India’s new ambassador to Afghanistan arrives in Kabul
Khaama Press | 20^th January
India’s new ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra who is succeeding Amar Sinha has arrived in Kabul. Vohra is the 6th Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan after the fall of Taliban regime in 2001.

Policy of non-interference to improve ties with Kabul: Sartaj Aziz
Afghanistan Times | 19^th January
Special Advisor to the Pakistani premier on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, Sartaj Aziz, has said that policy of non-interference in the matter of other countries would help to improve relations with Kabul and New Delhi. Addressing his country’s National Assembly, he said that Pakistan government had taken important steps at internal and external fronts in a bid to overcome security problems.

BANGLADESH

Terror funds from UK went to Syria via Dhaka?
Prothom Alo| 20^th January
The Dhaka office of the iBacs, founded by Bangladesh-born ISIS computer hacker Saiful Haque Sujan, was used as a centre to transact funds for terror activities. Bangladeshi intelligence personnel arrested five people for their alleged involvement in this connection and recovered around $50,000 from them as they came from abroad.

Bangladesh to set up ten new border outposts
The Financial Express| 20^th January
Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) have agreed to beef up security and construct at least 10 new border outposts (BOPs) on the India-Bangladesh border to check militancy, crime and trafficking, a BSF official said Monday, according to a report by IANS.

BHUTAN

Denchi thromde gets six demkhongs
KUENSEL | 19^th January
The dzongkhag thromde of Pemagatshel, Denchi, has been divided into six constituencies, which will be represented by as many tshogpas in future. The constituencies comprise Denchi Baar, Denchi Shar, Denchi Toed, Denchi Maed, Denchi Woong and Marung. The election commission of Bhutan last week finalized the draft delimitation plan.

MALDIVES

India to donate military aircraft, helicopter to Maldives
Haveeru Online | 20^th January
India has agreed to donate a utility aircraft and another helicopter to the Maldives, government announced Wednesday. Defence minister Adam Shareef, who is visiting India, said the announcement was made during his meeting with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday.

Bangladesh Chief of Army leaves Maldives after official visit
Sun Online | 20^th January
Bangladeshi Chief of Army, Staff General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq left Maldives on Wednesday after concluding his official visit to the country. He was seen off at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport by Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Maldives Rear Admiral Kazi Sarwar Hossain, Brigadier General Ali Zuhair and Colonel Vaise Waheed.

MYANMAR

Germany provides 10 million euro fast-track grant
Mizzima | 20^th January
The German Government has committed 10 million euro additional grants for flood-affected areas in northern Myanmar. German Ambassador Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch said poverty alleviation in rural areas is a priority in German-Myanmar relations.

US Urges Outgoing Govt to Free All Political Prisoners
The Irrawaddy | 19^th January
During his second diplomatic visit to Burma, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the outgoing government to free all remaining political prisoners before the National League for Democracy (NLD) takes the mantle at the end of March. The deputy secretary on Monday met with President Thein Sein, Burma Army second-in-command Soe Win and NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won nearly 80 percent of contested seats in Burma’s historic Nov. 8 election.

NEPAL

SAARC foreign ministers’ meet proposed for March
Himalayan News Service / The Himalayan Times | 20^th January
Nepal has proposed hosting a meeting of SAARC foreign ministers in Kathmandu in mid-March. Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi said.

Nepal to seek funding from AIIB to implement mega projects
Himalayan News Service / The Himalayan Times | 20^th January
Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, while talking to media persons upon his arrival from China said that the government will soon submit the list of projects to the AIIB, being mindful of bridging the infrastructure gap to graduate to the league of developing countries by 2022 and middle-income countries by 2030.

Rs 5 billion programme for Tarai districts launched
The Kathmandu Post | 20^th January
The government has launched a five-year multi-billion rupees programme targeting the development of over 100 villages and cities in Tarai districts bordering India. The Rs 4.92 billion programme, scheduled for a formal inauguration in Mohottari on Thursday, will run till fiscal year 2019/20.

Construction of the second international airport to begin by mid-April
RSS / The Kathmandu Post | 19^th January
The construction of the second international airport at Nijgadh of Bara district is likely to start by mid April this year. The Civil Aviation Minister claimed the second largest airport will be constructed at Nijgadh as discussions have been already held with the Prime Minister regarding the construction of the airport and the Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan successfully tests Ra’ad cruise missile: Inter-Services Public Relations
DAWN | 19^th January
Pakistan on Tuesday conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) – Ra’ad – said the military’s media wing in a statement. It is essentially a flying bomb, generally designed to carry a large conventional or nuclear warhead many hundreds of miles with high accuracy.

PM Nawaz arrives in Switzerland to attend World Economic Forum
The News | 20^th January
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has arrived in Switzerland to attend the 46th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. At Davos, the Prime Minister will participate in a number of global events and hold bilateral meetings with key political and business leaders.

Pakistan offers to host Saudi-Iran reconciliation talks
Pakistan Observer | 20^th January
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said Saudi Arabia and Iran do not regard each other as enemies, as both are against hostility and tension. “Pakistan has conveyed Saudi Arabia’s concerns to Iran, and will pass on Iran’s concerns to Saudi Arabia,” the Premier said while talking to media persons after his meeting with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani here.

Pakistan interested in FTA with Iran: Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan
Pakistan Observer | 20^th January
Federal Minster for Commerce, Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Tuesday, said that in the wake of lifting of sanctions on Iran, Pakistan was interested to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with Iran.
SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka appreciates China’s support during conflict
Colombo Page|19^th January
The Secretary of Defense Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that Sri Lanka’s government appreciates the support given by China during the ethnic conflict to defeat the Tamil Tiger rebels.

British High Commissioner in Colombo meets jailed former President of Maldives
Colombo Page|19^th January
The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives James Dauris, on Tuesday, has met with former President Mohamed Nasheed in Colombo.

Mahinda hints at forming a new political party
Colombo Gazette | 19^th January
Rajapaksa told reporters that the situation is such that he is being pushed at forming a new political party.