VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: July 25, 2022
Afghanistan
WHO Contract With Afghan-Japan Hospital Ends- Tolo News

The officials of Afghan-Japan Hospital said it has been over a week since the contract of some employees of this hospital with the World Health Organization (WHO) has ended, and these employees are working voluntarily in the hospital. Click here to read...

Intl Favors Not Welcome if 'Against Islam': Hanafi- Tolo News

Acting Minister of Vice and Virtue, Khalid Hanafi, while visiting Ghazni decried sanctions and said the Islamic Emirate is ready for engagement with the international community, but its offers, if they are against Islam, are not acceptable. Click here to read...

Kabul Facing Water Shortages: AUWSSC- Tolo News

The Afghanistan Urban Water Supply and Sewage Corporation (AUWSSC) said that Kabul is facing an extreme decrease in groundwaterClick here to read...

Tashkent to Host Intl Conference on Afghanistan- Tolo News

A delegation of the Islamic Emirate led by the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, left Kabul for Tashkent to attend the international conference on Afghanistan held on July 25th and 26th. Click here to read...

Bangladesh
Energy crisis: Govt strategy to blame, not war- The Daily Star

The current energy crisis in the country has more to do with the government's reluctance to explore natural gas than the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, observes prominent energy expert Prof Badrul Imam. Click here to read...

PM rules out Sri Lanka-like crisis- The Daily Star

The prime minister yesterday lambasted those who are making wholesale criticism that Bangladesh will face the same situation like that of Sri Lanka. Click here to read...

US envoy visits RMP headquarters- The Daily Star

US Ambassador Peter Haas visited different US-supported activities at Rajshahi Metropolitan Police headquarters yesterday. Click here to read...

Turning Brahmaputra into a dumping zone- The Daily Star

The dumping of garbage by Mymensingh municipal authorities into the Old Brahmaputra River at Kalibari Puran Gudaraghat has become a menace for residents and a serious threat to the already dying river's health. Click here to read...

‘Economic crisis’ not ending soon- The Daily Star

Bangladesh is now facing an "economic crisis" that will not be over soon as the global economy is also going through turmoil, economists said yesterday. Click here to read...

Maintain the diplomatic norms, protocols- The Daily Star

In view of certain "recent occurrences", the foreign ministry recently wrote to all foreign diplomats, UN representatives and international organisations in Dhaka, urging them to maintain the diplomatic norm and protocol. Click here to read...

Kenya offers vast farmland to Bangladesh for agriculture- The Daily Star

Kenya has offered Bangladesh to take advantage of the African nation's vast farmland for food production as Bangladesh has developed good expertise and demonstrated immense success in the field. Click here to read...

Extend support in Rohingya repatriation to Myanmar: PM urges Japan- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (July 24, 2022) sought Japanese support for the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar, their homeland, as the forcibly displaced people have become a burden on Bangladesh for the last several years. Click here to read...

Insulting journalist over published report: HC blasts Teknaf UNO- The Daily Star

The High Court today (July 24, 2022) slammed Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Kaisar Khasru for allegedly insulting a journalist with objectionable words over a story mentioning his (UNO) comments on damages to several houses gifted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to underprivileged people. Click here to read...

Momen objects to Pakistan High Commission using merged image of flags- The Daily Star

Foreign Ministry has objected to the way Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka used the national flags of Bangladesh and Pakistan on their Facebook page. Click here to read...

‘Centralisation of power ominous sign for democracy’- The Daily Star

Pointing to the present governance system, former finance secretary and adviser to the caretaker government Akbar Ali Khan yesterday said it is necessary to nurture democracy in the country. Click here to read...

Bhutan
GoI and RGoB agree to close Kholongchhu Joint Venture- BBS

The government says the Kholongchhu project is stopped for now with the Joint Venture company being initiated to close. According to the Economic Affairs Minister, this was decided during his meeting with Indian officials in New Delhi recently. LyonpoClick here to read...

Random tests for controlled drugs in schools- Kuensel

Schools in Thimphu are asking parents to sign consent letters to allow their children to attend random tests for controlled drugs. Click here to read...

Eastern and southern dzongkhags prepare to welcome tourists amid limited infrastructure- Kuensel

Amid limited infrastructures, eastern and southern dzongkhags are preparing to welcome tourists as the country is scheduled to reopen its borders to tourists on September 23. Click here to read...

More than 3,500 holders of tourism licenses must compete- Bhutan Times

In order to compete, more than 3,500 licensed operators will need to offer high-quality services, programs, and facilities while providing tourists autonomy over their itineraries. Click here to read...

Maldives
Floating City May Protect the Maldives From High Sea Levels - youTube

A floating city may mean hope for the Maldives. Rising sea levels caused by climate change are threatening the Maldives at an alarming rate. The sea level is rising three to four millimeters every year. At the current rate, the Maldives could be uninhabitable by 2050. The government has stepped in with an idea they hope will house residents and continue to attract tourists: a floating city. By staying on top of the water, the island can rise and fall with the sea level. Click here to read...

Operational tourist facilities across Maldives rise to 1,167 - Raajje

The latest weekly statistics publicized by the Ministry of Tourism revealed that a total of 1,167 tourist accommodation establishments are currently operational across Maldives, with a total of 57,487 tourist beds. Click here to read...

Myanmar
Myanmar executes NLD lawmaker, 3 other political detainees - ABC News

Myanmar has carried out its first executions in nearly 50 years with the hangings of a former National League for Democracy lawmaker, a democracy activist and two men accused of violence after the country's military takeover last year. Click here to read...

Myanmar building projects worth $1.3bn frozen since army took power - Asia Neikkei

Seventeen months after the military seized power in Myanmar, many real estate development projects in the country, once viewed as having great growth potential by foreign investors, stand incomplete. Until the dark cloud over the economic future of the Southeast Asian nation clears, these projects are unlikely to be restarted. Click here to read...

Myanmar military prepares for election in bid for legitimacy - Asia Nekkei

A year from its promised August 2023 deadline, Myanmar's military government is touting progress toward a general election whose fairness has been questioned and that many voters appear likely to boycott. Click here to read...

UN court rejects Myanmar claims, will hear Rohingya case - Miami Herald

Judges at the United Nations’ highest court on Friday dismissed preliminary objections by Myanmar to a case alleging the Southeast Asian nation is responsible for genocide against the Rohingya ethnic minority. Click here to read...

Burmese Army Force Ethnic Men to Enlist as Troop Casualties Rise - VOA News

Myanmar's military regime is struggling to find new recruits after facing heavy casualties in the first year since the coup. Nationwide, young men are fleeing their homes, and country, rather than serve under a junta renowned for its "scorched earth" campaign against the civilian population. For VOA, Steve Sandford spoke to families affected by this push for "unofficial conscription" by the Burmese junta. Click here to read...

Nepal
HoR passes prison management bill- Himalayan Times

The House of Representatives (HoR) has passed the 'prison management bill, 2076'. Click here to read...

NEPSE on bullish trend after issuance of monetary policy- Himalayan Times

Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index closed all green today, the opening day, of the week that marked the first transactions following the issuance of a new monetary policy. Click here to read...

Households feel the heat as kitchen gets expensive with rising food prices- Kathmandu Post

People are cutting down budget for meals, as plates have become more expensive in what is termed ‘lunchflation’. Click here to read...

Panel probing tax tweak charges seeks film footage from Singha Durbar gates- Kathamdnu Post

Committee yet to find anything substantial as police take time to look into the hard drive it gave on Wednesday. Click here to read...

Pakistan
Elahi suffers shock defeat as Hamza retains Punjab CM position after deputy speaker's contentious ruling- Dawn

In a shock result, PML-Q's PTI-backed candidate Parvez Elahi lost the Punjab chief minister's election to PML-N's Hamza Shehbaz on Friday, after Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari ruled that PML-Q members' votes were not counted in light of party head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain's letter. Click here to read...

Opinion: Pakistan default- Dawn

WILL Pakistan actually default if the IMF, Saudi Arabia and other donors do not disburse a few billion dollars? Some are sounding the alarm bell, but others — including the government — insist that our economic ship is not about to sink anytime soon. They tell us we will not become Sri Lanka.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1700981/pakistan-default" target="_blank">Click here to read...

PM Shehbaz reaffirms pledge to achieve SCO goals- Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Pakistan was keen to work with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) member countries to promote cooperation in various fields and meet its goals. Click here to read...

37-member Punjab cabinet sworn in- Dawn

A 37-member cabinet of Punjab’s “trustee” Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz took oath of their offices here on Sunday evening, provoking the ire of the opposition PTI and PML-Q which termed it a violation of the court orders. Click here to read...

Completion of work on Rawal Dam Interchange flyover by July end ordered- Dawn

Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed on Sunday directed the engineering wing of the civic body to wrap up construction work on the Rawal Dam Interchange project by August 30, especially the flyover that he wanted to be up and running by the end of this month. Click here to read...

Sri Lanka
Open-Air theatre at Viharamahadevi Park available for peaceful protests: Prez- The Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe briefed the diplomatic community that facilitates within Colombo, such as the Open-Air theatre at Viharamahadevi Park, New Town Hall, Hyde Park and Campbell Park were all being made available for non-violent protests. Click here to read...

Sri Lanka faces risk of airlines pulling out as jet fuel issue worsens- The Daily Mirror

With no credible solution in sight to resolve the jet fuel shortage and the fund repatriation issues faced by the country’s aviation industry, several airlines are contemplating on suspending their operations to Sri Lanka threatening tourism industry’s recovery, which depends on air connectivity. Click here to read...

Rights group seeks arrest of former president Rajapaksa in Singapore- The Daily Mirror

A rights group documenting alleged abuses in Sri Lanka has filed a criminal complaint with Singapore's attorney general, seeking the arrest of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for his role in the South Asian nation's decades-long civil war, the Reuters reported. Click here to read...

UK minister Tariq Ahmad says will continue to support Sri Lanka- The Daily Mirror

The United Kingdom (UK) will continue to support Sri Lanka through these challenges, UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad said yesterday. Click here to read...

Not far from Sri Lanka moment, warns Imran- The Daily Mirror

Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday warned that Pakistan is not far from a Sri Lanka moment when the public will fill the streets for the ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’. Click here to read...

EU condemns unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators- The Daily Mirror

While condemning the unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators, the European Union (EU) has stressed the importance of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Click here to read...

Tamil Nadu sends INR74 crore worth rice, medicines to Sri Lanka- The Daily Mirror

Essential goods, including rice, milk powder and medicines all valued at ₹74 crore, was dispatched to Sri Lanka from the VOC Port Madurei by Lok Sabha MP K. Kanimozhi on Saturday. Click here to read...

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