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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Taliban ‘ransacked’ two Indian missions, searched closets, took away cars

The Taliban entered at least two of India's consulates in Afghanistan on Wednesday, searched for documents and took away parked cars, government sources said, expressing concern that the group was acting against assurances its leaders have been giving to the world

Human smuggling racketeers in Pakistan’s Balochistan make money as Afghans flee homeland

Those running human smuggling rackets are making a killing In Pakistan’s Balochistan province since the Taliban started taking over Afghanistan’s major cities this month

Taliban leader wanted India to retain its diplomatic presence in Kabul: Report

A senior Taliban leader informally reached out to New Delhi earlier this week to know if India wanted to keep its embassy  in Kabul open, with a safety assurance, a report in The Hindustan Times said

For second time this week, Blinken discusses Afghanistan with Jaishankar

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Afghanistan with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for the second time this week during the latter’s stay in New York and agreed to continue coordination over responses to the rapidly evolving situation in that countr

Pakistan to decide on recognizing a Taliban government

Pakistan’s Cabinet will hold discussions to decide on recognizing a future Taliban-led government in Kabul, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said. Earlier during a meeting of the National Security Council, the government decided against instantly recognizing the Taliban government, calling for a more inclusive setup

Maldives to assess domestic risks due to Afghan situation

Maldives will assess risks to the archipelago due to the situation in Afghanistan as the Maldivian government has repeatedly warned against the growing extremism and radicalization in the country

IMF blocks Afghanistan’s access to its funds

Days after the United States blocked the Taliban from accessing the country’s sovereign reserves maintained with the US Federal Reserve, the global lender International Monetary Fund (IMF), has followed suit

Afghanistan situation evolving; India's priority is getting its citizens home safely: Jaishankar

India's priority in Afghanistan is safely getting back home its citizens in the country that has been overrun by the Taliban and it is discussing the matter with UN and US officials, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday

Bangladesh PM warns of tough punishment for corrupt public servants

With her country ranked 146th among 180 countries in the global corruption perception index, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday warned of tough punishment to public servants indulging in corruption

Mullah Baradar, Taliban co-founder, sets foot in Afghanistan after 20 years, as Pakistan keeps close eye

In September 2001, Hamid Karzai crossed the border into Afghanistan’s Kandahar province from Pakistan, accompanied by just three unarmed associates on motorbikes, to rally the tribal rebellion against the Taliban in the rural Kandahar belt

Anti-Taliban protests erupt in cities ahead of Afghanistan’s Independence Day

Protests erupted in at least two of eastern Afghan cities days after the Taliban seized power in the country as people gathered in thousands, waving the tricolor flag - which is different than the Taliban’s flag - demanding respect for the national flag from the insurgent group who are bidding to rule the country and rename it the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Taliban struggles to access Afghan reserves as US blocks access to almost $10 billion

The Taliban, the Sunni Islamist fundamentalist group that seized power militarily  in Afghanistan last week, is struggling to access most of the Afghan central bank’s roughly $10 billion in assets, kept in US banks

Pakistan calls for inclusive government in Afghanistan, seeks international recognition for Pakistan’s ‘sacrifices’

Amid reports that it had backed the Taliban with medical aid, weapons and air support that enabled the hardline Islamist militia to take complete control of Afghanistan, Pakistan has made a public show of its neutrality urging all stakeholders in the neighboring country to reach an “inclusive” political settlement

India evacuates 192 embassy staff from Kabul in three days; Air India to continue flights

India evacuated its entire embassy in Kabul Tuesday morning amid an escalating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

India brings back all diplomatic staff from Afghanistan; closes embassy for now

India has pulled out all its diplomatic staff, security personnel, and a few media workers from its embassy  in Kabul, and closed its mission there---for the second time since 1996-- just a day after the Taliban overtook the country, marking an end of a chapter of its relations with Afghanistan