SOUTH ASIA

Dhaka, Jan 22 (IANS) Four Bangladeshis have been arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York as the local law enforcement agencies have launched a massive crackdown on undocumented illegal immigrants since Donald Trump returned to office as the 47th President of the United States on Monday. The four Bangladeshis were arrested by the ICE from the Fulton area of ​​the Brooklyn borough of New York, Bangladesh's leading daily Prothom Alo reported on Wednesday.It revealed further that undocumented illegal immigrants have been living "in fear" since Trump was sworn in and passed a series of executive orders related to immigration."It has been observed on the ground that the streets and restaurants in Bengali-dominated areas, where there used to be a large crowd of ...

Islamabad, Jan 22 (IANS) US President Donald Trump's executive order to suspend the refugee programme has put a big question mark on the fate of thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan who had fled from the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and have been waiting for years to resettle in the United States. The US refugee programme, that would have eventually resettled in the US over 25,000 Afghan nationals currently residing in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan, was quashed by Trump on Monday, his very first day in office.As per the agreement between Pakistan government and the Biden administration, it was agreed between the two countries that over 25,000 Afghans - most of them having served and worked with the US military and its contractors before Taliban's takeover in August 2021 - would later...

Yangon, Jan 19 (IANS) Myanmar's Agriculture and Rural Development Loan Project has disbursed over 247 billion kyats (about 117.61 million U.S. dollars) in financial assistance as of 2024, benefiting 5,816 farmers, the state-run Myanmar Radio and Television reported on Sunday. The report said that the project not only benefits farmers but also strengthens the country's agricultural sector, Xinhua news agency reported.The project, launched in July 2017, offers low-interest loans to support farmers in purchasing essential agricultural machinery, the report said.The repayment scheme includes three-year short-term and five-year long-term instalment options, it added.Agriculture in Myanmar (also known as Burma) is the main industry in the country, accounting for 60 per cent of the GDP and emplo...

Tokyo, Jan 19 (IANS) A wildfire that broke out on Saturday in the mountains spanning Japan's Kofu City and Fuefuki City in Yamanashi prefecture remained uncontained, local media reported on Sunday. The fire started at around 1:30 p.m. local time on Saturday in the mountain area. Despite firefighting efforts, including the deployment of helicopters from neighbouring prefectures and the Self-Defense Forces, the fire has not been brought under control, the national broadcaster NHK reported, Xinhua news agency reported.So far, there have been no injuries, and the fire did not pose an immediate threat to residential areas at the mountain's base, according to the report.Authorities have continued to monitor the situation, with plans to resume firefighting at dawn on Monday.Yamanashi prefecture ...

Kabul, Jan 19 (IANS) A dispute over the ownership of a jungle in eastern Afghanistan's Kapisa province killed one and injured 21 others on Saturday, provincial police spokesman Abdul Fatah Faiz said Sunday. The clash erupted over the ownership of a jungle between residents of two villages in Alasai district on Saturday afternoon. As a result, one villager was killed and 21 others sustained injuries, Xinhua news agency reported.The situation came under control after police reached the area and took 35 villagers into custody. An investigation was underway to identify those responsible.Eastern Afghanistan’s province of Nuristan is a green oasis in a country largely in the grip of desertification. The area is replete with tree-covered mountains and clear rivers that wind through lush, narrow ...

Islamabad, Jan 19 (IANS) Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has pledged to foster a robust digital investment ecosystem, aligning with a global initiative aimed at driving digital foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country. The prime minister issued a statement on Saturday and highlighted Pakistan's strides in digital transformation, which he said are expanding revenues, increasing workforce and boosting exports, Xinhua news agency reported."We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to cultivating a thriving digital investment ecosystem, paving the way for digital prosperity for all," he said.The World Economic Forum and the Digital Cooperation Organization launched the Digital Foreign Direct Investment Initiative in 2022 in Davos, Switzerland, to enhance cross-border digital inves...