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

Ismail Khan, face of Herat’s resistance, captured by Taliban; insurgents controls 18 provincial capitals

The Taliban on Friday detained Ismail Khan, a veteran warlord who recently became the face of Herat resistance against the Taliban

India hits back after Pakistan sees a ‘nexus’ between RAW, Afghanistan’s NDS and TTP in Dasu blast

In a fresh spat between two sub-continental neighbors, India has hit back at Pakistan by terming as ‘baseless” Islamabad’s accusation that Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), alongside Afghanistan’s  National Directorate of Security (NDS), were behind last month’s Dasu bus explosion in which at least 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed

Major terror attack foiled in Jammu and Kashmir; one attacker killed amid huge arms haul

A major terrorist attack was averted in Jammu and Kashmir as security forces said they killed a “foreign terrorist” following a 15-hour long gun battle along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway

Modi launches an automotive scrappage policy for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Voluntary Vehicle Fleet Modernisation Programme, or better known as the automotive scrappage policy at the Investor Summit in his native Gujarat

Western embassies scramble to pull out staff as Afghan forces face Taliban rout; ordinary Afghans fear abandonment

Western embassies and aid agencies are scrambling to evacuate their civilian staff from embassies from Afghanistan, with the United States and the United Kingdom rushing additional troops to the country after the Taliban captured Kandahar, Helmand, Herat, and Ghazni, raising fears of an immediate collapse of the Afghan government

Eleven countries won't recognise government imposed militarily in Afghanistan, says US

Under the looming threat of a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan militarily, at least eleven countries - including India and perhaps Pakistan - oppose any military solution to the conflict and declared it will not recognise any government imposed by force, according to US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price

Modi lauds role of women’s self-help groups in India during COVID-19

Appreciating women's role during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the way the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the country have served the nation during the pandemic by producing masks and sanitisers and creating awareness about the infection was unprecedented

Taliban inches closer to Kabul, capture strategic Ghazni city; Herat breached

The Taliban Thursday captured Ghazni, a strategic center of Ghazni province, just 150 km off Kabul, bringing the total number of provincial centers under their control to ten, in a week-long offensive sweeping across northern Afghanistan. Herat city, the last remaining stronghold of the government in the west, was also breached by insurgents

Maldivian president assures actions against religious extremism, rules out imposing emergency

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih has ruled out imposing a state of emergency, saying “this is not the time” for such actions, and assured that the government would take actions against religious extremists

Maldives’ former minister, accused of sexual harassment, sentenced to two months in prison

Former Maldivian Tourism Minister Ali Waheed, accused of sexually harassing several of the ministry’s female employees, has been sentenced to two months and 12 days in prison by the country’s apex court

Anti-minority violence unacceptable: Pakistan chief justice’s call for religious harmony and tolerance

Days after the incident of vandalism of a Hindu temple in Pakistan, the country’s Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has assured minority communities that their rights would be protected and these incidents will not be repeated

Sri Lankan health minister warns of risky days ahead

Amid rising Covid-19 cases, Sri Lankan Health Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle has said that next month will be very risky as the island nation on Wednesday recorded almost 6000 cases, the highest single-day count so far

US thinks Pakistan useful only to clear mess in Afghanistan, alleges Pakistan PM Khan

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the United States sees Pakistan as useful only in the context of the “mess” it is leaving behind in Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting

‘Sanction Pakistan’ campaign on social media rattles Pakistan

‘#Sanction Pakistan’ campaign on social media platforms by Afghans, blaming Pakistan for rising violence in their country, seems to have rattled senior Pakistani officials who alleged the whole campaign was led by Afghan and Indian users to “malign” Islamabad

Covid-19 effect: Sri Lanka’s medical sector in crisis

Sri Lanka’s medical sector has been plunged into crisis with medical experts fearing that even an immediate countrywide lockdown will not be able to bring any change in the situation over the next ten days following the vast spread of the Covid-19 virus