Afghanistan
Amir Khan Muttaqi in Istanbul: Islamic World Faces Historic Test-Tolo News
Amid escalating clashes between Iran and Israel, Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of Afghanistan, warned at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers' meeting in Istanbul that the Islamic world now faces a historic test. He urged Islamic countries not to remain silent in the face of critical regional developments and to play a decisive role. In his speech, Muttaqi condemned the recent Israeli attacks on Iran, stating they were “blatant violations of international law. Click here to read…
Burchett: US Congress Passes Bill to Stop Taxpayer Funds to Taliban-The Khaama Press
Tim Burchett, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has announced the passage of a bill to cut off financial aid to the Taliban. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Monday to prevent American taxpayer money from reaching the Taliban. The bill aims to block any funding to the Taliban, either directly or indirectly. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Bhutan initiated its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the International Health Regulations core capacities – World Health Organisation
The Kingdom of Bhutan has successfully initiated its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of International Health Regulations (IHR) core capacities, marking a significant stride in regional and global health security. This JEE-IHR utilizes the newly developed electronic JEE (eJEE) platform, aimed at streamlining, standardizing, and enhancing the efficiency of the reporting process. Conducted from June 16 to 20, 2025, this joint evaluation covered 19 Technical Areas related to IHR, with Priority Actions recommended for each to bolster national health security and the resilience of the health system for emergencies. As of June 2025, the Kingdom of Bhutan became the sixth country in the South-East Asia Region and the 90th globally to undertake a second round of the JEE-IHR, following its first evaluation in 2017. The findings from this latest assessment will directly inform the development of a new National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). This country-owned, multi-year plan, comprising strategic and operational components, is designed to accelerate interventions that sustain and strengthen IHR core capacities. Like the JEE-IHR, the national action plan for health security (NAPHS) is founded on a One Health, all-hazards, whole-of-government, and whole-of-societal approach. Click here to read…
Bhutan and Assam look to promote cross-border tourism with focus on Himalayas – CNBC TV 18
Tourism stakeholders from Assam and Bhutan met to discuss a collaborative strategy aimed at enhancing cross-border tourism between the two countries with a focus on Bhutan's lesser-explored eastern circuit. The delegations met during the 15th annual general body meeting and convention of the Tour Operators Association of Assam, held on June 21 in Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan. Organised at the invitation of the Royal Bhutanese Consulate General in Guwahati, the event brought together around 100 members of the association alongside Bhutanese tour operators, hoteliers, and tourism officials. "The meeting witnessed participation of around 100 TOAA members and featured a very successful B2B meet with tour operators, hoteliers and tourism officials of Bhutan," a statement from association read. Click here to read…
Maldives
Govt made no effort into claiming sovereignty over Chagos – Adhadhu
It has been revealed that the Maldives government did not put any effort into claiming sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. In response to a Right to Information (RTI) request by lawyer Ahmed Mauroof, the Attorney General's (AG) office said it was not aware of the government’s intention to file a formal suit to claim sovereignty. "In the above-mentioned case, this office will be alerted to any decision when it is reached by the ministerial cabinet," the response stated. The government earlier classified President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's letter to the UK government stating that the Maldives is more deserving of sovereignty over the Chagos islands located to the south of the country. Click here to read…
Nasheed Rejoins MDP – PSM News
Former President Mohamed Nasheed and senior members of The Democrats have rejoined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Nasheed left the MDP in June 2023 after failing in the MDP presidential primary ahead of the 2023 presidential election. In July 2023, Nasheed formed a new party, The Democrats, with his close associates who had left the MDP. However, the party has not achieved political success since its inception and has not reached 5,000 members minimum threshold. To mark Nasheed’s return to MDP, the party held a celebratory meeting at Sultan Park on Monday evening. Speaking at the meeting, Nasheed expressed his happiness at returning to the party he had long been part of. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Myanmar Junta Scrambles for Chinese Energy Investment as Lights Go Out – The Irrawaddy
The regime’s energy czar travelled to China last week to drum up investment in Myanmar’s electricity sector, as a worsening crisis left many areas of the country with just eight hours of supply per day. Admiral Tin Aung San, who chairs the Electricity and Energy Development Commission, attended the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 29th China Kunming Import and Export Fair from June 17-20 in Kunming, at the invitation of Yunnan authorities. During the trip, he met with Chinese energy firms including Union Resource and Engineering and SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment (SPICYN). SPICYN is the developer of the controversial Myitsone Dam hydropower project in Kachin State, which was shelved in 2011 over environmental concerns. Junta media did not disclose details of the discussions. Click here to read…
Airbus withdraws investments from Chinese company that sells fighter aircraft to Myanmar military – Myanmar Now
European aviation giant Airbus has withdrawn its shareholdings in a Chinese military-owned company that supplies fighter aircraft and weapons to the Myanmar junta, according to reports. Airbus held a 5.03 percent share—worth US$140 million as of June 30, 2024—as the sole international investor in AviChina Industry & Technology (AviChina), a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-registered Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Advocacy group Justice For Myanmar (JFM) announced on June 19 that Airbus began withdrawing from AviChina on April 1 after coming under pressure from domestic and international organisations over the Chinese company’s role in enabling the Myanmar junta’s daily airstrikes and killings since seizing power. Click here to read…
Pakistan
Oil prices fall more than 6% after Iran attacks US military base-The Express Tribune
Oil prices sank more than six per cent Monday after Iran attacked a US military base in neighbouring Qatar in retaliation for US weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Near 1815 GMT, futures for West Texas Intermediate fell 6.5 per cent to $69.96 a barrel, while Brent oil futures dropped 6.4 per cent to $72.07 a barrel, its lowest level in 10 days. Click here to read…
Turkiye looks for joint ventures in IT, tourism-The Express Tribune
Turkiye Consul General Durmus Bastug on Monday visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to explore ways to expand trade and investment cooperation with Pakistan. Key areas that came up for discussion were technology, tourism and agriculture along with regular exchange of business delegations. The ambassador said that many leading companies of Turkiye were already operating in Pakistan, which reflected the confidence of Turkish investors in the South Asian country's market. Click here to read…
