Author: Rokneddin Ahmadani

On the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping awarded Bayika Kalidibek, a 72-year-old veteran border guard, the national honorary title of “People’s Guard.” Bayika, an ethnic Tajik from the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, has spent 37 years patrolling China’s remote borders with Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. His recognition by Xi has raised questions about whether the award signals a broader message of solidarity to the Pamiri peoples living in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, who have faced significant repression and human rights violations in recent years. A Lifelong Guardian of China’s Border Bayika…

After Tajiks were charged with a deadly attack in Moscow, the country has cracked down on signs of Islam. But experts say it’s not addressing the causes of terrorism. People in Tajikistan were expecting a government crackdown after Tajik men were arrested and charged with a terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall in March. But it still seemed excessive to Nilufar, a 27-year-old education professional, when she saw local authorities with scissors outside a K.F.C. in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital, trimming beards that were deemed too long. Excessive, but not so surprising. In the span of a month, Nilufar herself…

Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa go forward after no candidates gained 50% in first round. The Sri Lankan presidential election will be decided in a runoff, the country’s election body has said, after the top two candidates failed to win the mandatory 50% of votes to be declared winner. The Marxist-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake garnered the most votes in the first round of voting, with 39.5% of the counted ballots, while the opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, finished second with 34%. All the remaining candidates, including the incumbent, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who trailed in third with 17%, have been disqualified, the…

The Asia Internet Coalition recently wrote a letter to Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma and expressed concerns over the recent regulatory developments, namely the Social Media Directive, and potential future moves to ban social media applications. The government recently rolled out social media directives and enforced a ban on the social media platform TikTok, drawing criticisms from the internet fraternity in Nepal. “While we acknowledge the importance of regulating social media platforms to ensure the responsible use of digital spaces, recent regulatory decisions by the government of Nepal raise significant concerns as they go against global best…

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Syed Asim Munir left today, Sunday, for the United States (US) on his first official visit to the country, where he is expected to meet senior American and military officials, Pakistan Army’s media wing said. Munir was appointed army chief in November 2022, following which he has undertaken official visits to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and various other countries. The army chief is arguably the most influential person in Pakistan, with the military having ruled the country for about half of its 75-year history since independence from Britain and enjoying extensive powers even under civilian administrations. …

AHMEDABAD, India – India wants to make its financial hub in the western state of Gujarat a centre for global sustainable finance to help fund the $10 trillion investment needed to achieve its 2070 net zero emissions goal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. “GIFT IFSC is an efficient channel to make India a low-carbon economy and get the required green capital flow. Issuance of financial instruments such as green bonds, sustainable bonds, sustainability-linked bonds will help the world,” Modi said in a speech. He said India wants to expand the role of GIFT City to make it a new…

Anti-junta fighters in Myanmar’s Chin State are trying to gain control of part of the porous border with India, after taking over two military outposts on the mountainous frontier, a rebel commander said, part of a wider offensive against the junta. Dozens of rebels battled the Myanmar military from dawn to dusk on Monday to overrun two camps next to Mizoram, Chin National Front (CNF) Vice Chairman Sui Khar said. Spokespersons for Myanmar’s military and India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Myanmar’s generals are facing their biggest test since taking power in a 2021 coup…

Google has announced that it will implement stricter rules in Gmail for bulk senders from February 2024 in an effort to reduce spam and other unwanted emails. “We’re introducing new requirements for bulk senders — those who send more than 5,000 messages to Gmail addresses in one day — to keep your inbox even safer and more spam-free,” Google said in a blogpost on Tuesday. The tech giant said beginning next year, bulk senders will be required to authenticate their emails, provide an easy way to unsubscribe, and stay below a reported spam threshold. “Starting February 2024, Gmail will require…

Richard Olson, a former US ambassador to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, was sentenced to three years of probation on Friday for violating federal ethics laws. The 63-year-old Olson was also fined $93,400 after pleading guilty to charges he misused his official position for personal gain. Olson, who served as the US envoy to Pakistan from 2012 to 2015, pleaded guilty in June of last year to making a false statement and violating laws governing lobbying for a foreign government. Olson was accused of helping the government of Qatar influence US policymakers shortly after retiring from the State Department…

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan last week during which they discussed the importance of improving the relationship between the two countries, the White House said.The Bangladeshi Prime Minister was in Washington last week and also met several other senior officials of the Biden administration. Last month, she had a fruitful pull-aside meeting with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.“They (the Bangladesh Prime Minister and US NSA) talked about the importance of improving our bilateral relationship across a range of issues including climate change,”…