Afghanistan
US Travel ban on Afghanistan exempts SIV holders, Green Card Residents, and Immediate Families- The Khaama Press
The US travel ban on Afghanistan exempts Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, green card residents, dual nationals, and close family members. On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning travel to the United States by citizens of Afghanistan and 11 other countries. The order restricts entry from these nations, citing security concerns. The list includes Iran, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Click here to read...
Ishaq Dar: At China’s Request, We Expanded Relations with Afghanistan- Tolo News
Pakistan said it has expanded its relations with Afghanistan at China’s request. Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, said in a statement that China made this request during a trilateral meeting in Beijing. The deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Pakistan further referred to Afghanistan as a neighbouring country with historical commonalities and added that relations between the two countries are improving. Click here to read...
Muttaqi Urges UNAMA to Reflect Ground Realities in Afghanistan Reports- Tolo News
Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, has asked Roza Otunbayeva, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), to ensure that the mission’s reports reflect the actual ground realities of Afghanistan. During a meeting with Muttaqi, Otunbayeva committed to conveying the messages of the current Afghan government at the upcoming United Nations Security Council session. Click here to read...
Bhutan
NA to adopt BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance today – Kuensel
The National Assembly (NA) will vote on the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance. Among the seven BIMSTEC countries, only Bhutan and Nepal have yet to adopt this convention. The third reading of the BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance was held yesterday at the ongoing NA session. The House deliberated on all 25 articles of the Convention. Apart from clerical and translation errors in the Dzongkha text, the House endorsed all the articles. The deliberation witnessed only minor objections or concerns among the members. The Chairperson of the Human Rights and Foreign Relations Committee, Member of Parliament (MP) from Thrimshing-Kangpara, Damche Tenzin, presented the Committee’s review report on the Convention. Click here to read...
Maldives
Ties warmer, India and Maldives in talks for a Modi visit; Muizzu says no one can misuse Maldives’ location – Times of India
India is favourably considering an invitation by the Maldives for PM Narendra Modi to visit the strategically important Indian Ocean country in July. This follows a strong reiteration of President Mohamed Muizzu’s 2024 invitation to Modi by Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Khaleel during his visit to India last week. While it’s too early to talk about the programme or agenda, It’s learnt that one of the dates being considered for Modi’s visit to the archipelago is July 26, the Maldives Independence Day. If it happens, it will be the first visit by Modi to the country since Muizzu assumed office in November 2023. Click here to read...
Fisheries Minister Shiyam to Champion Sustainable Practices at UN Oceans Conference – PSM News
Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has departed to France to attend the 3rd meeting of the United Nations Oceans Conference, representing the Maldives as its highest-ranking representative. The meeting will be held from 9 to 13 June in Nice, France. Minister Shiyam is scheduled to deliver an address during the opening session of the conference on behalf of the Maldives. In his speech, the Minister will highlight the sustainable fishing practices of the Maldives and the ongoing efforts by a small island nation like the Maldives to protect and maintain the marine environment. The Minister will also highlight the challenges encountered in maintaining these practices. Click here to read...
Myanmar
China lead mine plan weighs heavily on Myanmar tribe – Myanmar Now
Hundreds of protesting Myanmar tribespeople march up a hillside to a cavernous facility where a Chinese joint venture’s giant milling machines stand ready to grind up the rocks of their ancestral homeland for lead ore. Demand for the heavy metal is forecast to rise, driven by its use in the batteries needed for the global energy transition. But its extraction can pollute the environment and the Padaung tribespeople carry banners reading: “No transparency, no responsibility”. “We don’t have any plan to exchange this inheritance from our ancestors for money or riches,” said 24-year-old protest leader Khun Khine Min Naing. Click here to read...
Myanmar Junta Suffers ‘Heavy Casualties’ in Battle for Karenni Town – The Irrawaddy
Myanmar junta troops have suffered heavy casualties during a renewed resistance offensive in Karenni (Kayah) State, according to anti-regime sources. Karenni Army adjutant-general Colonel Phone Naing said resistance forces are targeting a junta operational command in Bawlakhe town, east of the Salween River. “We have captured two outposts outside the fence of the operational command, which is even larger than Bawlakhe town. Our objective is to liberate Bawlakhe town,” he said. Around 20 junta soldiers were reportedly killed as resistance forces overran the outposts and seized weapons and ammunition, including artillery. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify junta casualties. Click here to read...
Pakistan
GDP growth forecasted at mere 2.44%- The Express Tribune
Pakistan's economy continues to face challenges in achieving meaningful growth, with projections for the fiscal year 2024-25 indicating a slow recovery. According to estimates from the Lahore School of Economics Modelling Lab, GDP growth is expected to reach only 2.44%, reflecting a slight improvement from the 1.7% growth recorded in the previous fiscal year but still remaining below par. These projections broadly align with official figures, including a recent revision by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, which lowered its Q3 GDP growth estimate from 2.7% to 2.4%. While international institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have provided slightly higher projections ranging from 2.5% to 2.7%, the overall picture still reflects a sluggish economic recovery. Click here to read...
45pc of Pakistanis live below poverty line: WB-Dawn
Almost forty-five per cent of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line, according to a World Bank report released on Thursday. The finding, based on a survey conducted in 2018-19, comes in the wake of an update of global poverty lines made by the bank, and not because of any change in underlying economic conditions across the world. The proportion of people living in extreme poverty has risen from 4.9pc to 16.5pc, according to the report. Click here to read...
