Author: Shahab Jagirani

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit China in the upcoming week as the crisis-hit country makes progress on debt restructuring talks with its biggest lender. Wickremesinghe took office in July last year, after a popular uprising, brought on by an economic meltdown, had forced his predecessor out of power. His Oct. 15-19 visit to Beijing will be his first to China since then. Wickremesinghe, who is also finance minister, has been leading Sri Lanka’s push to manage its heavy debt and keep funds flowing from a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. He will attend a Belt and…

As the war in Israel rages, an ongoing struggle to control the narrative of the conflict is unfolding between Hamas and the Jewish state. This propaganda battle is not novel, as it has long been observed to coexist with the kinetic action between Israel and the Palestinian armed groups, dating back to at least 2014. Drawing from its prior clashes with Israel, Hamas has gained vital insights on how to effectively counter Israel. Despite being at a military disadvantage in nearly every area, Hamas has developed unconventional methods to attack Israel, including a powerful propaganda system to garner global backing…

Paris, Frankfurt (27/10 – 20) Indonesian Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and Vice Presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka registered on Wednesday, Oct 25, the last open day, with the General Election Commission, the recently-forged Prabowo-Gibran team accompanied by millions of sympathizers; there were lengthy traffic jams. Prabowo-Gibran thus complements the two other teams of presidential and vice presidential candidates who registered on the first day: Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD. The three couples have undergone medical tests and the results will come out this afternoon (Oct 27). Since the advent of what is known as Reformasi, or a “reform…

Kazakhstan-Singapore Business Council #KSBC Chairman Mr. Sultan Marenov hosted a prominent Kazakh entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist Mr.Kenges Rakishev in Singapore and arranged a meeting with the Senior Managing Director of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) Mr. Pol de Win. The parties discussed the opportunities for Kazakh companies to list on the SGX and raise capital for investment in the growing economy of Kazakhstan. SGX is one of the leading and recognizable exchanges in the world, and deepening cooperation with Kazakhstan will raise the awareness of potential investors. We look forward to continuing our discussion and establishing fruitful cooperation soon. Source: KSBC

Copenhagen (17/08 – 78) Kidnapping, intimidation, and blackmail are just some of the means used to hit enlistment quotas in Tajikistan. When conscription season comes around in Tajikistan, military recruiters begin resorting to desperate measures. Scooping young men off the streets in actions tantamount to kidnapping is standard. But that is just for starters. To pressure communities into giving up their sons, recruiters will disconnect the electricity, detain relatives, and shut down mosques. Eligible levees draw lots to decide who will be the one to hand themselves over. The hunting season for men of draft age, which applies to people…

Budapest (12/8 – 33) Mahmadzohir will theoretically be eligible to run for president in 2027. In Tajikistan, only the president is permitted to enjoy an unfettered public profile. An intriguing exception to this norm is emerging, however, with another figure amassing huge levels of apparent popularity and prominence. This person too is a member of the ruling family. Ismoil Mahmadzohir, who turned 26 last month, is the grandson of President Emomali Rahmon. His mother, Firuza, is one of Rahmon’s seven daughters. He attended the Elite British Prep School Queen Ethelburga’s College and is the CEO of IM Group. Mahmadzohir – a visually…

Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif MP said the relationship between Bangladesh and India is of spirit, blood and brotherhood and this will never be broken. The seasoned politician made the remarks while addressing a programme marking the 48th anniversary of martyrdom of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Rotary Sadan of Kolkata on Sunday.“Our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of building a nation of people of all religions and castes in a non-communal spirit. We, people of Bangladesh, are working towards that goal. Bangabandhu fought and struggled for this…

In response to the floods in Bangladesh earlier this month, the European Union has released €300,000 to assist the flood-affected population in the Southeast region of the country. The aid will focus on the Bandarban region, as one of the hardest-hit districts. The funding will be used to provide emergency cash assistance to allow beneficiaries to immediately cope with their urgent needs, mainly in terms of food and shelter. The funding will be managed by the UN’s World Food Program (WFP), which will coordinate operations in the area with the Bangladesh Red Cross in order to ensure the largest possible…

In the days since their loss in Galle, Sri Lanka have been through an honest appraisal through their many flaws in the first Test. This is according to their coach Chris Silverwood, who highlighted fielding and bowling as particular areas for improvement. But they need to improve in “all three departments”, he said. After the loss in Galle, captain Dimuth Karunaratne had also highlighted the twin failures of Sri Lanka’s top order, after they had been 54 for 4 in the first innings, and 99 for 4 in the second. “There are certain areas that we need to improve on, fielding being one…

Brussels, Frankfurt (29/5 – 33) European Parliament members have strongly condemned ongoing repression by the authorities of Tajikistan against journalists, activists and protesters in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). A history of violence escalated extending several years, following confrontational events in November 2021 and May 2022 where dozens of civilians were killed. The European Parliament has since passed a resolution on 7 July 2022. European deputies called on the Tajik government to “put an end to repression against the residents of GBAO”. “We call on the government of Tajikistan to stop persecuting protesters, independent journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers and civil society activists,…