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. 

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Teacher develops robot which speaks 38 foreign languages

Dinesh Patel, a resident of Rajmalpur village of Jaunpur district and a Computer Science teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya at IIT Bombay, has developed a robot named 'Shalu' which speaks nine local languages and 38 foreign languages

Markets along India-Bangladesh borders to empower women, enrich villages

The Border Haats (markets) along the India-Bangladesh boundaries would prosper the frontier villages and adjoining areas, besides economically empowering the people, especially the women, living on both sides of the borders, experts, economists and researchers said

Pakistan: Armed men barge into Hindu family house, kidnap teen girl

A group of armed men recently barged into a Hindu house in Jarwar locality in Tangwani town of Pakistan and kidnapped a teen girl on Tuesday, media reports said

Cancer patients block Metro bus track in Lahore after free drugs denied to them

Several poor cancer patients blocked the Metro Bus track at Kalma Chowk region in Lahore city of Pakistan to protest against  suspension of free medicines supply at the state-run hospitals of Punjab, media reports said

Pakistan leader feels 'flawed’ border policy affecting trade with Afghanistan

Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan has cautioned the federal government that it should immediately correct its ‘flawed’ border policy regarding Afghanistan if it does not want to lose its trade with the neighbouring nation

India's COVID-19 vaccine leadership high on Quad summit agenda

India's leadership in providing the COVID-19 vaccine will be high on the agenda of the first Quad summit on Friday as the leaders of the four country's look for ways to build the group as a benevolent force for the region extending its role beyond the strategic as they confront China's growing hard and soft powers.

Nepal police develop school curriculum to raise awareness of cybercrime

With a steep rise in cybercrime cases in the country, the police in Kapilvastu district in Nepal have started a new curriculum to create awareness among students about the internet safety and security

Bhutan on track to graduate from LDC to middle-income country

Bhutan is on the track to graduate from the club of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in 2023, according to the UN’s Committee for Development Policy (CDP), despite COVID pandemic

COVID cases surge in Maldives, restrictions imposed

With a surge in COVID cases in the Maldives, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has extended restrictions to check its spread

Pakistan objects to India’s inclusion in Afghan peace talks

Pakistani officials have reportedly objected to India’s presence in the proposed US plan where the foreign ministers of regional countries are to meet, reported The Express Tribune

Nepal set to extend cross-border oil pipeline from India to Kathmandu

The 69-km-long Motihari Amlekhgunj cross-border oil pipeline between India and Nepal is all set to be extended to Kathmandu. For now, a feasibility study for a 62 km extension to Chitwan in Nepal has been completed

Pakistan assures Uzbekistan of access to its ports

Pakistan has assured Uzbekistan of providing access to its two ports, Karachi and Gwadar, a move that would provide a cheap transit alternative to Uzbekistan which currently rellies in Iran’s Bandar Abbas port

Pakistan Army chief, intelligence head participate in Bahrain talks on Afghanistan

Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Qamar Jawad Bajwa, the director-general of its intelligence agency (ISI), Lt. Gen Faiz Hameed attended a meeting in Bahrain to discuss Afghanistan, reported Dawn

Sri Lanka defends invitation to Myanmar junta for BIMSTEC meeting

Sri Lanka defended the invitation to the new foreign minister of Myanmar’s junta to a BIMSTEC meeting, scheduled for the next month, saying Sri Lanka as the chair of BIMSTEC has invited all member states including Myanmar

$5 million US grant to Sri Lanka for demining

Martin Kelly, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) in Colombo, visited a Mines Advisory Group engaged in demining sites to take firsthand account of the painstaking measures undertaken to clear explosive hazards in the area and speak with a team of female deminers