Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Sri Lanka needs well-designed political and economic policy changes for long-term recovery

The government has taken steps to address shortages of fuel and gas to some extent when compared to the earlier situation which had long queues that stretched for kilometres outside fuel and gas stations. But a well-planned recovery plan still cannot be seen that can address the long-term food security issues. 

More on REGION

Nepal eases restrictions, allows private vehicles, bike-sharing services

Nepal has decided to ease travel restrictions in the capital Kathmandu as the number of daily Covid-19 infections receded significantly in the past few weeks

With no Nepali worker going abroad, foreign recruitment agencies seek government assistance

Nepal has over 854 registered foreign employment recruitment agencies which send Nepali workers to other countries for jobs

Maldives struggles to bring back children of Maldivian ISIS terrorist stuck in Afghanistan

Saifiu and his wife, both Maldivian nationals, were arrested by Afghan authorities in 2018 from eastern Nangarhar province, where they had joined ISIS

Foreign forces leaving us in total ‘disgrace’ and ‘disaster’: Former Afghan president Karzai

US and NATO forces came to Afghanistan to fight extremism and bring stability and they are leaving almost two decades after having failed at both, said former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, calling the legacy of foreign forces a "total disgrace and disaster" for the war-ravaged country

Modi’s Thursday tryst with J&K parties set to launch political dialogue process on its future

The ongoing delimitation exercise, a roadmap for assembly elections, or even a possible restoration of statehood could be on the discussion table as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir’s mainstream political parties on June 24 - over 22 months after his government scrapped its special status and downgraded it into a union territory

Afghan President Ghani, peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah to meet US President Biden

Amidst the intensified fighting in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani and chief peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah will visit the United States this week and meet US President Joe Biden, the White House said in a statement

Nepal government pushes for shift to electric vehicles

Nepal plans to shift from light vehicles, running on petroleum products, to electric ones by 2031 as part of its strategic plan to lower fuel imports and reduce pollution

Indian, Pakistani NSAs to meet in Tajikistan capital?

India's powerful National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will attend the  Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan this week where Pakistan’s NSA Moeed Yusuf is also expected to be present, and there is speculation that the two security officials could meet on the sidelines of the SCO meeting

Pakistan-Iran goods train service suspended after freight train derails in Balochistan

Following the derailment of a freight train,  goods train service between Pakistan and Iran was suspended on Saturday. The freight train derailed in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province

Clerics involved in hate speeches, provocative religious debates banned in Pakistan’s Khyber district

Islamic clerics involved in hate speeches and provocative religious debates in the mosques and seminaries have been banned from entering the tribal-dominated Khyber district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, close to the country’s border with Afghanistan, in what is seen as a crackdown on radical elements in a province ruled by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan PTI party

Balochistan Assembly chaos: Opposition PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto calls it 'unfortunate'

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed displeasure over the  "scenes of violence inside and outside Balochistan Assembly" and called the incident as 'unfortunate'

Afghan president replaces security chiefs as Taliban marches on cities

Amidst the intensified fighting across Afghanistan and steady march of the Taliban,  President Ashraf Ghani unveiled major shake-ups-- the second time in two months -- in the top echelon of the country’s security establishment, replacing defense and interior ministers as well as army chief

India, EU navies hold joint naval exercises in Gulf of Aden

Cross-deck helicopter landings and complex tactical evolutions at sea were on show as the European Union (EU) and India conducted a two-day joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Aden on June 18-19

Clerics involved in hate speeches, provocative religious debates banned in Pakistan’s Khyber district

Clerics involved in hate speeches and provocative religious debates in the mosques and seminaries have been banned from entering the tribal-dominated Khyber district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, close to the country’s border with Afghanistan

Sri Lanka may receive Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine from COVAX

Sri Lanka may receive 264,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine from the World Health Organisation (WHO)-co-led COVAX facility in the “near future” subject to certain conditions, a health official said