🇦🇫 Afghanistan

Ex-Guantanamo detainees and wanted man named by Taliban to new caretaker government

The Taliban on Tuesday announced the formation of a hardline interim government for Afghanistan, filling top posts with veterans of the militant group who oversaw the 20-year fight against the US-led military coalition.

Taliban banns Afghan women from sport

Afghan women, including the country’s women’s cricket team, will be banned from playing sport under the new Taliban government, according to an official in the hardline Islamist group.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh

ShopUp raises USD75 million in Bangladesh’s largest funding

ShopUp, a startup that is digitising neighbourhood stores in Bangladesh, raised USD75 million in a new financing round that is also the largest in South Asia.

🇧🇹 Bhutan

A COVID-19 success story

A recent assessment conducted with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicated that there was ‘little or no effect’ of the pandemic on essential health services delivery in the country.

🇨🇳 China

China to maintain communication with Taliban government

China said on Wednesday it is ready to maintain communication with the leaders of the new Taliban government in Afghanistan, calling it a "necessary step" in reconstruction.

UK criticises Hong Kong arrests

British foreign minister Dominic Raab criticised the arrest of members from pro-democracy group by Hong Kong police on Wednesday calling it another example of how China was using a security law to stifle dissent in the former British colony.

🇮🇳 India

India deepens anti-terrorism ties with Russia

India and Russia believe that foreign militant groups operating from Afghanistan pose a threat to central Asia and to India and agreed to deepen anti-terrorism cooperation at a meeting of their national security chiefs on Wednesday, officials said.

India may let foreign investors buy up to 20% in LIC IPO

The Indian government is considering allowing foreign institutional investors to buy up to a total of 20 percent in state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), reported Reuters citing a government source.

🇲🇾 Malaysia

Former PM to lead coronavirus recovery

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed chairman of a council that will focus on economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

🇳🇵 Nepal

IBN seeks to draw USD10 billion investments over five years

The Investment Board Nepal (IBN), a high-level government body formed to facilitate large-scale investments, on Wednesday unveiled a strategic plan aiming to attract investments of 10 billion U.S. dollars in the next five years.

🇸🇬 Singapore

Singapore reports highest cases in more than a year

Singapore's health ministry recorded 328 new domestic coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest daily number of new infections in more than a year.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

Government issues line by line response to Al Jazeera story on food and forex shortage

Sri Lankan Government issued a line by line response to an Al Jazeera news story published earlier this week under the title “Sri Lanka declares food emergency as forex crisis worsens”