Maldives economy is recovering faster than projected: Government
Apr 02, 2021, at 11:00 pm
The Maldives government has said that the island nation’s economy is recovering faster than expected.
Bhutan expects strong economic recovery next year
Apr 02, 2021, at 10:57 pm
The Bhutanese government is hopeful that the economy will see significant improvement and rebound strongly after the COVID-19 vaccination drive.
Apr 02, 2021, at 10:52 pm
Bhutanese parliamentarians have recommended 30 percent nominations for women in politics and other decision-making roles to increase their participation in political, economic and social life.
Sri Lanka halts vaccination over delay in supply
Apr 02, 2021, at 10:46 pm
The Sri Lankan government has temporarily halted the Covid vaccination drive in the country as the authorities are not sure if they would be able to receive the next doses of supply from the Serum Institute of India (SII) on time, reported Daily Mirror.
Over a lakh jobs lost as Bangladesh bans bike ride-sharing
Apr 02, 2021, at 10:45 pm
As the Covid-19 cases remain unchecked in Bangladesh, the government has announced a ban on bike ride-sharing services, leaving over a lakh people employed in the sector jobless, reported Daily Star.
Kathmandu-Tarai expressway in Nepal to face further delay
Apr 02, 2021, at 10:43 pm
The completion of Nepal’s ambitious Kathmandu-Tarai expressway is likely to face further delay as the parliament’s Public Account Committee ordered the scrapping of the bidding process for the second phase of construction, reported Kathmandu Post.
Pakistan’s textile industry unhappy over import order reversal from India
Apr 02, 2021, at 10:30 pm
The hopes of revival of Pakistan’s ailing textile sector was short-lived when the Pakistan cabinet on Thursday reversed a decision allowing the import of cotton and cotton yarn from India, leaving the industry players in the lurch.
UN to provide $107 million to Sri Lanka to support agriculture
Apr 02, 2021, at 09:15 pm
Sri Lanka will receive $107 million from a UN agency to support its agriculture sector. The fund will provide modern technology, equipment, and advanced training to the farmers of the island nation, according to a report in Colombopage.
Bangladesh government to disburse $53 million ahead of Eid
Apr 02, 2021, at 07:57 pm
Around 10 million households in Bangladesh will receive $5 dollars from the Bangladesh government in direct cash transfer ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, reported Dhaka Tribune. The program is launched to help the vulnerable group on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujirbur Rahman.
Pakistan’s Sindh province bans gatherings amid rising Covid-19 cases
Apr 02, 2021, at 07:16 pm
As Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Pakistan, Sindh province banned all social gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, and ordered public and private offices in the province to operate with 50 percent staff strength, reported the Express Tribune.
Boycotting Xinjiang cotton is now a human rights issue: Taiwanese legislative speaker
Apr 02, 2021, at 05:46 pm
Taipei: Taiwanese Legislative Speaker You Si-kun has said boycotting cotton from China’s Uyghur region of Xinjiang is no longer just a political issue now but it has turned to a human rights factor.
Senkaku Islands: Two Chinese ships enter Japan's territorial waters
Apr 02, 2021, at 05:23 pm
Two Chinese government vessels on Monday entered Japan's territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, triggering yet another point of conflict between the two nations, media reports said.
Chinese vessels crowd disputed Whitsun Reef, US backs Philippines
Apr 02, 2021, at 05:16 pm
The Philippines’ air force has been conducting daily aerial patrols over Chinese fishing vessels which have been spotted near the disputed Whitsun Reef, media reports said.
Xinjiang conflict: China trying to promote Mandarin language
Apr 02, 2021, at 04:58 pm
Beijing: Chinese authorities are trying to promote Mandarin-language education and to sinicise Islam in Xinjiang region of the country, media reports said.
Xinjiang connection: Finnish wood pulp giant Stora Enso decides to leave viscose market
Apr 02, 2021, at 04:51 pm
Helsinki: Finnish forestry products company Stora Enso has said it will “divest” from making the raw ingredient needed to produce wood-based viscose rayon fibre after a link between the company and Xinjiang region of China was unveiled, media reports said.
Afghanistan: Herat blast leaves 2 dead
Apr 02, 2021, at 02:30 pm
Herat: At least two security forces members died when a blast hit Herat’s Rabat-e-Sangi highway in Afghanistan on Thursday, media reports said.
South Asia to grow by 7.2 percent: World Bank
Apr 01, 2021, at 09:48 pm
The economy of the South Asian region is expected to grow by 7.2 percent in 2021 and 4.4 percent in 2022, the World Bank said in a report, adding the countries in the region are recovering but it remains “fragile.” Significantly, the World Bank revised its growth upward for Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan given the good remittance flow in these countries. The GDP of Bangladesh is likely to increase by 3.6 percent in the year 2021-22, it says. India, on the other hand, is expected to grow by 10.1 percent, Nepal 2.7 percent, Pakistan 1.3 percent. However, Bhutan is projected to record a negative growth rate of 1.3 in 21-22.
Apr 01, 2021, at 08:11 pm
Dhaka, April 1: Hefazat militants set fire to the central public library in Bangladesh's Brahmanbaria district, the birthplace of legendary Indian sarod player and multi-instrumentalist Alauddin Khan, during a nationwide strike on Sunday.
Pakistan resumes trade with India; permits sugar imports
Apr 01, 2021, at 12:34 am
In what comes as the first step towards the revival of trade relations between Pakistan and India, authorities in Pakistan on Tuesday allowed the import of white sugar from India. The move is being seen as part of slow but crucial steps the two countries are taking for easing tensions.
Russia, Pakistan have developed strategic trust, claims Pakistan envoy
Apr 01, 2021, at 12:20 am
Pakistan and Russia have gradually built “strategic trust” and have developed institutional mechanisms to enhance their bilateral coordination and cooperation, said Shafqat Ali Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, reported Dawn.
India, Pakistan at Afghan peace conference in Dushanbe
Apr 01, 2021, at 12:15 am
India has been supportive of all diplomatic efforts being made to accelerate dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, including the intra-Afghan talks, said Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Pakistan registers 4,757 new cases of COVID-19
Mar 31, 2021, at 10:49 pm
Islamabad/UNI: Pakistan on Wednesday reported 4,757 fresh cases of novel coronavirus during the past 24 hours, pushing the country caseload to 6,03,126.
Pakistani celebrities take part in ‘tuk tuk' march to highlight issues of people with disabilities
Mar 31, 2021, at 10:44 pm
A host of Pakistani celebrities, including actress Mahira Khan, former cricket team captain Wasim Akram, actor-producer Humayun Saeed, and actor-model Feroze Khan, participated in the ‘Tuk Tuk March’ to highlight the issues of people with disabilities and to encourage them to pursue their rights to work and mobility.
Family of slain Pakistani immigrant raises $800,000 in US
Mar 31, 2021, at 10:32 pm
The family of a Pakistani immigrant, who was killed in a carjacking incident in the US last week, raised around $800,000 in the US, reported Dawn. The family, however, had just sought $100,000.
‘Desire peaceful, cooperative relations’: Pakistan PM Imran Khan writes to Indian PM Modi
Mar 31, 2021, at 09:20 pm
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the people of Pakistan also “desire peaceful, cooperative relations with all neighbors, including India”.
Teacher's protest: Balochistan government imposes section 144 in Quetta amid rising COVID-19 cases
Mar 31, 2021, at 04:26 pm
Quetta: The Balochistan government recently imposed Section 144 in Quetta district to ban all public gatherings by keeping in mind the rising COVID-19 cases, amid a protest sit-in call given by the teachers’ association against the government’s failure to announce any increase in their salaries, media reports said.
China praises work of WHO experts who prepared report on COVID origin after visit to Wuhan
Mar 31, 2021, at 02:14 pm
Beijing/Sputnik: China highly appreciates the professionalism and scientific approach of the World Health Organization (WHO) experts who contributed to the publication of the report after a visit to China's Wuhan to study the origin of COVID-19, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Tip-off by Pakistan intelligence on Easter bombings were ignored by Sri Lanka
Mar 31, 2021, at 12:15 am
A Pakistan intelligence agency had provided intelligence input to Sri Lankan authorities about a Sri Lankan national involved in the development and planning of explosives prior to the Easter Sunday bombings, but the input was ignored by Sri Lanka authorities, said an inquiry report.
Sri Lanka to ban groups promoting LTTE ideology and separatism
Mar 31, 2021, at 12:03 am
The Sri Lankan government will ban all groups that are involved in promoting LTTE ideology and separatism in the country, reported Daily Mirror. LTTE is a banned terrorist organization that had waged an armed insurgency for almost three decades in Sri Lanka for a separate Tamil homeland.
Pollution forces to Nepal to shut schools, colleges for four days
Mar 30, 2021, at 11:49 pm
Kathmandu: Schools and colleges in Nepal had remained closed for most of the time last year. But on Monday they have been ordered to remain close for four more days. And this time not because of Covid-19; it is the air pollution.