to read…
Bangladesh, China to work closer than ever – The Daily Star
Bangladesh and China will work closer than ever to forge the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Bangladesh Ambassador to China Nazmul Islam and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sun Weidong reiterated their countries' commitment in a meeting held at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing today, according to a Bangladesh foreign ministry press release. Click here to read…
Don’t create anarchy anymore on pretext of reforms: Fakhrul – Prothom Alo
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged the interim government to make arrangements for the next parliamentary elections soon, saying that the people prioritise their basic needs over the reforms. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Modi to open SOUL conclave today, Bhutan PM is Guest of Honour – Indian Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first SOUL Leadership Conclave in Delhi on Friday. The two-day conclave will set the ball rolling for periodic events that will bring together leaders from across various fields to share their life experiences, successes and failures with the youth to foster young leadership for a vibrant public life in diverse fields. Click here to read…
Bhutan’s new inland waterway terminal to boost trade with Bangladesh and India - ANN
Bhutan has now access to its closest riverine trade hub with the inauguration of the Jogighopa Inland Water Transport (IWT) terminal on the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India—just 91 kilometres from Gelephu. The terminal, located in Bongaigaon district, is expected to transform regional trade, providing a more efficient, cost-effective route for Bhutanese exports to Bangladesh and India. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives signs deal allowing China to gather intelligence on Maldivian waters – Adhadhu
An agreement signed between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology on February 17, 2025 has opened the doors for China to gather intelligence on the Maldivian waters. Three separate sources who read through the agreement after it was signed by the Maldives government spoke to Adhadhu and expressed concern over the freedoms given to China under the deal. "Under this agreement, China is installing devices in the ocean. The devices can collect a lot of information. In return, they will conduct some training for the Maldives government," a person familiar with the agreement said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Click here to read…
IMF calls to accelerate measures to stabilize fiscal situation – The Edition
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged the Maldives to implement immediate policy changes to stabilize its debt and fiscal situation. Following its 'Article IV' consultation mission, the IMF emphasized the need to accelerate economic reforms, warning that while the Maldives economy is projected to grow by five percent, fiscal imbalances continue to widen due to financial challenges. IMF noted that tourism remains the primary driver of economic growth, with the new Velana International Airport terminal expected to boost arrivals and further develop the sector. However, inflation is projected to reach 2.3 percent this year, largely due to increased import duties on some goods. IMF also highlighted growing uncertainty regarding economic stability, calling it a risk factor for future growth. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Chinese Court Tries Family Accused of Aiding Myanmar Scam Centers – Irrawaddy
A Chinese court said on February 20, that it had finished a public trial for alleged members of a crime family accused of murder, fraud and collusion with cross-border scammers based in Myanmar. Scam compounds have flourished in Myanmar’s lawless borderlands, staffed by foreigners—many of them Chinese—who say they were trafficked and forced to swindle people online, part of a multibillion-dollar illicit industry. In recent months, Beijing has stepped up cooperation with Southeast Asian nations to crack down on the compounds, and a militia allied with the Myanmar junta said this month that it is preparing to deport 10,000 people with ties to scam operations. Click here to read…
Wa State Aims to Boost Economy Through Chinese Projects – The Irrawaddy
The United Wa State Army (UWSA), Myanmar’s largest ethnic armed organization (EAO), held its six-day annual general meeting this month, adopting a nine-point plan including stimulating economic growth with the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor. The UWSA controls Wa state in northern and southern Shan State and has an estimated 30,000 soldiers and a sophisticated arsenal of weapons. The meeting in Panghsang or Pangkham, the Wa capital, also focused on political reforms, reopening the Mansai tin mine, illegal activities and increasing electricity production. Plans were also agreed to improve agriculture, education and health care, according to Wa State TV. Click here to read…
On the battlefield and in court, Myanmar’s junta is isolated and desperate – UCA News
Myanmar’s military junta faces escalating challenges both domestically and internationally. On the ground, resistance forces, including the People’s Defense Forces and ethnic armed groups, have inflicted heavy losses on junta troops, leaving key areas like those along the Thai border contested. Forced conscription to address manpower shortages has deepened public fear and discontent. Internationally, the junta faces legal actions, including cases at the International Criminal Court accusing its leaders of crimes against humanity, particularly in relation to the Rohingya crisis. These mounting pressures highlight the regime’s increasing isolation and desperation as it struggles to maintain control and legitimacy. Click here to read…
Pakistan
IMF to visit Pakistan for talks on $1b climate financing-The Express Tribune
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will arrive in Islamabad next week to discuss around $1 billion in climate financing for Pakistan, an adviser to the Pakistan finance minister said on Thursday. Advisor to Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad told Reuters that the mission would visit from February 24 to 28 for a “review and discussion” of climate resilience funding. Click here to read…
Saudi Arabia, UAE top destinations for Pakistani workers in 2024-The Express Tribune
Pakistan sent 727,381 skilled workers to Middle Eastern and European countries in 2024, a record figure aimed at reducing unemployment and increasing remittances, state-run media reported on Thursday. According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), most workers were employed in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman, while a significant number also secured jobs in European nations. Click here to read…
Former K-P CM Pervez Khattak to join Fazlur Rehman's JUI-F-The Express Tribune
Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has decided to join Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and will formally announce his decision on February 22, Express News reported. The former PTI leader met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and confirmed his decision to join the party. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka aims to boost SME export share to 12-15% by 2027 – Daily Mirror
The local Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector will need to step up its efforts to tap international markets, as the government aims to increase its contribution to Sri Lanka’s exports to 12-15 percent over the next 2-3 years. Click here to read…
Sri Lanka not seeking to renegotiate Adani power deal, says top official from Energy Ministry – The Hindu
Colombo is not seeking to renegotiate the contentious renewable energy project with Adani Green, a top Sri Lankan official said, a week after the company abruptly pulled out of a wind farm initiative in the island’s Northern Province. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has cleared a proposal to set up solar power plants in Sampur, in the eastern Trincomalee district, in a joint venture of the governments of Sri Lanka and India, through the Ceylon Electricity Board and National Thermal Power Corporation of India. Click here to read…
