Page 5 - South Asia

Sri Lanka & Bangladesh look east

The shifting sands of the South Asian trade landscape may be worthy of some serious reflection for India's regional trade strategy

Myanmar's worst violence since military takeover intensifying crisis: UN

Myanmar's escalating conflict and worst violence since the military takeover in 2021 are having a devastating impact on human rights, fundamental freedoms and basic needs of millions of people as well as alarming spillover effects in the region, UN officials have said. Assistant Secretary-General for political affairs Khaled Khiari told the UN Security Council on Thursday that the civilian toll keeps rising amid reports of indiscriminate bombing by Myanmar's armed forces and artillery shelling by various parties. The nationwide armed conflict in Myanmar began after the army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and suppressed widespread nonviolent protests that sought a return to democratic rule. Thousands of young people fled to jungles and mountains in remote border areas as a result of the military's suppression and made common cause with ethnic guerrilla forces battle-hardened by decades of combat with the army in pursuit of autonomy. Despite its .

Global life expectancy up 6.2 years between 1990-2021, shows Lancet report

In India, the life expectancy has increased by eight years in the past three decades

Jobs creation in South Asia lags population growth, says World Bank chief

"If only they can be employed. It's a fantastic opportunity to grow but until recently employment ratios have been falling," says Franziska Ohnsorge

US names Brendan Lynch as assistant USTR for South and Central Asia

For the past 11 years, Lynch has been a member of the USTR team, serving in several capacities related to the South and Central Asia region

China to promote currency swaps, reinforce cooperation with Asian economies

Bilateral currency swaps can facilitate trade and investment and are a useful addition to the global financial safety net, Governor Pan Gongsheng told the annual gathering of the Boao Forum for Asia

UBS Group plans to shut thousands of smaller Credit Suisse accounts in Asia

The lender is reviewing the accounts with a balance of around $2 million or less, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information

'What KBC did for entertainment, sports will do for the digital ecosystem'

Sports commands appointment viewing at scale, making it a critical pillar for capturing a captive audience, especially in the realm of AVoD

Saudi Arabia eyes 7.5 mn Indian visitors by 2030, offers 96-hour free visa

When queried about the Indian market's role in Saudi Arabia, Aldabbagh asserted, 'India is a priority market for Saudi. Last year alone, we welcomed 1.5 million visitors from India

India is our biggest, most-valued partner in South Asia: US official

Describing India as its biggest partner in South Asia, the Biden administration has said it is working with New Delhi to deploy a multi-billion-dollar climate infrastructure and a new fund that will include a USD 500 million investment contribution from its development finance institution. Afreen Akhter, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), told this at a news conference organised by the Washington Foreign Press Center. With India, which of course is our biggest partner in South Asia, we launched in January of last year the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology. We call this iCET, Akhter said. The goal is to build a resilient semiconductor supply chain, elevate space cooperation, and partner on the next generation of telecommunications so, again, a really ambitious initiative to build cooperation on critical and emerging technologies with India, she said on Wednesday. The US is also advancing regional resilience to ..

World leaders congratulate India on R-Day, laud progress in bilateral ties

Presidents, Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of several countries on Friday wished India on its 75th Republic Day and expressed their hope for progress in bilateral relations and close people-to-people ties. These leaders included those from the immediate neighbourhood in South Asia and some from far-flung nations such as Australia. Almost all of them posted their greetings on social media handles and some of them wrote letters or messages to Indian leaders. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended his warm wishes to the people of India on the same day as his country celebrates its national day and said, We have an opportunity to celebrate the depth of our friendship. Australia and India have never been closer. In a message to President Droupadi Murmu, the British King Charles III said he cherishes the close bond shared between the two countries. I am confident that our ties will continue to flourish in this very special seventy-fifth anniversary year of the ...

India to help Sri Lanka with upgradation of railways; to cost $91.27 mn

India and Sri Lanka have together launched multiple works costing USD 91.27 million across the island nation to upgrade the railway network which will enhance the mobility of goods and services and boost economic activity. Sri Lanka's Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Dr Bandula Gunawardena and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha ceremonially launched the multiple works on Sunday, a release from the office of the High Commission of India said here. Minister of Transport Gunawardena thanked India for the support extended to Sri Lanka, especially in the transport sector. The Indian High Commissioner expressed happiness that as a long-standing development partner of Sri Lanka, India had executed projects for the development and rehabilitation of Sri Lanka's Northern and Southern Railway line over the past several years in line with the priorities and requirements of the Government of Sri Lanka. Jha also underscored the importance of the modernisation of ..

Sri Lanka raises fuel retail prices by Rs 20; first under new VAT hike

The Sri Lankan government raised retail fuel prices by Rs 20 effective from Monday in its monthly revision, making it the first retail price hike of any commodity under the imposition of new Value-Added Tax rates. The government revises fuel prices monthly based on the exchange rate of the US dollar and the global oil market prices. However, Monday's hike was purely a result of the new VAT rates. Sri Lanka's VAT rate has been increased by three per cent from Monday for the band, which was previously taxed at 15 per cent, while most VAT-exempt items have been brought under 18 per cent in a highly unpopular move. Last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the release of the second tranche worth USD 337 million to the cash-strapped island nation, bringing the value of disbursements to USD 670 million in the four-year facility. With its reforms, the IMF programme meant that the government set cost-based tariffs for utilities, while several rate hikes on electricity ...

India's inward remittances in 2023 rise 12.3% to $125 billion: World Bank

India continues to be the highest recipient of remittances globally, followed by Mexico ($67 billion) and China ($50 billion)

Shah Rukh Khan tops UK's list of top 50 Asian celebrities in the world

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, referred to as the King Khan of the Indian film industry, has topped a UK list of the Top 50 Asian Celebrities in the World' previewed in London on Wednesday. The 58-year-old actor, who had double box-office success this year with action thrillers Pathaan' and Jawaan', is currently preparing for the Christmas release of comedy drama Dunki'. Khan beat off tough competition to make it to the annual list published by UK weekly Eastern Eye' on Friday. By the time 2023 ends, King Khan will become the first leading man from the modern era to have three huge Bollywood blockbuster hits in a calendar year," said Eastern Eye' Entertainment Editor Asjad Nazir, who compiled the list. By drawing big audiences back into cinema halls with global juggernauts, the actor gave a movie industry in decline a much-needed boost and had a transformative effect. The history making superstar eclipsed everyone else with his brilliance and reminded global audiences what ...

Bangladesh to deploy Army to maintain order ahead of Jan 7 elections

Bangladesh Army said on Monday that it will deploy troops to maintain law and order as the country gears up for January 7 general elections that the opposition parties demand should be held under an interim non-partisan government. The Election Commission (EC) wants us (armed forces) to be deployed to stage a free and fair election in a healthy atmosphere. We ensured them of all-out support, the armed forces division's principal staff officer Lt Gen Wakar-uz-Zaman told a media briefing here. The announcement came after Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other commissioners met with concerned civil and military officials at the commission office. Zaman said the Army troops would be deployed across the country in aid of civil power for 13 days from December 29 and we will extend our support to the commission the way it wants. He said the armed forces deployment was not a new phenomenon as they were called out during past general elections as well but termed today's ...

Foreign policy no longer exists in the domain of elites: Milan Vaishnav

"Today, welfarism has become a necessary - but insufficient - condition to triumph in Indian elections"

Nepal 1st South Asian nation to officially register same-sex marriage

Five months after the Supreme Court legalised it, Nepal on Wednesday formally registered the first case of same-sex marriage, making it the first South Asian country to do so. Trans-woman Maya Gurung, 35 and Surendra Pandey, 27, a gay, got legally married and their marriage was registered at Dordi Rural Municipality of Lamjung district in Western Nepal, according to Sanjib Gurung (Pinky), president of Blue Diamond Society, an organization working for the rights and welfare of the sexual minorities in Nepal. Way back in 2007, Nepal's Supreme Court had allowed same-sex marriage. Even the Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, explicitly states that there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. On June 27, 2023, the Supreme Court issued an interim order to legalise same-sex marriage in Nepal in a writ petition filed by multiple people, including Gurung. But despite the historic order to temporarily register same-sex marriage, Kathmandu District Court four months a

India to hold second Voice of Global South Summit virtually on Nov 17

The Global South refers to nations regarded as having a relatively low level of economic and industrial development, and are typically located to the south of more industrialised nations

Pak most vulnerable in South Asia to balance of payment crisis: Moody's

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have experienced significant BOP pressures because of very low exports and FDI, combined with much weaker policy management and higher political risk