Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: What a uniformed General schooled in the pursuit of warfare has to do with a country’s economy, and whether the interim Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, who is a former central bank chief, or even the interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, given the scale of the economic rot that has set in, ought to have chaired the meeting and sought to assuage the rattled businessmen are valid questions being asked by many. After all, it is common knowledge in Pakistan that all those appointed to the caretaker Cabinet mandated with holding elections are close to, and backed by, the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: To showcase India’s reach in power conversation through Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions in any domain, ‘Jugalbandi’ has been set up at one of the pavillions at the G20 Summit venue in Pragati Maidan. ‘Jugalbandi’ is a free and open platform that combines the power of ChatGPT and Indian language translation models under the ‘Bhashini’ mission to power conversational AI solutions in any domain. High-quality conversational AI in over 50 Indian languages can enable all kinds of solutions by cutting through language and interaction barriers. With the help of Myscheme.gov.in, ‘Jugalbandi’ ‘ is already powering WhatsApp and Telegram chatbots…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said consensus has been built on New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration and announced its adoption. The Prime Minister, who is chairing the G20 sessions, congratulated the Sherpas and ministers who had worked towards forging the consensus. “I have received good news. Due to the hard work of our team, consensus has been built on New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit Declaration. My proposal is to adopt this leadership declaration. I announce to adopt this declaration. On this occasion, I congratulate my Sherpa, ministers, who worked hard for it and made it possible,”…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The United States and India on Friday announced the settlement of the last outstanding dispute at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over poultry products. India also consented to lower tariffs on a number of American goods, including frozen turkey, frozen duck, fresh and frozen blueberries and cranberries, dried and processed blueberries and cranberries, and fresh and frozen cranberries, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. According to an official release, the US Trade Representative, Katherine Tai announced on Friday that the United States and India have agreed to resolve their last outstanding dispute at the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union and other G20 partners are set to explore the shipping and rail transportation corridor, a formal announcement of which is expected today. Saudi Arabian experts believe that such a project with one of their biggest trading partners makes great sense. Faisal Abbas, editor-in-chief of Arab News, is in the national capital with the Saudi delegation accompanying the Saudi Arabian Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on his state visit to India. In an interaction with ANI, Abbas, said, “Of course, the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The African Union has been made a permanent member of the Group of 20 countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. In his opening remarks at the 18th G20 Leaders’ Summit, PM Modi invited the AU, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member. “With everyone’s approval, I request the AU head to take his seat as a permanent G20 member,” Modi said in his address. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar accosted President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: With its recent move of introducing a self-sovereign national digital ID for all its citizens of the country, Bhutan is demonstrating that technological innovation has no bounds, reported Bhutan Live. This innovative national digital identity system was created by Druk Holding and Investments, the commercial and investment arm of the Bhutanese government, which is also the driving force behind this ambitious project. Ujjwal Deep Dahal, the CEO of Druk Holding and Investments, asserts that the new system is anticipated to serve as the foundation for the complete digitization of the country’s services. “National digital ID is the platform…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Bhutan’s regional mushroom festivals have reignited community spirits as in addition to being exciting events are also powerful drivers for tourism and the development of the economies of the communities they represent and have grown popular over the years, Bhutan Live reported. Next month’s Bhutan Royal Highland Festival will be a great example of this occurrence. This event draws thousands of visitors, both locals and tourists and offers residents of Laya and other highland areas a vibrant platform to share their diverse cultures and customs. It’s not just a party; it’s also a place to make important personal…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid emphasis on resolving the outstanding issues between India and Bangladesh through talks at the official level. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said this during a media briefing about the outcome of the bilateral meeting between Modi and visting Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “The Prime Minister of India expressed his deep gratitude to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her contribution in ensuring the existing peaceful situation in the North Eastern region of his country,” Momen said. The bilateral meeting took place at the official residence of the Indian prime…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday cited a G20 report prepared by the World Bank to highlight that India has achieved in just six years financial inclusion targets that would otherwise have taken at least 47 long years. “India’s leap in financial inclusion, powered by Digital Public Infrastructure! A G20 document prepared by the World Bank shared a very interest point on India’s growth,” he said on X. India has achieved financial inclusion targets in just 6 years which would otherwise have taken at least 47 long years. Compliments to our robust digital payment infrastructure and the spirit…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh and India on Friday signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi here. The MoUs are- Cooperation on Agricultural Research and Education between Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council and Extension of Cultural Exchange Programme from 2023 to 2025. The other MoU is between Bangladesh Bank and the National Payments Corporation of India for network connectivity to facilitate transactions in rupee and taka between the two countries. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said this while briefing reporters. (UNB)

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As India prepares to host the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10, its presidency’s commitment to fostering global harmony and green finance stands as a prominent testament. The country has given importance to global multistakeholder collaboration as a means to tackle common challenges like the climate crisis and shows the path of global harmony and green finance. When New Delhi rolls the red carpet for Heads of State from all across the globe, it will also be pertinent to see how the subject of green finance and its applications are taken up during the summit. For…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s exports and imports fell in August, data showed on Thursday, as the twin pressures of sagging overseas demand and weak consumer spending squeezed businesses in the world’s second-largest economy. While the trade numbers beat analysts’ expectations, they show China’s manufacturing sector remains under significant pressure and that policymakers will need to focus on boosting domestic demand to shore up growth, after export orders and imported parts held back factory activity last month. Exports dropped 8.8% in August year-on-year, customs data showed on Thursday, beating a forecast of 9.2% in a Reuters poll and off a 14.5% drop…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday night said they have agreed to increase and strengthen trade and investment relations with Bangladesh. Describing Bangladesh a good and long-standing partner in South Asia, he said that they are intensifying their bilateral contact with Bangladesh. While speaking at a joint media briefing after his bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Lavrov said they also discussed the Rohingya crisis. He said they support the ongoing negotiations between Bangladesh and Myanmar for solutions. The Russian Foreign Minister also talked about flagship project- Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and laid emphasis…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that the Hindu community in Bangladesh should not consider themselves as members of the minority community, reported Dhaka Tribune. She further urged them to live their life and enjoy equal rights in Bangladesh. “Why would you call yourselves a minority? There is nothing like minority and majority here. Rather, all citizens will live here enjoying equal rights. Don’t undermine yourselves as a minority. Why are you doing so when you are the people of this country?” she said. Sheikh Hasina highlighted this concern while exchanging greetings with the Hindu community…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India will beat China in the next two to three years as the Narendra Modi-led NDA government is proactively working towards developing infrastructure along the 3,488 Km stretch of the Line of Actual Control, Border Roads Organisation chief Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry said today. Speaking exclusively to ANI, he said 295 projects have been completed worth Rs 11,000 crore in last 2-3 years. Comparing the ruling dispensation with the previous governments regarding infra development along borders, the BRO chief said that China started their push for infra development all along LAC much before India and a decade ago…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Microsoft researchers said on Thursday they found what they believe is a network of fake, Chinese-controlled social media accounts seeking to influence U.S. voters by using artificial intelligence. A Chinese embassy spokesperson in Washington said that accusations of China using AI to create fake social media accounts were “full of prejudice and malicious speculation” and that China advocates for the safe use of AI. In a new research report, Microsoft said the social media accounts were part of a suspected Chinese information operation. The campaign bore similarities to activity which the U.S. Department of Justice has attributed to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Japan launched an H2A rocket on Thursday carrying a lunar lander that will attempt to make the nation’s first lunar landing, after three postponements in a week last month due to bad weather. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima at 8:42 am local time. On board, the rocket is JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, whose tasks include demonstrating accurate landing techniques and examining moon rocks, reports Xinhua. The SLIM’s lunar landing is scheduled for early next year. If the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: TikTok has confirmed that its first European data centre in Ireland is now operational and the social media giant has begun to migrate European user data to the site, as part of its ongoing response to data privacy concerns around the app’s links to China. The centre in Dublin is the first of three in Europe to be built and will house data from TikTok users from across the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The social media giant’s construction of the centres comes as it faces ongoing scrutiny from regulators around the world over…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: The 82-kilometre railway track from Dhaka to Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila via the Padma bridge is all set for railway transport. Ahead of the grand opening – scheduled for October 10 – Bangladesh Railway is conducting a trial run on the newly built rail tracks from Kamlapur to Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila via Padma Bridge on Wednesday (September 7), said Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujon. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to inaugurate the 82-kilometre rail tracks connecting Dhaka with Faridpur’s Bhanga next month. “We are moving ahead with October 10 as the tentative date for the inauguration of the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s Evergrande Group, once China’s second-largest property developer has filed for bankruptcy in the US. Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection, allows a US bankruptcy court to step in when an insolvency case involves another country. It is intended to help promote cooperation between US courts, debtors, and other countries’ courts involved in cross-border bankruptcy proceedings. Evergrande, the beleaguered firm, borrowed heavily and defaulted on its debt in 2021, sparking a massive property crisis in China’s economy, which continues till date. The company’s bankruptcy serves as a cautionary lesson about ‘growth-at-all-costs’’ model that underpinned China’s spectacular growth in the past…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Joblessness in China has reached an embarrassing level, forcing the Chinese government to conceal the unemployment data from the public view. Experts in China feared the unemployment rate has reached close to 50 percent in 2023. Even the Beijing government had to admit that the urban unemployment rate touched a record 21.3 percent in mid-2023. However, it was followed by the suspension of measurement of employment data, which led to angry reactions from the Chinese youth. Unemployment has become a major crisis in China as joblessness is taking its toll on the youth and economy. One in five…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As women thrive, so does the world. Their economic empowerment becomes a catalyst for growth. Their ability to attain education propels advancement on a global scale. The presence of their leadership cultivates inclusiveness. Moreover, their voices serve as a wellspring of motivation for constructive transformation. The most impactful method to bolster women is by adopting a development approach guided by women. India is making fast advances in this direction. India’s President, Shrimati Droupadi Murmu, stands as a compelling exemplar herself. Emerging from a modest tribal upbringing, she now leads the world’s most extensive democracy and holds the role…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India’s starting position in the race to reach ‘Net-Zero’ is not comparable to the fiscal space of four economies including the US, EU, China and Japan, but it stands out in its ability to position itself well in the new industrial era, according to a report. The new report, ‘Competing in the new zero-carbon industrial era’ by think tank, Strategic Perspectives, compares the performance of five major economies – US, China, EU, India and Japan on zero carbon technologies. It shows that the net-zero transition policies have significantly strengthened competitiveness, energy security and future economic prosperity. The report…