Afghanistan
Islamic Emirate Delegation to Participate in 16th Kazan Forum-Tolo News
A delegation of the Islamic Emirate, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, is set to participate in the 16th Kazan Forum. According to the TASS news agency, the delegation will discuss new opportunities for enhancing cooperation between Kabul and Moscow during the event. Click here to read…
More than 5,000 Afghans have died on migration routes: IOM-The Khaama Press
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that more than 5,000 Afghan citizens have died on migration routes since 2014. The findings were published in a report released on Tuesday, April 29, highlighting the dangers faced by those fleeing crisis-affected countries. According to the IOM, thousands of these deaths occurred following the political upheaval in Afghanistan in 2021, when many Afghans attempted to escape the country amid instability and fear under the Taliban regime. Click here to read…
Cook kills three Taliban members at Security Post in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province-The Khaama Press
A cook at a security post in eastern Afghanistan killed three Taliban forces, highlighting rising insecurity and internal conflicts. The Nangarhar provincial police confirmed the incident, which took place on Tuesday, April 29, at a security post in Patlu, Shirzad district. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and officials have stated that more details will be shared with the media after the investigation is complete. Click here to read…
Health Ministry Criticizes Use of International Aid in Afghanistan-Tolo News
The Ministry of Public Health has criticized how international organizations are spending aid in Afghanistan. The acting minister emphasized that some donor organizations are not spending the allocated budgets for Afghanistan efficiently or appropriately. According to Noor Jalal Jalali, the acting minister of public health, the World Food Programme recently imported around 7,000 tons of low-quality food and the UNDP brought in 650 substandard tuberculosis diagnostic kits. Click here to read…
Bhutan
Economy to expand to 6.6% this fiscal year – Kuensel
Bhutan’s economy is projected to grow to 6.6 percent in fiscal year 2024-25, up from 4.9 percent growth the previous year, driven by hydropower, mining, construction, and a resurgent tourism sector. This is according to the World Bank’s latest South Asia Development Update April 2025, titled “Taxing Times.” The commissioning of the 1,020-megawatt Puna-II hydropower project is expected to be a key driver of economic performance this fiscal year, alongside expanded activity in the mining, quarrying, and construction sectors. A revival in tourism, buoyed by rising visitor numbers, is also contributing to growth. For the next fiscal year 2025-26, the growth is projected to rise to 7.6 percent and 5.3 percent in 2026-27 fiscal year. The recent Asian Development Outlook had projected the economy to grow at a robust pace of 8.5 percent this year, before moderating to 6 percent in 2026. On the demand side, the growth is supported by exports and 13th Plan-related public investments, according to the World Bank. Click here to read…
Maldives
Muizzu returns to Male' after concluding Malaysia visit – Adhadhu
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has returned to Male' after concluding his official visit to Malaysia, undertaken at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. During the visit, Muizzu addressed the Maldives–Malaysia Business Forum 2025 and invited Malaysian businesses to explore investment opportunities in the Maldives. He also met with members of the Maldivian community residing in Malaysia. At a meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, he announced that beginning next year, the government will allocate an annual contribution of USD 3,000 in Malaysian ringgits to support the Maldivian Students Association (MSA). He further launched the Maldivian ID Card and Electronic Passport services in Malaysia. The International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) also conferred an honorary doctorate on the President. The President was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including cabinet ministers and senior government officials, during the visit. Click here to read…
Maldives Joins Global Human Rights Dialogue, Secures Key Role in Kyrgyzstan Review – PSM News
The Maldives has commenced its participation in the 49th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group, which opened on 28 April at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. The two-week session, which will conclude on 9 May, marks a critical juncture for the United Nations Human Rights Council as it evaluates the human rights records of fourteen member states. At the heart of the process lies the Universal Periodic Review, a mechanism designed to foster accountability and progress in human rights across all UN Member States. This platform not only allows nations under review to present their achievements but also offers an opportunity for constructive dialogue through recommendations from fellow member states. The ongoing Fourth Cycle of reviews commenced in November 2022 and is expected to reach completion by 2027, underscoring the enduring commitment of the UPR Working Group, which convenes three times each year. Click here to read…
Myanmar
Bangladesh backs UN aid corridor proposal to troubled Myanmar – Myanmar Now
Bangladesh's interim government said April 29, 2025, it was open to a UN aid corridor through its territory to reach starving civilians in Myanmar's Rakhine state. But the proposal, raised by United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on a visit to Bangladesh in March, has also sparked widespread criticism by politicians in Dhaka. Around a million members of the persecuted and mostly Muslim Rohingya live in squalid relief camps in Bangladesh, most of whom arrived after fleeing a 2017 military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. Bangladesh, and the UN, want to provide stable conditions in Myanmar for Rohingya to eventually return -- but in their old homeland in Rakhine state, the anti-junta Arakan Army (AA) stands off against junta forces. Click here to read…
KIA Resumes Bhamo Attacks on Myanmar Junta after Quake Ceasefire – The Irrawaddy
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and its allies have resumed attacks on regime bases at the district-level town of Bhamo in Kachin State after their earthquake ceasefire ended. The Military Operation Command 21’s headquarters and nearby regime bases are under attack while the regime responds with airstrikes, according to Kachin media reports. A KIA soldier told the 74 media that the command’s central sentry base had fallen but airstrikes have prevented further advances. The town’s market caught fire during the fighting on Tuesday and the blaze continued until Wednesday, the media reported. The KIA and its allies have reportedly seized at least five junta positions in the town while reporting casualties. Click here to read…
Pakistan
Diplomatic channels work overtime amid threat of ‘Indian adventurism’-Dawn
Following a statement by Information Minister Atta Tarar in the early hours of Wednesday, where he warned of a possible incursion by India within the next 24-36 hours, a number of incidents of Indian aggression heightened tensions. According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Pakistani security forces delivered a robust response to India’s unprovoked ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC), destroying an Indian checkpost after late-night aggression on April 29-30. Click here to read…
US steps in to ease tension amid India's unabated sabre-rattling-The Express Tribune
The US on Wednesday stepped in to help defuse a tense standoff between Pakistan and India, urging both sides to cooperate with each other in order to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia. US Secretary of State initiated separate telephone calls with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and discussed the recent situation in South Asia, following the Pahalgam incident of April 22. Click here to read…
FBR misses target by Rs833b-The Express Tribune
The tax shortfall has ballooned to a staggering Rs833 billion in the first 10 months of the fiscal year, despite the government imposing record additional taxes and reducing refunds, as Pakistan's tax chief Rashid Langrial warned that the new budget will also be challenging in terms of achieving targets. The shortfall exceeded the limit set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by over Rs190 billion. Last month, the IMF acknowledged that the annual target of Rs12.97 trillion was unattainable and subsequently revised it. Click here to read…
Hindus in Quetta protest Indian accusations over Pahalgam attack-Dawn
Members of the Hindu community staged a protest rally in Quetta on Wednesday, condemning what they called baseless allegations against Pakistan by the Indian government regarding the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam in held Kashmir. Led by Sanjay Kumar, a PPP minority member of the Balochistan Assembly, the rally included men and women carrying placards and banners with anti-Modi and anti-India slogans. Click here to read…
