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Pakistan's current account deficit soars to $572m

Pakistan’s current account deficit – the difference between country’s expenditure and income – spiked to $572 million in April 2020 but remained largely under control and affordable on the back of recent growth in the country’s foreign currency reserves

$250m from World Bank on the way

Bangladesh is on course to availing $250 million in loans from the World Bank this fiscal year to bring in reforms to address jobs challenges by modernising trade and investment environment, strengthening systems that protect workers and improving policies that enhance access to jobs for vulnerable populations

Sri Lanka lifts import bans except for vehicles in COVID-19 economic recovery plan

Sri Lanka HAS lifted its import restrictions on several products despite retaining the ban on vehicle imports, as part of its COVID-19 economic revival plan

Hackers from both sides of border engage in an India-Nepal ‘tech-war’

Days after ‘war of statements’ between the governments of Nepal and India over Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura made headlines across both sides of the border, an interesting phenomenon has surfaced since Thursday – an all-out ‘Game of Hacks’

Training of four Indian astronauts resumes in Russia

Space travel training for four Indian astronauts has resumed at Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Russia, Glavkosmos said on Thursday

US deports Al Qaeda terrorist to India, questioning on

Convicted Al Qaeda terrorist Mohammed Ibrahim Zubair, found guilty of raising funds for the terrorist organisation in the United States, has been deported to India after completing his sentence, intelligence sources said

World Bank commits USD 14.8M for climate and disaster response

The World Bank (WB) has committed to providing USD 14.8 million (M) to help Bhutan carry out comprehensive reforms to manage climate and disasters risks, including disease outbreaks

Pakistan still harbors Taliban, Pentagon report says

A quarterly report by the US Department of Defense to Congress says Pakistan continues to support the Taliban

Emergency COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by Jan-Feb 2021: Former ICMR chief

Against the backdrop of leading vaccine maker Bharat Biotech partnering with Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia to develop a new vaccine candidate for COVID-19 invented at Jefferson, it seems the emergency vaccine for COVID-19 would be available latest by January or February next year, says N.K. Ganguly, former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

ICMR comes up with fully indigenous diagnostic platform for COVID-19

The Indian Council of Medical research on Thursday said that it has validated a completely indigenous diagnostic platform for COVID-19 diagnosis

To boost trade, India, Bangladesh add more water routes

To boost trade, economic activity and connectivity, India and Bangladesh have added five more "ports of call" on either side and increased the protocol (water) routes from 8 to 10

AIIB approves $250m in COVID-19 loans for Bangladesh

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or AIIB, has approved a $250 million loan to Bangladesh as the country grapples with the fallout from the novel coronavirus disease

End all environmentally destructive projects in Maldives: Citizen-led environment campaign

A citizen-led environmental campaign Save Maldives published an open letter to the Maldives Parliament, calling on representatives to immediately “stop all environmentally destructive projects like Gulhifalhu and hold the government accountable.”

Savage cyclone Amphan weakens, centres over Bangladesh

A day of killing 12 people after barrelling in from the Bay of Bengal with wind speeds up to 185 kmph, severe cyclonic storm Amphan on Thursday weakened and lay centered over Bangladesh about 270 north-northeastwards of Kolkata with a wind speed of 27 kmph