SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Wednesday, February 19, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Office overseeing Afghan resettlement in US told to start planning closure, sources say (Reuters)
Reuters [2/18/2025 7:42 PM, Jonathan Landay, 48128K]
The State Department office overseeing the resettlement of Afghans in the United States has been told to develop plans to close by April, according to a U.S. official, a leading advocate and two sources familiar with the directive, a move that could deny up to an estimated 200,000 people new lives in America.
Family members of Afghan-American U.S. military personnel, children cleared to reunite with their parents, relatives of Afghans already admitted and tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the U.S. government during the 20-year war are among those who could be turned away if the office is shut, the advocate and the U.S. official said.
"Shutting this down would be a national disgrace, a betrayal of our Afghan allies, of the veterans who fought for them, and of America’s word," said Shawn VanDiver, founder of #AfghanEvac, the main coalition of veterans and advocacy groups and others that coordinates resettlements with the U.S. government.
The White House and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The development comes as the administration asks embassies worldwide to prepare staff cuts under a directive by U.S. President Donald Trump to overhaul the diplomatic corps and billionaire Elon Musk’s DOGE office pursues a government-wide drive to slash $2 trillion in spending.
The Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, CARE, was set up during the chaotic U.S. pullout from Afghanistan in August 2021 as a temporary effort to relocate to the U.S. Afghans at risk of Taliban retaliation because they worked for the U.S. government during the war.
It became permanent in October 2022, expanded to Afghans granted refugee status, and has helped resettle some 118,000 people.
VanDiver, the U.S. official and the two sources said they did not know who ordered CARE to begin developing options to close.
Those options would include shuttering processing centers CARE runs in Qatar and Albania where nearly 3,000 Afghans vetted for U.S. resettlement as refugees or Special Immigration Visa (SIV) holders have been stranded for weeks or months.
Those in the centers, including more than 20 unaccompanied minors bound for reunions with parents, live in modular housing. They receive food and other basic "life support," but a Trump-ordered foreign aid freeze has ended programs for mental health and children, one source said.
According to both sources, the options for shuttering CARE are being prepared for Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, as well as Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz, a former U.S. special forces soldier who fought in Afghanistan, are among those slated to make a final decision, they said.
"There are definitely all options (for closing CARE) being considered," said the second source. Both requested anonymity for fear of retaliation by the Trump administration.
The evacuation and resettlement operations have been stalled since Trump, who launched a promised immigration crackdown after taking office in January, halted pending 90-day reviews the U.S. refugee program and foreign aid that funded flights to the U.S. for Afghans cleared for resettlement.
Trump ordered the reviews to determine the efficiency of the refugee and foreign aid programs and to ensure they align with his foreign policy.
After rigorous background checks, SIVs are awarded to Afghans who worked for the U.S. government during America’s longest war.
UN reports say the Taliban have jailed, tortured and killed Afghans who fought or worked for the former Western-backed government. The Taliban deny the allegations, pointing to a general amnesty approved for former government soldiers and officials.
A permanent shutdown of CARE and the Enduring Welcome operations it oversees could leave up to an estimated 200,000 Afghans without paths to the U.S., said VanDiver and the U.S. official.
These comprise some 110,000 Afghans in Afghanistan whose SIV and refugee status applications are being reviewed and some 40,000 others who have been vetted and cleared for flights to Doha and Tirana before travel to the U.S.
An estimated 50,000 other Afghans are marooned in nearly 90 other countries – about half in Pakistan – approved for U.S. resettlement or awaiting SIV or refugee processing, they said. Taliban representatives visit Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials (AP)
AP [2/18/2025 11:01 AM, Mari Yamaguchi, 47097K]
Japanese officials said senior Taliban representatives were in the capital for talks, as part of Tokyo’s efforts to help Afghanistan build a more inclusive political system and protect human rights.It’s the Taliban’s first known diplomatic trip outside the Central Asia-Middle East region since they seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021.The unidentified representatives were invited by grant-making organization Nippon Zaidan and were also set to talk with Japanese Foreign Ministry officials, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Monday.The Taliban were invited to help them better understand the need “to have a broad perspective toward their future nation building and to widely accept humanitarian assistance from the international community for vulnerable people,” Nippon Zaidan said in a statement. It declined to give details of the visitors and their schedule.Japan does not formally recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s official government.Hayashi noted the visit was initiated by a private organization but complements the Japanese government’s effort to work with the international community to call on the Taliban to make policy changes that protect human rights.The Taliban have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on women and girls, a major hurdle to their recognition as the official government of Afghanistan.The trip was initially revealed by Latif Nazari, the deputy economy minister, who posted on the X platform that “a high-level delegation” was heading to Japan and that the Taliban seek dignified engagement with the world as an active member of the international community.No further details about the trip were available from the Taliban government on Tuesday. Men, women experience near daily floggings in Afghanistan (VOA)
VOA [2/18/2025 11:53 AM, Ayaz Gul, 2717K]
Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities publicly flogged six individuals on Tuesday after convicting them of offenses such as adultery, sodomy and eloping.
The Supreme Court of the de facto Afghan rulers announced that the punishments were carried out in southeastern Khost and northern Faryab provinces and that the individuals received 39 lashes each, along with varying prison sentences of up to 18 months.
Since the beginning of February, at least 61 Afghans, including nine women, have been flogged in sports stadiums packed with ordinary citizens and Taliban officials from the judiciary and administration, according to data from the top court. The individuals were accused of adultery, eloping, sodomy and robbery, with many of them also receiving prison sentences ranging from several months to six years.
The United Nations and human rights organizations have condemned corporal punishment in Afghanistan as a violation of international law, urging the Taliban to immediately cease the practice.
Despite global outcry, hundreds of Afghan men and women have faced public flogging, and several have been executed under the Taliban’s interpretation of retributive justice, known as qisas.
Last week, reclusive Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada defended his governance, including the criminal justice system, saying they were rooted in divine commands.
"The esteemed supreme leader stated that every decree he issues is based on consultation with scholars and derived from the Quran and Hadith [sayings of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad] and represents commands of Allah," a government spokesman quoted Akhundzada as telling a gathering in Kandahar.
Akhundzada, who is based in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, has issued numerous decrees in accordance with his stringent interpretation of Islamic law and principles, resulting in restrictions on freedom of speech and female access to education and employment in the country.
The Taliban leader has banned girls’ education beyond the sixth grade and blocked many women from public and private sector employment. Afghan women cannot travel by road or air without a chaperone and cannot visit public places such as parks, gyms or beauty salons.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan emphasized again on X Tuesday that restrictions on women "are causing long-term damage" in the impoverished, war-torn country.
The chief prosecutor of the Hague-based International Criminal Court last month announced he was seeking arrest warrants for Akhundzada and the Taliban chief justice, holding them "criminally responsible for persecuting Afghan girls and women.".
The Taliban dismissed the warrants as "devoid of just legal basis, duplicitous in nature and politically motivated.".
No country has recognized the Taliban as the legitimate governing authority of the country, primarily due to the harsh treatment of Afghan women. Pakistan
Pakistan wants to expel all Afghan refugees from the country, says Afghan embassy (AP)
AP [2/19/2025 3:52 AM, Munir Ahmed, 456K]
Pakistan wants to remove all Afghan refugees from the country and their expulsion is imminent, the Afghan embassy in Islamabad warned Wednesday.
The embassy issued a strongly worded statement about Pakistan’s plans, saying Afghan nationals in the capital, Islamabad, and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi have been subjected to arrests, searches, and orders from the police to leave the twin cities and relocate to other parts of Pakistan.“This process of detaining Afghans, which began without any formal announcement, has not been officially communicated to the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad through any formal correspondence,” it added.
Besides hundreds of thousands of those living illegally in Pakistan, there are around 1.45 million Afghan nationals registered with UNHCR as refugees. 7 killed after militants intercept passenger buses in restive southwestern Pakistan (AP)
AP [2/18/2025 4:18 PM, Abdul Sattar, 47097K]
Militants armed with guns intercepted several passenger buses on a highway in the restive southwestern Pakistan late Tuesday night, forcibly removed seven passengers and killed them before fleeing the scene, officials said.The attack occurred in Rakhni, a town in Balochistan, as the buses were heading to the eastern Punjab province from the southwestern city of Quetta, said Waqar Alam, a district administrator.He said the attackers targeted and killed only those people who were from the Punjab province.No group claimed responsibility for the attack but the suspicion is likely to fall on ethnic Baloch separatists, who have been blamed by the government for previous such attacks on passenger buses in Balochistan.Last year, the Baloch Liberation Army separatist group killed dozens of people in three separate attacks on vehicles in Balochistan, which has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in Pakistan, with various separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces.The separatists are demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in Balochistan has persisted.The latest violence came a day after militants in northwestern Pakistan overnight ambushed security forces who were responding to an attack on aid trucks in the troubled Kurram district, killing four soldiers and wounding some others.Authorities had dispatched reinforcements to Kurram to respond to Monday’s attack on an aid convoy, where a driver and a security official were killed.Officials said some security forces were also wounded in the overnight ambush in Kurram, a district in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where at least 130 people have died in recent months in clashes between rival Shiite and Sunni tribes. Several trucks heading to Parachinar, the district’s main city, were looted and burned, authorities said.Qaiser Abbas, a doctor at a hospital in Parachinar, said they received the bodies of four soldiers Monday night.No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks, but suspicion is likely to fall on Sunni militants.Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram but they are a minority in the rest of Sunni-majority Pakistan. The area has a history of sectarian conflict.The attack on troops in Kurram comes as they conduct operations in former strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban in the North and South Waziristan districts and elsewhere in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.In a statement Tuesday, the military said troops had killed 30 militants the previous day in an operation in South Waziristan. It gave no further details.Such operations are conducted against the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. They are allies of the Afghan Taliban, who came into power in Afghanistan in 2022. Insurgents kill seven bus passengers in southwestern Pakistan (VOA)
VOA [2/18/2025 6:29 PM, Ayaz Gul, 2717K]
Authorities in Pakistan reported late on Tuesday that "terrorists" intercepted a bus on a main highway in the southwestern Balochistan province and killed at least seven passengers.The victims were traveling from the provincial capital of Quetta to the central province of Punjab when their bus was ambushed in the Barkhan district. Area police and survivors said that the attackers fatally shot seven passengers after confirming their ethnic Punjabi identity.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the massacre, but suspicions fell on the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA. The separatist group frequently conducts deadly attacks on security forces and civilians from other regions of Pakistan working in resources-rich Balochistan.Sarfaraz Bugti, the provincial chief minister, condemned the killing of bus passengers as a "cowardly act." He wrote on the X social media platform that Pakistani paramilitary forces and police "are actively pursuing the terrorists to bring them to justice."The attack prompted authorities in Balochistan to order other passenger vehicles to temporarily stop their journeys.The violence came just hours after Pakistan’s military reported that it killed 30 Islamist insurgents during clashes in a volatile northwestern district bordering Afghanistan.A military statement attributed the casualties to an overnight “intelligence-based” operation against a militant location in the tribal district of South Waziristan. The slain people were referred to as “khwarij,” a local term employed by the government to identify members of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, militant group.The TTP has not commented on the reported clashes, and it is not possible to verify government claims through independent sources in the violence-hit district.The Waziristan region and nearby districts along the Afghan border face almost daily militant raids targeting Pakistani troops, police officers and various government entities, with the TTP claiming responsibility for most of it.The violence has killed dozens of Pakistani security personnel within the first two months of 2025 alone. Military officials claim that retaliatory counterinsurgency operations have killed scores of TTP operatives, including key militant commanders, in recent days.Islamabad alleges that the TTP, listed as a global terrorist organization by the United Nations, uses havens and training camps in Afghanistan to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks. The Taliban government in Kabul, which is not recognized by any country, rejects Pakistani allegations.The latest report by the U.N. Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, released last week, highlighted Pakistan’s concerns, stating that the TTP has "significantly increased” its attacks in the country and from Afghan territory.The report noted that Kabul “continued to provide the TTP with logistical and operational space and financial support.” It added that the militant group "established new training centers" in the Afghan provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika, "while enhancing recruitment within TTP cadres, including from the Afghan Taliban.”The Taliban government dismissed the U.N. findings as “inaccurate” and contrary to reality. ‘Died for stealing chocolate’: Pakistan anger over death of child maid (BBC)
BBC [2/18/2025 5:13 PM, Azadeh Moshiri and Usman Zahid, 27233K]
A couple in north-east Pakistan has been detained on suspicion of murdering a 13-year-old girl who worked for them as a maid, for allegedly stealing chocolates.The girl who goes only by one name, Iqra, succumbed to multiple injuries in hospital last Wednesday. A preliminary police investigation said she had been tortured.The case in Rawalpindi has sparked widespread outrage and posts with the hashtag #JusticeforIqra having garnered tens of thousands of views, and reignited a debate over child labour and the mistreatment of domestic workers.Laws pertaining to child labour can vary across the country, but children under the age of 15 cannot be employed as domestic workers in the province of Punjab."I felt completely shattered inside when she died," Iqra’s father, Sana Ullah, told the BBC.He said that he had received a call from the police about Iqra last Wednesday. When he rushed to the hospital, he saw Iqra lying on a bed, unconscious. She died minutes later.Iqra began working as a maid from the age of eight. Her father, a 45-year-old farmer, said he had sent her to work because he was in debt.After working for a few employers, she went to work for the couple two years ago, who have eight children of their own. She was earning about £23 ($28) per month.Police said Iqra had been accused of stealing chocolates from her employers, adding that a preliminary investigation showed that Iqra had been tortured.Police also say there was evidence of frequent abuse. Pictures and videos obtained by the BBC showed multiple fractures in her legs and arms, as well as a serious injury to her head.An autopsy is being conducted to assess the full extent of her injuries, and the police has told the BBC that they were still awaiting the final medical report."My heart cries tears of blood. How many... are subjected to violence in their homes every day for a trivial job of a few thousand?" activist Shehr Bano wrote on X. "How long will the poor continue to lower their daughters into graves in this way?"Others have pointed out that her murder was allegedly triggered by something so minor."She died over chocolate?" asked one Pakistani user on X."This is not just a crime, it’s a reflection of [a] system that enables [the] rich to treat [the] poor as disposable," another said.Iqra’s employers, Rashid Shafiq and his wife Sana, have been arrested, along with a Quran teacher, who worked for the family. The teacher had brought Iqra to the hospital and left after telling hospital staff that the girl’s father had died and her mother was not around.Police told the BBC it was unclear if she believed this to be the truth.Iqra’s father says he wants to see "those responsible for my daughter’s death punished".Despite the public outrage such cases usually garner, they are typically settled out of court and it’s rare for suspects to be successfully prosecuted. In 2018, a judge and his wife were sentenced to three years in jail for torturing their then 10-year-old maid in what had been a highly publicised case that sparked outrage across the country. But they later had their sentences reduced to one year.Tayyaba was found with severe injuries, which the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science said included burns to her hands and feet. Pictures of the girl also showed cuts and bruising to her face, along with a swollen left eye. She told prosecutors she was beaten for losing a broom.Under Pakistani law, victims or their families have the right to forgive suspects in a number of serious crimes. To do so, they have to state in court that they forgive a suspect "in the name of God".In reality, legal observers say that the primary motive for that "forgiveness" is normally financial, and paying victims is not illegal.About 3.3 million children in Pakistan are engaged in child labour, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). Moreover, women and young girls make up the vast majority of Pakistan’s 8.5 million domestic workers, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). New Forms Of Higher Education For Building Pakistan’s Future (Forbes)
Forbes [2/18/2025 3:03 PM, Bryan Penprase, 103M]
Pakistan’s future economy will be built through higher education. Pakistan’s economy has been traditionally rooted in agriculture and textiles but is expanding its presence in construction, renewable energy, and IT and its higher education system can provide more opportunities for a young and growing population. The nation’s future economy will be based on technology growth and in manufacturing, mining, and renewable energy. Already, Pakistan has produced many startup companies, such as NayaPay, a fintech payment processing platform founded in 2016, and DealCart, an online grocery store founded in 2022. Both were listed in the Forbes Asia 100 To Watch list in 2024, and new investments from China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the US promise to further develop Pakistan’s tech sector.
Pakistan’s meteoric population growth provides unique challenges. In just the past twenty years, its population has grown from 141 million to over 250 million, making Pakistan the fifth most populous country in the world. The median age is estimated at 19 years in 2023, and two thirds of its population is under 30, giving the country the third largest college-age population in the world, surpassed only by China and India. Keeping the most talented, young population within the country is vital for developing its future, yet in 2022 alone, over 760,000 Pakistanis emigrated, including 92,000 highly educated doctors, engineers and other tech professionals.
Pakistan’s Future Depends on Higher Education
To develop and retain its most talented young people, Pakistan urgently needs to expand and upgrade its higher education system. Higher education in Pakistan began with the University of the Punjab, founded in Lahore in 1882 under British Colonial rule. Another early institution, Lahore Mission College, was founded in 1864 and renamed Forman Christian College (FCC) in 1894. Additional public universities were developed after 1947, notably the prestigious Quaid-i-Azam University, founded in 1967 to offer postgraduate programs, and the Allam Igbal Open University, Pakistan’s largest university with over 1 million students, founded in 1974.
By the early 1980’s Pakistan allowed new private universities, enabling the founding of Aga Khan University (AKU) in 1983, with a focus on health sciences, and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in 1985. Prominent public universities were also formed recently, such as the top-ranked National University of Science and Technology (NUST), formed in 1991. By 2024, Pakistan had over 240 colleges and universities, enrolling over 3 million students, representing only 11 percent of Pakistan’s college-aged population. While Pakistan’s system lacks capacity to fully serve its large population, many innovative universities including AKU, LUMS, FCC, as well as Habib University are retaining some of Pakistan’s best students to shape Pakistan’s future.
Aga Khan University (AKU) and Medical Education
AKU began as Pakistan’s first private university and hosts the country’s the top-ranked Medical College. With branch campuses opened in 2000 in East Africa, Afghanistan and the UK, AKU has since expanded across Africa to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Despite being small and selective, with under 2000 students, AKU provides affordable health care to over 2 million patients in six countries. The institution is committed to empowering women, who comprise nearly half of its faculty and 60% of its students. AKU also has major programs in teacher education and educational leadership, with Institutes for Educational Development based in Pakistan and East Africa.
Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
LUMS was established by Syed Babar Ali, who had a vision for quality business education in Pakistan after studying at the University of Michigan and Harvard. Ali and his friend Javed Hamid developed a new curriculum and opened their first campus in rented houses in Lahore to a first batch of 36 students in 1986. The first LUMS faculty included many young Pakistani teachers in the US and Canada who were persuaded to return to launch the new university. The university adapted the Harvard case method for business education, established its law school in 2003 and the LUMS school of Science and Engineering in 2005. LUMS was founded to use strict merit-based criteria for hiring and promoting faculty and staff and new admissions that provide scholarships for at least 10% of the students who can’t afford to pay fees.
Forman Christian College (FCC)
FCC has pioneered new forms of education throughout its long history. The college opened the first biology program in the region in 1898, began to admit women in 1902, and built new programs in technical chemistry and geography in the early 20th century, all firsts for the region. FCC is notable as the site for some of Arthur Compton’s research in cosmic ray physics that garnered the 1927 Nobel Prize. By 2003 the institution began to adapt its curriculum to international standards, with a four-year baccalaureate program based in the liberal arts. FCC offers 27 majors, in a wide variety of science and liberal arts subjects and includes postgraduate programs in 27 fields. FCC now enrolls more than 5,000 undergraduate students from across Pakistan, evenly divided between men and women and taught by more than 275 full-time faculty, well over half with PhD degrees.
Habib University (HU) and Epistemic Reparation
HU was established in August 2014 as an undergraduate-only liberal arts university, and is named after the Habib family, who provided generous support for its founding. Habib University’s curriculum is based on an explicitly postcolonial perspective to develop a reparative form of education that is centered on the philosophical, spiritual, and ethical roots of Pakistan’s culture. The Habib education is rooted in the concept of Yohsin, or “thoughtful self-cultivation," which is reflected in its motto - “the worth of every human is in their thoughtful self-cultivation.”Habib hopes to reshape Pakistan’s future by providing “epistemic reparation.” As HU’s founding president Wasif Rizvi, explains, “in Pakistan, a big epistemic disservice has been done by pursuing a largely Eurocentric curriculum.” Rizvi describes Habib as a “student-centered, pedagogically unique, epistemically independent intellectual experience” that includes “indigenous philosophy, art, music and poetry, from the point of view of their own civilization, alongside canonical and divergent texts from around the world.” The result is an intellectual experience that “is localized and contextual, yet globally engaged,” according to Rizvi.
Habib’s curriculum is centered on the Habib Liberal Core (HLC), a ten-course core curriculum that all students complete, structured around seven "Forms of Thought” that span philosophy, writing, history, mathematics, the arts and the sciences. The HLC includes interdisciplinary courses such as Jehan-e-Urdu (the world of Urdu), focusing on Urdu’s literary culture, What is Modernity, focusing on science, technology and its impacts, and Hikma I, a History of Islamic Thought. Habib has reinvented liberal arts suited for Pakistan’s needs and context to give students opportunities to develop their own expression of Yohsin. Habib’s campus in Karachi attracts some the best students across Pakistan from all backgrounds, and almost 80% of its students receive financial support. Rizvi points out that Habib’s “thoughtful experience allows students to navigate through extremist and false narratives and creates the possibility of real leadership development at many levels.”
The new models for higher education in Pakistan at Aga Khan University, LUMS, FCC and Habib University are offering new options for Pakistanis students to stay within Pakistan, and can help shape the next generation of leaders to build a better future for Pakistan and the world at large. India
US SEC seeks India’s help in Adani fraud probe (Reuters)
Reuters [2/19/2025 4:19 AM, Kanjyik Ghosh and Aditya Kaira, 5.2M]
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has asked Indian authorities for help in its investigation of Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and his nephew over alleged securities fraud and a $265-million bribery scheme, a court filing showed on Tuesday.
The regulator told a New York district court it was making efforts to serve its complaint on the founder and his nephew, Sagar Adani, and was seeking help from India’s law ministry to do so.
Neither individual is in U.S. custody, and both are now in India.
"The SEC has requested assistance ... under the Hague service convention," it said in the court filing.
Adani Group and India’s law ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he did not discuss the Adani case with U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to Washington, describing it to reporters as an individual issue never discussed by leaders.
India’s opposition Congress party has called for Adani’s arrest and accused Modi of shielding him or favouring him in deals in the past. Modi’s party and Adani have denied the charges.
Last year, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn unsealed an indictment accusing Adani of bribing Indian officials to convince them to buy electricity produced by Adani Green Energy (ADNA.NS) a subsidiary of his Adani Group.
He then misled U.S. investors by providing reassuring information about the company’s anti-graft practices, it added.
Adani Group has called the accusations "baseless" and vowed to seek "all possible legal recourse".
In January, Adani Green said it had appointed independent law firms to review the U.S. indictment. Trump scraps $21m US funds for voter turnout in India: ‘They got a lot more money’ (The Independent)
The Independent [2/19/2025 2:58 AM, Alisha Rahaman Sarkar, 57769K]
President Donald Trump defended the US Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) move to scrap a $21m grant to boost voter turnout in India.Billionaire Elon Musk-led DOGE over the weekend announced a series of expenditure cuts, including the grant allocated for voter turnout in India.Announcing the cuts, the department said the "US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all (of) which have been cancelled".It included $486m in grants to the “Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening”, out of which $21m was allocated for "voter turnout in India".Mr Trump, during a press conference on Tuesday, questioned why the government was "giving $21m to India"."They got a lot more money. They are one of the highest taxing countries in the world in terms of us; we can hardly get in there because their tariffs are so high," he reiterated."I have a lot of respect for India and their prime minister, but giving $21m for voter turnout? In India? What about voter turnout here?" Mr Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.His statement comes just days after Narendra Modi visited the White House, where Mr Trump warned India of reciprocal tariffs. Mr Trump’s threat to impose reciprocal tariffs from early April could potentially cost India’s export sectors losses of $7bn a year, according to Citi Research.DOGE’s announcement to cut funding across nations has triggered a domestic controversy in India.Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called the now-cancelled funding "external interference" in India’s electoral process. "$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!" party spokesperson Amit Malviya said.DOGE has been tasked with slashing costs across the federal government. The department also announced axing a $10m grant for "Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision", $2m for "strengthening independent voices in Cambodia", $40m for "gender equality and women empowerment hub" and $29m project to "strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh", among others. India to Allow Ambassador-Level Taliban Post to Counter China (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [2/19/2025 4:18 AM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Eltaf Najafizada, 27233K]
India’s government is expected to accept a top Taliban representative to the country soon, the latest step from New Delhi to improve ties with Kabul and counter China’s growing influence in Afghanistan.The Taliban-led government has identified two potential candidates to take charge of the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, according to officials familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. The Taliban official won’t be recognized as a diplomat by India but will be the top representative for the government there, the people said. The Taliban won’t be able to fly its flag at the embassy, at events or on official vehicles, they said.Only a handful of countries, including China, Pakistan and Russia, have accepted diplomats from the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 and has been condemned internationally for human rights violations. India, like many other countries, severed diplomatic ties with Afghanistan at the time, closing its embassy in Kabul and limiting engagement with the country.Najib Shaheen, a diplomat in his early 30s at the Afghan embassy in Doha, is the main contender for the ambassador-level role in New Delhi, according to officials familiar with the discussions. He has worked with the Taliban for almost a decade, and is the son of the Islamic regime’s ambassador to Qatar, they said. Shawkat Ahmadzai, who works at the ministry of foreign affairs, is another candidate being considered for the role, one of the officials said.India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairsdidn’t respond to a requests for further information.China granted diplomatic credentials to the Taliban last year, making it the first country to do so since the Islamic group retook control of Afghanistan. The country’s location is of strategic importance to both India and China as it connects Central Asia with South Asia. Chinese companies have continued to invest in mining and other infrastructure projects in Afghanistan even after the Taliban took over.The Taliban is also planning to build a road through the remote Wakhan Corridor, which connects Afghanistan with China. Once ready, it would give China direct access to Central Asia and the Middle East and allow Beijing to grow its economic influence in the resource-rich region.India in now taking tentative steps toward rebuilding ties with Kabul. Before 2021, India was involved in over 500 development and infrastructure projects across Afghanistan, in areas ranging from power and water supplies to education and healthcare.The two nations agreed to resume bilateral trade after senior representatives from both sides met in Doha in January. The Taliban also recently sent an administrator to Mumbai to help Afghan citizens with consular services. Qatar commits to investing $10 bln in India (Reuters)
Reuters [2/18/2025 11:05 AM, Shivam Patel, 48128K]
Qatar has committed to investing $10 billion in India across various sectors, the two nations said in a joint statement on Tuesday, after Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited New Delhi.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a "very productive meeting" with Qatar’s Emir, who was on a two-day visit to New Delhi.
"Trade featured prominently in our talks. We want to increase and diversify India-Qatar trade linkages," Modi said in a post on X. It was the first such visit by a Qatari Emir to the South Asian nation in 10 years.
According to the statement, Qatar will invest $10 billion in India in infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, food security, logistics, hospitality and other sectors.
The two countries will aim to double their annual trade to $28 billion in the next five years and are exploring the signing of a free trade agreement, the Indian foreign ministry said earlier in the day.
Bilateral trade between the two nations stood at $18.77 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March 2023, mainly comprising liquefied natural gas imports from Qatar.
Qatar accounted for more than 48% of India’s LNG imports that year.
The two sides said they would work to enhance bilateral energy cooperation, including mutual investments in energy infrastructure, as well as look at settlement of bilateral trade in their respective currencies. US emerges as 5th top oil seller to India in January, Russia at No.1 (Reuters)
Reuters [2/18/2025 7:13 AM, Nidhi Verma, 129344K]
India’s oil imports from the United States rose sharply in January from December, turning Washington as the fifth largest oil supplier to New Delhi, data obtained from trade sources show.India shipped in 218,400 barrels per day of oil from the U.S. compared to 70,600 bpd in December, the data showed.Refiners in India, the world’s third biggest oil importer and consumer, are bracing for higher imports of energy from Washington, as New Delhi looks to boost its energy purchases from the U.S. to $25 billion from $15 billion last year.India’s imports from its top oil supplier Russia rose 4.3% last month to 1.58 million barrels per day, per data.The purchase of Russian oil by India is likely to fall in the coming months as refiners would buy Russian oil only if it is supplied by companies and ships that have not been sanctioned by the United States.Widened sanctions on Moscow by Western countries including the United States have roiled global oil trade and forced buyers of discounted Russian crude to find new ways to maintain their purchases.Imports of middle eastern oil rose by 6.5% in January to 2.7 million bpd, with Iraq continuing to be the second largest oil supplier to India, followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the data.Last month, Indian refiners turned to non-Russian oil after the government warned them about the U.S. sanctions weeks before they were announced.The share of middle eastern oil in India’s about 5.1 million bpd crude imports in January rose to a 27-month high of about 53%, while that of Russia remained almost stagnant from December, the data showed.In the first 10 months of the current fiscal year from April 1, 2024, India’s oil imports rose 4.5% to average at 4.8 million barrels per day, per data. Record Stomach Flu Outbreaks in India Show Lurking Health Risks (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [2/18/2025 7:00 PM, Satviki Sanjay, 5.2M]
Outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease surged in India to a record last year, in the latest example of common bacterial and viral ailments flaring with unprecedented intensity across the world.
India recorded over 1,000 outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease across the country as of Dec. 22, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry’s surveillance program. This is the highest since the data was made publicly available in 2009.
The health agency also reported over 300 outbreaks of food poisoning across the country, the highest since 2019. An outbreak is defined as an illness “clearly in excess of expected numbers,” according to the ministry.
While stomach-related disorders are among the most common infectious illnesses in India, the unusual magnitude of the latest outbreaks are puzzling scientists and doctors. Contaminated water or food sources in the world’s most-populous country may be playing a role, underscoring the dangers of mass urbanization.
There has been a global resurgence of diseases in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, as historical illnesses roar back amid a pull back in vaccination, while everyday viruses become more intense. Factors like climate change, rising social inequality and the strain on health-care services contribute in ways hard to measure, adding to the mounting public-health challenge.
An analysis last year by Bloomberg News and disease forecasting firm Airfinity found that 44 governments have reported the resurgence of at least one infectious disease over ten times worse than the pre-pandemic baseline.“These infections have creeped up” over the past year, according to Amey Sonavane, a gastroenterology consultant at Apollo Hospitals in Navi Mumbai. While diarrhea isn’t deadly for most patients, “there is definitely a rise in severe cases,” he said.
More Severity
Antibiotic overuse is also leading to higher severity of cases, as it compels pathogens to develop resistance to existing therapies and leads to patients staying sick for longer, Sonavane said.
Diarrhea is an infection caused by a range of bacterial and viral pathogens, according to the World Health Organization. Among the most common viral causes of diarrhea are rotavirus and norovirus, while the most common bacterial pathogens include Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter.
One of the potential complications of these infections is Guillain Barre Syndrome — a rare neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly starts attacking the peripheral nerves, causing muscle weakness and sometimes, paralysis.
An outbreak of GBS has been detected in the western Indian city of Pune, with over 180 cases confirmed cases and 28 suspected ones since January — a more than 10-fold jump.
City authorities are linking the outbreak to water contaminated with the Campylobacter jejuni bacteria.
While many ailments could lead to GBS later on, Aradhana Chauhan, a neurologist at Sahyadri hospital in Pune, said most of the cases she had seen were preceded by diarrhea. Death of 20-year-old Nepali student at Indian university sparks protests and diplomatic outcry (The Independent)
The Independent [2/18/2025 6:03 AM, Namita Singh, 57769K]
The death of a 20-year-old Nepali student at an Indian university has triggered protests, a diplomatic response from Nepal, and scrutiny over the institution’s handling of harassment allegations.
Students from Nepal at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in the eastern state of Odisha staged demonstrations after third-year BTech student Prakriti Lamsal was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday. Tensions escalated when university authorities initially attempted to evict students from Nepal in response to the protests, prompting intervention from Nepal’s government.
Police in Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar arrested Advik Srivastava, a 21-year-old student in connection with the case. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pinak Mishra, confirmed the arrest, stating that Mr Srivastava has been booked under sections of Indian law related to abetment of suicide.
"The accused student is in police custody and subjected to interrogation. The police have seized the mobile phone, laptop, and other gadgets of the deceased woman. We are undertaking a scientific investigation into the matter," he said, according to news outlet NDTV.
According to the police, the victim’s cousin Siddhant Sigdel filed a complaint claiming that the accused was harassing her. According to the First Information Report, the first step in any police procedure in India, the complainant suspected the accused was blackmailing his cousin, The Indian Express reported. Students alleged that she had sought help from the university’s International Relations Office (IRO), which had attempted to mediate between the two parties but took no formal action against Mr Srivastava.
KIIT registrar Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty told the Indian Express that a complaint had been lodged with the IRO regarding "misbehaviour" by the accused but said no written documentation was kept.
"The IRO officials then called both students, counselled them, and also warned the accused not to do so in the future," he was quoted as saying.
Following the student’s death, more than 500 Nepali students staged protests on campus, blocking roads and demanding accountability. Tensions flared further when the university administration allegedly issued an order on Monday directing all Nepali students to leave the campus immediately. The students were transported in buses to railway stations, where they were told to return home, reported local outlets.
"The university is closed sine die for all the International students from Nepal. They are hereby directed to vacate the university campus immediately today on 17 February 2025," read a notice shared on social media.
The decision sparked outrage in Nepal, leading to direct diplomatic engagement. Nepal’s embassy in New Delhi contacted university authorities, urging them to ensure the safety of the Nepali students.
Prime minister KP Sharma Oli intervened, dispatching two officials to Bhubaneswar to counsel students and assess the situation.
Amid mounting pressure, the university reversed its decision and issued a statement inviting Nepali students to return. "The KIIT administration has taken all-out efforts to restore normalcy in the campus and hostels to resume academic activities," the statement read. Students were urged to "return and resume classes".
The university also issued an apology saying: "KIIT authorities and entire staff deeply regrets the incident". Two security personnel have been terminated and two senior hostel officials and an IRO administrative officer have been suspended pending enquiry.
KIIT has also created a control room to facilitate the return of Nepali students to the campus.
Despite the appeal, uncertainty lingered among the students. Some expressed reluctance to return, fearing continued neglect of their concerns.
Authorities deployed additional police personnel inside and outside the campus to maintain order. Security has been tightened around the university premises, and the woman’s hostel room has been sealed. Her family has arrived in Bhubaneswar to collect her remains following a post-mortem examination.
The Indian embassy in Kathmandu issued a statement reassuring Nepal of India’s commitment to protecting its students.
"Nepali students studying in India form an important facet of enduring people-to-people links. The government of India will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure their well-being," the statement read. Police in disputed Kashmir raid bookstores, seizing books related to Islamic group (AP)
AP [2/19/2025 2:22 AM, Staff, 456K]
Police in Indian-controlled Kashmir raided bookstores and seized hundreds of books linked to a major Islamic organization in the disputed region, where strict controls on the press have escalated in recent years.
The raids began on Friday in Srinagar, the region’s main city. Police said in a post on the social media platform X that they acted “based on credible intelligence regarding the clandestine sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organization” and seized 668 books.
According to booksellers, the seized books were mostly published by New Delhi-based Markazi Maktaba Islami Publishers, which is affiliated with the Indian branch of one of the largest Islamic and political organizations in the Indian subcontinent, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
Indian authorities banned Jamaat-e-Islami in Kashmir as an “unlawful association” in Feb. 2019, months before New Delhi ended the region’s semi-autonomy in Aug. 2019. In New Delhi’s effort to shape what it calls “Naya Kashmir,” or a “new Kashmir,” the territory’s people have since been largely silenced as India has shown no tolerance for any form of dissent.
Most of the books seized were authored by Abul Ala Maududi, a prominent twentieth-century Islamic scholar and founder of Jamaat-e-Islami who advocated integration of state and religion.
Booksellers in Srinagar said police officers passed by their stores, ordering them to surrender any books by Maududi and to stop selling them in the future. One shopkeeper said he told them the books were available across India and on online platforms, but they refused to entertain any argument and confiscated the books.
More books were seized as police teams also carried out raids in some other parts of Kashmir and conducted “stringent checks” of bookshops “to prevent the circulation of banned literature linked to Jamaat-e-Islami,” a police statement said on Saturday.“These books were found to be in violation of legal regulations, and strict action is being taken against those found in possession of such material,” police said.
Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety, while militants in the Indian-controlled portion have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.
India insists that militancy in Kashmir is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
Jamaat previously sided with the armed rebellion against Indian rule, but in the late 1990s it said it distanced from it and instead advocated political means. During the time, when the rebellion and counterinsurgency measures were at peak, many Kashmiris were detained for keeping such literature. In response, some people got rid of the books while others buried them to protect themselves during anti-rebel raids.
In 2011, authorities filed charges against Kashmir education officials over a textbook for first graders that illustrated the word “tyrant” with a sketch resembling a police official.
Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the most recent crackdown “reeks of naivete” and potentially could give such literature new traction by making Kashmir’s alienated youth curious about the works.“It’s not very difficult to find a soft copy of the same,” he said. “At a time when New Delhi has been trying to project normalcy and stability, the optics of this move don’t do any good to its democratic credentials.”
The crackdown on books has been widely criticized in Kashmir.
Several Jamaat leaders who contested a recent local election in Kashmir called the seizure of these books “unjust, unconstitutional and a violation of fundamental rights.” In a statement, they said the seized books were legally published in New Delhi and were being lawfully distributed to bookstores across the region.“If the government has any security concerns, we are fully prepared to cooperate with any investigation,” the statement added.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key resistance leader in Kashmir, called the police operation “condemnable” and “ridiculous.”“Policing thought by seizing books is absurd to say the least, in the time of access to all information on virtual highways,” Mirwaiz said in a statement. Tesla picks showroom sites in New Delhi, Mumbai to start India sales, sources say (Reuters)
Reuters [2/18/2025 11:38 PM, Aditya Kalra, 48128K]
Tesla (TSLA.O) has selected locations for two showrooms in the Indian cities of New Delhi and Mumbai, moving closer to its long-delayed plans to sell its electric cars in the country, sources familiar with the matter said.
The U.S. carmaker has been hunting for showroom space in India since late last year in order to start sales in the world’s third biggest auto market, after putting market entry plans on hold in 2022.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the United States last week and discussed issues including space, mobility and technology.
Tesla has selected space to lease in the Aerocity area near New Delhi’s international airport for a showroom, said two people familiar with the discussions, who declined to be named as the matter is private.
The Aerocity area boasts hotels, retail outlets and offices of global corporations.
In Mumbai, the carmaker has chosen space in the business and retail hub of Bandra Kurla Complex near the city’s airport, the first person said. Both the Delhi and Mumbai showrooms will be around 5,000 square feet (464.52 square metres) in size, the source said.
Opening dates for the outlets have not yet been decided, but Tesla plans "to sell imported EVs in India ... these deals are for showrooms, not service centres," the first person said, adding that Tesla will operate the outlets.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The company also posted job ads this week for 13 mid-level roles in India, including some store and customer relationship managers.
Musk has long criticised India for having high import tariffs of around 100% on EVs. Tesla has repeatedly lobbied to relax them but has faced opposition from local automakers who think Tesla’s entry could hit their EV plans.
U.S. President Donald Trump last week called out India’s high duty on cars, but agreed with Modi to work towards an early trade deal and resolve their standoff over tariffs. Meta says it plans to build the world’s longest undersea internet cable (Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Times [2/18/2025 6:23 PM, Queenie Wong, 129344K]
Facebook’s parent company Meta said it’s working on the world’s longest undersea cable as part of the social media giant’s efforts to connect more people to high-speed internet.Called Project Waterworth, the massive cable spanning more than 50,000 kilometers will bring “industry-leading connectivity” to the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and other regions, Meta said.“This project will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions,” Meta said in a blog post on Feb. 14. Meta expects the multibillion-dollar project will be completed toward the end of the decade, but didn’t provide a specific year or estimates of how much it will cost.Tech leaders including Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft have been investing heavily in undersea cables for years as a way to provide more affordable and reliable internet across the globe. As more people connect to the internet to chat and stream videos, these investments also allow tech companies to attract more users to their services.An estimated 95% of global internet traffic travels through subsea cables, making them the backbone of the internet, according to a 2024 report from the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership. Like other major tech firms, the social network has been ramping up efforts to build more artificial intelligence-powered tools that can generate text, images and other content. Meta said in its blog post that its 24 fiber pair cable project “can help ensure that the benefits of AI and other emerging technologies are available to everyone, regardless of where they live or work.”The company said it has developed more than 20 subsea cables with partners over the last decade. Some of Meta’s undersea cables have included 2Africa Pearls, connecting Africa, Europe and Asia, and Marea, connecting the United States with Spain.More than 3 billion people use one of Meta’s apps daily, which include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger.The expansion of undersea cables to provide internet and telecommunications has also heightened concerns that the infrastructure will be targeted during geopolitical conflicts.Last year, underwater cables in the Red Sea, lying between Africa and Asia, were cut and disrupted internet service. It was unclear how the cables were damaged and Yemen’s Houthi rebels denied attacking the lines to pressure Israel to end its war on Hamas in Gaza, the Associated Press reported.Meta’s latest investments also come as its Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg tries to mend a strained relationship with President Trump, who he’s previously sparred with over immigration issues and content moderation. This year, Meta ended its third-party fact-checking program, relying instead on users to write notes under misleading posts, and rolled back DEI efforts that Trump has criticized.Zuckerberg also praised Trump in Meta’s quarterly earnings call in January, noting that his administration “prioritizes American technology winning” and has visited the president at the White House.Last week, the White House mentioned Meta’s undersea cable project in a joint statement from President Trump and India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi about how the two countries are working together.Meta’s project, the statement said, would “strengthen global digital highways” in the Indian Ocean and India plans to invest in the maintenance, repair and financing of these undersea cables. NSB
Facing Islamist threats, Bangladesh girls forced to cancel football matches (BBC)
BBC [2/18/2025 5:06 PM, Anbarasan Ethirajan, 27233K]
Asha Roy, 17, was excited to take part in a women’s football tournament, but her hopes were dashed as Islamists forced the organisers to cancel the match in northern Bangladesh.Shortly before the game began earlier this month, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh group announced a protest rally against the event in Rangpur region, saying it was un-Islamic.Fearing trouble, local police stepped in and the women’s team members were asked to return to their home for their safety."I was frustrated and frightened. We had never faced such a situation before. It was disappointing that we came back without playing," Ms Roy told the BBC.Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation, is currently undergoing a political transition after widespread protests ousted its authoritarian government last year.An interim administration is currently in charge but there are concerns that Islamist groups, which had been pushed to the fringes, have become emboldened again.The women’s football match was the third to be cancelled in northern Bangladesh in less than two weeks due to the objections of religious hardliners.In the Dinajpur area, roughly 70km (43 miles) west of Rangpur, Islamists protesting against a game clashed with locals who supported it, leaving four people injured.For girls such as Asha Roy, who come from rural areas, football and other sports are a source of female empowerment and a way out of poverty. Those who shine can be selected to play for sponsored teams and some go on to represent Bangladesh internationally.Many girls have been inspired to take up football thanks to the success of the national women’s team, who are considered heroes after winning two consecutive South Asia Football Championships in recent years.Ms Roy’s teammate, Musammat Tara Moni, said she would not stop playing despite the threats."It’s my dream to represent our national team. My family supports me, so I am not losing hope," the 16-year-old said.For their coach Nurul Islam, the objections came as a surprise. "I have taken the team to many tournaments for the past seven years, but it’s the first time we have faced a situation like this," he said.The Islamists insist that the match they stopped was against their religious values and say that they are determined to prevent any future football games."If women want to play football, they should cover their entire body, and they can play only in front of female spectators. Men cannot watch them play," Maulana Ashraf Ali, the leader of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh in the Taraganj area of Rangpur, told the BBC.Mr Ali also insisted that the group "definitely" want hard-line Islamic Sharia law in Bangladesh.The cancellation of the women’s football matches caused an uproar on social media, leading the authorities to reorganise one of them. They have also launched an investigation into the incidents but say the fear of radicalism is exaggerated."There is no truth in the allegations that the government is pandering to Islamists," Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to interim leader Muhammad Yunus, told the BBC.Mr Alam pointed out that hundreds of women’s sports matches were held as part of a national youth festival in January, and that they were played across the country without any trouble.Some people are not reassured. Samina Luthfa, assistant professor of sociology in the University of Dhaka, told the BBC the cancellation of the women’s football matches was "definitely alarming"."The women of Bangladesh will not stop playing football and will not stop from going to work or doing their things," she said, adding that "everyone will fight" efforts to remove women from public spaces.Other decisions made by the interim government since it assumed power in August in relation to Islamist extremism have also raised concerns.They include revoking a ban on the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, which was introduced in the last days of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.Jashimuddin Rahmani, the leader of banned Islamist militant group Ansarullah Bangladesh (ABT) - now known as Ansar al Islam - was released in August after a court granted him bail. He was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with the killing of a secular blogger in 2013, but had been kept behind bars because of other pending cases.According to local media reports, several other people accused of having links with extremist groups have also been given bail in the past few months."Though security forces say they will monitor those released, it will be difficult for them to put everybody under surveillance given the limitations," says Dr Tawohidul Haque, a crime analyst from the University of Dhaka.While most Bangladeshis practise moderate Islam and secular values dominate society, Islamic extremism is not a new phenomenon in the country. A decade ago, religious zealots targeted secular bloggers, atheists, minorities, foreigners and others in a spate of attacks - killing dozens and sending others fleeing abroad.In one such incident, a group of Islamist gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka in 2016, killing 20 people.It is not just women’s football games that have been targeted recently either. Last week, dozens of Islamist students vandalised a book stall at Dhaka’s famous Ekushey Book Fair.The protesters were angry over the display a book by the exiled feminist author Taslima Nasrin, who has in the past received death threats from Islamist groups for what they say are her blasphemous writings.Muhammad Yunus condemned the incident saying the attack "shows contempt for both the rights of Bangladeshi citizens and for the laws of our country." The police are investigating.Meanwhile, one of the country’s best-known actors, Pori Moni said she was stopped from inaugurating a department store in the northern town of Tangail after reported objections from religious groups."Now I’m really feeling helpless, as well as insecure. It’s part of my job to take part in opening a showroom or a similar event. No one has stopped me all these years," Ms Moni told the BBC Bengali service.Similar events involving two other actors, Apu Biswas and Mehazabien Chowdhury, have also been cancelled following threats by Islamists.Minority groups like the Sufi Muslims say they are also witnessing increasing attacks on their places of worship. Islamist extremists view Sufism as heretical."About a hundred of our shrines [mazars] and centres have been attacked in the past six months," Anisur Rahman Jafri, Secretary General of the Sufism Universal Foundation, told the BBC."We have not seen this kind of sudden extremist attack on us since the country’s independence in 1971," he added, warning that the country was at risk of "Talibanisation" if the situation continued.Police said only 40 shrines were damaged and that they had stepped up security around religious sites.The authorities have also been struggling to maintain law and order in the wake of Sheikh Hasina’s departure. Earlier this month, thousands of protesters vandalised homes and buildings connected to Hasina and senior leaders of her Awami League party.People from other groups and parties, including Islamists, joined in other demonstrations in the capital, Dhaka, and across the country.The authorities have defended the security forces for not intervening, saying doing so would have cost lives.Rights groups have expressed concern over the security situation."If the government fails to act, then Islamists are going to feel emboldened. There will be more self-censorship for women and girls, they will be more intimidated participating in public events," Shireen Huq, a prominent women’s rights activist, told the BBC."I am still optimistic that this phenomenon will not sustain," she added. Nepal Took a Risk on a $500 Million U.S. Grant. It May Now Regret It. (New York Times)
New York Times [2/19/2025 12:01 AM, Bhadra Sharma, Mujib Mashal, and Edward Wong, 831K]
Nepal, the small Himalayan nation bordering China, was negotiating with Beijing over a major injection of infrastructure financing when the United States stepped in with a lucrative offer.
Over five years, the American government would give the country $500 million in grants to expand its electricity grid and improve its roads — a huge sum in a country where the average annual income is about $1,400.
The U.S. challenge to China’s sway in its own region angered officials in Beijing. But Nepal, after five years of divisive debate, went ahead and accepted the offer, ratifying it in 2022 after coming up with $200 million of its own.
Now, the project has been thrown into doubt with the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid. Nepali leaders who had sided with the United States, backing the deal even as opponents called them U.S. puppets and traitors, are wondering if they made a terrible mistake in putting their faith in America.“This is quite shocking,” said Rajendra Bajgain, a lawmaker from the governing Nepali Congress party, who had argued passionately for the U.S. project. “They are making it easier for our neighboring countries, especially the Chinese, who are enjoying themselves. They will come to our office and say, ‘See, this is how America acts.’”
It is not clear if China has made any direct overtures to Nepal as the United States pulls back. But Beijing has been handed openings by President Trump’s gutting of foreign aid and other moves that have alienated U.S. allies and partners. Some of them, like India, may find it harder to challenge China’s growing assertiveness in Asia without the backing of the United States, particularly its financial muscle.
The infrastructure grant to Nepal was made through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004 during the George W. Bush administration. It has an annual budget of only about $1 billion, but it provides funding for programs around the world, including ones aimed at limiting the influence of China in Asia and Africa.The bulk of the Nepal grant was to be used to build a nearly 200-mile transmission line that would connect its power grid with India’s, helping the country generate revenue by selling surplus electricity to its giant neighbor. The money would also help Nepal maintain about 200 miles of roads, helping to knit together a nation divided by its rough terrain.
Nepal, the small Himalayan nation bordering China, was negotiating with Beijing over a major injection of infrastructure financing when the United States stepped in with a lucrative offer.
Some small, early contracts have been awarded, and work on parts of the project, including substations, has started. But on Tuesday, after remaining in the dark for weeks, Nepal announced that it had been told by the United States that funding for the program had been suspended for at least 90 days.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation plans to apply to the State Department for waivers to keep eight large-scale programs, including the one in Nepal, on track, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
The halt to U.S. grant money could impose serious hardships on recipient nations. If they are forced to break contracts, their already significant debt could grow. In the case of Nepal, it could incur a liability if it does not abide by its agreement with India to transmit electricity, the U.S. official said.
Large hydropower projects in Nepal will also be affected if the transmission line is not completed, said Semanta Dahal, a lawyer who was part of the grant ratification process.
Nepal had to overcome China’s heavy influence to strike the agreement with the United States in 2017, during Mr. Trump’s first administration.
The mountain nation, with a long history of communist politics, has some affinities with China. The deal’s detractors warned that it would mean a surrendering of sovereignty to the United States and stoked fears that American troops would someday arrive.
China worked to amplify the doubts. “Is it a gift or Pandora’s box?” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said as the debate was playing out in Nepal. “I’m afraid it will turn out like a Nepalese saying: It looks good, but you will find the meat difficult to chew.”
Supporters of the deal fought back, saying they would defend it “in the Parliament and on the streets.” They pointed out that it was a grant from a democratic country and did not have strings that often come with Chinese loans, such as having to use Chinese contractors, which have overburdened some poorer borrowers.
Nepal would soon experience this problem itself: It is on the hook for an international airport, at a significantly inflated price, without the necessary passenger numbers to repay the $200 million China lent to build it. That loan came around the same time that the Americans stepped in with their grant.“It was risky, hard,” Gagan Thapa, a member of Parliament, said about the process of agreeing to the U.S. grant. “There were several geopolitical complexities.”
The two countries surmounted those challenges, Mr. Thapa said, “based on Nepal-U.S. relations, and for the benefit of Nepalese people.” But as Mr. Trump turns America inward, that benefit may be fleeting. Central Asia
Kazakhstan to contact Ukraine over drone attack on Caspian pipeline, official says (Reuters)
Reuters [2/19/2025 3:09 AM, Lucy Papachristou, 5.2M]
Kazakhstan will seek contact with Ukraine in order to avoid any repeat of this week’s Ukrainian drone strike in southern Russia that hit a pumping station of the main Kazakh oil export pipeline, an official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
The attack on the station belonging to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) took place on Monday on the eve of talks between U.S. and Russian officials on ending the war in Ukraine.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday that oil flows through the CPC had dropped by about 30-40% because of the damage caused, and repairs might take several months.
"We will communicate with the Ukrainian side", Kazakh news portal Informburo quoted First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin as saying.
"There will definitely be contacts here or in Kyiv. We must solve these issues in a diplomatic way to avoid this in the future," Rakhmetullin said. Russia says drone attack cut oil via Kazakhstan Caspian pipeline by up to 40% (Reuters)
Reuters [2/18/2025 2:51 PM, Christopher Cushin, Jason Neely, and Barbara Lewis, 129344K]
Russia said oil flows through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a major route for supplying Kazakhstan and exporting to the global market, were reduced by 30-40% on Tuesday after a Ukrainian drone attack on a pumping station.The attack, which caused no casualties, took place on the eve of talks between the U.S. and Russian officials on ending the war in Ukraine. Following the meeting, from which Kyiv was excluded, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration said it had agreed to hold more talks.Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday volumes had dropped by approximately 30-40% compared with before the drone attack on a pumping station in southern Russia."As a result of the attack, energy equipment, a gas turbine unit, and a substation were damaged," he said on Russian television. CPC pumps crude from companies that include Chevron and Exxon Mobil.He said repairs might take several months.The Caspian pipeline, which ships more than 1% of daily global supply, stretches over 1,500 km (939 miles) and carries crude from Kazakhstan’s vast Tengiz oilfield on the northeastern shores of the Caspian Sea as well as from Russian producers.A cut of 30% in CPC shipments could amount to as much as 380,000 barrels per day, according to Reuters calculations.As well as being the main route for Kazakhstan’s oil exports, Kazakhstan relies on the CPC pipeline for most of its own crude supplies.Transneft, Russia’s state pipeline operator, said Kazakhstan would have to cut exports by 30% as it meets its own needs.The CPC said in a statement the oil pipeline "continues to operate" and was pumping oil to awaiting tankers on the Black Sea, though at reduced levels, while bypassing the damaged station.Chevron-led Tengizchevroil (TCO), operator of the Tengiz oilfield, said in a statement on Tuesday it was monitoring the situation.However, it said "production and export of crude oil via the CPC pipeline remain uninterrupted".Kazakhstan’s energy ministry also said the country was supplying oil without restrictions.It said in a statement the pipeline from Tengiz to the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk was operating "without the participation" of the Kropotkinskaya pumping station. It did not mention the drone attack.At least seven drones packed with explosives and shrapnel attacked the Kropotkinskaya station on the CPC pipeline in Russia’s Krasnodar region causing "serious damage", Transneft said.The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said that it had attacked Russian energy infrastructure, including the CPC pumping station and the nearby Ilsky oil refinery."The Defence Forces of Ukraine reserve the right to strike strategic facilities that support Russia’s armed aggression. Operations aimed at dismantling the energy infrastructure fuelling Russia’s illegal war will continue," it said.Russia launched a large-scale attack overnight involving 176 drones in the regions of Kirovohrad, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Cherkasy, the Ukrainian military said on Tuesday.Benchmark oil prices rose on Tuesday to trade above $75 a barrel.Shareholders in the CPC include U.S. majors Chevron (CVX.N) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) as well as the Russian state, Russian firm Lukoil (LKOH.MM) and Kazakh state company KazMunayGas. Uzbekistan: Shadow economy responsible for generating over one-third of GDP (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [2/18/2025 5:28 PM, Staff, 129344K]
Uzbekistan’s GDP grew at an estimated 6.5% rate in 2024, according to an annual report prepared by the Presidential Statistical Agency. It added that shadow and informal economic activity was responsible for generating more than a third of GDP.
Preliminary estimates indicate that Uzbekistan’s overall GDP in 2024 amounted to 1.45 quadrillion som, or roughly $115bn, according to the report. After breaking down economic activity by various sectors, including the "gross value added" by the industry, trade and service sectors, the report takes the unusual step of examining the role of the "unobserved" economy. It estimates that the country’s shadow economy generated about 505.7 trillion som worth ($39bn) of goods and services during the year, equivalent to around a 34% share of overall GDP.
Shadow economic activity was most prevalent in the agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors, accounting for almost two-thirds of GDP in those spheres, the report indicated. Roughly 40% of economic activity in the construction and service sectors also occurred in the shadows.
The report defined the "unobserved" economy as "types of economic activity that are not fully or partially covered by regular statistical observations" and thus officials must use indirect methods to make estimates. It also classifies "unobserved" economic activity in two categories: the "informal" economy, which is defined as "activity related to the production of goods (provision of services), carried out by households or individuals without registration in the established manner;" and, the "shadow" economy, or "activity not prohibited by law, but intentionally hidden from government authorities in order to evade taxes.". Child marriage remains a “persistent challenge” in Eurasia – report (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [2/18/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
About one out of every five marriages in Kyrgyzstan involve “bride kidnapping,” according to preliminary findings of a European Union study on gender equality in the Central Asian nation. The high prevalence of the outlawed practice in Kyrgyzstan is indicative of a broader problem across Eurasia – child and forced marriage.
Bride kidnapping, or an act of abduction for the purpose of forced marriage, is particularly common in rural areas in Kyrgyzstan. Practitioners rarely face prosecution, mainly because a broad swath of Kyrgyz society views it as a cultural tradition, not a crime.
The practice is not limited to Kyrgyzstan, however. According to a recent report published by the rights organization Equality Now, instances of forced marriage occur, albeit on a smaller scale than in Kyrgyzstan, in other Central Asian states, as well as in the North Caucasus regions of Russia and the South Caucasus states of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.“In many countries, specific statistics on the frequency of abduction for forced marriage are unavailable, and there is little detailed information on criminal proceedings related to this practice,” the report, titled Breaking Barriers: Addressing Child, Early and Forced Marriage in Eurasia, notes. “The cultural stigma and social taboos surrounding abduction for forced marriage often discourage reporting and open discussion, further obscuring the true scale of the issue.” More broadly, child marriage, or unions that often involve coercion concerning a girl under the age of 18, “remains a persistent challenge across Eurasia,” the report states, especially in areas with high poverty rates.
Georgia reported the highest rate of child marriage, with 14 percent of women now aged 20-24 reporting that they had married before turning 18. Kyrgyzstan registered a 13 percent rate, followed by Azerbaijan with an 11 percent rate and Tajikistan with 9 percent. The other three states covered in the report were Russia (a 6 percent rate), Armenia (5 percent) and Uzbekistan (3.4 percent).
The data likely undercounts the number of child marriages because official statistics tend to record only civil marriages, not religious ceremonies, according to the report.
In the South Caucasus, instances of child marriage tend to be more highly concentrated in specific regions or among particular ethnic communities. For example, within the Yazidi community of Armenia “it is common for girls to marry between the ages of 13-14 and for boys between the ages of 17-20,” the report notes. In Georgia, the highest rates of child marriage are found in communities of the Kvemo Kartli region.
The data shows that child marriage has experienced significant declines in recent decades in Georgia and Uzbekistan. Over the past two decades, the child marriage rate in Georgia has decreased from 27 percent to 14 percent. In Uzbekistan, the Presidential Statistics Agency reported 4,786 marriages involved girls under 18 in 2018; the number stood at 74 in 2022.
All the countries covered in the Equality Now survey have statutes setting the minimum age for marriage at 18. But the rules feature lots of loopholes. Likewise, bride kidnapping and other forms of forced marriage are crimes in all the states, but “weak and ineffective enforcement of legislation, particularly in rural and remote areas, is a major challenge across the seven countries,” the report asserts, citing a “lack of political will,” along with “cultural, religious and societal attitudes,” as major obstacles.
Economic factors act as a major driver of child marriage in Eurasia, the report states. “Poverty, bride price, and dowry practices can incentivize child marriage, as families may see it as a means of financial relief or security,” it notes. “Effective solutions should provide economic support and incentives to girls and their families to address these economic drivers.” Indo-Pacific
Nearly 300 deportees from US held in Panama hotel as officials try to return them to their countries (AP)
AP [2/19/2025 12:31 AM, Juan Zamorano, 47097K]
Panama is detaining in a hotel nearly 300 people from various countries deported under U.S. President Donald Trump, not allowing them to leave while waiting for international authorities to organize a return to their countries.
More than 40% of the migrants, authorities say, won’t voluntarily return to their homeland. Migrants in the hotel rooms held messages to the windows reading "Help" and "We are not save (sic) in our country.".
The migrants hailed from 10 mostly Asian countries, including Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and others. The U.S. has difficulty deporting directly to some of those countries so Panama is being used as a stopover. Costa Rica was expected to receive a similar flight of third-country deportees on Wednesday.
Panama’s Security Minister Frank Abrego said Tuesday the migrants are receiving medical attention and food as part of a migration agreement between Panama and the U.S.
The Panamanian government has now agreed to serve as a "bridge" or transit country for deportees, while the U.S. bears all the costs of the operation. The agreement was announced earlier this month after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, who faces political pressure over Trump’s threats of retaking control of the Panama Canal, announced the arrival of the first of the deportation flights last Thursday.
The confinement and legal limbo the deportees face has raised alarm in the Central American country, especially as images spread of migrants peaking through the windows of their rooms on high floors of the hotel and displaying the notes pleading for help.
Abrego denied the foreigners are being detained even though they cannot leave the rooms of their hotel, which is being guarded by police.
Abrego said that 171 of the 299 deportees have agreed to return voluntarily to their respective countries with help from the International Organization for Migration and the U.N. Refugee Agency. U.N. agencies are talking with the other 128 migrants in an effort to find a destination for them in third countries. Abrego said that one deported Irish citizen has already returned to her country.
Those who do not agree to return to their countries will be temporarily held in a facility in the remote Darien province through which hundreds of thousands of migrants have crossed on their journey north in recent years, Abrego said.
The Panamanian Ombudsman’s Office was scheduled to provide more details on the deportees’ situation later Tuesday. Twitter
Afghanistan
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 166 retweets, 290 likes]
Breaking News The @statedept is exploring plans to permanently shut down #EnduringWelcome, the policy for Afghan allies who fought alongside American forces. No decision has been made yet, but it isn’t looking good. Another #AfghanEvac thread
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 27 retweets, 64 likes]
This just in: @JonathanLanday from @Reuters is reporting that @StateDept is exploring options to shut down Afghan relocations. https://www.reuters.com/world/office-overseeing-afghan-resettlement-us-told-start-planning-closure-sources-say-2025-02-18/
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 13 retweets, 60 likes]
On #InaugurationDay, @POTUS signed executive orders which paused refugee admissions (USRAP) and froze foreign aid—including the funding that supported Afghan relocations. At the time, we were told this was temporary.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 16 retweets, 70 likes]
But now, reports indicate the administration is making it permanent. This would be a grave betrayal of American servicemembers and veterans.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 19 retweets, 73 likes]
The State Department has directed staff to prepare for the full closure of Enduring Welcome platforms. That means:
No more relocation for our Afghan allies.
No more flights for those already vetted.
No plan for thousands stranded abroad.
This is a betrayal of our word.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 15 retweets, 73 likes]
The human cost is staggering. If this shutdown happens, the U.S. will abandon:
~200,000 Afghans in Afghanistan who were promised relocation.
40,000 already vetted & cleared for travel.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 17 retweets, 67 likes]
50,000 in third countries with nowhere to go.
15,000 in Pakistan waiting for flights.
3,000 immediate family members of active-duty U.S. service members.
10,000 individuals seeking family reunification, including 3,000 unaccompanied minors’ family members.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 20 retweets, 78 likes]
These aren’t just numbers. These are the interpreters, commandos, and family of our U.S. military, many of whom fought shoulder to shoulder with American troops. They believed in us. Now, we’re considering walking away.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 19 retweets, 75 likes]
This isn’t just an immigration issue—it’s a military issue. There are 3,000 immediate family members of active-duty U.S. troops in this pipeline. How does the Trump administration justify abandoning the spouses, children, and parents of service members in uniform?
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 16 retweets, 67 likes]
This isn’t about security.
Enduring Welcome Afghans are the most vetted immigrants in U.S. history.
They pass multiple rounds of biometric & intelligence screening by every major U.S. agency.
They’ve already proven their loyalty—many have bled alongside American troops.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 13 retweets, 61 likes]
You’ll hear officials say:“SIV processing is still happening.” – But no Afghans are actually arriving.“This is a temporary pause.” – But internal plans are for a permanent shutdown.“This is about security concerns.” – But this population is already the most scrutinized.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 16 retweets, 75 likes]
This is a betrayal of America’s veterans and military families. For the first time, veterans and civil society forced worked with gov, built a system that worked. It kept our promises, maintained security, and saved lives.Now? The admin is considering tearing it down.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 13 retweets, 64 likes]
This will make America less safe.
Future allies will refuse to work with us.
The Taliban, ISIS-K, and al-Qaeda will use this as proof that the U.S. abandons its allies.
U.S. service members will be at greater risk in future wars without local support.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 14 retweets, 65 likes]
President @realDonaldTrump has always said he stands with the troops. Does he know his administration may abandon 3,000 immediate family members of active-duty service members? Does he know this decision would spit in the face of every veteran who fought to keep our word?
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 17 retweets, 69 likes]
Our only hope is that @SecDef @PeteHegseth, @Sec_Noem, @SecRubio, and National Security Advisor @michaelgwaltz will intervene and stand with our veterans.We know they care about Afghans and we know they don’t want @POTUS standing with veterans impacted by this callous decision.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 16 retweets, 79 likes]
We don’t leave people behind. If they make this decision, it would be a wholesale betrayal of our Afghan allies, our veterans, and America’s word. It’s not too late to stop this—but only if we speak out NOW. #EnduringWelcome #AfghanEvac #HonorOurAllies #KeepOurPromises
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[2/18/2025 1:56 PM, 30.9K followers, 17 retweets, 90 likes]
For our #Afghan friends -- we will update you as soon as we know more. NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE YET. We will keep you informed, so stay tuned to #AfghanEvac social media.
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[2/18/2025 9:37 PM, 247.6K followers, 103 retweets, 382 likes]
The Taliban are in full panic mode as the Vienna Conference gains momentum. The two major anti-Taliban armed fronts and women leaders were among the 90+ participants, making it the biggest gathering since 2021. I hope more leaders join the push for a democratic Afghanistan.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[2/19/2025 2:27 AM, 5.5K followers, 20 retweets, 19 likes]
Girls in Afghanistan are being forced into child marriages. This video shows a young girl being sold to an old man against her will. If women are denied education and freedom, millions of girls will face an even worse fate. This is a human tragedy that must not be normalized! https://x.com/i/status/1892113815644569876
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[2/18/2025 4:13 PM, 5.5K followers, 5 likes]
Congratulations to Dear Masouda Jalal and her daughter Husna Jalal on receiving the International Women’s Rights Award at the Geneva Conference for Human Rights and Democracy! A proud moment for all Afghan women. Afghan women are the most talented and powerful women of the world. Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[2/18/2025 12:21 PM, 3.1M followers, 6 retweets, 39 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs the Federal Cabinet Meeting.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[2/18/2025 12:19 PM, 3.1M followers, 15 retweets, 34 likes]
IFC plans to invest $2 billion annually in Pakistan’s infrastructure, agriculture, IT, and key sectors, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing critical infrastructure, including airports, energy, and water. This initiative aligns with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for sustainable development and private sector-led economic progress.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[2/18/2025 11:22 AM, 3.1M followers, 17 retweets, 46 likes]
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Ms. Natalie Baker, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, earlier today. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong desire to work closely with the Trump Administration to further strengthen bilateral ties. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to enhance trade, as well as cooperation in the areas of IT, agriculture, health, education, and energy, among other areas of mutual interest. He also stressed upon the need for both countries to continue their close cooperation in the counter-terrorism domain, in particular, to deal with the threat posed by Daesh and Fitna Al Khawaraj (FAK).
Ashok Swain@ashoswai
[2/18/2025 12:24 PM, 621.8K followers, 2.2K retweets, 4.7K likes]
Under the direct order of Army Chief Asim Munir, Imran Khan’s prisoner rights are being violated by stopping meetings in Jail & postponing his jail trials. Munir has entrusted a Colonel to oversee Imran’s prison to exert pressure on him. In Pakistan, Munir is the real ruler!
Hamid Mir@HamidMirPAK
[2/18/2025 6:34 AM, 8.6M followers, 32 retweets, 127 likes]
Pakistan: IFJ President participated in a protest against new PECA law in front of the Pakistani parliament at Islamabad @DomPradalie @IFJGlobal @RSF_inter @CPJAsia @FreedomofPress @pressfreedom @UN India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/18/2025 10:18 PM, 105.4M followers, 14K retweets, 79K likes]
I pay homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. His valour and visionary leadership laid the foundation for Swarajya, inspiring generations to uphold the values of courage and justice. He inspires us in building a strong, self-reliant and prosperous India.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi[2/18/2025 9:47 AM, 105.4M followers, 2.1K retweets, 13K likes]
I compliment the School of Ultimate Leadership for organising the SOUL Leadership Conclave on 21st and 22nd February in New Delhi. This forum brings together people from different walks of life to discuss aspects relating to leadership. The speakers will share their inspiring life journeys and perspectives on key issues, which will particularly connect with young audiences. I would also be joining the Conclave on Friday, 21st February. @LeadWithSoul
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[2/18/2025 9:39 AM, 105.4M followers, 5.6K retweets, 38K likes]
Gujarat’s bond with BJP is not only unbreakable but also getting stronger by the day! I thank the people of Gujarat for blessing the BJP with their support in the local body elections held across the state. This is yet another victory for politics of development. It is humbling how the people of Gujarat are time and again reposing their faith in us. These special blessings give us even more energy to work in service of the people. I would like to appreciate every BJP Karyakarta for their efforts on the ground, which have contributed to this outstanding result. @BJP4Gujarat
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[2/19/2025 1:00 AM, 7.8K followers, 1 retweet]
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has asked Indian authorities for help in its investigation of #Adani Group founder Gautam Adani and his nephew over alleged securities fraud and a $265-million bribery scheme. #Corruption
Ashok Swain@ashoswai
[2/18/2025 12:43 PM, 621.8K followers, 54 retweets, 234 likes]
Odisha is a very poor state in India. Still, the authorities at the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar were highhanded & racist while dealing with Nepalese students. Nepalese are Hindus & Nepal has better democracy & less number of hungry people than India. Still, India’s Hindutva gang suffers from a superiority complex. Now it has become an international issue. NSB
Sabria Chowdhury Balland@sabriaballand
[2/19/2025 1:56 AM, 7.8K followers, 1 retweet, 3 likes]
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated today that the interim government’s primary objective is to bring back Sheikh Hasina from India and ensure her trial in #Bangladesh. The question is whether India will ever extradite its agent.
Jon Danilowicz@JonFDanilowicz
[2/18/2025 10:22 PM, 13.6K followers, 5 retweets, 26 likes]
The @europeanunion deserves credit for the strong support it has extended to Bangladesh 2.0 since the fall of the dictatorship. Congratulations to the Cosmos Foundation for organizing this important and timely event. Support from international partners is critical as Bangladesh’s revolution enters a new phase. https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/eu-waAshok Swain@ashoswai
[2/18/2025 12:16 PM, 621.8K followers, 25 retweets, 169 likes]
Sheikh Hasina calls Prof Yunus a terrorist and vows to return to Bangladesh to avenge the deaths of her party supporters. Bangladesh has caught itself in a revenge circle since 1971, and whoever running the country is spending more time on revenge and no time for governance.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives@MoFAmv
[2/18/2025 8:33 AM, 55.4K followers, 35 retweets, 37 likes]
Foreign Minister @abkhaleel arrives in #SriLanka, on an official visit. Minister Khaleel will hold official talks with his counterpart @HMVijithaHerath and will pay courtesy calls on the President @anuradisanayake and Prime Minister @Dr_HariniA | https://t.ly/kWkkt
Abdulla Khaleel@abkhaleel
[2/18/2025 8:34 AM, 33.7K followers, 40 retweets, 54 likes]
Arrived in Colombo, #SriLanka on my first official visit to Sri Lanka as Foreign Minister. Was honoured to be warmly received by Hon. Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. Looking forward to constructive discussions ahead. @MFA_SriLanka
K P Sharma Oli@kpsharmaoli
[2/18/2025 9:07 PM, 865.7K followers, 3 retweets, 27 likes]
Today marks a historic struggle where we Nepalis rose from subjects to sovereign citizens. On the 75th National Democracy Day, heartfelt felicitations to all democracy-loving Nepalis! Tribute to our immortal martyrs—Shukraraj, Dasharath, Dharma Bhakta & Ganga Lal. #DemocracyDay
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[2/18/2025 8:31 AM, 39K followers, 3 retweets, 7 likes]
Foreign Minister of #Maldives @abkhaleel who is on a three-day official visit to #SriLanka was received on arrival at the airport this evening by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra. #DiplomacyLK #lka
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[2/19/2025 2:00 AM, 39K followers, 8 retweets, 10 likes]
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism @HMVijithaHerath welcomed visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives @abKhaleel at @MFA_SriLanka this morning and discussed a range of matters of mutual interest. #DiplomacyLK #lka
MFA SriLanka@MFA_SriLanka
[2/19/2025 2:36 AM, 39K followers, 2 retweets, 3 likes]
Statement to the Media by @HMVijithaHerath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism after the conclusion of bilateral talks with @abkhaleel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives on 19/02/2025 Read: https://mfa.gov.lk/en/statement-to-the-media-by-mfa/ #DiplomacyLK #lka
Harsha de Silva@HarshadeSilvaMP
[2/18/2025 4:28 AM, 360.6K followers, 8 retweets, 105 likes]
In a so-called ‘people’s budget,’ not a single word about #EPF members, whose pensions funds were hit from #DDO. Foreign creditors get clawback benefits if economy improves - why not #lka citizens’ hard earned money? Will present motion to rectify this injustice. Support needed!
Harsha de Silva@HarshadeSilvaMP
[2/18/2025 10:02 AM, 360.6K followers, 29 retweets, 123 likes]
Hidden tax bombshell: Pres @anuradisanayake unspoken #Budget2025 truths - 15% on service exports, doubled withholding tax (10%), 30% capital gains, SVAT removal hurting #lka exporters. Plus, banking on vehicle taxes for revenue while making them unaffordable? Make it make sense! Central Asia
MFA Kazakhstan@MFA_KZ
[2/18/2025 9:38 AM, 57K followers, 12 retweets, 11 likes]
Diplomatic Corps Briefed on New Visa Categories https://gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/940897?lang=kk
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[2/18/2025 11:15 PM, 24.1K followers, 1 retweet, 2 likes]
Uzbekistan/Tavaksay Inmate Death Update: A 41-year-old Karakalpak activist, Mustafa Tursinbayev, has died in Tavaksay colony. According to official statements, he sustained fatal injuries during construction work in the prison. The Chief Prosecutor’s Office has announced an investigation into the incident.
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[2/18/2025 10:32 PM, 24.1K followers, 1 retweet, 1 like]
Since the beginning of February, at least 61 Afghans, including nine women, have been flogged in sports stadiums packed with ordinary citizens and Taliban officials. https://www.voanews.com/a/men-women-experience-near-daily-floggings-in-afghanistan/7979256.html
Navbahor Imamova@Navbahor
[2/18/2025 3:05 PM, 24.1K followers, 2 retweets, 2 likes]
The Uzbek authorities confirmed two deaths in the country’s prisons last week. Both incidents occurred in penal colonies in the Tashkent region, adjacent to the capital, Tashkent.In Almalyk prison, 21-year-old Muhammadqodir Pulatov, originally from Ferghana in the eastern part of Uzbekistan, died from what officials described as "myocardial infarction" (commonly known as a heart attack) and acute pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas. Pulatov’s family claimed they saw signs of torture and electroshock on his body. Trained in martial arts, he had been convicted of hooliganism and was serving a three-year sentence. His mother, who had seen him just days earlier, said he had not complained of any health issues. Uzbekistan’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office has stated that it is investigating the circumstances surrounding Pulatov’s death.
Meanwhile, in Tavaksay colony, another prison in the same region, an inmate from the Karakalpakstan Republic in western Uzbekistan was fatally injured during repair work in the prison kitchen and later died in the hospital. No further information was available on the case. The Ombudsman’s Office did not disclose the inmate’s identity or background.
Uzbekistan’s Ezgulik Human Rights Society, the largest independent network of its kind in the country, reports that torture and inhumane treatment behind bars are common occurrences, and accountability for such cases is extremely rare. https://amerikaovozi.com/a/7979485.html {End of Report} To subscribe to the SCA Morning Press Clips, please email SCA-PressOfficers@state.gov. Please do not reply directly to this email.