Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq54ggd62w3o Recently, President Trump made a claim that India had offered to remove tariffs from US goods. India’s foreign minister quickly squashed the claim, saying that there have been discussions of trade relations, however no conclusion has been made yet. The minister clearly emphasized that these kinds of agreements must be made by both parties, and that… Read more »
Link: https://www.voanews.com/a/militants-attack-train-take-hostages-in-pakistan-s-balochistan/8006651.html In March, the Baloch Liberation Army hijacked a passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in Pakistan. The group took around 200 passengers hostage, and ended up claiming responsibility for the attack. Pakistan’s security ordered a rescue of the hostages, which ended in the freeing of 104 civilians, with 16 BLA militants being killed. The group has already… Read more »
Link to article: https://eurasianet.org/afghanistan-grappling-with-fall-out-of-dwindling-foreign-aid Afghanistan has been struggling with a humanitarian crisis after the cutoff of foreign aid. The United States, starting after an executive order signed by Trump in January, has revoked all assistance with humanitarian needs for the country. Afghanistan has gotten the majority of their resources from foreign bodies, including goods like food, fuel, medicine, etc. The… Read more »
Link to article: https://eurasianet.org/great-power-jostling-in-central-asia-centering-on-uzbekistan Lately, Uzbekistan has stood out in the eyes of global powers as having great potential in Central Asia. They’re being assessed by several powers for their natural resources, geographic advantages, and potential for great economic growth. They’ve taken advantage of this attention, reaching out to several countries to strengthen relations and propose ideas for the future…. Read more »
Link to article: https://timesca.com/letranger-paris-hosts-the-reclusive-leader-of-turkmenistan/ Recently, Turkmenistan’s ex-president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov paid a visit to France for the Franco-Turkmen Economic Forum. Turkmenistan hasn’t had an official visit to France in 14 years, however the visit was kept relatively quiet from the press. Turkmenistan has always kept their relations very private, and they’ve taken an isolationist approach in their regime. The meeting with… Read more »
New Delhi stated that they were going to take bold moves on Afghanistan to establish stronger relations with them and their Taliban-rules state. This followed a phone call between India’s External Affairs Minister and Afghans acting Foreign Minister. ¨As part of that process, South Block will consider the possibility of extending humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees who have been forcefully… Read more »
UK and India just recently decided to implement a trade deal on exports of whiskey, cars, and other products that are going to India. They are also cutting taxes on India’s clothing and footwear exports. The article added that this trade deal is not going to change the trajectory of the immigration policy that is already set in stone. The… Read more »
Marking the first trip by a Pakistani official to Afghanistan in over a year, Pakistan’s deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister landed in Kabul on April 19th. Pakistan had decided to expel Afghan refugees months prior and closed their border which is said to have disrupted trade and business. They have had a period of a strained relationship because of… Read more »
The fourth round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US scheduled for May 3 In rome has been postponed due to “logistical and technical reasons.” This delay follows the US imposition of new sanctions targeting companies allegedly involved in the illicit trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals, part of Trump’s “maximum pressure strategy. Trump has warned of potential military… Read more »
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has suspended the game of chess because of their concerns that it constitutes a form of gambling under Islamic law. A spokesman for the Taliban stated that the game is under review to determine its compatibility with Sharia law and will remain banned until a decision is made. This is part of a broader pattern… Read more »