Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The dangers of protectionism, hegemony and power politics that China warned the world about at the recent SCO foreign ministers’ meeting is precisely what the communist country advocates as it looks at Taliban-ruled Afghanistan as its new resource region. Foreign minister Qin Gang said in Goa, India, at the meeting that the world is faced with multiple crises and challenges featuring a resurgence of the Cold War mentality, headwinds of unilateral protectionism, and rising hegemonism and power politics. He called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states to uphold strategic independence and deepen security cooperation. Around the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Africa’s participation in the ongoing G20 presidency under India has been the highest ever, the Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said. The G20’s focus on Africa has been consistent in recent years. However, India’s G20 Presidency is very unique given India’s track record of amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries. The Ambassador pointed this out while she was addressing the ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development 2023. The 2023 ECOSOC Financing for Development (FfD) Forum was held from April 17-20 at UN Headquarters in New York. Additionally, the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: While inviting Canadian businesspersons to participate in the journey of growth of the Indian economy, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said India offers a stable business environment with decisive and popular leadership. He appreciated Canadian Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development Mary Ng for her leadership and involvement in taking the Canada-India partnership to the next level. Piyush Goyal has invited Canadian businesspersons to participate in the journey of growth of the Indian economy during the Round Table of Indian and Canadian CEOs in Toronto, Canada on May 9. He…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The White House has announced the state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington DC next month. The visit has been in the works for months, with Indian officials working out the logistics for Mr Modi’s first state visit during the Biden administration. “President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India for an Official State Visit to the United States, which will include a state dinner, on June 22, 2023,” the announcement said, adding that the visit will “affirm the deep and close partnership” between the…

Dr Rakesh Shukla: India’s growth story is being projected as an outlook that may perhaps be second to none. With its private sector booming and demographic dividends beginning to yield returns, India’s economic outlook is amongst the more positive in today’s fragmented global financial environment. In a time when countries are struggling with incurred debt, India is poised to lead negotiations to help the developing world recover from unsustainable balance sheets. This in essence is not only a marker of India’s economic strengths but is also quite telling of its political will to project its leadership aspirations in a manner…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: The third Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and Malaysia was held at foreign ministry here today. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Deputy Secretary General of Malaysian foreign ministry led their respective sides, a press release said here today. During the meeting, various issues on bilateral relations, including cooperation in the areas of trade and commerce, investment, energy, halal trade, tourism and culture, education, health, defence and security, agriculture, fisheries and livestock, ICT and telecommunication and shipping came under discussion. They also exchanged views on issues of mutual interests in the regional and international arena. Both…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime minister Sheikh Hasina here on Friday will inaugurate the two-day Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) which will bring ministerial-level delegations from at least 25 countries to discuss strengthening cooperation among the regional countries. “We are expecting that the sixth edition of the conference will make numbers of recommendations to face problems and challenges of Indian Ocean region that will play a vital role in formulating future work plan of this area,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said in a briefing at the foreign ministry here today. The partnership of Bangladesh with the countries in the Indian Ocean…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohammad Enamur Rahman on Wednesday said Cyclone Mocha is likely to intensify into a super cyclone. However meteorologists are predicting by the time it makes landfall, it would most likely take the form of a severe cyclonic storm. The cyclone is likely to make landfall on Cox’s Bazar coast by Sunday (May 14), he said. The state minister made the remarks at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Wednesday afternoon. Earlier, the state minister held an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss preparations for Cyclone Mocha. “We have predicted that it will…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In the summer of 2019, the Indian government abrogated Article 370, which granted Jammu and Kashmir special autonomous status. This move was met with mixed reactions from the locals, with some feeling hopeful about the potential economic and social benefits, while others remained sceptical of the government’s intentions. For local entrepreneurs, the abrogation of Article 370 brought about several changes. With the removal of the special autonomous status, it became easier for businesses to operate in the region, as they were no longer subject to some of the regulations that had previously hindered their growth. The government also…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Canada has decided to expel a Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei following an uproar in the country over allegations of political meddling. However, Beijing has fiercely denied any election interference, calling the claims “purely baseless and defamatory”. “Canada has decided to declare persona non grata Mr. Zhao Wei,” read a statement by Foreign Minister Melanie Joly. “I have been clear: we will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs. Diplomats in Canada have been warned that if they engage in this type of behaviour, they will be sent home,” she added. “This decision has been…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nepal in October 2019, one of the main agendas discussed was the possible extradition treaty between Nepal and China. The draft of the treaty was prepared with the help of the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Nepal Police. However, due to concerns over its impact on international relations and pressure from the European Union countries and the United States, the treaty was not signed. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law have kept the draft of the treaty in their International Desk since its preparation.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Tuesday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the strengthening of strategic relations between India and Israel. With PM Modi, the Israeli Foreign Minister discussed expanding the Abraham Accords and also promoting a free trade agreement. Following his meeting with the PM, Cohen tweeted. India is a world power, the fifth largest economy and the most populous country in the world. I spoke with PM Modi about strengthening the strategic relations between the countries, expanding the Abraham Accords, and promoting a free trade agreement that will boost Israel’s economy.” His tweet…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today witnessed the first drone flight at Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Science ( TRIHMS ) connecting the hospital under the Medicine From Sky program with East Kameng district. He along with Health Minister Alo Libang also flagged off 100 medical utility vehicles from the hospital complex. Chief Minister also dedicated to the people Block II of the TTRIHMS housing the newly functional Emergency and Trauma department and newly installed three Tesla MRI machines at the state’s lone medical college cum hospital here at Naharlagun. Addressing officials of state health…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: It is crucial for the Sikh community to acknowledge the importance of inclusivity, education, and democratic values, and to adopt a more compassionate approach to address the issues that affect not only Sikhs but all communities in Punjab, according to an article by Gurcharan Singh in Khalsa Vox. Gurcharan Singh has said in his article that it is the duty of Sikh preachers, leaders and political scholars to make efforts towards increasing the trend of basic education towards enlightenment among the youth. “By connecting with the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, we can promote the inclusive and universal…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The prospect of hosting a G20 summit in Jammu and Kashmir presents unparalleled opportunities for the region, instilling hope for renewed stability and prosperity. The G20, an international forum comprising of 20 major economies, focuses on policy discussions and financial stability. The G20 countries, which are the world’s largest economies, collectively account for a significant share of the world economy. According to the World Bank data for the year 2020, the G20 countries had a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of approximately USD 82.8 trillion, which represents around 74 per cent of the world’s total GDP of approximately…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan in 2022 remained among the world’s worst performers in terms of internet access and digital governance, according to a report released on Monday. Titled “Pakistan’s Internet Landscape 2022”, the report was released by Bytes For All – a human rights and advocacy organisation which explores in detail the relationship between human rights and information and communication technologies in Pakistan last year. “In terms of internet access and overall governance, Pakistan made some gains, but in the context of the world, the country remains among the worst performers, even within just Asia,” according to the report. It highlights…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In a major development, the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir has brought transparency into the region’s financial system and led to the growth in the economy. After August 5, 2019, the move, which saw the special status of J-K being scrapped and the region bifurcated it into two Union Territories, has brought about unprecedented transparency in governance. Under the new system, the government procurement, recruitment, spending of its resources, taxation or deployment of resources are all available online 24×7, making the entire process more transparent. The reforms have ensured that every rupee spent on the…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bhutan and Bangladesh are close to sign a Memorandum of Understanding( MoU) on cooperation in hydropower between the two neighbouring countries. Ambassador of Bhutan Rinchen Keuntsy said this during a courtesy meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Tuesday. Press secretary to the president Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting. President Shahabuddin said signing a bilateral MoU on cooperation in hydropower will strengthen the relationship between the two countries. The president recalled the unwavering support of the people of Bhutan during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. He said Dhaka gives special importance to the relationship with…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Pakistani Zaireen (pilgrims), accompanied by Charge d’Affaires Salman Sharif, visited the shrine of Hazrat Amir Khusro (RA) in New Delhi on Monday and laid the traditional chaddar on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan. A group of 104 Pakistani pilgrims is visiting New Delhi to participate in the 719th Urs of Hazrat Amir Khusro. The Charge d’Affaires and the Pakistani pilgrims were welcomed at the Dargah by Sajjadah Nasheen Dewan Tahir Nizami. Other members of the Dargah Committee were also present on the occasion. After laying the traditional chaddar at Hazrat Amir Khusro’s shrine, the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The J-K Students Association thanked the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha-led government for safely evacuating the students who were stranded in violence-hit Manipur. In a statement, the association’s national convenor, Nasir Kahuihami, thanked the Jammu and Kashmir administrations for facilitating the evacuation of Kashmiri students from Manipur, which is grappling with violence and unrest. Kahuihami acknowledged that all the students from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir who were studying in Manipur and were stranded due to the escalating violence have safely returned to their home country J-KUT via flights. He praised both the J-K and Manipur authorities…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Chinese police have detained a man for allegedly generating fake news of a train crash and disseminating it online using artificial intelligence technology to “concoct information” and post it on multiple accounts, in what was reported to be China’s first arrest for misuse of ChatGPT. Police in northwestern Gansu province said in a statement on Sunday that a suspect surnamed Hong had been detained for “using artificial intelligence technology to concoct false and untrue information”. The case first caught the attention of the cyber division of a county police bureau when they spotted a fake news article that…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Arsht-Rock, a Washington-based non-profit, has confirmed the appointment of social entrepreneur Bushra Afreen as its chief heat officer who will work in Dhaka North City Corporation area but will not draw any salary from it. “No DNCC funding will go to Ms. Afreen,” a spokesperson at Arsht-Rock told UNB in reply to an e-mail on Monday, noting that Arsht-Rock appointed Bushra to be chief heat officer and have chosen Dhaka North as the first city in Asia for extreme heat management intervention. Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center (Arsht-Rock)  set out to reach one billion people worldwide with resilience…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Jammu and Kashmir is set to become prime destination for the film industry as the government has identified around 300 unexplored destinations for film shootings. The Union Territory government and Tourism Department have taken this initiative to promote the beauty of Jammu and Kashmir, which was once a prime destination for filmmakers during the 1960s and 1970s. With the revival of film tourism in the state, J-K aims to attract production houses and filmmakers to shoot their movies, web series, and serials in the state. “We are projecting 300 destinations for film shooting so that the production houses…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Bhutanese contemporary art is now finding a place on the international stage with exhibitions of several Bhutanese artists being held in Europe last year and in Taiwan, this year, The Bhutan Live reported. According to The Bhutan Live, the three Bhutanese artists, including Bhutan’s foremost contemporary artist, Kama Wangdi, who is popularly known as Asha Kama, opened their solo exhibitions in Taiwan recently. 65-year-old Kama Wangdi’s solo art exhibition titled “Sacred Present” is ongoing at the Dr Sun Yat Sen National Memorial Hall in Taipei. It will end on Wednesday, according to The Bhutan Live. His exhibition includes…