Page 6 - South Asia

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

Dubious agents running illicit UK visa trade in South Asia: Report

Dubious agents are operating an illicit visa appointments trade in South Asia, charging unsuspecting students and workers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal exorbitant rates for a service that should be free, a UK media investigation has found. According to The Observer' newspaper on Sunday, brokers in some parts of South Asia are charging up to GBP 800 for biometric appointments being advertised on social media messaging services in these countries. The problem is believed to be the worst in Pakistan where the investigation found that the abuse of the visa appointment system by agents is feared to have increased significantly over the last year. "It is a massive issue. It all adds to the debt people pay to come to the UK," Rakesh Ranjan, South Asia coordinator for the migrant workers' programme at the UK-based Institute for Human Rights and Business, told the newspaper. When applying for a visa from New Delhi recently, Ranjan was quoted the equivalent of GBP 500 by an agent

India greatest trade partner in S Asia, will tap huge potential: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said India is his country's greatest trade partner in South Asia and expressed confidence of tapping the huge potential of cooperation between the two countries. Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the G20 leaders' summit, Erdogan also said that on the sidelines of the summit, he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "India is our greatest trade partner in South Asia. And we will be able to tap the great potential of cooperation, primarily in the field of economy and many other sectors, after the election that took place in Turkiye earlier this year," he said. He also hailed the African Union becoming a member of the G20, saying it would revitalise the grouping.

Foxconn seeks to work with STMicro to build semiconductor factory in India

Foxconn Technology Group is teaming up with STMicroelectronics NV for a bid to build a semiconductor factory in India, seeking state backing to broaden its footprint in the South Asian country

Northeast Frontier Railway bags S Asia Award for 'Micro Project of Year'

The Northeast Frontier Railway on Saturday bagged the PMI South Asia Award for its 'Micro Project of the Year' that is, 'Intrusion Detection System' for saving elephant lives. The Intrusion Detection System (IDS) helps to detect elephants approaching the railway tracks and an alert is sent to the local pilot, station master, also station manager so the accident can be prevented.This marks the first-ever victory for a zonal railway under the Ministry of Railways since the inception of the award in 2009. This year, the NF Railway defeated BEL (Bharat Electronics) to bag this award.Last year, the micro category award was bagged by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). Organisations like Bosch, IBM, L & T, Tata, SBI, Reliance, IOCL, BPCL, EIL, etc, participate in this prestigious annual award every year.Sabyasachi De, CPRO of NF Railway said, "For the 2023 awards, PMI South Asia took entry from organisations for projects completed by 31st March 2023. It has four gruelling

India is emerging as driving force in S Asia's maritime history: Sonowal

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said that India is emerging as the "driving force" crafting the next chapter in South Asia's maritime history. The minister was addressing the Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023 roadshow in Goa through video link. "India is emerging as the driving force crafting the next chapter in South Asia's maritime history....This roadshow represents the strength of our cultural ties and joint determination to make a substantial regional influence, he said. Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik was also present on the occasion. In line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat goals, GMIS 2023 fosters growth and business while staunchly supporting the government's vision, he added. Union minister Naik said that due to collaborative efforts, the Indian maritime landscape has undergone a transformative evolution. GMIS 2023 celebrates the convergence of technology, heightened infrastructure, ..

TN CM Stalin lays foundation stone for 400 MLD water desalination plant

The cutting-edge desalination process includes lamella clarifiers, a dissolved air flotation system, gravity dual media filters, reverse osmosis, and re-mineralization

China invites South Asian countries to be part of economic growth

China has urged South Asian countries to get on board its "express train" and receive a share of the dividends of its economic growth. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said this on Wednesday while addressing the opening ceremony of the 7th China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. Wang, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the expo and also the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the neighbourhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness - both proposed by President Xi Jinping. In the past decade, China and South Asian countries have consolidated solidarity and cooperation, advanced Belt and Road cooperation, deepened friendly exchanges and created a new chapter of China-South Asia friendship for the new era, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party of China Central Committee

Puneet Chandok appointed corporate VP of Microsoft India and South Asia

Tech giant Microsoft on Tuesday announced the appointment of Puneet Chandok as Corporate Vice President of Microsoft India and South Asia. Effective September 1, 2023, Chandok will assume the operational responsibilities from Anant Maheshwari, Microsoft said in a release. "Supported by a strong leadership team, Puneet will oversee the integration of Microsoft's businesses across South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, further boosting the company's presence in the region, while deepening its focus on key industries through a customer-centric approach with generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) at its core," it added.

Plus91 Labs acquires IT company Pixely to strengthen presence in S Asia

Cloud consulting and IT service provider Plus91Labs on Wednesday announced the acquisition of Pixely (Internet X Pte Ltd), which is specialized in tailored solutions for the Southeast Asian market. This strategic move aligns perfectly with Plus91Labs' long-term vision and growth strategy, enabling the company in expanding its service offerings and strengthening its presence in the region. The acquisition of Pixely brings valuable domain expertise and a deep understanding of the Southeast Asian market to Plus91Labs, the Gwalior-based company founded in 2017 said in a statement. With Pixely's founder Immanuel Gian at the helm, the company will continue to operate under its established brand name. Immanuel's industry experience and regional knowledge will be instrumental in driving Plus91Labs' expansion efforts and building strong relationships with clients in Southeast Asia, the statement said. "The acquisition of Pixely brings together a wealth of synergies and unique advantages fo

India best-performing in South Asia in terms of trade facilitation: UNESCAP

India is now the best-performing nation amongst all the countries of South Asian region in terms of trade facilitation, as per the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Paci?c's (UNESCAP) report. As per the Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, India improved its score compared to 2021 survey. The 2023 survey, covering more than 140 economies and evaluating 60 trade facilitation measures, has positioned India at the forefront of global trade facilitation e?orts, with an impressive score of 93.55 per cent in 2023 vis a vis 90.32 per cent in 2021. The 2023 survey has recognised India's exceptional progress across various sub indicators, with the country achieving a perfect score of 100 per cent in four key areas: Transparency, Formalities, Institutional Arrangement and Cooperation, and Paperless Trade. These remarkable scores are a testament to India's relentless e?orts in streamlining trade processes, enhancing transparency, and promoting ...

India, Bangladesh to initiate 5 development projects for border population

The border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh have taken a "momentous" decision to initiate joint civil works on five development projects along the 4,096 kms of shared boundary which will help the local population on both sides, a senior officer said Wednesday. At the end of their four-day biannual border talks conference that began on July 11 in Delhi, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) also said they are working independently and jointly to "reduce" the instances of killing of Bangladeshi nationals in the boundary area. The issue of these killings, which the BSF has linked to miscreants and smugglers either attacking its personnel or indulge in other cross-border crimes, has been a major irritant between the two neighbours. The 53rd edition of the conference was led by the chiefs or directors general (DsG) of the BSF and the BGB and ended with the signing of a 'joint record of discussions' at a BSF camp located in Chhawla area of the nation

Lower emissions during Covid-19 pandemic led to increased warming: Study

The Covid pandemic shutdowns in South Asia greatly reduced the concentration of short-lived cooling particles in the air, but barely affected the levels of long-lived greenhouse gases, leading to stronger climate warming, a study shows. In the spring of 2020, the activity of many industries and transportation worldwide decreased due to pandemic restrictions. At Hanimaadhoo, a measuring station in the northernmost Maldives off the coast of India, researchers have been measuring the atmospheric composition and radiation for two decades. The measuring station is strategically placed to capture air masses from the Asian subcontinent and located in an area with few regional emission sources. When emissions suddenly decreased during the pandemic in South Asia -- mainly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh -- an opportunity was created to see what impact this had on the climate. The study, published in the journal npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, found that the concentrations of polluting

From Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, India's neighbours mired in economic crises

Some are discovering the virtues of deeper integration with the country

Crippling heatwaves deepen Asia's reliance on Russian coal, natural gas

Russian exports to Asia of thermal coal and natural gas, the two fuels most often used for electricity generation, have grown markedly this year, figures from data intelligence firm Kpler show