Afghanistan
Afghan Returnees from Pakistan Demand Jobs, Education, and Support-Tolo News
Afghan migrants recently deported from Pakistan are facing a range of challenges upon their return to Afghanistan. They are urging the Islamic Emirate to provide opportunities for employment and education for themselves and their children. Click here to read…
Iran to invest $5 Billion in Afghanistan’s Iron Ore Sector-The Khaama Press
Iran will invest $5 billion in Afghanistan’s iron ore sector, aiming to increase steel production and future profits. The Islamic Republic of Iran is set to invest $5 billion in Afghanistan’s iron ore mining industry, according to a report by Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency. Iranian Ambassador to Kabul, Alireza Bikdeli, described Afghanistan’s vast mineral resources as a “strategic opportunity” for economic cooperation between the neighboring countries. Click here to read…
Afghanistan’s National Film Institution Dismantled-The Khaama press
Afghanistan’s national film institution has been dismantled, losing its historical identity and function, signaling a shift in cultural policy. The Interim administration has officially downgraded Afghan Film, the country’s sole state-run film production and archival institution, renaming it the “Audiovisual Management Department.” According to Sahraa Karimi, former director of Afghan Film, the restructuring has resulted in the dismissal of most of its employees and the erasure of the institution’s historic identity. Click here to read…
Bhutan
MoAL to establish 15 mega greenhouse worth Nu 85 million – Kuensel
In a drive to bolster food security, works on establishing 15 mega greenhouses worth Nu 84.9 million are currently underway. The project, a partnership between Farm Machinery Corporation Limited (FMCL) and the Department of Agriculture (DoA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL), also includes the construction of two control centres at the Chirub Farms in Pemathang and Samrang in Samdrupjongkhar. The two mega farms will receive five-green houses in Samrang and 10 greenhouses in Pemathang. Click here to read…
Maldives
Maldives and Kuwait Discuss Deepening Cooperation during High-Level Meeting – PSM News
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulla Khaleel, has held discussions with Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister and Minister of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Fahad Yousef Al-Saud Al-Sabah, focusing on strengthening bilateral cooperation and exploring new opportunities for partnership. The meeting was held as part of the Minister’s ongoing official visit to Kuwait. During the audience held at Bayan Palace, Minister Khaleel conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from President Dr Mohamed Muizzu to Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, and the esteemed leadership of Kuwait. Click here to read…
Maldives Making Major Strides towards Curbing Carbon Emissions – PSM News
Maldives is making great strides towards the successful implementation of measures to curb carbon emissions, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Thoriq Ibrahim has said. Speaking during the International Zero Carbon Islands and Green, Low-Carbon Development Conference on Monday, Minister Thoriq alluded to measures being taken to adapt to climate change and reduce carbon emissions. The Minister also said that the government is aiming to reduce carbon emissions to 1.52 million tonnes this year. The efforts to enhance the use of renewable energy sources are paving the way to achieving the target of reducing carbon emissions, he explained. Click here to read…
Myanmar
JFM: 12 ASEAN Billionaires Fuelling Myanmar Junta Terror Campaign – The Irrawaddy
Justice for Myanmar (JFM) has launched the Dirty over 30 ASEAN Edition campaign, naming 12 powerful tycoons across Southeast Asia who it says are fueling the regime’s terror campaign against the country’s population with financial and material support. The rights group accuses the business elites of profiting from the junta’s atrocities through funds, the sale of military equipment, and the provision of financial services. The list of tycoons features some of Southeast Asia’s wealthiest individuals, including Robert Kuok of Malaysia, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi and Chatchai Yenbamroong of Thailand, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao of Vietnam, and Lee Tih Shih of Singapore. Kuok is Malaysia’s richest tycoon with a net worth of US$ 11.4 billion, according to Forbes, while Charoen ranks as third richest in Thailand with $11.7 billion. Click here to read…
Schools closed in resistance stronghold after deadly assault by Myanmar junta – Myanmar Now
All schools in resistance-held areas of Sagaing Region’s Depayin Township have been closed after a junta attack on a school in the area left at least 20 children and two teachers dead on May 12, 2025. Local resistance forces told Myanmar Now on May 13 that the children killed in the airstrike on the village of Oe Htein Twin in Depayin were buried on the day of the deadly assault. “We buried the bodies, some of which were disfigured beyond recognition,” said a representative of the township’s People’s Defence Team, which operates under Myanmar’s publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG). Click here to read…
Pakistan
Budget talks with IMF start today-The Express Tribune
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will begin virtual discussions on Pakistan's upcoming budget on Wednesday (today), as the visit of its mission to Islamabad has been delayed due to security concerns in the region, government sources told The Express Tribune on Tuesday. The virtual talks will take place as the global lender has appointed a new mission chief to Pakistan. According to sources, the IMF mission delayed its scheduled arrival in Islamabad on Tuesday due to uncertainty caused by Indian aggression, which affected air travel across the region. Click here to read…
Govt repays $3.8 billion in third quarter-Dawn
Pakistan paid over $3.8 billion in external debt servicing in the third quarter of the current fiscal year (FY25), including $1.263bn as interest, the State Bank reported on Monday. In 2025, Pakistan’s external debt servicing amounted to $26bn and initially appeared to be a very difficult task; however, the government has come close to achieving the target. The SBP data showed that Pakistan paid $2.134bn as principal during the first quarter (July-September FY25), while $1.343bn was paid as interest. Click here to read…
Modi's speech undermines peace, justifies aggression: FO-The Express Tribune
The Foreign Office has categorically rejected the inflammatory and provocative statements made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Pakistan in his speech on Monday. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that, at a time when international efforts are underway to promote regional peace and stability, Indian Prime Minister Modi’s remarks represent a dangerous escalation rooted in misinformation, political opportunism, and a blatant disregard for international law. Click here to read…
US wants Pakistan, India to resume direct talks-Dawn
Hours after US President Donald Trump urged India and Pakistan to “go out to dinner” together to resolve their disputes, the State Department said Washington is now focused on encouraging direct communication between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Speaking at the Saudi-US investment forum in Riyadh, President Trump highlighted his role in brokering the weekend ceasefire between the two South Asian rivals and urged them to build on this breakthrough. Click here to read…
