Afghanistan
Blast Shakes Taliban Security Base In Northeastern Afghanistan (Agence France-Presse)
Outcry forces Home Office to allow Afghan youth orchestra to go on England tour (The Guardian)
Pakistan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Orders Starting Talks with IMF for Loan (Bloomberg)
Shehbaz Sharif sworn in as Pakistan’s prime minister after contentious vote (AP)
Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as prime minister, directs team to talk with IMF (Reuters)
Sharif Takes Oath as Pakistan Prime Minister for 2nd Time (VOA)
Pakistan’s Imran Khan-backed party declined reserved parliament seats - ruling (Reuters)
Pakistan Condemns India for Seizing Cargo in Renewed Tensions (Bloomberg)
Pakistan: At least 35 die due to surprise snowfall and heavy rains (BBC)
India
Foreign tourist is gang-raped in India as violence against women persists (Washington Post)
Tourist couple alleges gang rape in India, sparking outrage and the arrests of 3 men (NBC News)
Indian farmers cut off as activists warn of pre-election blackouts (Reuters)
India sees $4.95 bln investment for natural gas network in Kashmir, northeast (Reuters)
GN Saibaba: India frees disabled academic jailed for Maoist links (BBC)
‘We exist’: A Himalayan hamlet, forgotten by Indian democracy (Al Jazeera)
NSB
China Gives Maldives Defense Help as Indian Troops Leave (Bloomberg)
Maldives signs defense deal with China amid rift with India (Deutsche Welle)
Nepal’s communist parties join forces to form a new coalition government (AP)
Nepal PM forms new coalition, dumps old allies (Reuters)
Sri Lanka cabinet agrees to absorb $553 mln debt from national carrier - minister (Reuters)
Sri Lanka cultivates sustainable fashion for an economic revival (Nikkei Asia)
Central Asia
Kazakhstan: PM heads to Moscow with pledges of deepening cooperation (EurasiaNet)
Russia Issues Warrant For Ukraine’s Ex-Ambassador To Kazakhstan (Radio Free Europe)
Kyrgyzstan: Officials brush aside uranium anxieties over Kyzyl-Ompol field (EurasiaNet)
Worrying Water Levels at Kyrgyzstan’s Critical Toktogul Reservoir (The Diplomat)
Uzbekistan: Dozens repatriated after illegally traveling to U.S. (EurasiaNet)
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SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS