Afghanistan
Suspension of Women’s Higher Education Sparks Widespread Reactions: Tolo News
The Islamic Emirate’s decision to suspend higher education for women has sparked widespread reactions at national and international levels. The Ministry of Higher Education in a letter on Tuesday ordered the suspension of higher education for female students in Afghanistan until the next announcement. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that he is “deeply alarmed by news reports that the Taliban have suspended access to universities to women and girls.” According to Guterres, the denial of education not only violates the equal rights of women and girls but will have a devastating impact on the country’s future. Click here to read...
Taliban Open to Indian Efforts to Restart People Centric Development Projects : The Khaama Press
India has a historical and civilizational relationship with the Afghan people. Given its age-old ties, over the last two decades, Indian public and private sector entities had invested around $3 billion in Afghanistan mainly in the infrastructure sector of the country. India’s engagement with Afghanistan as a development partner includes more than five hundred projects spread across each of the 34 provinces in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture and capacity building. Around 433 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) have been completed with Indian financial support in all provinces of Afghanistan before Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. Click here to read...
Committee to Protect Journalists Calls on Taliban to Release Afghan Journalists: The Khaama Press
The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Taliban authorities to release Afghan journalists who are still behind the bars, following the release of two American nationals on Tuesday. The Taliban released two Americans, including journalist and filmmaker Ivor Shearer who were detained in August in the capital Kabul. Neither the Taliban nor the U.S. Department of States identified the two Americans. In response to news reports that the Taliban released two American nationals the Committee to Protect Journalists, a journalist advocacy organization based in New York issued a statement on Wednesday calling for the release of other Afghan journalists who remain behind bars. Click here to read...
Bangladesh
Govt proposes to lower GDP target for FY23 - Dhaka Tribune
During a virtual meeting on budget revisions and projections for the next budget, the government has proposed to lower the GDP growth target for this fiscal year to 6.5% from 7.5%. However, they are planning to keep the gross domestic product (GDP) target at 7.5% for FY23-24.The target of inflation may increase by 190 basis points to 7.5% in one blow and simultaneously the size of the next fiscal year budget may increase by Tk72,000 crore. Click here to read...
Can BNP stick to its proposals for state reform? - Daily Star
As part of its ongoing campaign, the main opposition camp BNP has presented a 27-point proposal for reforming the state structures of the country, which has sparked much speculation and debate. The ruling Awami League has already dismissed the proposal as "laughable" and "merely an attempt to mislead people." BNP leaders are hopeful of forming an inclusive and egalitarian "rainbow nation," as opposed to what they suggest is a spirit of vengeance, through the amalgamation of diverse views and beliefs. Click here to read...
From football to friendship and diplomatic relations - New Age
The Argentines are both overwhelmed and mesmerised by the way Bangladeshis support their team. The purpose seems unclear at first sight for many, who wonder why a nation so far away is supporting the Argentine football team with so much enthusiasm. The answer can be traced to one single word: love. Click here to read...
Bhutan
Ngultrum depreciates 12 percent against USD this year – Kuensel online
The Ngultrum value to the USD weakened by about 12 percent from January this year which ended at an all-time high at Nu 84 per USD as of yesterday. This means we have to pay Nu 84 to buy a USD. The Ngultrum depreciated to 74.79 (provisional) against USD in January this year from Nu 73 in the same month of the previous year, as per the Royal Monetary Authority. Click here to read...
Railway connectivity with India being discussed, says Bhutan Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji – WION
Bhutan's Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji, in an exclusive interaction with WION, said that his country is holding discussion on railway connectivity with India, something that will "integrate trade and commerce". This is the first ever public acknowledgement in years of the talks of railway connectivity between the two countries. Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the minister also dismissed reports of Chinese intrusions inside Bhutan’s territory and maintained that "Royal Government has categorically denied these reports on several occasions." Click here to read...
Maldives
Maldives remains at high-risk of debt distress, warns IMF - Avas
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the Maldives is likely to go into debt. The IMF Executive Board Consultation 2022, posted on the IMF website, said Maldives "remains at high risk of external debt distress and a high overall risk of debt distress”. The IMF Executive Board stressed the need to implement restrained measures to increase revenue and manage debt. The report emphasized that rationalizing capital spending and subsidies, combined with targeted assistance to the most vulnerable, and SOE reforms will be critical. Click here to read...
ADB supports Maldives to strengthen gender equality and social inclusion - DevDiscourse
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Maldives today signed a grant agreement amounting to $7.51 million and a technical assistance of $2.5 million for a project to strengthen gender equality and social inclusion in Maldives. The agreement was signed by Maldives Minister of Finance and ADB Governor Ibrahim Ameer and ADB Director of South Asia Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division Thiam Hee Ng. Click here to read...
Myanmar
UN Security Council resolution demands end to Myanmar violence - Aljazeera
India, China and Russia abstained in the United Nations Security Council on a draft resolution that demanded an immediate end to violence in Myanmar and urged the military junta to release political prisoners, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The 15-nation Security Council, under India’s Presidency this month, adopted the resolution Wednesday, December 21, 2022, after 12 members voted in favour, none against and India, China and Russia abstained. Click here to read...
RSF calls for tougher sanctions against Myanmar’s junta after three more journalists get prison sentences - RSF
Three Burmese journalists have just been sentenced to four or five years in prison, bringing to five the number of journalists to have received long jail terms from Myanmar’s military junta since late November. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for their immediate release and urges the international community to do much more to combat the junta’s escalating terror. Click here to read...
NUG Issues Appeal for More Myanmar Junta Informants - The Irrawaddy
Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government (NUG) has invited soldiers, police and civil servants who for whatever reason cannot defect, to join the revolution as key informants. The NUG issued the invitation statement on Tuesday, explaining that intelligence needs are growing as the revolution accelerates. It invited officials with useful information to connect with the NUG’s Ministry of Defense and open a safe channel of communication. The parallel civilian government called the informants “watermelons”: green (military) on the outside but red (revolutionary) inside. Click here to read...
Nepal
Nepal elected member of Peacebuilding Commission – The Himalayan
Nepal has been elected a member of the Peacebuilding Commission at the 56th plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly for a tenure of two years. The membership will be effective from January 1. According to a press statement issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations yesterday, the election of Nepal to the PBC will provide an opportunity to enhance the country's visibility in the world arena as a peacebuilder and peace contributor. Click here to read...
Sher Bahadur Deuba Nepali Congress’s PM candidate – The Tribune
Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will be the ruling Nepali Congress party’s candidate for the post of Prime Minister in the new government after he was elected the parliamentary party leader on Wednesday. The 76-year-old Nepali Congress President, who has served as the prime minister for a record fifth term, defeated his challenger party General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa by 39 votes, officials said. Click here to read...
Huawei explores means to continue to help Nepal go digital – Xinhua Net
Huawei has been making efforts to advance digital development across a wide range of industries in Nepal. The Chinese tech giant shared what it is doing during Huawei Connect 2022 held on Tuesday in Kathmandu, its annual flagship event for the global information and communications technology (ICT) industry that drew together over 400 sector leaders, experts and partners. Click here to read...
Nepal cool to China’s offer of building railways under BRI – Hindu Post
Nepals caretaker government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed its reservations over a Chinese proposal to sign a deal in order to carry out a feasibility study of an ambitious cross-border railway under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu sought the former’s approval for the signing of the agreement at an opportune time, officials said. Click here to read...
Pakistan
SBP slashes GDP growth forecast to below 3-4pc: Dawn
The central bank has lowered its projected GDP growth from the previously announced range of 3-4 per cent for the current fiscal year, citing flood-induced destruction and the stabilisation policy as major factors in its flagship economic health report released on Wednesday. However, in its Annual Report on the State of Pakistan’s Economy, which mostly discussed the previous financial year that ended on June 30, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said economic growth was stronger than expected in the 2021-22 fiscal year as real GDP increased by 6pc compared to 5.7pc a year ago. Click here to read...
Forces regain full control of Bannu CTD: The Express Tribune
The Special Service Group (SSG) of the army launched an operation against the militants on Tuesday after talks for their peaceful surrender and ending the siege failed. The operation continued overnight and on Wednesday, the security forces cleared the centre of all the terrorists. During the two-day clearance operation, three troops were martyred, while 27 officers and soldiers sustained injuries. Officials said that most of the terrorists were killed, while 11 either surrendered or were captured by the troops and shifted to a secure location. Click here to read...
Shehbaz for draining Sindh’s flooded areas: The Express Tribune
The prime minister visited Kot Diji and other flood-affected areas of the Khairpur district and inspected the post-flood rehabilitation work. Speaking on the occasion, he stressed that the de-watering of the inundated areas of Dadu required immediate attention. Addressing the flood victims, Shehbaz assured them that the government would construct houses for their proper accommodation. He added that the rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the affected areas had been completed to a large extent. Click here to read...
Police in KP on high alert after attacks: The News
The latest attack was carried out on a security post in the limits of the Sarband Police Station in the provincial capital in the wee hours of Wednesday. However, no casualty was reported in the attack with heavy weapons on the police post located close to the boundary with Khyber district. Contingents of police rushed to the spot and conducted a search operation in the vicinity after the attack. The police posts in the limits of Sarband have come under attack for the third time in the last five days. A number of police stations, posts and patrolling parties in KP have come under attack with grenades, IEDs and automatic weapons in the past months. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka
India will support Sri Lanka’s green development process: HC Bhagle - Daily News
Indian High Commissioner Gopal Bhagle revealed that “India’s support for Sri Lanka’s green development process is deserved. The relations between the two countries are not limited to economic cooperation. India’s full support is given to Sri Lanka in the programme of promoting renewable energy. “It is very important to use natural resources in the development process without harming the environment. The history of great bilateral relations and people like the Prime Minister’s father, Minister Philip Gunawardena, who strengthened those great relations should be gratefully remembered at this time,”he said. Click here to read...
Sri Lanka awaiting assurances from India, China, says Central Bank Governor - The Hindu
Sri Lanka is waiting for financing assurances from its bilateral creditors, including India and China, to tap support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to Sri Lanka’s Central Bank Governor P. Nandalal Weerasinghe. Click here to read...
