SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Wednesday, January 15, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
Afghans evacuated by US in chaos of withdrawal are languishing in foreign camps, documents reveal (The Guardian)
The Guardian [1/14/2025 12:05 PM, Alice Speri, 82995K, Negative]
Afghan citizens who fled the country with American assistance after the US’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan remain stranded in third countries, new documents shared exclusively with the Guardian suggest, some at prison-like facilities and many with no clarity about their prospects for resettlement.
US officials won’t say exactly how many Afghans remain at such sites, where they were taken after the withdrawal that involved hundreds of thousands fleeing for their lives during the Taliban’s lightning takeover in 2021. Some advocates estimate that "hundreds" remain stranded in temporary facilities in up to three dozen countries.
A set of government records published on Tuesday offers previously undisclosed details about the US government’s involvement with operations at these sites. The records describe family separations, deteriorating mental health conditions, inadequate facilities and fears of forcible repatriation.
The documents, which offer a snapshot up to the fall of 2023, were obtained by the Center for Constitutional Rights, Abolitionist Law Center and Muslim Advocates following litigation against the Departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security.
Sadaf Doost, an attorney and human rights program manager at Abolitionist Law Center, told the Guardian that advocates filed the records requests to seek information about conditions at a half dozen sites where they knew Afghans were being held. But the documents they obtained indicate that evacuated Afghans with pending applications to enter the US have been "detained, held, or otherwise forced to remain in limbo" in at least 36 countries, the groups wrote in a briefing guide.
"Other records we’ve obtained reveal letters upon letters of tireless appeals Afghan nationals made to US government officials – from detailing the lack of access to US embassies, lawyers and humanitarian and immigration-rights organizations to the untenable conditions to the collective trauma the community continues to endure," Doost added.
It is not clear from the documents how many of the 36 countries are housing the evacuees in holding facilities; the advocates say they know of five facilities in four countries – the UAE, Qatar, Kosovo and Germany. As of April 2023, records show that 2,834 Afghans with pending US applications were in Qatar, 1,256 in the United Arab Emirates, 259 in Kosovo, and dozens more in other countries.
The Departments of Defense and Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the state department wrote in a statement to the Guardian that US government efforts to resettle eligible Afghans have been ongoing since 2021. While officials process their cases, applicants are "allowed to be present on third country platforms with the permission of the host country", the spokesperson said, with the US covering the costs. The spokesperson added that the US issued more than 33,000 special immigrant visas for Afghans in the fiscal year 2024.
"US government efforts to resettle eligible Afghans with a legal immigration pathway to the United States have been ongoing since the suspension of operations at Embassy Kabul in August of 2021. These efforts continue today.".‘Seems cruel to me’
More than 1.6 million people left Afghanistan in the chaotic aftermath of the US’s announcement in July 2021 that it would leave the country after fighting a two-decade war there. In the final days of the withdrawal the following month, US officials coordinated a rushed evacuation of about 120,000 people to dozens of countries around the world.
More than 190,000 Afghans have been resettled in the United States since then, according to the state department spokesperson, but the newly released records suggest that many of those stuck abroad have pending applications to enter the US on humanitarian or other grounds. A different public records request published in 2023 by the American Immigration Council shows that from January 2020 to April 2022, only 114 of 44,785 applications for humanitarian parole – which allows individuals in urgent situations to enter the United States when they are not otherwise eligible – or less than 0.3%, had been approved. Officials are also currently processing more than 20,000 "special immigrant visas" applications by Afghans who worked for the US government, and have rejected about 40%, Reuters reported.
Little is known about what US officials have referred to as the "lily pad" sites where some of them remain. The term is also used to informally refer to foreign countries’ facilities with a temporary presence of US personnel. Some of the sites are makeshift, government-run refugee housing facilities, others are on former US military bases. (The department spokesperson said the sites were now referred to as "platform locations".).
Human rights advocates have previously raised concerns about some of these sites, in the UAE, Kosovo and Qatar. In 2023, Human Rights Watch warned that up to 2,700 Afghans were being arbitrarily detained at "Emirates Humanitarian City", a logistics hub in Abu Dhabi where Afghan evacuees had been "locked up for over 15 months in cramped, miserable conditions with no hope of progress on their cases".
The group found that Afghans at that camp were subjected to around-the-clock surveillance and constraints on movement and denied access to legal counsel, visitors and journalists, while poor medical care resulted in sometimes life-threatening complications. Several people told human rights investigators at the time that they were not allowed to leave the site.
Other sites were no better, with reported suicides and hunger strikes by Afghans at processing sites in Qatar and Kosovo. The Kosovo site earned the nickname "little Guantánamo" among residents because those held there were told that if they left the premises, their applications for US resettlement would be thrown out.
In one case described in the documents, an elderly woman with dementia was brought to the US while her "caregiver" remained in the UAE, a state department official wrote in an email to colleagues, indicating that the plan was to move the woman into a nursing home. "Which seems cruel to me," the official wrote. Another email exchange references someone who made it to the US while their "vulnerable mother and brother" remained in the UAE.
More than 17,000 people moved through the UAE site between August 2021 and January 2022 but fewer than 50 remain there today, according to the department spokesperson, who said that the US is "working with the UAE to determine resettlement options for the remaining population".
US officials have denied in the past having a presence at sites where Afghans are being held abroad, but the records show they were involved in the establishment of at least some of them. The documents include agreements between the US and five countries – Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Italy and Germany – detailing conditions for what the US called at the time the "temporary" relocation of Afghan citizens to these sites. In the agreements, US officials pledged to contribute to the "safety and comfort" of Afghans held in third countries, including providing for meals, medical care and educational needs. They promised the host countries to help maintain "order" at the sites, including by conducting "joint" patrols.
Such agreements were to be "short-term", ranging from one month to under a year. But the records show that at least some were formally extended, in one case – in Qatar – at least through September 2023.‘They made promises to prioritize Afghans’
Laila Ayub, an immigration attorney and co-director of Project ANAR, an advocacy group founded by Afghan American women to help Afghans resettling in the US, told the Guardian thousands of people who were promised pathways to special visas in return for their work with the US remain in Afghanistan or third countries. Many, she added, had grown so desperate that they have chosen to make their way to the US via treacherous routes through Latin America and the US-Mexico border. Others have returned to Afghanistan, despite the risks they face there.
"Decades of US foreign policy directly displaced many Afghans," she added. "[US officials] made specific promises that they would prioritize Afghans and that they would give them a pathway, and we just haven’t seen that promise fulfilled.".
This week, a bipartisan group of more than 700 US veterans and current and former officials wrote a public letter urging the incoming Trump administration to preserve special visa and resettlement options for Afghans at risk, increase resources allocated to their processing, and protect them from broader immigration enforcement, which Trump has said would be his administration’s priority.
Shawn VanDiver, a US navy veteran and founder of #AfghanEvac, a group that works with the state department to help resettle Afghans and organized the letter, said that he fears that Donald Trump may shut down refugee arrivals like he did during his first term in office.
"We need a better wartime allies program," VanDiver said, praising officials’ efforts to resettle an enormous number of people while noting that the process remains flawed. "The system is working as designed, but the system is designed to be difficult. It’s designed to make it hard.". Families of Americans held by Taliban plead with Biden to ‘do the right thing’ (The Independent)
The Independent [1/15/2025 12:11 AM, Arpan Rai, 57.8M, Neutral]
Families of American hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan have asked Joe Biden “to do the right thing” and bring the men home before he leaves office, after months of lobbying the outgoing president to broker a deal with the hardline Islamist regime.
Three US citizens – George Glezmann, Ryan Corbett and Mahmood Shah Habibi – are believed to have been in the Taliban’s custody since 2022. The Taliban has confirmed it is holding two of the men but consistently denied detaining Mr Habibi.
Mr Biden held a call with family members of all three American nationals on Sunday as his administration said it was working on a deal that could bring them home in exchange for Afghan national Muhammad Rahim, a Guantanamo Bay detainee and a close aide of the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Families of American hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan have asked Joe Biden “to do the right thing” and bring the men home before he leaves office, after months of lobbying the outgoing president to broker a deal with the hardline Islamist regime.
Three US citizens – George Glezmann, Ryan Corbett and Mahmood Shah Habibi – are believed to have been in the Taliban’s custody since 2022. The Taliban has confirmed it is holding two of the men but consistently denied detaining Mr Habibi.
Mr Biden held a call with family members of all three American nationals on Sunday as his administration said it was working on a deal that could bring them home in exchange for Afghan national Muhammad Rahim, a Guantanamo Bay detainee and a close aide of the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.“During the phone call with Mr Biden, he assured me that he will not finalise the trade unless my brother is included,” Mr Habibi’s brother Ahmad Shah Habibi said, adding that the Taliban wanted the al-Qaeda adviser in return.“The US government is asking for three-to-three trade, however they have not reached a conclusion yet. President Biden said negotiations are still going on and he will try to close the deal only if that includes all three Americans including my brother,” he said.
Mr Rahim is one of the 15 remaining out of nearly 800 men imprisoned at Guantanamo under former president George W Bush.
The Taliban had countered the US proposal with an offer to exchange Mr Glezmann and Mr Corbett for Mr Rahim and two others, Reuters reported quoting a source.
Once believed to be a direct adviser, courier and operative for Osama bin Laden and other senior al-Qaeda figures, Mr Rahim is considered too dangerous for release by the US authorities.
The Taliban’s chief spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Independent that the matter of a prisoner exchange was currently under negotiation with the US, and without naming Mr Rahim, he confirmed they want “certain” Afghans to be released.“We have our own demands and want certain Afghans held by the Americans to be released; in return, we will release the Americans we are holding. However, there must be an agreement on a mechanism for this exchange, which has not yet been agreed yet, but we remain in communication,” he said in a statement to The Independent.
However, with only days left until Mr Biden’s term ends, one of the hostage’s family expressed fears that time is running out. If the deal is not finalised, the task of bringing hostages back to America will be handed over to incoming president Donald Trump, who will likely be more focussed on other foreign policy priorities such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"I am crushed that we seem no closer to bringing Ryan home today than we were 886 days ago. I once again call on President Biden to do the right thing and bring Ryan and others home – the deal on the table would do that," said Anna Corbett, the wife of Ryan Corbett.
The White House noted that Mr Biden has brought home more than 75 Americans unjustly detained around the world, including from Myanmar, China, Gaza, Haiti, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Venezuela and West Africa. His administration also brought home all Americans detained in Afghanistan before the US military withdrawal, it said.
A Senate intelligence committee report called Mr Rahim an “al Qaeda facilitator” and said he was arrested in Pakistan in June 2007 and “rendered” to the CIA the following month.
He was kept in a secret CIA “black site” where he was subjected to tough interrogation methods, including extensive sleep deprivation, and then sent to Guantanamo Bay, the report said.
Mr Biden last week sent 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman, reducing the prisoner population at the detention centre in Cuba by nearly half as part of his effort to close the facility as the president prepares to leave office on 20 January. Gold Star families devastated by Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal endorse Hegseth for SecDef (FOX News)
FOX News [1/14/2025 4:22 PM, Aubrie Spady and Emma Colton, 57114K, Negative]
Families who lost loved ones during the disastrous 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan are throwing their support behind Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth, who President-elect Trump tapped to head the Defense Department, underwent questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, where he faced over four hours of questioning from Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
The Abbey Gate Coalition, a group of the parents and families of those who tragically lost their lives in a terrorist attack after President Biden withdrew troops from Afghanistan, penned a letter to senators on Tuesday urging them to confirm Trump’s defense nominee and doubling down on their criticism of the current administration’s handling of the deadly event.
"We have been sitting by watching the current administration do nothing but attempt to take victory laps and thumb their noses at the sacrifice that our children made on that fateful day," the letter reads. "They have had no interest in giving us any of those answers that we seek, and have attempted to put Afghanistan in the rear view mirror as was further evidenced yesterday in President Biden’s final address on his foreign affairs and his supposed successes.".
The coalition has been critical of the Biden administration since the withdrawal, writing in the letter that they have been "stonewalled" by his administration.
"We have been stonewalled at every turn and only given ‘bread-crumbs’ to attempt to make us just go away! We feel that there has been a complete coverup at the department of Defense with the current Secretary of Defense leading the way," the coalition wrote.
The families said the process for accountability over Afghanistan begins with the confirmation of Hegseth to lead the Defense Department.
"We ask that you please hear our words and feel the pain that we do, knowing that it was avoidable in respect to what happened to our children," the letter reads.
The Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members defending the Kabul airport during the operation, while hundreds of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies were left in the country under Taliban rule. Conservative critics, such as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the withdrawal paved the way for adversaries such as Russia to invade Ukraine.
The Taliban claimed control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal.
The families who lost loved ones during the botched withdrawal have previously and repeatedly slammed Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over their deaths, including launching a scathing defense attack against Harris – when she was running for president – after the anniversary of the withdrawal last year. Parents and other loved ones claimed that the "administration killed my son" and that they "have not seen any support from you or your administration.".
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly remembered the service members who died, and invited their families to the Republican convention in Milwaukee in July.
"Look at our faces. Look at our pain, and our heartbreak. And look at our rage. [The Afghanistan withdrawal] was not an extraordinary success," said Cheryl Juels, the aunt of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, at the RNC. "Joe Biden owes the men and women who served in Afghanistan a debt of gratitude, and an apology.".
"While Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice, Donald Trump spent six hours in Bedminster with us," said the mother-in-law of Nicole Gee at the RNC. "He allowed us to grieve, he allowed us to remember our heroes. Donald Trump knew all of our children’s names, he knew their stories, and he spoke to us in a way that made us feel understood, like he knew our kids.". Biden’s best foreign policy decision started with telling the truth (MSNBC – opinion)
MSNBC [1/14/2025 6:57 PM, Michael A. Cohen, 10.1M, Neutral]
Amid the highs and lows of Joe Biden’s presidency, one achievement stands out for both its importance and the lack of appreciation it has received. In August 2021, 20 years after U.S. troops first stepped foot in Afghanistan — and long after America’s vital national interests there had disappeared — Biden finally brought them home.
Of all his foreign policy decisions, few brought Biden more grief than the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan — and few were more courageous or essential.
By 2021, U.S. troops had been fighting and dying in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years. There were U.S. soldiers deployed to the country who were born after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which led the U.S.-led coalition to invade Afghanistan in 2001.
Though Biden oversaw the withdrawal of U.S. troops, he was implementing an agreement signed by his predecessor, President Donald Trump. The Doha Agreement, signed in February 2020 by Trump and representatives of the Taliban, required U.S. troops to leave the country by May 2021.
In April of that year, Biden announced he was deferring the final exit of U.S. troops by three months. But even after his military commanders urged the president to postpone the U.S. withdrawal further, Biden refused. Another delay ran the risk of renewed Taliban attacks on U.S. military targets, which had been suspended when the Afghan rebels signed the Doha Agreement.
But there was also a more critical and elemental reason to commence the withdrawal. As Biden noted in a farewell address on Monday touting his foreign policy record, “it was time to end the war and bring our troops home, and we did.”
With that act, Biden did something that eluded three previous American presidents.
In 2001, George W. Bush ordered the U.S. military to attack Al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan. But he and his advisers gave little thought to what would come next. When the Taliban government rapidly collapsed in December 2001, the United States was both unprepared and largely uninterested in helping Afghanistan get back on its feet. The American military continued to target the remnants of the Taliban — most of whom had put down their weapons — and partnered with rapacious Afghan warlords, infuriating civilians caught in the crossfire.
As Bush devoted more and more of his attention to the war in Iraq, the Taliban began to reconstitute itself. By 2005-06, they had returned as an increasingly formidable insurgent force.
When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, pledging to devote more attention to Afghanistan, he had few ideas on how to win the war. Against the wishes of his vice president, Biden, Obama announced a 30,000-troop surge in December 2009.
Few of Obama’s advisers expected the surge to work — and it didn’t, because the United States had neither the interest nor the will for a long-term fight in Afghanistan. Yet for another decade, the United States kept troops in Afghanistan, bolstered an increasingly corrupt and ineffectual Afghan government and publicly claimed that success was possible. But as John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction since 2012, recently wrote in a searing indictment of this 20-year conflict, “they knew otherwise.”
In Sopko’s view, “self-serving delusion was America’s most formidable foe.” Three presidents and countless public officials, including members of the U.S. military, repeatedly told the American people that the American presence in Afghanistan was essential for U.S. national security. None of it was true.
Biden was the first president in 20 years to tell the American people the truth about the war. Even Trump, who signed the Doha Agreement, repeatedly blamed Biden for the withdrawal and downplayed his role in the deal that precipitated it.
As Biden said in August 2021, “the fundamental obligation of a president is to defend and protect America — not against threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow. ... I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan.”
He was right.
The problem for Biden, of course, was that to many Americans the U.S. retreat looked like an ignominious disaster. As the withdrawal deadline approached, the Afghan government suddenly and completely collapsed. With the Taliban at the gates of Kabul in August 2021, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country — with no warning to U.S. officials (or to his own aides, who left the presidential palace for lunch and were shocked to discover upon their return that the president had disappeared). In the midst of an increasingly chaotic situation, ordinary Afghans overran the Kabul airport. Some were so desperate that they hung on to planes taking off from the runways, falling to their deaths. Later, a suicide bombing attack at Kabul airport by an ISIS-K terrorist killed more than 170 Afghans and 13 American soldiers. Biden’s poll numbers immediately faltered and never recovered.
But there’s another part of the Afghan withdrawal that rarely gets mentioned. The collapse of the Afghan government turned what began as an evacuation effort into a massive humanitarian airlift. In less than three weeks, U.S. military commanders evacuated more than 125,000 people out of the country — both Americans and Afghans who had worked with U.S. officials during the war. It was the single largest noncombatant evacuation airlift in American history — and an extraordinary example of ingenuity and grit.
Also largely forgotten now is the oft-repeated claim during 20 years of conflict: that if the United States left Afghanistan and the Taliban returned to power, Al Qaeda would return, re-establish a safe haven and put Americans at risk of a future terrorist attack.
Yet last March, to little public fanfare, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its annual threat assessment and concluded that “al-Qa’ida has reached an operational nadir in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” In September 2023, Christy Abizaid, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said Al Qaeda’s “revival is unlikely” in Afghanistan, in part because of the loss of an “accommodating local environment.”
The singular justification for 20 years of war, $2 trillion in spending and the deaths of more than 2,500 American service members and over 100,000 Afghan troops and civilians was an untested and easily refutable assumption repeated over and over and over again by pundits, generals, armchair warriors and presidents of both parties.
Joe Biden stopped that charade. He finally ended a pointless war, when his predecessors were unwilling and unable to do so. It stands out as one of his greatest achievements as president. 2025 Must Be The End Of Gender Apartheid In Afghanistan (Forbes – opinion)
Forbes [1/14/2025 12:16 PM, Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, 102611K, Negative]
The last three years have seen the Taliban placing restrictions on all aspects of women’s lives in Afghanistan. From education to employment. From movement to participation in everyday activities. When the international community thought that it could not get any worse for women in Afghanistan, the Taliban kept coming up with new ways how to impose more restrictions on women. In August 2024, the Taliban published its new law to “promote virtue and eliminate vice” that sets up rules for everyday life and adds to the litany of restrictions on women. Article 13 of the law made it mandatory for a woman to veil her body at all times in public. A face covering was said to be essential. This was to avoid temptation and tempting others. Women are to cover themselves in front of non-Muslim males and females. By virtue of the law, a woman’s voice is deemed intimate, and as such, women are not to be heard singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. Women are not allowed to look at men they are not related to by blood or marriage and vice versa. However, it did not stop there.In December 2024, the Taliban introduced a new directive prohibiting women and girls from attending public and private medical institutes in Afghanistan. The news comes at a time when Afghanistan is facing a staggering humanitarian crisis, maternal mortality rates are at the lowest in recent years, more than 33% of Afghans lack access to health services and malnutrition rates are alarmingly high and rising. As emphasized by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Afghanistan is the second largest humanitarian crisis in the world, after only Sudan. Commenting on the new directive, Under-Secretary-General Fletcher pointed out that “barring Afghan women from attending public and private medical institutes would likely lead to a dramatic increase in rates of antenatal, neonatal and maternal mortality, as it would prevent more than 36,000 midwives and 2,800 nurses from entering the workforce in the next few years.”End of December 2024, the Taliban’s supreme leader issued an order banning the construction of windows overlooking areas used by Afghan women. Existing windows were to be blocked. Other decrees include a warning that organizations that employ women would have their operating licenses revoked, and a ban on female artisans from participating in a handicraft exhibition in Kandahar.As women in Afghanistan have been effectively separated, segregated and removed from the public square, locking them in the vicious circle of gender apartheid, the international community must identify the best ways to address this treatment of women with unapologetic steps. In 2024, several states initiated important legal steps to engage the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).On November 28, 2024, six State Parties, namely, Chile, Costa Rica, Spain, France, Luxembourg, and Mexico referred the Situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Situation in Afghanistan) to the ICC. In the referral, the States Parties express their concern about the severe deterioration of the human rights situation in Afghanistan, especially for women and girls, and request the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) to consider the crimes committed against women and girls after the Taliban takeover in 2021. In December 2024, the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC confirmed that further steps would be taken in the case.On September 25, 2024, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands announced that they had formally taken steps to call on Afghanistan to cease its violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). This is the first and key step before officially filing proceedings with the ICJ. According to CEDAW, if the dispute is not settled by negotiation, it should be submitted to arbitration. If within six months from the date of the request for arbitration, the parties are unable to agree on the organization of the arbitration, the dispute can be then referred to the ICJ.Other steps must be taken to ensure that the gender apartheid women and girls in Afghanistan are subjected to is addressed through all possible avenues. Looking away cannot be accepted. Pakistan
Pakistan Orders Inquiry After Complaints That Airline Ad Evoked 9/11 (New York Times)
New York Times [1/14/2025 4:14 PM, Salman Masood, 831K, Neutral]
Pakistan’s prime minister on Tuesday ordered an investigation into how the country’s national airline approved an advertisement with an illustration that many on social media said was uncomfortably similar to imagery from Sept. 11, 2001.
The advertisement, by the state-run Pakistan International Airlines, or PIA, was meant to be a celebratory announcement that it was resuming flights to Paris.
But the ad — featuring an image of an aircraft pointed toward the Eiffel Tower with the caption “Paris, we’re coming today” — drew swift condemnation after its release late last week. A post by the airline on X that showed the image has been viewed more than 21 million times.“Pakistan air needs a new graphic designer,” Ian Bremmer, a political scientist and author, wrote on Threads, a social network.
Omar R. Quraishi, a newspaper columnist, said the advertisement had left him speechless. “Do they not know about the 9/11 tragedy — which used planes to attack buildings,” Mr. Quraishi wrote on X.
Pakistan has some connections to the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and the Pentagon. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who is accused of being the mastermind of the attacks, was arrested in Pakistan in 2003. Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda, was killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan in 2011.
The country’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said during a session of Parliament that the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, had asked for an inquiry into how the advertisement had cleared internal airline approvals.
The outcry over the ad is the latest setback for PIA, which has been battling financial losses and hurdles in the government’s desperate efforts to privatize the airline.
In November, the push for privatization stalled when the sole bidder offered less than 12 percent of the government’s minimum sale price of about $300 million.
Controversy is familiar territory for PIA. In 2017, the airline made international headlines when ground crew members sacrificed a goat on the tarmac for good luck.
It has also faced questions over its safety standards, with the United States and Britain barring its planes from flying there. It resumed flights to Paris after the European Union’s aviation safety agency lifted a four-year ban on the airline. World Bank makes 10-year plan with Pakistan for $20 billion in funding (Reuters)
Reuters [1/15/2025 3:35 AM, Charlotte Greenfield, 5.2M, Neutral]
Pakistan’s prime minister on Wednesday welcomed a first-of-its-kind agreement with the World Bank for a plan to focus $20 billion in lending to the cash-strapped nation over the coming decade on development issues like the impact of climate change as well as boosting private-sector growth.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on social media platform X that a new plan known as the Country Partnership Framework announced by the World Bank overnight would focus the global institution’s pledge of $20 billion in areas including clean energy and climate resilience in the ten years from 2026.
The World Bank said in a statement that policy and institutional reforms to boost private sector growth and expand fiscal space for government investment in crucial areas would also be key.
"We are focused on prioritising investment and advisory interventions that will help crowd-in much needed private investment in sectors critical for Pakistan’s sustainable growth and job creation, including energy and water, agriculture, access to finance, manufacturing and digital infrastructure,” said Zeeshan Sheikh, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation Country Manager for Pakistan and Afghanistan in a statement.
The World Bank has currently committed about $17 billion to Pakistan for 106 projects.
The country has teetered on the brink of economic crisis for several years and economists and international financial institutions have called for major economic reforms.
Pakistan is currently under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout program, which requires the country to boost government revenues and shore up external sources of financing, much of which comes from loans from China and Gulf nations. Pakistan’s Imran Khan Defiant Even As Longer Sentence Looms (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [1/15/2025 12:00 AM, Staff, 1.4M, Neutral]
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s most popular politician, is facing a 14-year prison term this month in a case his party says is being used to pressure him into silence.
The former prime minister, long a source of frustration for the powerful military, has been in custody since August 2023 and faces a slew of legal cases he says are politically motivated.
A looming verdict for graft linked to a welfare foundation he set up with his wife, the Al-Qadir Trust, is the longest-running of those cases, with a verdict postponed on Monday for a third time.
"The Al-Qadir Trust case, like previous cases, is being dragged on only to pressure me," Khan said this month in one of his frequent statements railing against authorities and posted on social media by his team.
"But I demand its immediate resolution."
Analysts say the military establishment is using the sentence as a bargaining chip with Khan, whose popularity undermines a shaky coalition government that kept his party from power in elections last year.
"The establishment’s deal is he comes out and stays quiet, stays decent, until the next election," said Ayesha Siddiqa, a London-based author and analyst on Pakistan’s military.
Analysts say the military are Pakistan’s kingmakers, although the generals deny interfering in politics.
Khan said he had once been offered a three-year exile abroad and was also "indirectly approached" recently about the possibility of house arrest at his sprawling home on the outskirts of the capital.
"We can assume from the delays that this is a politically motivated judgement. It is a Damocles sword over him," Khan’s legal adviser Faisal Fareed Chaudhry told AFP.
"The case has lost its credibility," he said, adding that Khan will not accept any deal to stay silent.
The specialist anti-graft "accountability court" is set to announce the verdict and sentence in the welfare foundation case on Friday, two days after government envoys are scheduled to meet leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to ease tensions.
The PTI has previously sworn to refuse talks with a government its leaders claim is illegitimate, alleging the coalition seized power by rigging February 2024 polls.
They say they will only take part if political prisoners are released and an independent inquiry is launched into allegations of a heavy-handed response by authorities to PTI protests.
Otherwise, Khan has threatened to pull his party from the negotiations and continue with a campaign of civil disobedience that has frequently brought Islamabad to a standstill.
The most recent protests flared around November 26, when the PTI allege at least 10 of their activists were shot dead. The government says five security force members were killed in the chaos.
"The government would like to appear legitimate, and for that they need PTI to sit down in talks with them," said Asma Faiz, associate professor of political science at Lahore University of Management Sciences.
"Ideally, they would be looking to offer some relief to Imran Khan and his party to appease the domestic and international criticism," she told AFP.
For now, it appears to be a stalemate, said Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute director at The Wilson Center in Washington.
"The army might be willing to give Khan a deal that gets him out of jail, but Khan wouldn’t accept the likely conditions of his freedom," he told AFP.
"Another problem is I can’t imagine the government agreeing to an investigation of November 26. But PTI won’t budge on that demand."
A stint in exile is common in the trajectory of political leaders in Pakistan who fall out of favour with the military and find themselves before the courts, only to return to power later.
Three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif served only a fraction of a sentence for corruption, spending several years in London before returning to Pakistan in late 2023.
Former and current president Asif Ali Zardari moved to Dubai after his party was rebuked by the generals.
Both men are now considered the chief architects of the ruling coalition.
But exile might not fit with the carefully worked image of Khan, whose political rise was based on the promise of replacing decades of entrenched dynastic politics.
"I will live and die in Pakistan," Khan said in a statement shared by his lawyers. "I will fight for my country’s freedom until my last breath, and I expect my nation to do the same." Residents in violence-hit Pakistani district face malnutrition, depression (VOA)
VOA [1/14/2025 1:07 PM, Sarah Zaman, 2717K, Negative]
"We are disturbed mentally. I have a son. I can’t even sleep at night. He says he will go and fight," Laila Ibrahim of Pakistan’s Kurram tribal district tells VOA by phone.
Surrounded by Afghanistan on three sides, the district in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been largely cut off from the country, the highway connecting it to the rest of Pakistan closed to traffic since a deadly wave of sectarian violence between Shiite and Sunni tribes erupted in mid-October.
Medical staff tell VOA that Kurram’s besieged residents, facing severe shortages of food and medicine, are showing signs of malnutrition and deep mental distress.
"We saw that most of the population has gone toward malnutrition," district health officer Dr. Qaiser Bangash, who led a survey of health conditions in the region’s hard-to-reach villages, told VOA by phone from Parachinar.
"They don’t have vegetables, fruits, lentils, clarified butter," he said. "They cannot find milk. There is no formula milk for children. Because of this, the situation is quite bad.".
In the absence of regular food deliveries, he said, people mostly get by on boiled rice, plain wheat bread, tea without milk and sugar, and locally grown seasonal produce.
Wave of violence
Nearly 250 people were killed in Kurram’s sectarian violence between July and December of last year. After scores were killed over the summer and fall, Nov. 21 marked a sharp escalation, when a convoy of Shiite passengers was targeted, killing 52. No group claimed responsibility for the massacre, but retaliatory attacks saw nearly another 80 killed within a matter of days.
Kurram’s violence is rooted in historic land disputes between Shiite and Sunni tribes but often takes a sectarian bent. More than a century of competing security interests coupled with militancy spilling over from wars in Afghanistan have pushed each side to heavily arm itself.
The targeting of the Shiite convoy in November followed an Oct. 12 attack on Sunni residents.
Supply shortages
Since the deadly October attack, few trucks carrying essential supplies have entered the region from the major entry point in the south.
A convoy carrying mostly fruits, vegetables, and poultry arrived Wednesday after being delayed for days over threats of violence. What arrived was expensive and partly spoiled because of the hold up.
Few got their hands on the limited supplies.
"We could not buy anything. It was so busy, people were pushing each other," Mehwish Shazad, a Parachinar-based mother of three told VOA on the phone.
Villagers traveling to the city for supplies didn’t have much luck either.
"The vehicles arrived in the evening. There’s no diesel or petrol that could enable people from villages to come to the city to purchase the goods," local journalist Hidayat Pasdar told VOA.
"By the time people arrived from the villages, locals living in the suburbs had bought everything," said Pasdar. "There was nothing left.".
A 25-vehicle convoy carrying food supplies arrived Tuesday. Pasdar said that’s half the number of vehicles that were expected.
Pharmacy shelves are almost empty.
With smaller clinics unable to provide medicine, patients are increasingly turning to the district headquarters hospital in Parachinar. Bangash says the patient load has more than doubled.
Although government and aid groups have delivered tranches of medicine via helicopter, the quantities, Bangash said, aren’t sufficient.
"Even with hundreds of trucks, it will be hard to cover the gap that has occurred," said the physician.
Psychological scars
The violence is also causing deep psychological pain.
"Mostly there were cases of depression — anxiety, too — and phobia," said psychologist Kalsoom Bangash. "Children have become phobic. Those who have been displaced were worried about how they will set up everything again when they go back.".
The psychologist was part of the team of medical professionals that surveyed the medical needs of local communities, providing mental health support to women and children displaced by violence.
Even those not displaced by the violence are living in constant fear.
"I have noticed that when children play, they worry a bullet may come flying from somewhere," psychologist Bangash told VOA. "If they hear a sound, they say it’s the sound of a bullet.".
Delicate peace
On Jan. 1, warring Sunni and Shiite tribes reached a 14-point peace deal, after weeks of government-led negotiations.
Despite a January 5 gun attack on a government convoy that injured the Kurram deputy commissioner, a tenuous peace has remained.
On Monday, security forces began destroying bunkers that armed fighters from both sides have erected across the region. Rivals have also agreed to disarm.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed hope Tuesday the peace would hold. Successful implementation of the deal would mean people and goods will once again move across the district, likely under heavy security.
For Ibrahim, peace means her 15-year-old son may have a future other than as a fighter.
"I want him to get a good education, but he can’t get it because the school is shut down again and again," the mother said. "His lessons get disturbed. I get disturbed.". India
India’s navy launches submarine, warships to guard against China’s presence in Indian Ocean (AP)
AP [1/15/2025 4:28 AM, Rafiq Maqbool and Ashok Sharma, 456K, Neutral]
India’s navy on Wednesday simultaneously launched a submarine, a destroyer and a frigate built at a state-run shipyard, underscoring the importance of protecting the Indian Ocean region through which 95% of the country’s trade moves amid a strong Chinese presence.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said that the Atlantic Ocean’s importance has shifted to the Indian Ocean region, which is becoming a center of international power rivalry.“India is giving the biggest importance to making its navy powerful to protect its interests,” he said.“The commissioning of three major naval combatants marks a significant leap forward in realizing India’s vision of becoming a global leader in defense manufacturing and maritime security,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while commissioning the vessels at the state-run Mazagon dockyard in Mumbai.
The situation in the Indian Ocean region is challenging with the Chinese navy, India’s main rival, growing exponentially, said Rahul Bedi, a defense analyst.
Bedi said that the INS Vagsheer submarine, the sixth among a French license-built Kalvari (Scorpene)-class conventional diesel-electric submarines, is aimed at replacing aging Indian underwater platforms and plugging serious capability gaps in existing ones. India now has a total of 16 submarines.
The P75 Scorpene submarine project represents India’s growing expertise in submarine construction in collaboration with the Naval Group of France, Bedi said.
India’s defense ministry is expected to conclude a deal for three additional Scorpene submarines to be built in India during Modi’s likely visit to Paris next month to attend the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
However, the first of these boats, according to the Indian navy, is only likely to be commissioned by 2031.
India commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier in 2022 to counter regional rival China’s much more extensive and growing fleet and expand its indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.
The INS Vikrant, whose name is a Sanskrit word for “powerful” or “courageous,” is India’s second operational aircraft carrier. It joins the Soviet-era INS Vikramaditya, which India purchased from Russia in 2004 to defend the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. India’s Triple Naval Launch Shows ‘Self-reliance’: Modi (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [1/15/2025 12:11 AM, Bhuvan Bagga, 1.4M, Neutral]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday the launch of two Indian-made warships and a submarine was key to its "quest towards self-reliance" as New Delhi bolsters defence against regional rivals.
New Delhi is expanding its armed forces to upgrade its mostly Soviet-era weaponry and respond to what many in India see as a growing threat from neighbouring China.
"India is now becoming a major maritime power of the world," Modi, wearing a naval baseball cap, said in a speech at the triple commissioning ceremony in Mumbai for a frigate, a guided missile destroyer and a submarine.
"The commissioning of three frontline naval combatants will strengthen our efforts towards being a global leader in defence, and augment our quest towards self-reliance," he added.
India has rushed to rapidly expand its naval fleet, pouring efforts into building vessels within the country, with plans to expand the number of warships and submarines from around 150 to 170 over the next decade.
"We’re taking a big step towards getting the navy ready for this century," Modi said.
India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are competing for strategic influence across South Asia.
In 2024, India spent an all-time high of some $15 billion on domestic defence manufacturing, according to the defence ministry, an increase of some 17 percent on the previous year.
But New Delhi remains one of the largest arms importers in the world, and Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government has tried to reduce dependence on Russia, its primary military hardware supplier for decades.
New Delhi has also signed major arms purchasing deals -- and approved India-based defence production ventures -- with countries including the United States, Israel and Spain.
India is also in talks with Paris for multibillion-dollar deals to purchase French-made Rafale fighter jets and Scorpene-class submarines.
Vineet Sharma, commander of the diesel-powered submarine INS Vagsheer, said the triple commission "speaks volumes" about the capability both of India’s ship-building capabilities and its navy’s "ability to operate" the vessels.
"India is a maritime nation," Sharma added. "You require a strong navy, which can ensure that the maritime interests are always secured."
Sandeep Shorey, captain of the newly commissioned destroyer INS Surat -- a 164-metre (538-feet) long vessel which the navy boasts as its "first AI-enabled warship" -- said the show of force was a message about showing India’s power.
"If you want to be seen on the world stage... there is no other option but to show your presence at sea." Why did US exclude India from unrestricted access to AI chips? (VOA)
VOA [1/14/2025 10:57 PM, Nayan Seth, 2717K, Neutral]
U.S. President Joe Biden signed on Tuesday an executive order to boost development of artificial intelligence infrastructure in America. A day earlier, his administration announced sweeping measures to block access to the most advanced semiconductors by China and other adversaries.
But the U.S. left India, its strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific, off a list of 18 countries that are allowed unrestricted access to advanced AI chips. Analysts say while a growing technological relationship between the two countries would likely make India eligible in the future to access advanced U.S. AI chips, New Delhi’s existing ties with Moscow and the perception of a less robust technology regulatory framework led to its exclusion from the top list.
Exclusion not a surprise
The Commerce Department’s policy framework divides the world into three categories. The first tier includes the U.S. and 18 countries with unrestricted access, followed by a list of more than 100 countries that will be subjected to new caps on advanced semiconductors with individual exemptions. The third tier includes adversaries such as China and Russia that face maximum restrictions.
India falls in the second category, along with U.S. allies like Israel and close friends such as Singapore.
Bhaskar Chakravorti, the dean of global business at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, said that India’s relationship with Russia "puts it outside a super safe category.".
India has had close ties with Russia since the Soviet Union supported its desire for independence from Britain. It maintained those ties during the Cold War, when the U.S. sided with India’s rival Pakistan.
Scott Jones, a non-resident fellow at Washington’s Stimson Center think tank, highlighted recent reports that accused a few Indian companies of aiding Russia’s war on Ukraine, but stressed that while being excluded is a disappointment, it’s "not a setback for India.".
He also pointed to the perception that "India’s ability to control and manage technology is perhaps not as robust as evidenced in some of the 18 countries.".
While India may be off the unrestricted list for now, analysts say its growing technological cooperation with the U.S. may shield it from some curbs.
Richard Rossow, senior adviser and chair on India and Emerging Asia Economies at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the presence of caveats in the new framework would ensure India’s later participation.
"The fact that they have announced that there will be a pathway for some countries to get exemptions that are above what they’re going to consider the standard cap, India, I imagine, would be on the short list of countries," he told VOA.
In early January, national security adviser Jake Sullivan traveled to India and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials. During the trip, both sides reiterated their commitment to forge a "strategic technology partnership" and strengthen cooperation under the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), a bilateral mechanism focused on technology partnership.
On semiconductors, the U.S. is facilitating investments in India’s semiconductor manufacturing and intensifying R&D collaboration.
During his trip, Sullivan highlighted the investment of $2.7 billion in India by U.S. chipmaker Micron to create semiconductor packaging facilities, which he hoped would contribute to establishing "India as a new hub in the global chip ecosystem.".
The Indian government too is investing billions of dollars through its dedicated program called the India Semiconductor Mission and Production Linked Incentive scheme.
Rossow argued that the Indian government would not have been "terribly surprised" that "they were not included" in the list.
Jones of the Stimson Center agreed.
"Jake Sullivan was in New Delhi last week, and I would be very surprised if he did not inform his Indian counterparts of what was going to happen," he said.
Ensuring America’s leadership in AI
The Biden administration has focused on the centrality of artificial intelligence to America’s security and economic strength. According to a White House factsheet, the latest steps are part of its effort to prevent offshoring this critical technology and ensure that "the world’s AI runs on American rails.".
Since October 2022, the U.S. government has enacted a series of export controls, blocking access of advanced semiconductors to China to prevent its use for military applications. While initially the measures adversely affected the Chinese semiconductor industry, Beijing has continued to advance its capabilities and is attempting to narrow the technology gap.
According to Chakravorti of the Fletcher School, there are numerous implementation challenges of this expansive global strategy.
"From lobbying from the U.S. chipmakers that will start as soon as Trump takes office to potential leaks in the carefully calibrated list of countries. Will there be a secondary market? How does this affect where future data centers are built?" he asked.
Jones of the Stimson Center argued that the policy is more a "symbolic gesture than a practical consideration" but has a stern message for the rest of the world.
"The U.S. is clearly saying, if you want to participate in the U.S.-sponsored AI ecosystem, you have to pick now. You pick China or you pick us. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t play one off against the other. You have to choose," he concluded. India steps up diplomatic relations with the Taliban as rival Pakistan loses influence in Afghanistan (FOX News)
FOX News [1/14/2025 2:50 PM, Kyra Colah, 57114K, Neutral]
India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, met acting Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai last week, making a strong leap forward in bilateral relations.
While India has been gradually increasing its engagement with the Taliban, this latest meeting represents the highest-level talks since the Islamic group’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Notably, this was the second meeting between officials from New Delhi and Kabul in just two months, indicating both countries’ readiness to step up diplomatic engagement.
"We shouldn’t overstate the impact of Pakistan’s tensions with the Taliban on India’s stepped up engagement with the Taliban. New Delhi had already taken some small steps toward Taliban engagement soon after the Taliban’s return to power, before tensions crept into the Taliban’s relations with Pakistan," Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, tells Fox News Digital.
During the discussions, Misri emphasized the "historic friendship" and "strong people-to-people contacts" between the two nations. Meanwhile, the Afghan foreign minister described India as "an important and economically significant country in the region.".
According to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the talks focused on strengthening bilateral relations, addressing security concerns, engaging in development projects and enhancing humanitarian assistance.
India is among several countries actively facilitating trade, aid and medical support to Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. The country, which hosts thousands of Afghan refugees, also pledged to provide "material support" for their rehabilitation back in Afghanistan.
"New Delhi’s outreach to the Taliban is driven by the view that closer engagement can help India better pursue its security and strategic interests in Afghanistan – and these include strengthening trade and connectivity links and ensuring India isn’t threatened by terrorists on Afghan soil," Kugelman explained.
The discussions also touched on enhancing trade via the Chabahar Port in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province. India has been developing the Chabahar Port to enable goods to bypass ports in its rival, Pakistan. This strategic port, which lies just across the border from Pakistan, could provide landlocked Afghanistan with an alternative route to receive and send goods, circumventing Pakistan.
The meeting between India and the Taliban could unsettle Pakistan, which shares borders with both countries. India and Pakistan are long-standing rivals, having fought three wars over Kashmir since both countries gained independence in 1947. This meeting also takes place amid deteriorating relations between the Taliban regime and Pakistan, once considered friendly neighbors, as cross-border violence escalates.
The talks occurred just days after India "unequivocally" condemned Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan in late December. These rare airstrikes resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians, including women and children. Pakistani officials claimed the strikes targeted militants of the Pakistani Taliban. Islamabad frequently accuses the Pakistani Taliban of using Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies.
The diplomatic engagement also follows the Taliban’s appointment of an acting consul in the Afghan consulate in Bombay in November, the same month India’s joint secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs visited Kabul. Although no foreign government, including India, has officially recognized the Taliban administration since it swept to power in 2021, India reopened its embassy in Kabul less than a year after the Taliban’s return to power.
"Islamabad has already seen its relations with its former Taliban asset take a major tumble," Kugelman, said. "Now it must grapple with the fact that its rival India may fill the vacuum left by Pakistan’s distancing from the Taliban. No matter how you slice it, this is bad news for Pakistan all around.".
Several factors, in addition to deteriorating Pakistani relations, may have led India to strengthen its relationship with Afghanistan. The weakening of Iran, due to conflicts in the Middle East and internal issues, has diminished its influence over the Taliban. At the same time, Russia, one of India’s closest allies, is moving toward recognizing the Taliban government in Afghanistan, even calling the group a partner in combating terrorism. Moscow perceives a significant security threat from Islamist militant groups across countries from Afghanistan to the Middle East, especially after losing Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
China is also enhancing its connections with the Taliban, causing India to be wary of Beijing’s increasing influence. Additionally, India’s approach may be influenced by President-elect Trump’s imminent return to the White House. The Trump administration initially brokered the U.S.-Afghanistan withdrawal deal. Trump’s re-election could now introduce new dynamics to the region, prompting India to safeguard its long-term interests.
In contrast, the United States has severed diplomatic ties with Kabul since its chaotic withdrawal from war-torn Afghanistan. Washington maintains a policy of sanctions and isolation toward Taliban leaders. But now, nations in the region are evaluating the implications of a new Trump administration for the Taliban. Why India is reaching out to the Taliban now (BBC)
BBC [1/14/2025 5:47 PM, Soutik Biswas 57114K, Neutral]
India’s latest diplomatic outreach to Afghanistan’s Taliban government signals a marked shift in how it sees the geopolitical reality in the region.
This comes more than three years after India suffered a major strategic and diplomatic blow when Kabul fell to the Taliban.
Two decades of investment in Afghanistan’s democracy - through military training, scholarships and landmark projects like building its new parliament - were swiftly undone. The collapse also paved the way for greater influence from regional rivals, particularly Pakistan and China, eroding India’s strategic foothold and raising new security concerns.
Yet, last week signalled a shift. India’s top diplomat Vikram Misri met Taliban acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Dubai - the highest level of engagement since Kabul’s fall. The Taliban expressed interest in strengthening political and economic ties with India, calling it a "significant regional and economic power".
Talks reportedly focused on expanding trade and leveraging Iran’s Chabahar port, which India has been developing to bypass Pakistan’s Karachi and Gwadar ports.
How significant is this meeting? Delhi has now given the Taliban leadership the de facto legitimacy it has sought from the international community since its return to power, Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center, an American think-tank, told me.
"The fact that this treatment is coming from India - a nation that never previously had friendly relations with the Taliban, makes this all the more significant, and also a diplomatic triumph for the Taliban," he says.
Days before talks between India and the Taliban, Pakistani airstrikes killed dozens in eastern Afghanistan [AFP].
Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, countries have adopted varied approaches toward the regime, balancing diplomatic engagement with concerns over human rights and security. China, for example, has gone far: it has actively engaged with the Taliban, focusing on security and economic interests, and even has an ambassador in the country.
No country has formally recognised the Taliban government, but up to 40 countries maintain some form of diplomatic or informal relations with it.That’s why experts like Jayant Prasad, a former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, are more circumspect about India’s outreach.
For the past three years, he says, India has maintained contact with the Taliban through a foreign service diplomat. India had closed its consulates in Afghanistan during the civil war in the 1990s and reopened them in 2002 after the war ended. "We didn’t want this hiatus to develop [again], so we wanted to engage. It is very simply a step up in relations," he says.
India has "historical and civilisational ties" with Afghanistan, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar told parliament in 2023. India has invested more than $3bn (£2.46bn) in over 500 projects across Afghanistan, including roads, power lines, dams, hospitals and clinics. It has trained Afghan officers, awarded thousands of scholarships to students and built a new parliament building.
This reflects a lasting geopolitical reality. "Irrespective of the nature of the regime in Kabul - monarchical, communist, or Islamist - there has been a natural warmth between Delhi and Kabul," The Indian Express newspaper noted.
Mr Kugelman echoes the sentiment. "India has an important legacy as a development and humanitarian aid donor in Afghanistan, which has translated into public goodwill from the Afghan public that Delhi is keen not to lose," he says.
Interestingly, relations with Delhi appear to be easing amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan claims the hardline Pakistani Taliban (TTP) operates from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Last July, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told the BBC that Pakistan would continue attacks on Afghanistan as part of an operation aimed at countering terrorism. Days before talks between India and the Taliban, Pakistani airstrikes killed dozens in eastern Afghanistan, according to the Afghan government. The Taliban government condemned the strikes as violations of its sovereignty.
This marks a sharp decline in relations since the fall of Kabul in 2021, when a top Pakistani intelligence official was among the first foreign guests to meet the Taliban regime. At the time, many saw Kabul’s fall as a strategic setback for India.
"While Pakistan isn’t the only factor driving India’s intensifying outreach to the Taliban, it’s true that Delhi does get a big win in its evergreen competition with Pakistan by moving closer to a critical long-time Pakistani asset that has now turned on its former patron," says Mr Kugelman.
There are other reasons driving the outreach. India aims to strengthen connectivity and access Central Asia, which it can’t reach directly by land due to Pakistan’s refusal of transit rights. Experts say Afghanistan is key to this goal. One strategy is collaborating with Iran on the Chabahar port development to improve access to Central Asia via Afghanistan.
"It is easier for Delhi to focus on the Afghanistan component of this plan by engaging more closely with the Taliban leadership, which is fully behind India’s plans as they would help enhance Afghanistan’s own trade and connectivity links," says Mr Kugelman.Clearly, India’s recent outreach helps advance its core interests in Taliban-led Afghanistan: preventing terrorism threats to India, deepening connectivity with Iran and Central Asia, maintaining public goodwill through aid, and countering a struggling Pakistan.
What about the downsides?
"The main risk of strengthening ties with the Taliban is the Taliban itself. We’re talking about a violent and brutal actor with close ties to international - including Pakistani - terror groups that has done little to reform itself from what it was in the 1990s," says Mr Kugelman.
"India may hope that if it keeps the Taliban on side, so to speak, the Taliban will be less likely to undermine India or its interests. And that may be true. But at the end of the day, can you really trust an actor like the Taliban? That will be the unsettling question hovering over India as it continues to cautiously pursue this complex relationship.".
Mr Prasad sees no downsides to India’s current engagement with Afghanistan, despite concerns over the Taliban’s treatment of women. "The Taliban is fully in control. Letting the Taliban stew in its own juice won’t help Afghan people. Some engagement with the international community might pressurise the government to improve its behaviour.".
"Remember, the Taliban is craving for recognition," says Mr Prasad. "They know that will only happen after internal reforms." Like bringing women back into public life and restoring their rights to education, work and political participation. The World’s Largest Human Gathering Begins in India (New York Times)
New York Times [1/14/2025 4:14 PM, John Yoon and Hari Kumar, 831K, Neutral]
Tens of millions of Hindus are convening this week in what is expected to be the world’s largest human gathering, where a staggering number of devotees, tourists, politicians and celebrities take sacred dips at the convergence of two holy rivers in India.
The religious festival, called the Maha Kumbh Mela, happens every 12 years on the banks of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj. Officials this year expect up to 400 million people — more than the population of the United States — to visit the site in Uttar Pradesh State over the next six weeks.
A major display of Hinduism, the event has recently become an important political event with the rise of Hindu nationalism, backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing political party. It is also a massive logistical undertaking for government officials working to prevent incidents like stampedes and the spread of diseases.
What is the Maha Kumbh Mela?
The Maha Kumbh Mela, or “great festival of the sacred pitcher,” is the world’s largest religious ceremony. Based on a Hindu legend in which demons and gods fight over a pitcher carrying the nectar of immortality, the centuries-old ceremony centers on a series of holy baths, which Hindus say purify their sins.
The holy baths are preceded by processions involving people singing and dancing in vibrant attire, in ornately decorated chariots and wielding ceremonial spears, tridents and swords. To participate, people travel from all over India and the world to the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, a sacred site that is also said to be the end point of a mythical third river, the Saraswati.
The timing of the festival, which this year ends on Feb. 26, is based on the astrological alignment of the sun, the moon and the planet Jupiter, which takes around 12 years to orbit the sun. Smaller versions of the festival happen in one of three other Indian cities — Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain — roughly every three years.
How big is the festival?
The scale of the Maha Kumbh Mela is astonishing. The last one, in 2013, drew 120 million people in Prayagraj, according to a government estimate. An intermediate festival in 2019, though less significant religiously, attracted 240 million people.
This year, the city, home to about 6 million residents, is preparing to host 300 to 400 million people, government officials said. In preparation, the state has built a temporary campsite across a 10,000-acre area, with tens of thousands of tents and bathrooms, roads, parking lots, water and electricity infrastructure and thousands of security cameras and drones.
Many of those preparations — which will most likely make this the most expensive Maha Kumbh Mela to date, at about $800 million — are meant to prevent deadly stampedes and outbreaks of disease, which have happened in previous festivals. The event is also expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue for the state government, officials said.
To accommodate the bathers, the government has also installed a platform made of sandbags along a seven-mile stretch of the Ganges riverbank. On Monday and Tuesday, millions of pilgrims poured into the river on those steps in the chilly morning fog, praying for happiness, health and prosperity.
What is the festival’s significance today?
The Maha Kumbh Mela has always been an important symbol of Hinduism, though it was usually not politicized until the recent rise of the idea of India as a Hindu nation. This year’s festival is the first since Mr. Modi’s Hindu nationalist political party, the B.J.P., became the country’s ruling party 11 years ago.“It would be interesting to see if Prime Minister Modi goes,” said Arati Jerath, a political analyst in New Delhi. “It’s supposed to be the biggest and most auspicious time to take a dip in the Ganges.”
Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister who is also a hard-line Hindu priest, changed the name of the festival’s host city in 2018 to Prayagraj from Allahabad. The move, part of a wave of changes brought on by the B.J.P., replaced the Muslim name given by the 16th-century Mughal emperor Akbar with one that references the Hindu pilgrimage site.
In 2019, when India held a general election, the Kumbh Mela presented a major political opportunity to Mr. Modi and his party to appeal to a receptive audience of millions. Mr. Modi won that election.
The next general election is farther away this time, scheduled for 2029. But Mr. Modi, who won by a smaller margin while his party suffered losses in last year’s vote, has put himself in promotional posters for the festival nationwide and called it an embodiment of “India’s timeless spiritual heritage” on social media, tying the spiritual event to the country’s national identity.“The B.J.P. is hoping to use it to solidify its Hindu nationalist base,” Ms. Jerath said. But she added it was unclear if that would necessarily earn the party more votes. “Whether it works or not, I don’t know, but it certainly helps to take the B.J.P. one step closer to its goal of turning India into a Hindu majoritarian nation.” Dense fog over Indian capital delays flights, trains (Reuters)
Reuters [1/14/2025 11:19 PM, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, 48128K, Negative]
Dense fog and cold weather delayed train and flight departures in several parts of northern India, including its capital New Delhi, on Wednesday.
India’s weather office issued an orange alert for Delhi, the second highest warning level, forecasting dense to very dense fog in many areas.
Visibility at Delhi’s main airport was between zero to 100 metres (328.08 ft), the weather office said, and more than 40 trains across northern India were delayed because of fog, local media reported.
Some aircraft departures from Delhi were delayed, airport authorities said on social media platform X, warning that flights lacking the CAT III navigation system that enables landing despite low visibility would face difficulties. Delhi’s main airport handles about 1,400 flights every day.
"Low visibility and fog over Delhi may lead to some delays," the country’s largest airline IndiGo said in a social media post.
Local media showed images of vehicles crawling along highways through the fog, and people huddled indoors as the temperature dipped to 7 degrees Celsius (44.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
Delhi was ranked as the world’s most polluted city in live rankings by Swiss group IQAir on Wednesday, with a reading of 254, ranked as "very unhealthy".
The Indian capital has been battling poor air quality and smog since the beginning of winter. One Indian national killed, another wounded while serving in Russian army (Reuters)
Reuters [1/14/2025 7:02 AM, Sudipto Ganguly, 48128K, Negative]
One Indian national apparently recruited by the Russian army has been killed while another was receiving treatment for injuries at a hospital in Moscow, the Indian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has "strongly taken up" the matter with Russian authorities in Moscow and with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi while reiterating its demand for the early discharge of remaining Indian nationals serving in the Russian army, the ministry said in a statement.
"We are working with the Russian authorities for early transportation of the mortal remains to India," the ministry said. "We have also sought the early discharge and repatriation to India of the injured person." Both came from the southern state of Kerala, it said.
Indian police in May arrested four people linked to a network of human traffickers on suspicion of luring young men to Russia with the promise of lucrative jobs or university places only to force them to fight in the war with Ukraine.
After the deaths of Indian nationals last year in the war, New Delhi demanded that there be a verified halt to recruitment of Indian nationals by the Russian army and urged Indians to exercise caution while seeking employment in Russia.
About 45 Indian nationals were discharged from the Russian army and efforts were underway to get a further 50 released, India’s foreign ministry said in September. Police in India arrest 44 men accused of raping girl over five year period (The Independent)
The Independent [1/14/2025 1:14 PM, Jose Devasia, 57769K, Negative]
Police in India have arrested 44 men accused of raping an 18-year-old girl over a period of five years.
Officer in the southern state of Kerala made the arrests on Tuesday, in a case that has shocked the coastal tourist resort.
The victim, an athlete who belongs to the so-called lower caste community known as Dalits, told police in a statement that she was sexually abused by 62 people over a period of five years.
Local media reported that four of the accused were minors.
Police have identified 58 of those men, some of whom are minors and arrested 44 over the last two days, officials said.
"We have identified the remaining 14 and they would be arrested soon," the Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Pathanamthitta district where the crimes took place, PS Nandakumar, told Reuters.
The case came to light after the girl narrated the gang rape to a volunteer during a gender awareness programme. Nandkumar, who heads the investigation, said details of how the crimes were committed were still being investigated.
In her statement to the police, the victim said abuse began when she was 13 after her neighbour allegedly raped her.
Under Indian law, accused in rape cases that involve lower castes do not immediately get bail. Reuters was not able to reach any of the accused for a comment.
There were more than 31,000 reported rapes in 2022 in India, the latest year for which data is available, and conviction rates are notoriously low.
The rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the eastern city of Kolkata caused outrage across the country last year, with protests and street marches calling for action against the accused. NSB
Bangladesh Supreme Court acquits ex-Prime Minister Zia, clearing the way for her to run in elections (AP)
AP [1/15/2025 1:55 AM, Julhas Alam, 456K, Neutral]
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the last corruption case against her, paving the way for her to run in elections that an interim government says will be held either in December or in the first half of 2026.
Zia is ailing and traveled to London earlier this month for medical treatment after being cleared in another corruption case brought under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted last August in a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule.
Zia and Hasina are archrivals who have dominated Bangladesh’s politics for decades, and Hasina’s ouster has created an opportunity for Zia to make a comeback.
On Wednesday, a five-member Appellate Division of the Supreme Court overturned a 10-year jail sentence handed down by the High Court in 2018 on charges of embezzling some $250,000 in donations meant for an orphanage trust established when Zia became prime minister in 1991.
The High Court had also sentenced Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, and four others to 10 years in prison for involvement in the case. Rahman is the heir apparent in Zia’s party under Bangladesh’s dynastic political system.
Wednesday’s verdict by the Supreme Court also cleared Rahman and the others.
Zia’s lawyers said the verdict means she will be able to contest in next election. Under Bangladesh law, anyone imprisoned for more than two years cannot run for political office for the next five years.
Zia had faced a total of 17 years in prison — 10 years in this case and seven years in the other corruption case. She was acquitted in the other case after Hasina was ousted from office in August.
Defense lawyers and Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party denied any wrongdoing involving the trust fund and said the charges were politically motivated.
Zia is the wife of late President Ziaur Rahman and Hasina is the daughter of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Hasina fled into exile in neighboring India following her ouster amid violence that left hundreds of people dead in July and August. She faces charges of mass killing under the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. A special tribunal has sought help from international police organization Interpol for Hasina’s arrest and requested that India extradite her. Bangladesh’s Yunus demands return of stolen billions (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [1/15/2025 12:13 AM, Staff, 1.4M, Neutral]
Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday demanded the return of stolen assets, decrying the scale of corruption under the ousted government of Sheikh Hasina, toppled by a revolution last year.
Hasina, 77, fled a revolution in August 2024 to neighbouring India, where she has defied extradition requests from Bangladesh to face charges including mass murder.
"The theft of billions of dollars in public funds has left Bangladesh with a significant financial deficit," Yunus said in a statement.
"The funds stolen from Bangladesh belong to its people. We will continue to work with our international partners to ensure that justice is done."
Yunus said he expected "assets to be returned", adding that the stolen funds have "not only robbed the people of Bangladesh, but also disrupted the country’s progress toward economic stability".
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating Hasina and her wider family, including her niece, British lawmaker and anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq.
Siddiq on Tuesday resigned from her position, but repeated her denial that she had done anything wrong.
The ACC’s probe of Hasina’s family is linked to the embezzlement of $5 billion connected to a Russian-funded nuclear power plant, as well as an alleged land grab of lucrative plots in a suburb of the capital Dhaka.
A British Sunday Times investigation revealed details about the claims Siddiq spent years living in a London flat bought by an offshore company connected to two Bangladeshi businessmen.
The flat was eventually transferred as a gift to a Bangladeshi lawyer with links to Hasina, her family and her ousted government, according to the newspaper.
It also reported Siddiq and her family were given or used several other London properties bought by members or associates of Hasina’s Awami League party.
"Tulip Siddiq may not have fully understood the origins of the money and properties she enjoyed in London," Yunus said.
"However, now that she knows, she should seek forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh." Videos reveal new incidents of deadly brutality by Bangladesh police (The Guardian)
The Guardian [1/14/2025 2:00 PM, Kiran Stacey and Hannah Ellis-Petersen, 82995K, Negative]
Bangladeshi police killed or injured at least 20 unarmed protesters in two previously undocumented incidents during the demonstrations that engulfed the country last year, according to newly examined video footage.
The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), a rights group that documents alleged abuses, has analysed video footage of two incidents in Dhaka on 5 August – the day that Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country – and found evidence that officers deliberately targeted peaceful civilians.
The findings add to growing evidence of police brutality in the final days of Hasina’s regime as officers tried to violently crush the protests, killing more than 1,000 civilians, which eventually cost her her premiership.
Callum Macrae, the film-maker who analysed the videos, called them "extraordinary, chilling" and "grotesque". He added: "It is quite clear from the footage that the police were under no threat and did not believe they were under any threat. They had absolutely no justification in law for using lethal violence against any of the protesters.
"The film makes clear how important it is that there is an independent judicial truth and justice process which can have the confidence of the Bangladeshi people," he said.
Yasmin Sooka, the executive director of the ITJP and a former member of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said: "Considering that the protesters were unarmed and that there were a number of civilians besides the students it is absolutely shocking that the police used live ammunition against the students and the protesters. It’s horrific when you see the brutality of the violence.".
Sooka welcomed the news that Tulip Siddiq, Hasina’s neice, had stood down from her role in the British government on Tuesday afternoon after the outcome of a review by the UK adviser on ministerial standards Laurie Magnus, even though it found she had not breached ministerial standards. Siddiq, who was the City and anti-corruption minister, stepped aside after an investigation by Magnusinto her use of properties given to herself and family by allies of the regime of Sheikh Hasina.
"At no time have I ever heard any statement from her distancing herself from her aunt, or indicating any kind of remorse or sorrow for the atrocities committed in Bangladesh by her aunt’s regime against protesters and civilians," she said.
Over her 15 years in power, Hasina’s authoritarian regime was widely accused of corruption, tyranny and widespread human rights abuses. When protests began to emerge across the country in July last year, Hasina responded by unleashing a wave of police brutality against peaceful protesters, who were hit with batons, rubber bullets and live ammunition, killing more than a thousand people and leaving hundreds blinded. An investigation by Amnesty International in July confirmed the unlawful use of lethal weapons against protesters by police.
In response, the protests swelled into an all-out revolution. By 5 August, as hundreds of thousands of people began to march towards her residence and the army refused to fire on civilians en masse, Hasina boarded a helicopter and fled the country.
As part of the ITJP investigation, Macrae and his team analysed footage of two incidents on 5 August, where Bangladeshi police were accused of opening fire and killing unarmed civilian protesters.
The first incident took place at about 2pm outside the Jatrabari police station in the south of the Bangladeshi capital. Smartphone videos show dozens of students amassing outside the police station and being met with gunfire from the officers they encountered.
Several officers fire 12-gauge pump-action shotguns towards the crowd, according to weapons experts who have reviewed the footage. One said subsequent images of injuries were consistent with the use of lethal cartridges, loaded with lead pellets.
Armed forces then appear and usher the police back into their station. But separate footage taken several minutes later then shows an officer apparently throwing a grenade into the crowd, after which the police surge forward and open fire.
Footage shows evidence of police violence on day Bangladesh prime minister fled the country – video.
As demonstrators flee, officers chase them while still firing. One injured man is hit repeatedly with a rifle butt and wooden batons while on the ground. Another is shot several times at close range while trying to hide behind a concrete pillar.
The film-makers counted at least 19 dead or injured people in the footage they were able to analyse.
The second video shows a 20-year-old man called Mohammed Riddoy being surrounded by police, apparently having been captured during the protests. As the police officers circle Riddoy, one approaches him from behind and shoots him in the back at point-blank range.
Riddoy falls to the ground, and the officers leave, before three of them return to pick up his body – potentially still alive – and drag it past the nearby hospital in the direction of the police station.
Footage shows Mohammed Riddoy’s encounter with police during the protests – video.
Riddoy has not been seen since. His family say they have pleaded for the return of his body, but the police deny all knowledge of its whereabouts. Jasmine Akhter, his sister, said: "I want him to be recognised as a martyr. We are a very poor family and I hope the government will take care of my parents.".
Baharul Alam, the inspector general of the Bangladeshi police, told the Guardian: "We have been conducting a thorough investigation into the role of police officers killing demonstrators in the July and August upsurge. At least 30 officers have already been arrested. We are cooperating with others who have evidence, including, for example, the international judicial organisation that has produced this short documentary.".
Speaking about the footage of Riddoy in particular, Alam said his office had verified his the veracity of the footage but were still looking for Riddoy’s body. He added that two police officers had been arrested for his killing.
The videos are being published alongside a new report by the ITJP and the Tech Global Institute, which focuses on another day of the protests – 19 July.
The groups found that on just one day at least 148 people were killed – three times more than initially reported – 40 of whom were 18 or under. The report’s authors said the findings added to evidence that the death toll from the violence might be far higher than previously thought.
Since her downfall, Hasina, her senior ministers and police officials have been named in a mounting number of cases in Bangladesh, with charges including crimes against humanity, mass murder and corruption. An arrest warrant and extradition request was recently issued for Hasina, who is living in exile in India and has denied the allegations. UK minister quits while facing questions over links to ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina (AP)
AP [1/14/2025 12:17 PM, Jill Lawless, 47097K, Neutral]
Britain’s anti-corruption minister resigned on Tuesday, bowing to mounting pressure over her links to her aunt, ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Tulip Siddiq said that she had been cleared of wrongdoing but was quitting as economic secretary to the Treasury because the issue was becoming "a distraction from the work of the government.".
Siddiq, 42, is a former local councilor who was elected lawmaker for a north London district in 2015. She was appointed to the government after Prime Minister Keir Starmer ‘s center-left Labour Party won a landslide election victory in July.
Starmer has been under growing pressure to remove Siddiq from her post since she referred herself to the government’s ethics watchdog in early January following reports that she lived in London properties linked to her aunt.
Starmer said he was sad to see Siddiq go, adding in a letter that the watchdog — independent adviser on ministerial interests Laurie Magnus — "has assured me he found no breach of the Ministerial Code and no evidence of financial improprieties on your part.".
Starmer offered Siddiq the possibility of returning to government, saying "the door remains open to you going forward.".
Hasina was Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister and ruled the country for 15 years until August 2024, when she was ousted amid a mass uprising in which hundreds of protesters were killed and thousands were injured. Hasina, who has fled to India, faces many court cases over the deaths, including some on charges of crimes against humanity.
Siddiq, who is responsible for tackling corruption in financial markets, was named last month in an anti-corruption investigation in Bangladesh against Hasina. The investigation alleged that Siddiq’s family was involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in which large sums of money were said to have been embezzled.
Magnus said he accepted "at face value" Siddiq’s statement that "she had no involvement in any inter-governmental discussions between Bangladesh and Russia or any form of official role.".
The minister faced further questions about her links to her aunt’s government after reports in the Sunday Times and Financial Times newspapers alleged that she had used two London apartments given to her by associates of Bangladesh’s Awami League, led by Hasina.
Magnus said "a lack of records and lapse of time" meant he had not seen all potentially relevant information, but added that "I have not identified evidence of improprieties" over the apartments.
Magnus concluded that Siddiq hadn’t breached ministerial standards. But he noted that given her role in government "it is regrettable that she was not more alert to the potential reputational risks — both to her and the government — arising from her close family’s association with Bangladesh.". U.K. minister Tulip Siddiq resigns over ties to ousted Bangladesh PM (Reuters)
Reuters [1/14/2025 12:04 PM, Andrew Macaskill and Catarina Demony, 1286K, Negative]
The British minister responsible for financial services and fighting corruption resigned on Tuesday after weeks of questions over her financial ties to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, ousted last year as prime minister of Bangladesh.Tulip Siddiq, 42, had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and Prime Minister Keir Starmer said last week he had full confidence in her.The resignation of a second government minister in two months is a blow to Starmer, whose approval ratings have plunged since his Labour Party won a general election in July.Siddiq was handed the portfolio for financial services policy after the election, a role that included responsibility for measures against money-laundering.In a letter to Starmer, Siddiq said she was resigning because her position was "likely to be a distraction from the work of the government".The government’s ethics adviser said in his letter to Starmer released at the same time that although Siddiq had not breached the ministerial code of conduct, he found it regrettable she was "not more alert to the potential reputational risks" from her family’s close association with Bangladesh."You will want to consider her ongoing responsibilities in the light of this," he said.Starmer swiftly appointed Emma Reynolds, who was a pensions minister, to Siddiq’s role.Hasina, who had ruled Bangladesh since 2009, is being investigated there on suspicion of corruption and money laundering. Hasina and her party deny wrongdoing.Siddiq was named in December as part of Bangladesh’s investigation into whether her family were involved in siphoning off funds from Bangladeshi infrastructure projects.The anti-corruption commission alleged financial irregularities worth billions of dollars in the awarding of a $12.65 billion nuclear power contract, saying Hasina and Siddiq may have benefited.After facing further scrutiny over the use of properties in Britain linked to Hasina and her supporters, Siddiq referred herself to the government’s independent ethics adviser.Siddiq lived in a north London property given to her family in 2009 by Moin Ghani, a Bangladeshi lawyer who has represented Hasina’s government, documents filed with Companies House and the Land Registry show.She also acquired a separate property in London in 2004, without paying for it, from a developer linked to the Awami League, Hasina’s political party, the Financial Times reported this month.Hasina fled Bangladesh after being toppled following weeks of protests.Siddiq’s departure follows the resignation of British transport minister Louise Haigh late last year. Haigh acknowledged a minor criminal offence before she entered government, relating to a mobile phone that she had wrongly reported stolen. Garment factory closures cast dark shadow over Bangladesh economy (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [1/14/2025 10:16 PM, Syful Islam, 1286K, Neutral]
On the morning of Jan. 2, workers at four Keya Group apparel factories in Gazipur, Dhaka’s garment district, received notice they would lose their jobs on May 1, International Workers’ Day. The conglomerate, they were told, had decided to permanently close the plants.Thus, the futures of several thousand workers fell into even greater uncertainty. The laborers had been abstaining from work since Dec. 29 while protesting for November paychecks they are still yet to receive.The company blamed the closures on "current market instability ... inadequacy of raw materials and inadequate work orders."That same day, the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh filed two cases against Keya Group owner Abdul Khaleque Pathan and some bankers for allegedly misappropriating 5.3 billion taka ($43.5 million) by obtaining loans through abuses of power.The Keya Group workers will join tens of thousands of others who in 2024 lost their jobs as more than 100 apparel and other factories either shut their doors or halted operations.According to a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), 44 apparel factories, where about 20,000 workers had been employed, were shut in the first seven months of last year.In August, after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted by a popular uprising, factory closures accelerated, with an additional 32 factories employing 31,400 going out of business due to gas supply problems, a lack of support from banks and labor unrest.The jobs toll would be greater if factory closures in the knitwear, textile and other sectors were included.The Beximco Group, one of the largest Bangladeshi conglomerates, owned by the family of Salman F Rahman, a former aide to Hasina, in mid-December declared layoffs at its 15 factories, citing a "lack of work in factories." Some 40,000 workers were impacted when the layoffs took effect from Dec. 16.Rahman is now languishing in jail on attempted murder allegations stemming from his attempt to flee when Hasina’s regime fell, police say. His companies have over $4.1 billion in unpaid loans from 16 banks and seven nonbank financial institutions.The S Alam Group, owned by Mohammed Saiful Alam, another close associate of Hasina, in late December said it would lay off employees at nine factories, alleging banks were uncooperative when it came to opening letters of credit for importing raw materials. Saiful Alam fled to Singapore after Hasina fell.According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey published on Jan. 5, Bangladesh had 176,000 more unemployed people during the July-September quarter of 2024 than it did in the year-earlier period. At the end of September, the number of unemployed people stood at 2.66 million.The South Asian nation’s economy is spiraling due to slow economic growth and factory closures. Its gross domestic product expanded 1.8% in the July-September period, down from over 6% in the year-earlier period, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics."We see a link between the factory closures and the current macroeconomic scenario of the country," said Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, a Dhaka-based think tank.With slower GDP growth, factories produce less and then find themselves with too many workers, he said.According to Moazzem, the manufacturing sector grew 1.4% in July-September, down from more than 10% in the year-earlier period. In the service sector, growth waned to 1.5% compared to 5.1%.Moazzem said large factories could survive with government subsidies but small and midsize plants face severe challenges to remaining in business.Moazzem added that due to the near collapse of the country’s banking sector, factories are facing difficulties obtaining capital and are not receiving adequate support to import raw materials due to the country’s paltry foreign currency reserves."The situation is very worrisome," he told Nikkei Asia. "We are heading towards a socially alarming situation."Faruque Hassan, a former president of the BGMEA, said some factories have been forced to close by banking-related problems, buyers canceling orders and other financial roadblocks."We have challenges and many big problems," he said, noting the deteriorating law and order situation, labor unrest, management problems, and inadequate supplies of gas and electricity.Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association, blamed factory closures on workers’ illogical demands, foreign buyers’ lowball tactics and banks’ inability to cooperate with new lending.He told Nikkei Asia that when buyers hold up a big payment, many small and midsize factories fall into difficulties they cannot recover from.He said many factory owners have also been forced to halt operations due to labor unrest as workers seek higher wages.Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity, said a good number of factories closed or halted operations last year in the major industrial belt of Ashulia, Gazipur and Naraynaganj."The workers face immediate impact when factories close," she told Nikkei Asia. "They live hand-to-mouth. Job loss means they starve as they don’t have money to buy food."We don’t want the present trend of factory closures to continue for a long period."Akter herself was a child laborer.With their businesses in dire straits, owners on Sunday demanded the government come forward with support.Anwar-Ul Alam Chowdhury, president of the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries, led a delegation that met with central bank Gov. Ahsan H. Mansur.The delegation’s demands included a relaxation of loan classification rules, faster disbursement of cash incentives, an exit policy for companies failing to operate profitably and lower interest rates for manufacturing industries. The delegation also requested long-term financing and that economic zone benefits be extended to existing factories. Sri Lanka seeks to navigate China-India rivalry and emerge from its economic crisis (AP)
AP [1/15/2025 5:36 AM, Ken Moritsugu and Bharatha Mallawarachi, 21617K, Neutral]
Sri Lanka’s Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday, a month after visiting India on his first overseas trip since winning election in September.The support of the two regional powerhouses — and rivals — is crucial for Sri Lanka to emerge from its worst economic crisis in decades, which led to political upheaval and paved the way for Dissanayake to come to power.China was once seen as having the upper hand in Sri Lanka through its huge loans and infrastructure investments. While China remains the country’s largest bilateral lender, Sri Lanka’s economic collapse provided an opportunity for India, which stepped in with massive financial and material assistance including food, fuel and medicines.For years, China has been trying to expand its influence in Sri Lanka, an island off India’s southeast coast that the government in New Delhi considers part of its strategic backyard. Dissanayake’s visit to the Chinese capital can be seen as an effort to navigate the rivalry between India and China, which his party traditionally has leaned toward.In New Delhi last month, Dissanayake met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he would not allow Sri Lanka to be used in “a manner that is detrimental to the interest of India.”Sri Lanka declared bankruptcy in April 2022 and suspended payments on $83 billion in domestic and foreign loans as a foreign exchange crisis led to severe shortages of food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas, along with hours-long power cuts.China’s support is vital for Sri Lanka to restructure its external debt. China accounts for about 10% of Sri Lanka’s loans, more than Japan or the Asian Development Bank.Sri Lanka borrowed heavily from China over the past decade for infrastructure projects including a shipping port, airport and a city being built on reclaimed land. The projects failed to earn enough revenue to pay off the loans, and Sri Lanka leased the port in Hambantota to a state-owned Chinese company in 2017.The country’s crisis was largely the result of economic mismanagement combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, which along with terrorist attacks in 2019 devastated its tourism industry. The pandemic also disrupted the flow of money sent home by Sri Lankans working abroad. Central Asia
Kazakh Jailed For 4.5 Years For Fighting In Ukraine (Agence France-Presse)
Agence France-Presse [1/14/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 1.4M, Neutral]
A Kazakhstan court on Tuesday sentenced a man to more than four years in prison for fighting alongside Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in Ukraine.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has rattled its allies in Central Asia, where ex-Soviet states have urged their citizens not to join the war effort.
A court in the city of Saptayev, in the central Ulytau region of the massive country, said it sentenced the man to 4.5 years for the "premeditated and illegal participation in a conflict in a foreign country" during 2022 and 2023.
Several Central Asians have been jailed for fighting for Russia, which has tried to recruit migrants as the conflict has dragged on.
The court, which did not identify the man or give any detail about his background, said he had been motivated by ideology to join Wagner group in autumn 2022.
The mercenary group was dismantled in 2023 after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin rebelled against the Kremlin and died in a plane crash months later.
The court said the Kazakh citizen had "committed a serious crime against peace and the security of humanity".
It said he was paid around 240,000 rubles (around 3,800 euros at the exchange rate at the time) for fighting in an artillery unit.
He returned to Kazakhstan at the end of July 2023 after the failed Wagner rebellion.
The court’s statement on the decision was more detailed than is the norm in Central Asia, where information is tightly controlled.
Kazakhstan, a close Russian ally, has not recognised Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea or its claim to four eastern Ukrainian regions. Indo-Pacific
How rising India-Bangladesh tension sparked visa crisis (Deutsche Welle)
Deutsche Welle [1/14/2025 8:10 AM, Murali Krishnan, 13448K, Neutral]
Ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh have led to significant scaling back of visas and appointment slots for Bangladeshi nationals seeking to travel to India.
Following political unrest and the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, Indian visa centers across Bangladesh were closed indefinitely for security reasons.
In September, over 20,000 Bangladeshi passports were returned following the suspension of visa services by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka in the wake of widespread protests.
Impact on students and medical tourism
Since January, five visa centers in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna have been operational but only process emergency and humanitarian applications.
According to estimates from visa centers, daily visa appointments have dropped from over 7,000 to 500-700, with no clear indication when the situation will stabilize.
India offers 15 categories of visa to Bangladesh, which includes "urgent service."."We are constantly monitoring the situation and as it normalizes, we will begin our full-fledged visa operations," a foreign ministry official told DW.
Other officials told DW, on condition of anonymity, that proper issuance of visa services will be on hold for the moment.
Strained relations
Tensions between India and Bangladesh have escalated further in recent days, chiefly over border management issues.
Following allegations that India was planning to construct fences at five locations along the border, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma was summoned by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
India responded by summoning Bangladesh’s Acting High Commissioner Md. Nural Islam and reaffirmed that its border security measures were in line with existing agreements.
The standoff has disrupted travel, sparking significant cancellations and drops in bookings.
Medical tourism impacted
The ongoing socio-political unrest has also taken its toll on medical tourism. Many Bangladeshis travel to India for medical treatment. A liberalized visa process also allowed for medical attendant visas, allowing patients to bring family or friends with them.
CareEdge Ratings, a knowledge-based analytical group, notes a decline in the number of Bangladeshi patients at major Indian hospitals, with some reporting drops of 25% to 40%.
Fewer Bangladeshi medical tourists have travelled to major cities like Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru.
The restrictions have significantly impacted thousands of Bangladeshi patients who depend on India’s cost-effective medical services. Many have sought alternative treatment options in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Turkey.
"Restrictions in mobility between countries are often the fallout of political disagreement. India and Bangladesh will need to get into an extended dialogue to address the multiple issues that have arisen with the change of government in Bangladesh," Ajay Bisaria, a former envoy to Pakistan, told DW.
"Ultimately, it is about rebuilding trust. These are easily reversible problems, but some give and take, dialogue and negotiation would be required to promote mobility and ease the visa regime in 2025," said Bisaria.
Students face logistical problems
In addition, Bangladeshi students hoping to study in European countries like Finland, Romania, and the Czech Republic are currently impeded by the visa processing issues.
Many of these countries do not maintain embassies in Bangladesh, forcing students to travel to India for visa application submission and identity authentication.
This requirement has become a logistical nightmare, with many students are unable to secure Indian visas.
Over 1,500 Bangladeshi students have received university offer letters but are stuck in limbo, unable to complete their visa applications on time.
During a meeting with EU diplomats in December, Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, urged European countries to relocate their visa centers from New Delhi to Dhaka or to another neighboring country. Twitter
Afghanistan
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[1/14/2025 11:29 PM, 247.4K followers, 41 retweets, 98 likes]
A woman who escaped the Taliban and sought refuge in Pakistan says police target women and children, harassing them to arrest and deport them back to Afghanistan. https://x.com/i/status/1879385517248393689
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[1/14/2025 11:19 PM, 247.4K followers, 52 retweets, 194 likes]
At least two rallies are being organized by Afghan diaspora men in the UK and Canada to support the men’s cricket team. But when was the last time these same men rallied for Afghan women—banned by the Taliban from sports, work, travel, and even talking to each other? Priorities!
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[1/14/2025 5:22 PM, 5.4K followers, 4 retweets, 9 likes]
Afghan citizens who fled the country with American assistance after the US’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan remain stranded in third countries, new documents shared exclusively with the Guardian suggest, some at prison-like facilities: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/14/evacuees-us-withdrawal-afghanistan
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[1/14/2025 11:23 AM, 5.4K followers, 12 retweets, 23 likes]
Afghan-French journalist Mortaza Behboudi, freed after 7 months in Taliban captivity, revealed that he was tortured with electric shocks, forced injections, & had his teeth pulled out. He endured daily abuse during the first three months. He is one brave journalists in France.
Jahanzeb Wesa@Jahanzeb_Wesa
[1/14/2025 8:22 AM, 5.4K followers, 8 retweets, 14 likes]
Reports from Daikundi province reveal that Taliban have closed two educational centers for girls and women in Khadi &Sang Takht districts, arresting their officials. This is yet another assault on women’s right to education in Afghanistan. #LetAfghanGirlsLearn #WomenRights #HRW Pakistan
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[1/14/2025 10:08 AM, 3.1M followers, 14 retweets, 38 likes]
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs the Federal Cabinet Meeting, today in Islamabad.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[1/14/2025 9:24 AM, 3.1M followers, 13 retweets, 33 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting regarding the IT sector.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[1/14/2025 9:10 AM, 3.1M followers, 4 retweets, 21 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Energy.
Government of Pakistan@GovtofPakistan
[1/14/2025 5:12 AM, 3.1M followers, 10 retweets, 16 likes]
Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting regarding Prime Minister’s Youth Program.
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[1/15/2025 12:48 AM, 6.7M followers, 245 retweets, 526 likes]
We welcome the World Bank’s pledge of $20 billion under its 1st-ever 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Pakistan. While focusing on six key areas, including child nutrition, quality education, clean energy, climate resilience, inclusive development, and private investment, CPF reflects our national priorities, as envisioned in our Home Grown Economic Transformation Plan. I deeply appreciate the efforts of General Asim Munir and my colleagues who have worked day and night to strengthen Pakistan’s foundation for such transformative partnerships.CPF reflects the World Bank’s confidence in Pakistan’s economic resilience and potential. We look forward to strengthening our partnership as we align our efforts for creating lasting opportunities for our people.
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[1/15/2025 2:15 AM, 75.3K followers, 1 retweet, 12 likes] #Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif all set to undertake his first visit abroad this year starting next month -- PM will visit the UAE for the World Government Summit from 11th to 13th February where he will also hold talks with UAE leadership and do sideline interactions
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[1/14/2025 9:58 AM, 75.3K followers, 161 retweets, 1K likes]
Second in command of the Bangladesh Army, lt Gen Kamar ul Hasan, visits Pakistan and meets Pak Army Chief Gen Asim Munir at the General Head Quarters of Pak military in Rawalpindi. #Pakistan #Bangladesh India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/15/2025 1:44 AM, 104.7M followers, 678 retweets, 3.8K likes]
On Thiruvalluvar Day, we remember one of our land’s greatest philosophers, poets, and thinkers, the great Thiruvalluvar. His verses reflect the essence of Tamil culture and our philosophical heritage. His teachings emphasize righteousness, compassion, and justice. His timeless work, the Tirukkural, stands as a beacon of inspiration, offering profound insights on a wide range of issues. We will continue to work hard to fulfil his vision for our society.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/15/2025 12:59 AM, 104.7M followers, 1.6K retweets, 7.3K likes]
The commissioning of three frontline naval combatants underscores India’s unwavering commitment to building a robust and self-reliant defence sector. Watch LIVE from Mumbai.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/14/2025 10:13 PM, 104.7M followers, 3.8K retweets, 21K likes]
Today, on Army Day, we salute the unwavering courage of the Indian Army, which stands as the sentinel of our nation’s security. We also remember the sacrifices made by the bravehearts who ensure the safety of crores of Indians every day. @adgpi
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/14/2025 10:13 PM, 104.7M followers, 401 retweets, 1K likes]
The Indian Army epitomises determination, professionalism and dedication. In addition to safeguarding our borders, our Army has made a mark in providing humanitarian help during natural disasters.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/14/2025 10:13 PM, 104.7M followers, 394 retweets, 1K likes]
Our government is committed to the welfare of the armed forces and their families. Over the years, we have introduced several reforms and focused on modernisation. This will continue in the times to come.Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[1/14/2025 6:12 AM, 104.7M followers, 3.2K retweets, 21K likes]
Compliments to the India Meteorological Department on completing 150 glorious years. They have a pivotal role in national progress. Took part in the programme at Bharat Mandapam to mark this special occasion.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[1/14/2025 9:50 PM, 26.3M followers, 399 retweets, 1.5K likes]
On Army Day, I extend my greetings to the Indian Army personnel, veterans and their families. Your unwavering commitment to safeguarding sovereignty of the nation and ensuring national security is an inspiration for all. The nation remembers with gratitude, the countless sacrifices you have made in service of the motherland. Your humanitarian work during crises and disasters is a testament to your kindness and compassion. May your extraordinary valour and courage continue to inspire generations to come!
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[1/15/2025 1:43 AM, 26.3M followers, 50 retweets, 526 likes]
Governor of Manipur, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President of India@rashtrapatibhvn
[1/15/2025 1:44 AM, 26.3M followers, 138 retweets, 1.4K likes]
Governor of Bihar, Shri Arif Mohammed Khan called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. NSB
Jon Danilowicz@JonFDanilowicz
[1/14/2025 9:09 AM, 12.1K followers, 26 retweets, 144 likes]
Bangladesh’s interim government and the political parties and other stakeholders will soon enter into negotiations centered on the issues of reform and timing of elections. It is important that this next phase not simply represent elite interests. There is scope for an agreement that satisfies the interests of all who want to help build a new Bangladesh. Debate and discussion at this time is healthy and all voices should be heard.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[1/15/2025 1:53 AM, 144.2K followers, 7 retweets, 72 likes]
I had the pleasure of visiting the exhibition on the history of the Communist Party of China during my state visit. Grateful to President Xi for the invitation. Exploring the historic Prince Kung’s Palace and paying tribute at the Mao Zedong Memorial was a privilege. Central Asia
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/14/2025 11:09 AM, 210.2K followers, 3 retweets, 11 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev met with leaders of @AmeaPower, @M42Health and @IFFCOGROUP to discuss acceleration of projects in wind farms, energy storage, petrochemicals, and new initiatives in genomics, and food production.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/14/2025 7:53 AM, 210.2K followers, 2 retweets, 10 likes]
Address by the President of the Republic of #Uzbekistan🇺🇿 Shavkat #Mirziyoyev at the summit of the @ADSWagenda https://president.uz/en/lists/view/7814
Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Press-service@president_uz
[1/14/2025 7:20 AM, 210.2K followers, 5 retweets, 17 likes]
President Shavkat #Mirziyoyev addressed the @ADSWagenda summit, attended by global leaders, international and financial institutions. Key proposals included fostering collaboration for sustainable growth, harnessing Central Asia’s renewable energy and "green" hydrogen potential.
Saida Mirziyoyeva@SMirziyoyeva
[1/14/2025 9:38 AM, 21.3K followers, 8 retweets, 59 likes]
Tashkent Presidential School won the “Global High Schools” category of the Sheikh Zayed Sustainability Prize for a rainwater recycling project. Out of 5,980 entries, their success was honored in Abu Dhabi by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. A proud moment for Uzbekistan!
Bakhtiyor Saidov@FM_Saidov
[1/14/2025 10:11 AM, 12.9K followers, 2 retweets, 10 likes]
During the Sustainable Development Week Summit in #AbuDhabi, @President_Uz H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev:- Emphasized the importance of transitioning to sustainable development, focusing on a green economy and regional interconnectedness for global security;- Declared 2025 as the Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy in #Uzbekistan, highlighting the country’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and implementing green technologies;- Announced plans to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 54% by #2030, with $20 billion invested in the energy sector over the past five years, and the construction of 14 solar and wind power plants;- Stressed the significance of regional cooperation, particularly with the #UAE, #Kazakhstan, and #Azerbaijan, for the development of green energy and energy interconnection, including plans for exporting green energy to #Europe;- Highlighted #Uzbekistan’s vast potential for solar, wind, and hydro energy, and expressed readiness to partner with foreign investors for the production of green hydrogen and other sustainable energy projects in Central Asia;- Called for active scientific cooperation and the establishment of an International Research Network on land degradation and desertification, involving global research centers and experts;- Noted the significant progress in #Uzbekistan’s efforts to introduce resource-saving technologies in agriculture, with plans for full implementation of water-saving technologies in the sector;- Announced a national goal to green at least 30% of urban areas under the “#YashilMakon” program, alongside initiatives to improve environmental sustainability in rural areas;- Underlined #Uzbekistan’s commitment to reducing #greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030, with the implementation of national systems for monitoring emissions and emissions trading schemes;- Proposed the establishment of a regional hub for implementing water-saving technologies and the creation of a genetic resource bank for plants as part of efforts to combat climate change in the region.{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.