h5>PAKISTAN
Pakistan, India sign Kartarpur Corridor agreement today: Dawn
October 24, 2019
Pakistan and India will sign the agreement on Kartarpur Corridor on Thursday (today), paving the way for its inauguration next month ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev. “As of now, Pakistan and India would sign the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor tomorrow,” Foreign Office spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal said at the weekly media briefing on Wednesday. Click here to read...
AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Govt May Join Beijing Peace Discussion: Tolo
October 24, 2019
Discussions are underway about the participation of the Afghan government in the Beijing intra-Afghan talks, officials from the State Ministry for Peace said on Wednesday, as the Taliban continue to refuse to meet with the Afghan government. If an invitation is made by the Chinese, and the criteria are acceptable, the Afghan government will decide whether to attend the meeting, said officials. “The State Ministry for Peace welcomes any move for talks between the Afghans, but it expects that such a move should be a step forward towards peace negotiation talks,” said Najia Anwari, spokeswoman for the State Ministry on Peace Affairs. Click here to read...
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh moves up 8 spot in Ease of Doing Business index: Dhaka Tribune
October 24, 2019
Bangladesh ranked 168 out of 190 countries in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business index 2020. According to a report by the World Bank Group (WBG), Bangladesh's ranking in the organization’s ease of doing business index has gone up by 8 notches to 168, which were 176 in the previous year. The global lender has named Bangladesh among the 20 economies that saw progress in at least three out of ten areas of ease of doing business. Click here to read...
SRI LANKA
CEB has purchased power on arbitrary rates during last five years: COPE Chairman: Daily Mirror
October 24, 2019
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has purchased power at their own discretion without any transparency for the last five years, the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) said yesterday. The COPE report which was submitted to Parliament by its Chairman JVP MP Sunil Handunetti said. Purchases of power at rates ranging from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1000 million had been made per day from 70 generating points without determining prices in a proper manner. The COPE had recommended that there should be a method of determining prices through computer software but such a system has not been implemented during the last five years. “Though the software has been purchased it has not been used,” the report added. Click here to read...
NEPAL
After a massive revenue shortfall, officials find the culprit: overambitious target: The Kathmandu Post
October 24, 2019
The government has suffered a revenue shortfall of Rs70 billion, 28 percent below the target for the first quarter of the current fiscal year, a result of both a slump in imports and the government’s failure to raise adequate revenue through domestic economic activities. According to the Financial Comptroller General Office, the constitutional body that keeps records of the government’s income and expenditures, revenue collection during the first three months of the current fiscal stood at Rs182.7 billion. The revenue target set for the same period was Rs252 billion, according to the Finance Ministry, which means the gap is around Rs70 billion. The target for the entire fiscal year stands at Rs1.11 trillion. Click here to read...
BHUTAN
Their Majesties attend enthronement ceremony of Japanese Emperor: Kuenselonline
October 24, 2019
His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen attended the enthronement ceremony of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo yesterday. The ceremony was attended by Royalty, other State Guests, and dignitaries from around 180 countries. The enthronement ceremony, known in Japanese as Sokui no rei, follows ancient rituals. His Majesty Emperor Naruhito is the 126th Emperor of Japan. Following the ceremony, His Majesty the King granted an audience to the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe at the Akasaka State Guest House. Click here to read...
CHINA
China to further facilitate cross-border trade and investment: Xinhuanet
October 24, 2019
China will introduce more measures to better facilitate cross-border trade and investment, including improving foreign exchange management and further streamlining regulatory requirements with a view to attracting foreign investors with a more enabling business environment. Click here to read...
China unveils major policies to improve biz climate: People's Daily
October 24, 2019
China on Wednesday unveiled sweeping administrative rules aimed at improving the business climate in the country, officially throwing legal and institutional support behind the country's long-stated goals to create more stable, transparent and fairer market for all types of businesses. Click here to read...
HKSAR blasts Taipei for wrangling over suspect: China Daily
October 24, 2019
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government slammed Taiwan authorities for "irresponsible" handling of the voluntary surrender of Chan Tong-kai, 20, a Hong Kong resident and a suspect in a murder in Taiwan, whose case helped fuel months of social unrest in Hong Kong. Click here to read...
