SCA MORNING PRESS CLIPS
Prepared for the U.S. Department of State
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
TO: | SCA & Staff |
DATE: | Friday, May 30, 2025 6:30 AM ET |
Afghanistan
State Department notifies Congress of reorganization plan with bigger staff and program cuts (Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles Times [5/29/2025 4:37 PM, Farnoush Amiri, Matthew Lee and Rebecca Santana, 14672K]
The State Department on Thursday notified Congress of an updated reorganization of the massive agency, proposing cuts to programs beyond what had been revealed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a steeper 18% reduction of staff in the U.S.
The planned changes, detailed in a notification letter obtained by the Associated Press, reflect the Trump administration’s push to reshape American diplomacy and scale back the size of the federal government. The restructuring has been driven in part by the need to find a new home for the remaining functions of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which Trump administration officials and the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency have dismantled.
The proposal includes an even higher reduction of domestic staff than the 15% initially floated in April. The department is also planning to eliminate some divisions tasked with oversight of America’s two-decade involvement in Afghanistan, including an office focused on resettling Afghan nationals who worked alongside the U.S. military.
The letter sent to Congress by the State Department notes that the reorganization will affect more than 300 bureaus and offices, saying it’s eliminating divisions it describes as doing unclear or overlapping work and that Rubio believes "effective modern diplomacy requires streamlining this bloated bureaucracy.".
The document is clear that the reorganization is also intended to eliminate programs — particularly those related to refugees and immigration, as well as human rights and democracy promotion — that the Trump administration believes have become ideologically driven in a way that is incompatible with its priorities and policies.
"These offices, which have proven themselves prone to ideological capture and radicalism, will be either eliminated, with their statutory functions realigned elsewhere in the department, or restructured to better reflect their appropriate scope and the administration’s foreign policy priorities," the notification says.
The reorganization notes USAID’s dismantlement and the shifting of some of its work to the State Department, particularly under a vastly restructured Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. PRM, as it is known, will be responsible for U.S. international disaster relief operations that had been tasked to USAID.
Under the new plan, PRM also will shift from facilitating migration into the United States to focusing on migrants targeted for deportation and "supporting the administration’s efforts to return illegal aliens to their country of origin or legal status," the notification said.
The bureau "will also actively facilitate the voluntary return of migrants to their country of origin or legal status," it said.
Another office tasked with human rights issues and refugees also is being renamed and having its focus shifted to reflect an emphasis on border security issues.
The bureaus set to be cut include the Office of Global Women’s Issues and the State Department’s diversity and inclusion efforts, which have been eliminated governmentwide under Trump. The letter says the women’s issues office is being eliminated to "ensure that promoting women’s rights and empowerment is a priority across the full scope of the Department’s diplomatic engagement.".
Efforts to cut the department’s Afghan programs received immediate backlash from veterans groups and advocates who have spent the last 3½ years since the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan working to resettle and integrate Afghans into life in the U.S.
"This is not streamlining," said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and head of #AfghanEvac. "This is deliberate dismantling.".
CARE, which stands for the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, was created in October 2021 in the aftermath of the withdrawal. The office was designed to help Afghans, such as interpreters who aided the U.S. military, who were eligible for resettlement in the U.S. due to their work helping America during the war.
The State Department notification says its work will be "realigned" to the Afghanistan Affairs Office.
Over time, CARE was credited with streamlining visa and immigration processes that many people helping Afghans and Iraqis, who benefited from similar resettlement programs, said were overly bureaucratic, opaque and left at-risk Afghans waiting for far too long on programs specifically intended to help them.In December, then-President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included a provision authorizing the CARE office for three years, but since President Donald Trump took office, concerns have cast a cloud over the office’s future.
"Eliminating it — without public explanation, transition planning, or reaffirmation of mission — is a profound betrayal of American values and promises," VanDiver added. State Department Plans to Close Office That Aids Afghan Refugees (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [5/29/2025 6:25 PM, Hadriana Lowenkron, 111K]
The US State Department has notified Congress that it will shut down the office that helped resettle Afghan refugees who assisted the American war effort, provoking an outcry from nonprofit groups that helped evacuate people when the Taliban retook control of the country in 2021.The elimination of the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts was disclosed in a letter to Congress outlining efforts to reorganize the department. A copy of the document was seen by Bloomberg News. The office’s functions will be “realigned” to the Afghanistan Affairs Office and the role of special representative for Afghan reconstruction will also be eliminated.The changes are part of a broader plan that will also include cuts to the federal workforce in the wake of a larger dismantling of the US government under President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency program, and will take place by July 1, according to the notification. More than 300 offices will be reorganized “to refocus on core US foreign policy objectives and the needs of contemporary diplomacy.”
“The planned changes are also reflective of the administration’s and secretary’s broader efforts to streamline government functions, eliminate redundancy, and enhance accountability,” according to the letter.The CARE Office, established by the Biden administration after the fall of the Afghan government in 2021, houses Enduring Welcome, a resettlement program that has bipartisan support in Congress. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers had written to Trump urging him not to dismantle the office.The State Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday evening.Trump has sought to drastically curtail migration to America. He has already paused funding for refugee resettlement, making it difficult to resettle Afghans who have received approval to come to the US but lack the means to travel.“The CARE Office was established to fix the failures of the US withdrawal,” Shawn VanDiver, a veteran and president of AfghanEvac, a nonprofit organization that helps resettle Afghan allies, said in a statement. “Eliminating it — without public explanation, transition planning, or reaffirmation of mission — is a profound betrayal of American values and promises.” Afghans in Kentucky fear for future after Trump strips deportation protections (Reuters)
Reuters [5/29/2025 6:16 AM, Amira Karaoud, 121822K]
Afghan asylum-seeker Wazir Khan Zadran and his family arrived in Kentucky nearly four years ago as the U.S. military withdrew from his country. Now, he worries about the future of his children, especially his girls, if they are forced to return to Afghanistan.
The Trump administration said it will end Temporary Protected Status for Afghans in July - raising the threat of being sent back to Afghanistan, where the Taliban rule according to Islamic law, if their asylum case is unsuccessful.
"The future of children is bright here and they can study here, they can have a good future here. If we go back to my country, they are not good, especially for the girls," Zadran said. "They cannot go to school, they cannot go to university, they can do nothing. So, I hope they will do some things for the refugees of Afghanistan.".
Zadran was a tribal leader who fought 20 years ago against the Haqqani network, a powerful faction within the Taliban. He and his family were picked up in a helicopter by Americans in 2021 and taken to the Kabul airport for travel to the U.S.
His oldest daughter Zuleikha is now preparing for college next year, but without permanent status in the U.S., the risk of deportation looms over her. The Zadrans’ asylum application is pending, which means they can remain in the U.S. until a final decision is made on their case.
TPS is available to people already in the U.S. who cannot return to their home countries due to armed conflicts, natural disasters or other extraordinary events. The Trump administration has moved to terminate the status for some 14,600 Afghans as well as hundreds of thousands from Venezuela and other nations.
"I discuss with my girls that you are lucky that you are here, that you are going to school, then you will finish school and go to college," Zadran said.
"But if we were in Afghanistan, they will not have this right. Their future will be dark. But, in my country, the future of girls is so dark, it’s so bad for them.".
The Taliban administration has barred girls over the age of 12 from school and women from university and has placed restrictions on women from traveling long distances without a male guardian. The Taliban says it respects women’s rights in line with its interpretation of Islamic law.
Zuleikha Zadran is happy she has graduated from high school and is heading to college with a scholarship, despite her fears.
"Lately, I have been worried because people are saying that those without documents might be deported," she said.
"I am scared that it will make my future dark, but even with that fear, I am proud of what I have achieved. And I am full of hope for what’s ahead.".
Afghans in the U.S. can still request asylum, the Trump administration says.
"Although TPS was terminated as required by law, any Afghan who fears persecution is able to request asylum," said Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, adding that those with TPS revoked can apply for financial assistance to get resettled elsewhere.‘REALLY WORRIED’
More than 70,000 Afghans entered the U.S. under former President Joe Biden’s ‘Operation Allies Welcome’ initiative following the Taliban takeover in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Over 300 settled in Bowling Green, an agricultural and manufacturing city that has received refugees over the decades from Cambodians to Bosnians to Congolese.
Unlike some other immigrant communities, Afghan families in Bowling Green aren’t looking back - their investments and dreams are firmly rooted in the U.S.
One such family, the Habibis, bought a house here. Wahida Habibi speaks fluent English, has a wide circle of friends locally, works at a bakery with her husband and two years ago gave birth to a baby boy.
Zadran, meanwhile, works at a car dealership and is learning the business with the goal of opening his own soon. His main complaint is only that legal status cannot come fast enough - he initially thought that would happen in less than a year.
"And the last three years … I was like what’s going on?" said Zadran.
Shawn VanDiver, the founder of #AfghanEvac, the main coalition of veterans and advocacy groups that coordinated resettlements of Afghans with the U.S. government, said Republicans need to stand up to Trump so that Afghans are not forced to return a country where their lives are in danger.
"The Taliban hasn’t changed. The threats haven’t changed," he said. "The only thing that has changed is the guy who sits behind the Resolute Desk.".
People who worked with the Afghans on resettlement said the fear is palpable.
"The immigrant community, and especially the Afghans who have resettled a couple of years ago are really worried with all that’s going on with immigration," said Albert Mbanfu, executive director of the International Center of Kentucky which helps resettle refugees.
Another Afghan asylum-seeker, Mohamed Azizi, said he is stressed.
"We worry because right now the situation in my country is so bad and we worry about going back and starting life from the beginning," said Azizi. Pakistan
200 Miles of Sublime Pain on a Hindu Pilgrimage in Pakistan (New York Times)
New York Times [5/30/2025 4:02 AM, Zia ur-Rehman, 121822K]
When Amar Faqira’s 3-year-old son abruptly lost movement in his foot last year, doctors offered little hope, and panic gripped his family.Mr. Faqira made a vow. If his prayers were answered and the boy recovered, he would make a 200-mile pilgrimage through blistering plains and jagged terrain to the Hinglaj Devi temple, a site sacred to Hindus, a tiny minority in Pakistan.The child regained strength a year later. And true to his word, Mr. Faqira set off in late April on a seven-day walk to the temple, which is nestled deep in the rust-colored mountains of Balochistan, a remote and restive province in Pakistan’s southwest.The goddess “heard me and healed my son,” Mr. Faqira said before the trek, as he gathered with friends and family in his neighborhood in Karachi, a metropolis on the coast of the Arabian Sea. “Why shouldn’t I fulfill my vow and endure a little pain for her joy?”With that sense of gratitude, Mr. Faqira and two companions, wearing saffron head scarves and carrying a ceremonial flag, joined thousands of others on the grueling journey to Hinglaj Devi, where Pakistan’s largest annual Hindu festival is held.Along a winding highway and sun-scorched desert paths, groups of resolute pilgrims — mostly men but also women and children — trudged beneath the unforgiving sky, in heat that reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit, or 45 degrees Celsius. Some bore idols of the deity associated with the temple. All chanted “Jai Mata Di,” a call meaning “Hail the Mother Goddess.”The pilgrimage is an act of spiritual devotion and cultural preservation. Pakistan’s Hindus number about 4.4 million and make up less than 2 percent of the country’s population, which is more than 96 percent Muslim. Hindus are often treated as second-class citizens, systemically discriminated against in housing, jobs and access to government welfare.For many, the pilgrimage to Hinglaj Devi is comparable in significance to the hajj in Islam, a once-in-a-lifetime obligation of faith. The yearning to make the journey is also strong among Hindus in India, especially in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, though it has long been very difficult for Indians to receive visas to travel to Pakistan. Those states, which border Pakistan, have deep spiritual links to Hinglaj Devi that are rooted in traditions predating the 1947 partition that divided the two countries.The three-day festival is traditionally held in mid-April. But it was rescheduled this year to early May because of heightened security concerns, after separatist militants in the region hijacked a passenger train in March. The festival also unfolded amid renewed tensions between Pakistan and India. On April 22, a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 26 people, all but one of them Hindu tourists.For much of the 20th century, the Hinglaj Devi temple remained obscure and inaccessible, even to many Pakistani Hindus. The pilgrimage gained momentum only in the 1990s, when efforts by Hindu groups to institutionalize the site began, gradually increasing its visibility.A transformative shift came in the early 2000s with the construction of the Makran Coastal Highway, which links the rest of Pakistan to the Chinese-operated Gwadar deep-sea port. Cutting through rugged terrain along the Arabian Sea, the highway brought unprecedented access to the temple.For the first time, it was possible to make the bulk of the journey by car or bus, taking some of the sweat out of the endeavor.“Some of the spiritual intensity has faded — hardship was once central to the sacred experience,” said Jürgen Schaflechner, an academic at Freie Universität Berlin and the author of a book about the temple.Still, thousands continue to make the journey by foot. They are considered the more spiritually devoted.“The real pilgrimage is in the pain, the feeling,” Mr. Faqira, the devotee from Karachi, said on the fourth day of his trek. “You cannot find it in a vehicle."One of his two companions collapsed from heat exhaustion after walking nearly 70 miles and had to return home by bus. Mr. Faqira carried on, his feet blistered and bandaged.Each pilgrim walks with a personal vow.Minakshi, who goes by one name, was part of a group of women dressed in yellow and red. She undertook the journey to ask the goddess for a son after bearing three daughters. Holding her 8-month-old, with her mother-in-law by her side, she shielded the child from the dust and heat.“I believe the goddess will hear me,” she said.Nearby, 60-year-old Raj Kumari was making her seventh pilgrimage, praying for her grandson’s well-being. Also on the trek was a childless couple, married since 2018, who were hoping for divine intervention in starting a family.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTMany pilgrims belong to marginalized lower-caste Hindu groups — landless sharecroppers or daily wage laborers. Those who can afford the $11 fare ride inside a bus. The poorest pay $5 to sit on the roof in the blistering sun.Maharaj, who goes by one name and is in his 60s, was feeding his grandson beside a river as he recalled making the pilgrimage in the early 1990s — seven punishing weeks across 300 miles of desert, with the “constant fear of bandits and snakes.”
“But every painful step brought us closer to the goddess,” he said.According to Hindu mythology, the Hinglaj Devi temple is one of the sites where the remains of Sati, a goddess of marital devotion and longevity, fell to earth after her self-immolation.For many of the faithful, the pilgrimage begins at a sacred mud volcano rising from the barren landscape near the Makran Coastal Highway. Pilgrims disembark from buses to undertake a symbolic trek across rocky terrain, marking the spiritual start of their journey.Newly built steps and pathways make the volcano site more accessible. At the summit, devotees toss coconuts and rose petals into the bubbling crater to seek divine permission to proceed. Many also smear volcanic clay on their faces and bodies, a ritual of purification and spiritual resolve.The next stage takes pilgrims to the Hingol River for a ritual bath, often compared to bathing in the sacred Ganges in India. From there, they continue 28 miles to the Hinglaj Devi temple, set within a natural cave.The complex houses four shrines, the most revered being the Nani Mandir. Inside, flickering lights, marigold garlands and rhythmic chants create an atmosphere of devotion. Adherents believe that participating in the festival absolves them of all sins.After reaching the shrines, devotees complete the pilgrimage with an arduous, hourslong trek across seven mountains, before returning to the temple to pray. To escape the blistering heat, some walked at night, lighting the path with mobile phones.Many attribute the festival’s growing prominence to the influence of large-scale Hindu gatherings in India, including the Kumbh Mela, which is amplified by the widespread reach of social media and Indian religious television streamed online.“In Pakistan, many Hindus have long been disconnected from their spiritual roots,” said Mahendra Dev, a Pakistani university student from the Thar Desert near the border with India. “Digital platforms have helped us rediscover our heritage.”For him, the revival is not just spiritual; it is also an act of cultural resistance against attempts to erase Pakistani Hindus’ identity.“It will help in pushing back against decades of efforts, starting with British colonial rule, to convert our poor communities to other faiths, whether Islam, Christianity or Sikhism,” he said.After making the long pilgrimage, Mr. Faqira reunited with his family, including his young son, who arrived at the temple by bus.“I always dreamed of walking here,” he said. “The pain means nothing. What matters is that the goddess listens to my prayers.” 2 police officers, 4 Pakistani Taliban killed in a rare raid in Pakistan-held Kashmir (AP)
AP [5/29/2025 2:24 PM, Ishfaq Hussain, 121822K]
Security forces acting on intelligence raided a militant hideout in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, triggering a shootout that left two police officers and four Pakistani Taliban fighters dead, police said Thursday.The overnight raid was carried out in the Rawalakot district, according to Abdul Jabbar, the police chief in Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and India and claimed in full by both countries in its entirety.Jabbar said the killed militants were members of the Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP and are allies of the Afghan Taliban. He alleged the TTP is acting as a proxy for India and said police thwarted an attempt by the insurgents to create a base for future attacks.There was no immediate response from New Delhi.In a separate shootout with insurgents, four soldiers and five Pakistani Taliban were killed in the northwestern North Waziristan district, the military said in a statement Thursday night.While Pakistani security forces frequently target TTP hideouts in the restive northwest and elsewhere, such operations in Kashmir are rare. TTP is a separate group and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.Many TTP leaders and fighters have since found sanctuary in Afghanistan. India
US Trade Team to Visit India Next Week, Official Says (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [5/29/2025 8:47 AM, Shruti Srivastava, 88K]
A team of US officials will visit New Delhi next week as the two nations work to hammer out an interim trade agreement before July 9, an Indian official said on Thursday.Trade negotiations between the countries are on track and a US team will be in the Indian capital from June 5-6 to continue discussions on a mutually beneficial deal, the official told reporters in New Delhi.The South Asian nation is currently in talks with US for a trade deal structured in three tranches and is aiming for an early pact by July, when President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are set to kick in. Following a visit to the US earlier this month, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that he had a constructive meeting with his counterpart Howard Lutnick.India is also studying the impact of the US court order on tariffs, the official said, asking not to be named citing rules.US President Donald Trump’s global tariffs were deemed illegal and blocked by the US trade court on Wednesday, dealing a major blow to a pillar of his economic agenda. U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum to feature Usha Vance and Howard Lutnick (Washington Examiner)
Washington Examiner [5/30/2025 2:09 AM, Staff, 1.9M]
The U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum will hold its eighth annual leadership summit on June 2 in Washington, D.C. The organization aims to fortify relationships between leaders from the U.S. and India by “enabling stakeholder dialogues, white papers, and specialized consultations.” This year’s event will spotlight Second Lady Usha Vance and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
A statement from the USISPF revealed that Vance will prominently host a fireside chat while Lutnick will deliver the event’s keynote address. “As the first Indian American in the role of Second Lady, Ms. Vance’s presence symbolizes the deepening partnership between the world’s oldest and largest democracies, and highlights the robust strength of the people-to-people ties,” the release noted about the vice president’s wife.
Lutnick will discuss the future of trade relations between the U.S. and India and how the two countries can benefit from economic cooperation opportunities now and in the future.“Secretary Lutnick will share his insights on strengthening the U.S.-India strategic and economic partnership to achieve the goal set by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi for $500 billion in bilateral trade,” read the statement about the leadership summit. “We are proud to welcome Secretary Lutnick, Second Lady Usha Vance and recognize exemplary business leaders who have strengthened the U.S.-India-Japan corridor,” said USISPF President and CEO Dr. Mukesh Aghi. “These three leading democracies — together representing well over $35 trillion—are united by a shared commitment to strengthening supply chains and upholding a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”
Aghi touted the previous cooperation between the U.S. and India, along with contributions from Japan, which paved the way for the alliance’s earlier work and will help lay the groundwork for future endeavors. “With Japan’s strength in advanced engineering manufacturing, India’s robust economic growth, demographic dividend and engineering talent, and the U.S. innovation economy and capital, this trilateral partnership is uniquely positioned to drive progress across critical sectors,” Aghi said. “This summit celebrates that shared vision and momentum.”
The event will also include conversations with two members of the U.S. Congress, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Rep. Rick McCormick (R-GA), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans. They will be joined by the Ambassador of India to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
HOW USHA VANCE CAN HELP MOTHERS
USISPF Chairman John Chambers enthusiastically touted the forum as an integral part of strengthening relations between India and the U.S.“USISPF was founded with the single goal of uniting the two most powerful and robust democracies,” said Chambers. “USISPF’s strength and reach reflect with the growth, dynamism, and optimism inherent in the U.S.-India strategic partnership. As the most prestigious summit in the U.S.-India corridor, the Leadership Summit brings together key policy and decision makers and private sector leaders to discuss their vision and way forward for bilateral partnership.” India says over 1,000 nationals deported by US since January (BBC)
BBC [5/30/2025 1:46 AM, Neyaz Farooquee, 65.5M]
More than a thousand Indians have "come back or [been] deported" from the United States since January, India’s foreign ministry has said.
Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that around 62% of them came on commercial flights, without providing more details.
This comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s campaign against undocumented migrants to the US. Trump had earlier said that India "will do what’s right" on the deportation of illegal migrants.
In February, the US had deported more than hundred Indians on a US military flight, with reports saying some of them were brought back shackled.
"We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues," Mr Jaiswal said during the ministry’s weekly briefing, adding that India verifies nationalities before "we take them back".
In total, the US is said to have identified about 18,000 Indian nationals it believes entered the country illegally.
Earlier this month, the US Embassy in India issued a warning that overstaying in the US could lead to deportation or a permanent ban on entry in the country, even for those who entered legally.
Mr Jaiswal also spoke about the Trump administration’s updated policy on student visas which is likely to impact Indian students planning to enrol in US universities.
The US had announced on Thursday that it had halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students as it considered expanding the screening of their social media activities.
"While we note that issuance of a visa is a sovereign function, we hope that the application of Indian students will be considered on merit, and they will be able to join their academic programs on time," Mr Jaiswal said.
Mr Jaiswal also said that 330,000 Indians students had gone to the US for studies in 2023-24 - which makes India the largest source of international students in the country.
On Thursday, expanding its new visa policy, the US further announced that it was working to "aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields". India Explores Partners Beyond US to Build Fighter Jet Engines (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [5/30/2025 1:22 AM, Sudhi Ranjan Sen, 5.5M]
India is engaging with manufacturers from at least three other countries for jointly making fighter jet engines, expanding its defense partnerships beyond the US as it seeks to close capability gaps amid rising regional tensions, according to people familiar with the matter.
The engines being considered are from the UK, France and Japan and India wants to start the project quickly, senior officials said, asking not to be named as discussions are private. The offers will be evaluated by the Defense Research and Development Organisation — India’s military research body —they added.
The London-based defense manufacturing giant Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC offered to jointly produce and transfer technology to India during a visit by senior defense ministry officials to the UK in April, according to one of the officials.
Talks with Safran SA also gathered momentum as the Paris-based aerospace company is open to transferring technology and sharing intellectual property rights, the people said.
Japan made a similar offer in May, they said, without indicating a possible partner.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart in New Delhi earlier this month, outlining potential areas of collaboration, including tank and aero engine development.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs, along with the defense ministries of both India and Japan, did not respond to requests for comment. The companies mentioned in the story also did not reply to queries.
The engines will power India’s twin-engine fighters that are under development, the people said, adding the Ministry of Defence will move to get government clearance soon.
India has been seeking to modernize its air force through the purchase of jet fighters from overseas and bringing production to within its borders through joint projects with leading weapons makers from abroad.
Earlier this week, India for the first time allowed domestic private firms to design and develop advanced warplanes to replace its aging, mostly Russian-made fleet.
The South Asian nation has also been in talks with Boston-based General Electric since 2023 to jointly make GE F414 engines but the talks are taking longer than expected. India had imposed penalties on GE last year for severe delays in the delivery of engines that power the country’s locally-made single-jet fighters.
India’s Air Force Chief AP Singh warned at an industry event Thursday that delays in procuring critical weapons pose a serious challenge to national defense readiness. “Not for a single project that I can think of that been completed on time,” he said, emphasizing the need for India to design, develop, and produce weapons domestically in sufficient numbers.
India’s push to manufacture jet engines reflects its broader effort to secure the supply chain for critical defense equipment — a major take away of the military from the war in Ukraine which is on its third year.
Joint manufacturing of jet engines with the US is part of a wider effort to deepen bilateral defense cooperation. India’s decision to look beyond Washington for critical technologies should not be seen as a sign of strained ties with the US, but rather as evidence of its focus on securing reliable supply chains.
Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to ramp up domestic defense production to reduce the costs of imports and generate jobs at home.
India is the world’s largest importer of arms, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, adding it has looked increasingly to purchase weapons from makers in the US and France. How does India benefit from early, ample monsoon rains? (Reuters)
Reuters [5/30/2025 4:03 AM, Rajendra Jadhav, 5.2M]
India’s weather office has forecast an above-average monsoon season for the second straight year in 2025, with the annual rains arriving at their earliest in 16 years.
The rains have spread to nearly half the country ahead of schedule, after hitting the coast of the southernmost state of Kerala on Saturday, or eight days earlier than usual.
WHY IS THE MONSOON CRUCIAL?
The monsoon brings about 70% of the annual rains in a nearly $4-trillion economy, to which agriculture, employing more than half of a population of 1.4 billion, contributes about 16%.
While the rains are vital for key crops such as rice, wheat, sugarcane, soybeans, and cotton, their influence affects the wider economy, fuelling overall growth while limiting food price inflation, and eventually, lending rates.
Bigger harvests could also ease export curbs on sugar, and allow greater exports of staples such as rice and onions. Conversely, drought requires food imports and export curbs.
Farmers earning more from larger crops tend to spend more on appliances and jewellery in the subsequent festival and wedding season, boosting consumption.
HOW ARE INFLATION AND CENTRAL BANK POLICY AFFECTED?
Food makes up nearly half of India’s consumer price index, closely watched by the central bank in deciding monetary policy. Rainfall above the average in 2024 helped rein in food prices, allowing the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to cut lending rates.
This year’s forecast of above-average monsoon rains will provide comfort to the RBI, which is likely to cut interest rates on June 6 for a third consecutive meeting and once more in August to speed growth.WHAT IS THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF EARLY ARRIVAL?
The early monsoons alleviated sweltering temperatures nationwide near the end of summer, when power utilities struggle to satisfy demand for more air-conditioning and irrigation of standing crops.
The sharp drop in temperatures cut electricity consumption, briefly pushing down prices to near zero on power exchanges.
Sales of cold drinks and ice creams also began tapering off nearly three weeks earlier than expected. The rain is replenishing reservoirs in southern and western India, allaying supply concerns at a time when water typically runs low.
WHICH CROPS WILL BENEFIT?
With the monsoon arriving nearly two weeks early in some areas, farmers will bring forward the sowing of crops such as paddy, cotton, soybean, and pulses. All crops will benefit from above-average rain, but more particularly thirsty ones such as rice and sugarcane.
Crop yields depend not only on the volume of rainfall but also its spread during the four-month season. Excessive rainfall or prolonged dry spells could crimp yields. NSB
Japan to give $1.06 billion to Bangladesh in budget support, Dhaka says (Reuters)
Reuters [5/30/2025 12:45 AM, Ruma Paul, 5.2M]
Japan will provide $1.063 billion in support to Bangladesh for budget assistance, railway upgrades and education, Dhaka said on Friday, as interim head Muhammad Yunus visits Tokyo to strengthen ties between the two countries.
The package includes $418 million as a development policy loan to Bangladesh to help with economic reforms and climate resilience, Yunus’ press office said in a statement.
Another $641 million will be used to upgrade a railway line while Japan will also provide $4.2 million in grants for scholarships for Bangladeshi students.
Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday met with Nobel Peace laureate Yunus, who took over as interim head of the South Asian country last August, after deadly student-led protests forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. Bangladesh recalls ambassador from Myanmar (Reuters)
Reuters [5/29/2025 9:57 AM, Andrew Cawthorne, 51390K]
Bangladesh has recalled its ambassador from Myanmar, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said on Thursday, after it acknowledged opening a communications line with a rebel army fighting its neighbour’s military junta.Monowar Hossain, who had been serving in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw since mid-2023, was told to return to Dhaka with immediate effect, said the official, describing it as an "administrative decision" without giving further reasons.Relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar have been strained by the Rohingya refugee crisis and border security concerns.A Myanmar junta spokesperson was not available for comment.More than 1.2 million Rohingya are sheltering in Bangladesh, with the U.N. warning that widespread hunger in western Rakhine state could trigger fresh displacement. Over 130,000 people are thought to have crossed in the past year, Bangladesh says.Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman said last week that Dhaka has opened informal communication channels with the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group active in Rakhine, to maintain border stability.Dhaka also remains engaged with the Myanmar junta to pursue a long-term solution to the Rohingya crisis, Rahman said, including potential support for a proposed U.N.-led humanitarian corridor in Rakhine.But Bangladesh’s army opposes that."The army will not be involved in any activity that compromises the country’s security," Colonel Shafiqul Islam, a senior Bangladesh army official, told reporters this week, of the aid plan. Bangladesh clothes sector hit by trade barriers, internal turmoil (Nikkei Asia)
Nikkei Asia [5/29/2025 11:13 PM, Kaniz Fatima, 1083K]
Double-digit growth in Bangladesh’s vital garments sector has put an unexpected gloss on an industry battling U.S. tariffs, Indian trade restrictions and continued domestic political upheaval -- a perfect storm of internal and external challenges that threatens to substantially crimp that expansion.The latest trade blow to the ready-made garments (RMG) sector, which accounts for about 80% of the country’s exports and provides employment to millions, came on May 17 when India imposed restrictions on the import of certain goods, including RMGs, at land ports. That move, made in response to a Bangladeshi ban on yarn imports through the same ports, affects approximately 42% of Bangladeshi exports to India and requires the slower and more expensive use of seaports.New Delhi had already halted a land transshipment facility in April, while the U.S. has added an extra 10% tariff -- with the threat that this may rise to 37% hanging over Bangladesh despite various legal challenges to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs."We are facing challenges both domestically and internationally," said Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). "The lack of adequate policy support, high bank interest rates, ongoing gas shortages, rising production costs, countertariffs imposed by the United States and India’s ban on transshipment are all severely impacting our sector."In particular, India’s trade actions, taken amid a souring of Bangladesh-India relations in the wake of the ousting of New Delhi ally Sheik Hasina in August last year, have impeded the RMG sector’s access to markets."Following the suspension of Indian transshipment facilities, we are experiencing difficulties, as we don’t have direct flights to many countries," said Faruque Hassan, managing director of clothing maker Giant Group and former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). "As a result, shipments are taking longer and costs have increased."The RMG business is time- and fashion-sensitive. Many buyers prefer to receive products by air, but our shipping options have become limited," he said.According to BGMEA, Bangladesh’s garment industry transshipped over 34,900 metric tons of apparel products -- valued at $462.34 million -- through India to 36 countries between January 2024 and March 2025."India and Bangladesh are currently engaged in a tit-for-tat trade dispute that has raised concerns among businesses. We can call this a small-scale trade war," said Hatem.With costs for materials, utilities and wages rising, the U.S. 37% tariff threat adds to the garment industry’s challenges. Severe gas shortages and fuel price hikes have also caused frequent disruptions, manufacturers said, with production at many textile mills slumping to between just 30% and 40% of capacity.Exacerbating the situation are ongoing protests and strikes. Employees of the national tax body only agreed to fully return to work on Monday, with their partial strike disrupting trade. Since mid-2024, Dhaka has experienced frequent protests, with participants ranging from government employees to garment workers, snarling business operations."In such a turbulent environment, it’s difficult for the government to focus on trade policy, as their attention is primarily directed toward addressing these ongoing protests," Hatem said.According to Hassan, more than 200 garment factories in Bangladesh have closed since the start of the political upheaval that led to Hasina’s resignation.Despite these factory closures and mounting internal and external challenges, Bangladesh’s RMG sector, which in national terms is second only to China’s when it comes to exports, has continued to post higher export earnings, raising questions about the factors driving this resilience.RMG exports grew 10% year-on-year to $32.64 billion between July 2024 and April this year, government data shows."Our entrepreneurs are working day and night to maintain a positive trend," said Hatem. "They are skilled and have innovative ideas. We have improved our product quality and diversified our products and markets, which has helped us maintain the confidence of buyers despite internal and external challenges."However, such positive news belies weakness among smaller players, casting a shadow over future growth."We have to take care of the small factories, otherwise, we will face problems in the future," Hassan said. "Today’s small factories will grow into big ones over time."Many small and midsize factories have shut down, but larger, more efficient factories have scaled up production. As a result, overall export earnings have increased. However, overall, the industry is struggling."With prolonged instability and trade restrictions, "it may not be possible to keep up the current positive growth trend," Hassan added.Given this volatile situation, business leaders have urged the government to delay Bangladesh’s graduation from "Least Developed Country" status, currently scheduled for November next year. That will see the country lose duty-free access to other markets, although the U.K. and the European Union will delay the shift by three years, China will extend duty-free access by two years, and Canada will keep the measure in place until 2034."We must focus on enhancing skills and productivity-based competitiveness," said Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue. "We also need to prioritize product diversification as well as pursue free trade agreements with different countries." Tens of thousands demonstrate in Nepal seeking restoration of ousted monarchy (AP)
AP [5/29/2025 10:12 PM, Binaj Gurubacharya, 121822K]
Tens of thousands of protesters demanding the abolished monarchy be restored and the former king be made the head of state of the Himalayan nation demonstrated in Nepal Thursday.The protesters, waving flags and chanting slogans, demanded the return of the king and the restoration of Hinduism as a state religion as they marched through the main circle in the capital, Kathmandu.Just a few hundred meters (yards) from the pro-monarchy protesters, their opponents, who are supporters of the Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, had gathered at the exhibition grounds to celebrate Republic Day.There was fear that these two groups could likely clash and create trouble in the city. Hundreds of riot police kept the two groups apart and authorities had given them permission on different times to carry out their rallies.Nepal abolished the monarchy and turned the nation into a republic in 2008, bringing in a president as the head of the state.“Bring king back to the throne and save the country. We love our king more than our lives,” the estimated 20,000 protesters chanted with a few playing traditional drums and musical instruments.“We are going to continue our protests until the centuries-old monarchy is brought back and the country turned in to a Hindu stage for the interest of the country,” said Dil Nath Giri, a supporter of the former king at the rally.The pro-monarchy supporters had announced they were restarting their protests from Thursday.In their last protest on March 28, two people including a television cameraman, were killed when protesters attacked buildings and set them on fire while police fired bullets and tear gas on the protesters. Several protesters arrested on that day are still in jail.There has been growing demand in recent months for Gyanendra Shah to be reinstated as king and Hinduism to be brought back as a state religion. Royalist groups accuse the country’s major political parties of corruption and failed governance and say people are frustrated with politicians.Massive street protests in 2006 forced Gyanendra to give up his authoritarian rule, and two years later the parliament voted to abolish the monarchy.Gyanendra, who left the Royal Palace to live as commoner, has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy. Despite growing support, the former king has little chance of immediately returning to power. Nepal’s royalists demand restoration of monarchy dumped 17 years ago (Reuters)
Reuters [5/29/2025 8:38 AM, Gopal Sharma, 121822K]
Thousands of supporters of Nepal’s former king rallied in the capital Kathmandu on Thursday, calling for the restoration of the constitutional monarchy that was abolished 17 years ago, amid rising unhappiness with successive elected governments.Flag-waving protesters marched into the city centre from different directions shouting: “Our king is dearer than lives ... king come back and save the country,” as riot police stood guard but did not intervene.At a similar rally in March, two people were killed and several injured.The 239-year-old monarchy was voted out in 2008 following weeks of bloody street protests. The last king of the Himalayan nation, 77-year-old Gyanendra, has lived with his family in a private house in Kathmandu as a commoner since being toppled.He has not commented on Thursday’s demonstration but expressed sorrow at the violence that killed two people in March.Demonstrators are also calling for the country of 30 million people, wedged between China and India, to become a Hindu state again, a status it lost with the monarchy.“Governments formed in the last 17 years have failed to deliver on their promises of development, creation of jobs and improvement of the living conditions of people,” said 35-year-old street vendor Rajendra Tamang.“Thousands of young people are forced to leave the country in search of work as they see no hope here,” he said.Millions of young Nepalis are working in the Middle East, South Korea and Malaysia, mainly at construction sites, and the money they send home is a key source of income for Nepal.Supporters of the government staged a separate but smaller rally nearby in support of the republican system that replaced the monarchy.The three major political parties that jointly control nearly 200 of the 275 seats in parliament say the monarchy was consigned to history and cannot be restored.All three jointly campaigned against the monarchy and voted it out in 2008 and say their faith in the republican system was unshakeable.The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which is campaigning for the monarchy, holds only 13 seats in parliament.A two-thirds majority or 184 lawmakers is needed to change the constitution, which was adopted in 2015, turning Nepal into a federal democratic republic.The royalists say their protests will continue until the monarchy is restored. British flight attendant, 21, appears in court accused of smuggling 46kg of synthetic cannabis into Sri Lanka - where she faces up to 25 years in prison (Daily Mail)
Daily Mail [5/30/2025 4:06 AM, Martin Robinson, 58.9M]
A young British former flight attendant accused of smuggling £1.2 million of super-strength cannabis into Sri Lanka was in tears today as she appeared in a packed court.
Charlotte May Lee, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was arrested in Colombo after police discovered 46 kg of ‘Kush’ - a synthetic strain of cannabis - in her suitcase.
She had just arrived in the Sri Lankan capital on a flight from Bangkok in Thailand. She was arrested at Bandaranaike Airport and taken into custody on Monday, May 11.
Today Charlotte was filmed in a white dress with her hands behind her back being escorted to a prison van by police outside the court building in Colombo.
She was visibly upset and tearful when she appeared in the courtroom.
The former TUI flight attendant was held in a cell at the back of the room and then briefly led to the witness box but struggled to follow proceedings because it was in the main language of Sri Lanka, Sinhalese.
Police also wheeled in the near-50kg haul of cannabis she was caught carrying into court as their investigation into the drugs bust continues. Charlotte is expected to appear in the dock again in two weeks.
She is facing up to 25 years locked in a hellhole Sri Lankan jail - but she has insisted she has been set up. MailOnline spoke to her from her cell last week where she admitted that she had not been eating because the food was too spicy.
Speaking to MailOnline from behind bars in the woman’s ward of a notorious prison last week, Miss Lee said she had ‘no idea’ that there were drugs in her luggage when she set off for Sri Lanka.
She said: ‘I had never seen them before. I didn’t expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport. I thought it was going to be filled with all my stuff.‘I had been in Bangkok the night before and had already packed my clothes because my flight was really early.‘So I left my bags in the hotel room and headed for the night out. As they were already packed I didn’t check them again in the morning.‘They must have planted it then.’
And she added: ‘I know who did it.’
Miss Lee told us she had been working temporarily on a ‘booze cruise’ in Thailand but her 30-day visa was about to run out so she decided to take a trip to nearby Sri Lanka while she waited for her Thai visa to be renewed.
She decided to go to the country because it was relatively nearby - only a three-hour flight away - and she had never visited there before.‘I thought while I was waiting for the visa that I’d come to Sri Lanka.‘They [the people she believed planted the drugs] were supposed to meet me here. But now I’m here - stuck in this jail.’
After her arrest, Miss Lee was initially held at the Police Narcotics Bureau for seven days.
She says she was forced to sleep on a sofa that had bed bugs with a security guard watching her the whole time.
Then on Sunday she was brought to Negombo Magistrates Court where she was given remanded in custody for a further 14 days while she awaits further hearings.
At this point she was transferred to Negombo Prison where she still remains, stuck in her crowded cell for 22 hours a day and only let out to eat and briefly stretch her legs.
And it was here that she spoke to MailOnline last week to highlight the ‘awful’ conditions in the prison - revealing she has not eaten any food at all for two days because the prison meals have been making her ill.
She said: ‘I am trying my best to stay positive because what else can you do?‘But it is hard. I feel as though I have no human rights here. There are no beds, no blankets. And where you sleep is like a long corridor with lots of other women.‘I am sleeping on a concrete floor - literally. All I have is my jumper as a pillow.‘There is a ceiling fan but it doesn’t really work and there’s a TV but that also barely works. I only have this one pair of clothes, nothing else to change into and I’m not being allowed my medication for ADHD.‘The only thing they give are sleeping tablets that properly knock you out.‘The shower is not really a shower, it’s just a bucket that you pour over yourself but they don’t give you anything for that.‘They put you in an alleyway with a bunch of other women, that’s it.’‘You are only allowed two or three hours outside in the sun a day, occasionally longer if there are a lot of women in court that day.‘I’ve not eaten in two days because the food is just too spicy for me.‘I have told my lawyers - I have three of them - that I need different food. They said they would sort that but they still haven’t. I don’t know why.‘Fortunately, some of the girls speak English and have shared biscuits and things like that with me, which is nice.‘All the other British people being held here are men, so I don’t get to see them.‘There is no communication. You are told nothing. I couldn’t arrange an e-visit with my family or even write a letter.’
Negombo Prison is one of the largest in Sri Lanka with the majority of inmates being men - with a smaller side wing for women like Charlotte.
Miss Lee added: ‘Some people are nice, some people are not so nice.‘You can’t trust many people - even the lawyers. I was being held in the narcotics unit until Sunday and now I will be here until my next court case.‘They don’t care about you. I came in with nothing and have nothing but luckily other people have stuff here they can share with me.’
The Londoner, who had been training to become an eyelash technician, attended Negombo Magistrates Court on Monday.
There she was accused of two charges, one of possessing illegal drugs and another of importing illegal drugs into Sri Lanka.
A legal source told MailOnline: ‘When Charlotte arrived in court she seemed completely lost.‘She was crying a lot and was all on her own. It looked like she didn’t have any idea about what was going on.‘It’s unclear what will happen to her now. She may well be sent to Welikada Prison in Colombo.’
Welikada Prison in Colombo is the biggest, maximum security jail in Sri Lanka, accommodating both men and women.
The prison has been hit with a number of scandals including riots in 2012 which that left 27 dead.
It has been described as ‘Hell’ for women - with maggots being reportedly found food and rats scuttling around extremely overcrowded cells.
The haul of drugs, which according to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) was the largest ever amount of illegal substances found in the airport, were intended for ‘high-end local buyers’.
Footage provided to MailOnline shows two large suitcases and what appears to be parcels of drugs alongside a group of narcotics detectives who uncovered the alleged smuggling.
In the background of the clip, a British woman’s voice can be heard laughing and saying ‘it’s not that, don’t worry’.
In another partially auditable clip she can be heard saying ‘it looks like drugs to me’ before later adding ‘and I told them I was 21’.
Pictures from the scene show six officers in the airport standing over two large suitcases and dozens of large vacuum packed bags of the drug.
Officials from the Customs Narcotics Control Unit in the airport said it is the largest amount of Kush ever to be detected since the international hub opened.
The ‘massive consignment’ is worth the equivalent of £1.2 million in Sri Lankan rupees.
Meanwhile the Foreign Office in the UK has confirmed that it is supporting a British woman who has been arrested in Sri Lanka and is in contact with her family, as well as local authorities.
According to Miss Lee’s friends she has been trying to post updates on her plight on Snapchat.
One woman, close to the cabin crew member turned lash technician, said that she was shocked when she heard the allegation - insisting Miss Lee was a ‘nice girl’ and not a criminal.
The friend, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: ‘I couldn’t believe it. Charlotte is a hard worker and a grafter not a drug smuggler.’
Another friend said: ‘I am in total shock. ‘She is a really nice girl, there were no red flags or anything.‘We saw clips of the arrest and we could hear an English woman, who sounded very much like Charlotte in the background.’
Another added: ‘She’s been told that if convicted, because of the size of the drugs haul, she is looking at between 20 and 25 years in jail. British Embassy staff warned her she’s going nowhere soon.’
Miss Lee had previously worked as a cabin crew member for TUI, yet friends have said this was only a ‘summer contract’.
Her social media accounts show her appearing to have a great time working for the travel company, posing in her stewardess uniform and even in the cockpit of one of the planes.
Photos shared on her social media show her living a typical life of a young woman in London in her early twenties - out drinking at the pub with friends or dancing at nightclubs.
Miss Lee, according to friends, first flew out to Thailand in April to celebrate her 21st birthday with her older sister who was meeting her from Australia, where she now lives.
Following the holiday, Miss Lee is said to have returned to Coulsdon, telling mates that she ‘loved Thailand and wanted to work out there’.
She mentioned around four weeks ago that ‘she had a job on a boat’ in the south-east Asian country but according to her friend did not mention any immediate plans of returning.
Yet last week, the young woman began posting pictures again of beautiful white sand beaches and selfies of her partying abroad.
And on Monday, the day of her arrest, she had posted a TikTok of herself on a plane, wearing a facemask, as she flew over a pretty island. She tagged the location of the video as Bangkok.
The incident comes just days after a British teenager was arrested in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi after allegedly arriving from Thailand carrying 14kg of cannabis in her luggage.
Bella May Culley, 18, is now facing life in prison in the former Soviet country after being accused of illegally buying, possessing and importing large quantities of narcotics.
The youngster from Billingham, Country Durham, was believed to have gone missing in Thailand before she was detained 3,700 miles away at Tbilisi International Airport on the charges.Concerns had been raised that the two cases were related as both young women left Bangkok airport on the same day.
But Miss Lee told MailOnline she did not know Ms Culley, who has been remanded in custody until her next appearance on July 1.
Miss Lee and Miss Culley, who both flew out of Bangkok on Monday, were arrested in the countries within hours of each other, meaning the cases could be related.
The FCDO said with regards to Miss Lee’s case: ‘We are supporting a British woman who has been arrested in Sri Lanka and are in contact with her family and the local authorities.’ Central Asia
Kazakhstan’s president on balancing Russia, China and the West (Al Jazeera)
Al Jazeera [5/29/2025 12:22 PM, Staff, 17009K]
Kazakhstan sits at the crossroads of global power between Russia, China and key trade routes. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev talks to Al Jazeera about his reform agenda, the legacy of Nazarbayev, and plans to reduce inequality in a resource-rich nation. He also addresses Kazakhstan’s economic dependency on oil and Russia, growing ties with China and the West, and criticisms over press freedom and political openness. With the war in Ukraine redrawing alliances, is Kazakhstan truly neutral, or simply under pressure?
[Editorial note: consult video at source link] Kazakhstan wants to lead a middle-power rebalancing of global order (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [5/29/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is trying to position Kazakhstan as a leading advocate for changing “the architecture of international relations” in ways that give “middle powers” a greater say in global affairs.
In an opening speech at the May 29-30 Astana International Forum, Tokayev offered a full-throated endorsement for a return to a global order rooted in multilateralism. While many emerging threats, such as global warming, are transnational, “our responses are becoming increasingly fragmented,” he said. The decay of the existing global order, he added, left countries facing a choice between “inclusive progress” and “destructive fragmentation.”
For the principle of “constructive engagement” to prevail, Tokayev argued for far-reaching structural reform of the United Nations so that it “reflects the world as it is, not as it was.” For the UN to return to relevancy, the Security Council should expand to accommodate more middle-power input in policy debates, he said.
Speaking in English, and without mentioning by name the United States, European Union, Russia and China, the Kazakh president argued that middle powers deserved an equitable stake in forging a new, inclusive order. He added that in return for a greater degree of influence in policy debates, middle powers “should be ready to shoulder more multilateral responsibility.”Tokayev also made it clear that he wants Kazakhstan to help lead the charge for change. “We are entering a new phase of global development. …Therefore, we must widen the circle of cooperation,” Tokayev said. “Kazakhstan stands ready to contribute to this shift – as a convener of ideas, a builder of consensus, and a trusted partner across regions and cultures.”
The Astana International Forum was launched in 2023 in part as a vehicle to advance Kazakhstan’s ambitions of becoming a middle power that exerts diplomatic and economic influence over regional, and occasionally global affairs. Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko described the forum as “a response to such a calling for Kazakhstan to be more engaged” diplomatically.
Over time, Kazakh officials would like to see the AIF become the go-to middle-power arena for public policy discussions. “Multiple futures lie ahead – some full of promise, others full of peril” in which outcomes “will depend not on the proclamations of the few, but on the cooperation of the many,” Tokayev said. “The Astana International Forum was created to support that cooperation – by offering a platform rooted in mutual respect and open exchange.” Kazakhstan Mulls Building Key Gas Refinery Without Oil Majors (Bloomberg)
Bloomberg [5/29/2025 9:44 AM, Nariman Gizitdinov, 19320K]
Kazakhstan is considering building a natural gas refinery at the Karachaganak oil field by itself, after the cost of the development proposed by international oil companies ballooned to about $6 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.The companies, led by Eni SpA and Shell Plc, have delayed the planned completion of the facility to 2030 from the previously planneddate of 2028, the people said. They have also asked the Kazakh state to help cover about $1 billion of the project’s budget in order to make it commercially viable, the people said.In response, Kazakhstan’s government is weighing possibility for state-run KazMunayGas National Co. to build the refinery itself, the people said.Moving forward with the project will require constructive engagement with the international oil majors, Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said in a statement. It confirmed that the companies had requested the state make a payment of $1 billion to assist with the gas refinery project. KazMunayGas Chief Executive Officer Askhat Khasenov told Shell representatives on May 19 that the state-run company is “concerned with absence of dynamics” in construction of the gas refinery, according to a statement on the company’s website. The facility would process 4.5 billion cubic meters each year, while also facilitating the production of a light oil called condensate from the Karachaganak field.Kazakhstan’s government is in dispute with the international companies that operate Karachaganak over the validity of their cost deductions, which affect the amount of money coming into government coffers. An initial amount in question of $3.5 billion has risen to as much as $6 billion, Bloomberg reported earlier this year.The oil majors proposed to settle the dispute by building the gas refinery, people familiar with the matter saidin February. The Energy Ministry said in the statement that the companies have requested a termination of arbitration proceedings related to the dispute over costs, which it rejected.Kazakhstan’s largest oil and gas fields have long been dogged by disputes between international oil companies and the government. The state has made claims against the developers of the Kashagan field that topped $160 billion, including as much as $138 billion in lost revenue and about $17 billion in disputed costs.Partners in Karachaganak, where Chevron Corp., Lukoil PJSC and state-run KazMunayGas National Co. also have stakes, paid $1.3 billion in 2020 to settle a dispute over revenue sharing. They have invested at least $31 billion in the development.KazMunayGas didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Chevron referred questions to the field operating company Karachaganak Petroleum Operating BV, which declined to comment. Shell declined to comment. Eni and Lukoil didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Kazakhstan minister says oil price above $70-$75/bbl likely suits all countries (Reuters)
Reuters [5/29/2025 4:20 AM, Tamara Vaal, 121822K]
Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov said on Thursday that an oil price above $70-$75 per barrel is likely to be suitable for all countries.He dismissed criticism over Kazakhstan’s oil production exceeding quotas set by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, due to the country’s relatively small output.Some members of the group have complained about Kazakhstan’s overproduction. Analysts and industry sources have also cited Kazakhstan’s excessive oil output as one of the reasons behind OPEC+’s decision to speed up production hikes.Akkenzhenov, who took over Kazakhstan’s energy ministry in March, singled out U.S. tariff policy as a reason behind volatility on global energy markets.Oil prices rose by about $1 a barrel to above $65 per barrel on Thursday after a U.S. court blocked most of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, while the market was watching out for potential new U.S. sanctions curbing Russian crude flows and an OPEC+ decision on hiking output in July."We wake up each morning and expect to hear the news on some countries’ politics," the minister told reporters. He said that Kazakhstan’s share in global oil production is less than 2%.According to an industry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, Kazakhstan’s crude oil production, excluding gas condensate, averaged 1.86 million barrels per day on May 1-19, including 932,000 bpd at Tengiz. Kyrgyzstan detains eight media workers in widening crackdown (Reuters)
Reuters [5/29/2025 10:28 AM, Aigerim Turgunbaeva, 51390K]
National security authorities in Kyrgyzstan have detained eight current and former employees of independent media outlet Kloop, their lawyers said, accusing them of inciting unrest amid a growing crackdown on media in the Central Asian country.
Five journalists from Kloop - known for its anti-corruption reporting - were arrested on Wednesday after authorities raided their homes and seized their electronic devices, lawyers for the people said. A further three people were arrested on Thursday.
They face charges of calling for mass unrest and disobeying government officials, which can incur up to 10 years in prison.
Daiyrbek Orunbekov, the head of the presidential administration, wrote on social media that the media workers had "spread false information" and had published material "directed against the state".
A spokesman for the national security body declined comment.
Rinat Tukhvatshin, a co-founder of Kloop, said the government’s claims were fabricated.
Syinat Sultanalieva, a Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, condemned the detentions as "yet another example of the Kyrgyzstani authorities’ continued crackdown on freedom of speech and expression".
Several of the people were released after hours of interrogation, while some are still in custody with no access to their lawyers.
Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic, has historically enjoyed greater media freedom than its Central Asian neighbours.
However, under President Sadyr Japarov, who came to power in 2020, the government enacted a law prohibiting media and individuals from "discrediting" the authorities, providing a tool to suppress dissent.
Kloop, an independent outlet founded in 2007, was forced to shutter last year after state prosecutors filed a lawsuit arguing that its NGO publisher, Kloop Media, was not properly registered as a media organisation. Kyrgyzstan ups judicial transparency amid spate of closed-door hearings (EurasiaNet)
EurasiaNet [5/29/2025 4:14 PM, Staff, 57.6K]
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has signed a law requiring all trials to be recorded and makes the failure to do so grounds for appeal, a step forward for judicial transparency in the country.
The judicial reforms, signed by Japarov on May 20, come amid a spate of high-profile trials and hearings of opposition politicians, bloggers and human rights defenders that have been held behind closed doors, in line with democratic backsliding in the country. The World Justice Project ranked Kyrgyzstan 101st out of 142 countries surveyed for rule of law in 2024.
Whether the reforms will help halt the decline will depend on their implementation.
The new law requires judicial procedures to be video and audio recorded, and made available to all parties. The law also gives the accused the right to request the audio or video of their trial be livestreamed.
The law is expected to increase transparency and openness in the judicial system, and represents a “major step toward digitalization,” Justice Minister Ayaz Baetov said last July, according to a Ministry of Justice statement.
The Jogorku Kenesh, the Kyrgyz parliament, passed the law April 3, the Kaktus media outlet reported. If fully implemented, the law should improve the credibility of the judicial system, fostering confidence in the fairness of legal proceedings, said Aibek Turduev, a defense lawyer who is defending opposition politicians in a high-profile case. Hearings in the case have often been held behind closed doors, over his objections.“It is very correct because court procedures should be recorded, and regular people can watch, and monitor, and study [them] and give their evaluation,” he told Eurasianet in a brief interview. “It’s the people’s right.”
Over the past year there has been a steady drumbeat of arrests of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and opposition politicians in Kyrgyzstan.
Eleven journalists from the investigative YouTube channel Temirov Live, which is highly critical of the government, were tried in a closed trial in Bishkek last June. Four were convicted in October 2024 of inciting mass unrest; the Committee to Protect Journalists described the case as the “most egregious press freedom violation in the country’s modern history.”
Days before local elections in October, authorities arrested leaders of the Social Democratic Party, one of the country’s few remaining opposition parties, on allegations of attempted vote-buying.
Many of the hearings in that case have been held behind closed doors, and Turduev, who is representing party leader Temirlan Sultanbekov, stronglyprotestedthedecision after the public was barred from an April 22 hearing.
Hearings in the high-profile cases of blogger Kanyshay Mamyrkulova, accused of inciting mass unrest with snarky Facebook posts about the recent border deal with Tajikistan, and opposition activist Tilekmat Kurenov, accused of calling for a coup d’état in social media videos, have also taken place behind closed doors in the last two months, according to local media.
Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz parliament is sending mixed signals on the issue of inter-ethnic tolerance. The legislature adopted in its first reading amendments to enhance the status of the Kyrgyz language, the Kloop news agency reported May 21 in a Telegram post.
The draft legislation introduces stringent Kyrgyz language proficiency standards for civil servants and students. Failure to meet those standards could hinder opportunities for professional or academic advancement. In addition, the draft amendments would require at least 60 percent of all television and radio broadcasting to be in Kyrgyz.
Right activists say the changes, if signed into law, could cause discontent among minority groups, especially the large Uzbek community in southern Kyrgyzstan. In addition, some ethnic Kyrgyz, especially older citizens living in Bishkek who grew up during the Soviet era, tend to speak predominantly in Russian, and can lack fluency in Kyrgyz. Kyrgyzstan: Whistleblower Convicted for Exposing Corruption in Court System (Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch [5/30/2025 7:00 AM, Staff, 1.4M]
A Kyrgyz court on May 27, 2025, convicted former National Academy of Sciences researcher and whistleblower, Zhoomart Karabaev, of “incitement of mass disorder” and calling for disobedience to authorities, sentencing him to three years’ probation, Human Rights Watch said today. Karabaev was prosecuted in retaliation for his social media posts alleging the systematic fabrication of expert evidence for criminal trials. Karabaev’s lawyers said they would appeal the conviction.
Karabaev, a 27-year-old linguistics expert, was detained in July 2024 after posting allegations on Facebook claiming that prosecutors systematically use fabricated expert conclusions in cases against government critics. Authorities then used the posts as alleged evidence of the two offences with which he was charged; prosecutors initially sought seven years in prison. “Karabaev’s posts exposed a practice that would indicate corruption at the heart of what is supposed to be a system of fair trial, which deserves an independent, effective investigation in response, leading to full accountability,” said Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It is outrageous that, instead, authorities prosecuted and punished the messenger, a chilling sign of how far the state will go to crackdown on free speech and opposing views.”
Karabaev’s conviction is the latest in a series of incidents that point to corruption in the judicial system, exactly what Karabaev was trying to expose.
In Kyrgyzstan, investigators routinely task linguistic experts with analyzing public statements, interviews, social media posts, and news to conclude whether the material contains elements of incitement to mass disorder, interethnic hate, or calls to violent seizure of power, conclusions that are subsequently used as evidence in court. These are the most common charges that journalists, activists, lawyers, and political opposition members have faced in the past three years; during their trials, such semantic analysis is often the main—if not the only—evidence used to convict them.
However, Karabaev publicly called this into question by alleging that the National Academy of Sciences uses no established methodology or clearly developed criteria when judicially ordered to provide such analyses; instead, academy experts are required to sign statements prepared in advance by the state prosecution or State Committee on National Security (SCNS). He also called out his former academy colleague, Azamat Zhanishbek Uulu, for signing a pre-written conclusion claiming that writer Olzhobay Shakir had committed “incitement” in posts Shakir made publicly disagreeing with the transfer of ownership of several national resorts to Uzbekistan. Based on Zhanishbek Uulu’s signed statement, Shakir was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison, which was later modified to three years’ probation.
Zhanishbek Uulu has signed expert analyses in at least seven high-profile cases against government critics, activists, and journalists, consistently finding evidence of incitement or extremism. He was also one of three experts who issued conclusions incriminating defendants in a case involving 11 journalists associated with Temirov.Live, an investigative journalism outlet. Four journalists were found guilty, with two sentenced to six and five years in prison respectively, and the others to three years’ probation. The journalist sentenced to six years was pardoned in April 2025 by presidential order.
In an outrageous violation of fair process, the prosecution requested that Zhanishbek Uulu provide expert linguistic analysis of Karabaev’s posts, which Zhanishbek Uulu found to contain elements of incitement.
Karabaev had been dismissed in 2023 from his position at the National Academy of Sciences, when he refused to alter his court-ordered expert linguistic analysis to suit the prosecution and instead issued a conclusion contrary to what the prosecution sought. The academy subsequently dismissed him for allegedly “disclosing state secrets.”
Kyrgyzstan’s authorities should immediately seek dismissal of Karabaev’s conviction on the basis of charges that should never have been brought in the first place. They should investigate the allegations of expert testimony manipulation, stop using so-called semantic analysis, which proves neither the actus reus or mens rea as evidence of criminal conduct in speech offences, respect and ensure judicial independence, and end the arbitrary prosecutions of government critics. Kyrgyzstan’s international partners should press Kyrgyz authorities to uphold their human rights obligations and restore respect for fundamental freedoms.“This case exposes how Kyrgyzstan’s authorities weaponize the justice system against critics,” Sultanalieva said. “Until the government stops manipulating courts and expert testimony, no one who speaks truth to power is safe.” Uzbekistan and Slovenia strengthen ties with new trade and cooperation agreements (Euronews)
Euronews [5/29/2025 8:58 AM, Staff, 121822K]
The landmark visit of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Slovenia was marked by high-level discussions and a joint business forum, in a first trip of its kind in 20 years.Uzbekistan is Slovenia’s second-largest foreign trade partner in Central Asia, and the two plan to increase trade turnover to €500 million by further expanding the exchange of goods and services and investment opportunities.During the visit, Mirziyoyev and his Slovenian counterpart Nataša Pirc Musar participated in a business forum attended by over 100 industrial and trade enterprises from both countries.A symbolic flower-laying ceremony at the Memorial to the Victims of All Wars in Ljubljana’s Zvezda Park underscored "a sign of respect for the memory of the fallen and commitment to the ideals of peace and humanism," Uzbekistan’s president’s office said in a statement.In a separate meeting with Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, the two governments announced the signing of several bilateral agreements, including visa exemptions for diplomatic passport holders, as well as cooperation in transportation, logistics, education, science, culture and tourism."The conversation was an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two countries - both political and economic," Golob said in a statement on Facebook."Together, we build bridges between our countries - based on trust, knowledge and common goals," he added.Both nations have also discussed establishing direct air lines and easing Uzbekistan’s access to the EU market through Slovenia’s port of Koper.Meanwhile, the newly established Intergovernmental Commission’s first meeting is scheduled for July in Ljubljana.Uzbekistan’s exports to Slovenia include garments, specialised chemical products and precision tools, while Slovenia exports ceramics, stone products and furniture.Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1993, following the declarations of independence by Slovenia and Uzbekistan from the former Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, respectively. Human Rights Defenders Targeted in Uzbekistan (Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch [5/30/2025 12:00 AM, Mihra Rittmann, 1.4M]
Earlier this month, Sharifa Madrakhimova’s passport was tampered with and destroyed, preventing her from traveling abroad to accept an award honoring her work defending human rights in Uzbekistan. Shortly afterward, Abdurakhmon Tashanov, another prominent rights defender, was ordered to pay several thousand dollars in a civil defamation case for an innocuous Facebook post.
While the two cases aren’t connected, each exemplifies the kind of retaliation activists in Uzbekistan can face for doing important and increasingly difficult human rights work.
Tashanov is the head of Ezgulik Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan, one of a few registered human rights organizations in Uzbekistan. He uses his popular Facebook page to report on rights violations in the country.
On February 28, 2025, Tashanov posted a response to two Tashkent State Law University lecturers who had accused him of undermining public trust in Uzbekistan’s judiciary. The lecturers sued, and on May 23, a court ordered Tashanov to pay the plaintiffs 50 million soums (approx. US$4,000) for “discrediting their honor, dignity, and professional reputation,” and to take down the post and issue a public apology.
Madrakhimova, meanwhile, is a rights defender and journalist who monitors and reports on rights issues in Uzbekistan ranging from labor rights to social issues. She is one of five recipients of this year’s Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk and planned to attend the awards ceremony in Dublin.
Madrakhimova sent her passport away as part of the visa process, only to later receive it back in a sealed envelope, its biometric chip destroyed by fire. She tried to secure a new passport before the May 22 ceremony, but to no avail.
This is not the first time Tashanov or Madrakhimova has faced harassment for their human rights activism. Other activists in Uzbekistan are behind bars or locked up in forced psychiatric detention.
Uzbek authorities should take these incidents seriously. Tashanov should get a fair appeal and authorities should uphold his right to freedom of expression. Authorities should also investigate how Madrakhimova’s passport was destroyed and hold those responsible to account.
They, like all human rights activists and journalists in Uzbekistan, should be free to carry out their work without fear of harassment or retaliation. Indo-Pacific
Pakistan, India close to completing border troop reduction, senior Pakistani general says (Reuters)
Reuters [5/30/2025 4:26 AM, Idrees Ali and Raju Gopalakrishnan, 5.2M]
Pakistan and India are close to reducing the troop build up along their border to levels before conflict erupted between the nuclear-armed neighbours this month, a top Pakistani military official told Reuters on Friday, although he warned the crisis had increased the risk of escalation in the future.
Both sides used fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery in four days of clashes, their worst fighting in decades, before a ceasefire was announced.
The spark for the latest fighting between the old enemies was an April 22 attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. New Delhi blamed the incident on "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, a charge denied by Islamabad.
On May 7, India launched missiles at what it said were "terrorist infrastructure" sites across the border and as Pakistan responded with its own attacks, both countries built up additional forces along the frontier.
General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Pakistan’s chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said the two militaries had started the process of drawing down troop levels.
"We have almost come back to the pre-22nd April situation... we are approaching that, or we must have approached that by now," said Mirza, the most senior Pakistani military official to speak publicly since the conflict.
India’s ministry of defence and the office of the Indian chief of defence staff did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on the remarks by Mirza.
Mirza, who is in Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue forum, said while there was no move towards nuclear weapons during this conflict, it was a dangerous situation.
"Nothing happened this time," he said. "But you can’t rule out any strategic miscalculation at any time, because when the crisis is on, the responses are different."
He also said the risk of escalation in the future had increased since the fighting this time was not limited to the disputed territory of Kashmir, the scenic region in the Himalayas that both nations rule in part but claim in full. The two sides attacked military installations in their mainlands but neither has acknowledged any serious damage.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Pakistan this month that New Delhi would target "terrorist hideouts" across the border again if there were new attacks on India.‘DANGEROUS TREND’
The two countries have fought three major wars, two of them over Kashmir, and numerous armed skirmishes since both were born out of British colonial India in 1947.
India blames Pakistan for an insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989 and has killed tens of thousands. Pakistan says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination.
"This (conflict) lowers the threshold between two countries who are contiguous nuclear powers...in the future, it will not be restricted to the disputed territory. It would come down to (the) whole of India and (the) whole of Pakistan," Mirza said. "This is a very dangerous trend."
Reuters has reported that the rapid escalation of hostilities ended in part because of behind-the-scenes diplomacy involving the U.S., India and Pakistan, and the key role played by Washington in brokering peace. India has denied any third-party role in the ceasefire and said that any engagement between India and Pakistan has to be bilateral.
But Mirza warned that international mediation might be difficult in the future because of a lack of crisis management mechanisms between the countries.
"The time window for the international community to intervene would now be very less, and I would say that damage and destruction may take place even before that time window is exploited by the international community," he said.
Pakistan was open to dialogue, he added, but beyond a crisis hotline between the directors general of military operations and some hotlines at the tactical level on the border, there was no other communication between the two countries.India’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday "talks and terror don’t go together" in response to a question on the possibility of dialogue with Pakistan.
Mirza said there were no backchannel discussions, or informal talks, to ease tensions. He also said he had no plans to meet General Anil Chauhan, India’s chief of defence staff, who is also in Singapore for the Shangri-La forum.
"These issues can only be resolved by dialogue and consultations, on the table. They cannot be resolved on the battlefield," Mirza said. Indian Navy will lead New Delhi’s response to any future Pakistani aggression, minister says (Reuters)
Reuters [5/30/2025 5:52 AM, Idrees Ali and Raju Gopalakrishnan, 5.2M]
India will use the firepower of its navy in response to any future aggression by Pakistan, India’s defence minister said on Friday, weeks after the fiercest fighting in decades between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.Relations between India and Pakistan are tense after four days of fighting this month, which involved fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery before a ceasefire was announced."If Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of the western Indian state of Goa.A spokesperson for Pakistan’s military referred Reuters to a May 12 statement, which said there would be a "comprehensive and decisive" response whenever Pakistan’s sovereignty was "threatened and territorial integrity violated".The latest fighting erupted after 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, were killed in an April 22 attack in Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan territory claimed by both nations. New Delhi blamed the attack on "terrorists" backed by Pakistan, which denied the charge.A ceasefire took effect on May 10 and a top Pakistani military official told Reuters on Friday that both countries were close to reducing their troop build-up along their border to pre-conflict levels.The Indian Navy has said it deployed its carrier battle group, submarines and other aviation assets in the northern Arabian Sea within 96 hours of the April 22 attack.Defence Minister Singh said ‘Operation Sindoor’, under which India launched the strikes on Pakistan, was paused, but not yet over."We stopped our military actions on our own terms. Our forces had not even started showing their might," he said. China Breaks Silence on Chinese Weapons in India-Pakistan Air War (Newsweek)
Newsweek [5/30/2025 4:42 AM, Amira El-Fekki, 65.5M]
China downplayed how India could benefit from studying its military technology in comments on reports that its neighbor and rival found an unexploded PL-15E missile during its recent conflict with Pakistan.Newsweek has reached out to India’s Defense Ministry for comment.Why It MattersThe remarks mark the first time Beijing has publicly addressed the use of its weapons in the four-day military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations, the first to see a military—Pakistan—deploy a full array of advanced Chinese systems, including the HQ-9 air defense system, PL-15 missiles, and J-10C fighters, and put them to test in combat.What To Know"The missile you mentioned is an export equipment and has appeared in domestic and foreign defense exhibitions many times," Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson of the Chinese Defense Ministry told a press conference on Wednesday, when asked about reports on the missile.The PL-15E is an export version of a Chinese long-range air-to-air missile with an active radar seeker, capable of targeting enemy aircraft beyond visual range.Earlier this month, India’s Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Amit Malviya published footage of the supposed Chinese missile, purportedly recovered in Punjab. According to multiple news reports, it was the third instance where remnants of the PL-15E were found on Indian territory during the India-Pakistan conflict from May 7 to May 10.The collection of debris holds significance for India—a growing U.S. partner—for technical examination and potential reverse engineering—and for its allies. The missiles were used during a massive air battle that took place between India and Pakistan, with the latter claiming to have taken down several of India’s French-made Rafale jets using Chinese J-10 fighters.The United States has long considered South Asia a vital region in global peace and security.What People Are SayingSenior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense said, translated from Chinese: "India and Pakistan are neighbors who cannot move away. We hope that both sides should remain calm and restrained to avoid further complicating the situation. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.Christopher Clary, non-resident fellow with Stimson’s South Asia program, wrote in published analysis: "The performance of these newer Chinese systems on the battlefield is of immense importance to states that worry about a future confrontation with China. Likewise, their performance matters for a large number of militaries considering the purchase of Chinese equipment for their own defense needs."What Happens NextChina could be fast-tracking delivery of its advanced J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighters to Pakistan, signaling deepening military ties amid rising tensions after recent cross-border violence with India. Twitter
Afghanistan
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[5/29/2025 1:37 PM, 33.5K followers, 8 retweets, 48 likes]
The official document where @SecRubio eliminated the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), can be found at http://afghanevac.org/care-elimination. @StateDept sent it over to the committees of jurisdiction this morning. They didn’t even tell CARE employees before transmitting.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[5/29/2025 11:52 AM, 33.5K followers, 45 retweets, 109 likes]
The Trump Administration just eliminated the only office in government solely focused on Afghan relocation: the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE). Another #AfghanEvac thread with some important info below
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[5/29/2025 11:52 AM, 33.5K followers, 6 retweets, 12 likes]
Buried on page 7 of the State Department reorg plan, CARE’s functions are “transferred” to a lower-level office. But there’s no clarity on whether relocation flights will continue or if the mission is being quietly ended.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[5/29/2025 11:52 AM, 33.5K followers, 9 retweets, 14 likes]
By law, the government must appoint a CARE Coordinator. Last week, @SecRubio dodged that fact in front of Congress with a cute non-answer: “We’ll comply with all statutory requirements.” Now we know what that meant.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver
[5/29/2025 11:52 AM, 33.5K followers, 10 retweets, 18 likes]
This decision comes alongside H.R. 1 — the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — which strips Afghan parolees of health care, food aid, and due process. These actions aren’t about efficiency. They’re about abandonment.
Shawn VanDiver@shawnjvandiver[5/29/2025 11:52 AM, 33.5K followers, 8 retweets, 19 likes]
.@AfghanEvac released a full statement today. It’s blunt, clear, and firm. America made a promise. Some may be walking away from it. We won’t.
Beth W. Bailey@BWBailey85
[5/29/2025 12:17 PM, 8.5K followers, 15 retweets, 42 likes]
According to @afghanevac the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) has been eliminated under the State Department reorganization, leaving many questions about travel for Afghan allies who are in various pipelines for access to refugee status or U.S. visas.
Beth W. Bailey@BWBailey85
[5/29/2025 11:45 AM, 8.5K followers, 9 likes]
Chris Robinson of the Last Deployment Project talks about HKIA veterans’ descriptions of the environment in our final days in Kabul. Find the whole episode here: https://youtu.be/RdjRpenteiI?si=bhPfrinT1XwDMu1i Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[5/29/2025 4:00 PM, 250K followers, 29 retweets, 232 likes]
For the first time, former President Karzai who still lives in Kabul shares a family photo of his wife, son, and daughters, none of whom are wearing burqas. While the Taliban erases women from public life, this image quietly defies. It’s beautiful.
Habib Khan@HabibKhanT
[5/29/2025 1:58 PM, 250K followers, 11 retweets, 162 likes]
I congratulate former President Karzai and his family on Malalai’s school graduation, and admire that he keeps his kids in Afghanistan, unlike many leaders. But it’s tragic that his daughter, like millions of Afghan girls, can’t pursue higher education under Taliban rule.
Lina Rozbih@LinaRozbih
[5/29/2025 8:40 AM, 429.2K followers, 1 retweet, 3 likes]
Afghan Taliban commander warns terrorists against fighting Pak forces https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1316197-afghan-taliban-commander-warns-terrorists-against-fighting-pak-forcesJahanzeb@JahanzebWe
[5/30/2025 12:54 AM, 5.8K followers, 6 retweets, 16 likes]
Yesterday, the daughter of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai completed grade 6 and moved to grade 7. But like millions of Afghan girls, she is now banned from continuing her education. It’s been 1,450 days since the Taliban barred girls above grade 6 from school. #Afghanistan
Jahanzeb@JahanzebWe[5/29/2025 2:02 PM, 5.8K followers, 60 retweets, 94 likes]
Afghan journalist Suliman Raheel has been sentenced to 3 months in prison by Taliban for bravely defending women’s rights & speaking out for freedom. His voice for justice must not be silenced. Please be his voice. Journalists organizations must act now for his immediate release. Pakistan
Shehbaz Sharif@CMShehbaz
[5/29/2025 11:07 PM, 6.8M followers, 378 retweets, 1.8K likes]
Had a most warm and cordial meeting with my brother H.E Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan. Our discussions reaffirmed the depth of Pakistan-Tajikistan brotherhood and our resolve to expand strategic cooperation across trade, energy, defence & beyond. I also briefed him regarding the recent Indian aggression against Pakistan. We agreed on the importance of regional peace and stability which are vital to the progress and prosperity of our peoples.
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[5/29/2025 11:56 AM, 80.8K followers, 25 retweets, 135 likes]
#Pakistan’s Prime Minister @CMShehbaz meets President of #Tajikistan during his ongoing 4 country visit to express gratitude for support during recent Pakistan - India tensions. Discuss bilateral relations, CASA1000, Economic cooperation among others during the meeting.
Anas Mallick@AnasMallick
[5/29/2025 7:33 AM, 80.8K followers, 17 retweets, 130 likes]
#Pakistan’s Prime Minister @CMShehbaz has arrived in #Tajikistan from #Azerbaijan on a 2 day visit as part of his ongoing 4 country visit to express gratitude for support during the recent Pakistan - India tensions -- PM of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda welcomed PM Sharif. India
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[5/29/2025 10:09 AM, 108.7M followers, 6.7K retweets, 57K likes]
Patna airport gets a modern terminal building! This is great news for Bihar’s progress. Here are some glimpses from the new terminal.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[5/29/2025 9:15 AM, 108.7M followers, 3.1K retweets, 15K likes]
Sharing my remarks at the launch of ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’. https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1kvJpyWYlzQxE
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[5/29/2025 9:07 AM, 108.7M followers, 3.4K retweets, 22K likes]
These pictures from the BJP rally in Alipurduar give a glimpse of the mood in West Bengal. There is so much fatigue when it comes to TMC. People are seeing BJP with immense hope.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[5/29/2025 8:59 AM, 108.7M followers, 4K retweets, 34K likes]
Congratulations to my sisters and brothers of Alipurduar for the development works! These works will improve quality of life and empower the poor and downtrodden.
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[5/29/2025 4:28 AM, 108.7M followers, 3.5K retweets, 14K likes]
Addressing a @BJP4Bengal rally in Alipurduar. West Bengal’s potential has been stifled by TMC’s misgovernance. https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1OyKALNmrpDxb
Narendra Modi@narendramodi
[5/29/2025 4:03 AM, 108.7M followers, 4.1K retweets, 34K likes]
I was eagerly awaiting my Sikkim visit but unfortunately, the weather did not permit it. I did, however, address the programme virtually and expressed my greetings to the people. We will keep working hard for the progress of Sikkim in the times to come.
Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge@USDPColby
[5/29/2025 7:23 PM, 15.8K followers, 51 retweets, 214 likes]
It was great to meet today with India’s Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri and Deputy NSA @AmbKapoor. The U.S.-India alliance is on fundamentally strong ground based on shared interests and mutual respect. We here at DOD are striving hard to elevate defense cooperation as part of this critical partnership.Rahul Gandhi@RahulGandhi
[5/29/2025 11:45 PM, 27.9M followers, 1.1K retweets, 4.2K likes]
Wishing the people of Goa - the land of natural beauty, vibrant culture, and rich history - a very Happy Statehood Day! Let us protect and preserve its unique heritage, and strive for its continued growth and prosperity. NSB
Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh@ChiefAdviserGoB
[5/30/2025 2:34 AM, 168.5K followers, 10 retweets, 60 likes]
Bangladesh, Japan sign six MoUs Tokyo, May 30, 2025: Japan and Bangladesh on Friday signed six Memorandum of Understandings on economic, investment and other cooperations on the third day of the ongoing visit of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to Japan on Friday. Professor Yunus witnessed the signing of the MoUs on the sidelines of a seminar titled “Bangladesh Business Seminar” in Tokyo. The first MoU involved the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the energy and mineral resources ministry of Bangladesh. The MoU is expected to strengthen cooperation between JBIC and Bangladesh to realise projects in the energy sector. The second MoU was between ONODA Inc and Bangladesh SEZ Ltd for a land lease contract of BSEZ. ONODA has implemented a gas meter installation project initiated by JICA and is planning to do new assembly manufacturing, inspection and maintenance of gas meters at the factory in BSEZ.
The third MoU involved Bangladesh Naxis Co. Ltd and Bangladesh SEZ Ltd for a land lease contract of BSEZ. Bangladesh SEZ Ltd. (BSEZ) and Bangladesh Naxis Co. Ltd (Naxis) will sign a land sublease agreement. Naxis plans to manufacture apparel accessories at the factory in BSEZ. The fourth MoU involved Glagit and Musashi Seimitsu Industry Glafit and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) on support for setting up a factory for battery-run cycles and an electric motorcycle manufacturing plant. The fifth MoU involves Cipher Core Co. Ltd, which is investing $20 million in its Bangladesh venture to launch a national pilot project for information security based on Complete Cipher Technology by award-winning inventor Takatoshi Nakamura. The project aims to make Bangladesh a quantum-resilient digital economy, with exclusive rights granted to the local entity for technology deployment and global expansion.
The sixth MoU involves the Japan International Cooperation Agency and BIDA. This MoU confirms JICA’s engagement to provide technical and in-kind support for the early-stage development of the Integrated Single Window Platform (ISWP). This platform is a BIDA-led effort to consolidate the individual one-stop services currently operated by various investment promotion agencies across Bangladesh. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus congratulated all parties involved. “Now it is our task to implement. I am moved,” he said. Mentioning the situation Bangladesh faced in the past 16 years, the Chief Adviser said that country faced continuous earthquakes in the past 16 years which left nothing in shape. “In this situation a good friend came up... and that friend is Japan. I came here to thank you and design the next step,” he said. Calling the challenge historical, the Chief Adviser said, “We want to show the history that it was done, done in a perfect way.” “We have kind of tightened our belt and say here we are to work. With your support it is doable. “Let’s put our hands together and execute it... it’s not about making money. It’s about changing people’s lives,” he said. Shinji Takeuchi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), noted at the event that the number of Japanese companies operating in Bangladesh exceeds now 300, three-fourths higher than 10 years ago. Norihiko Ishiguro, Chairman and CEO, Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), delivered the welcome speech where Fumiya Kokubu, Chairman of Japan Bangladesh Committee for Commercial and Economic Cooperation (JBCCEC) and Director, Member of the Board, Executive Corporate Advisor, Marubeni Corporation, also spoke.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[5/29/2025 1:41 PM, 113.3K followers, 125 retweets, 123 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu receives the World No-Tobacco Day Special Recognition Award from the World Health Organization (WHO), acknowledging his leadership in tobacco control and the bold steps taken to make the Maldives a tobacco-free nation. Every year @WHO recognises exceptional individuals, organisations, and governments, for their contribution to tobacco control.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[5/29/2025 12:20 PM, 113.3K followers, 115 retweets, 107 likes]
President Dr @Mmuizzu and First Lady Madam @sajidhaamohamed attends the World Health Day event held at Barceló Nasandhura Malé hotel. At the ceremony celebrating World Health Day, the President officially launched dialysis services in four islands.
The President’s Office, Maldives@presidencymv
[5/29/2025 6:19 AM, 113.3K followers, 171 retweets, 145 likes]
President Dr @MMuizzu inaugurates ‘Media Fenda’; a dedicated space designed to enhance engagement between the media and Government institutions. Located in front of the President’s Office, Media Fenda will allow journalists to access timely news and official updates directly from the President’s Office and nearby Government offices.
PMO Nepal@PM_nepal_
[5/29/2025 10:07 PM, 721.4K followers, 6 retweets, 33 likes]
Rt. Hon. PM KP Sharma Oli, speaking at the 72nd International Everest Day and World Climbers’ Conference, called for new rules to keep Mount Everest clean and safe. He stressed that "polluters must clean up" and urged for greater discipline in mountaineering.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake@anuradisanayake
[5/29/2025 11:00 PM, 151.9K followers, 2 retweets, 65 likes]
I held a productive meeting yesterday (29) with Mr. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China. We discussed enhancing our trade relations and expediting development projects in Sri Lanka. Exciting times ahead with increased interest from Chinese investors! Central Asia
MFA Kazakhstan@MFA_KZ
[5/29/2025 1:29 PM, 55.8K followers, 1 retweet, 5 likes]
Kazakhstan and International Finance Corporation Committed to Expanding Cooperation https://gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1007630?lang=en
MFA Kazakhstan@MFA_KZ
[5/29/2025 10:28 AM, 55.8K followers, 27 retweets, 24 likes]
On May 29-30, Kazakhstan is hosting the Astana International Forum under the theme “Connecting Minds, Shaping the Future”. The Forum brings together global leaders to address key challenges in peace, climate, innovation & development. https://gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/documents/details/849683?lang=en
Saida Mirziyoyeva@SMirziyoyeva
[5/29/2025 4:36 PM, 22.3K followers, 4 retweets, 41 likes]
A very important meeting with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin concludes my visit to Moscow. We discussed trade, investment, labor migration, and education - reaffirming our commitment to practical, results-oriented Uzbek-Russian cooperation.
Saida Mirziyoyeva@SMirziyoyeva
[5/29/2025 2:02 PM, 22.3K followers, 2 retweets, 39 likes]
Met with Valentina Matviyenko, Chair of the Federation Council of Russia, to advance cultural and humanitarian ties. We discussed education, youth programs, and social initiatives — reaffirming the strong foundation of Uzbek-Russian cooperation{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.