VIF Neighbourhood News Digest - October 25, 2022

Afghanistan

Kabul Denies Claims of Human Rights Violations in Panjshir: Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate denied the claims of the UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, saying if there is any question of the violation of human rights, the supreme court will investigate. The deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate called on Bennett to form its report based on the realities in Afghanistan. Click here to read... [2]

Bangladesh

Cyclone Sitrang: Sea still rough, maritime ports asked to hoist cautionary signal number 3: Dhaka Tribune

Maritime ports have been asked to hoist local cautionary signal no three, as Cyclonic storm Sitrang completed crossing the Barishal-Chittagong coast near Bhola on Monday night. Click here to read... [3]

Bhutan

Govt. exploring ways to help Bhutanese go to Australia - Kuensel Online

The government will look into all possible ways to help Bhutanese study or work in Australia, including asking the Australian government if the government could stand as a guarantor for the financial support for those applying to study in Australia. This was what transpired when Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji and Labour Minister Karma Dorji met more than 50 education consultancy and placement firms in Thimphu yesterday to discuss streamlining the processes for those who want to study abroad. Click here to read... [4]

Maldives
Discussions held on Maldives-EU longstanding relationship - Raajje

FM Shahid and Pampaloni went on to explore opportunities to increase access of tuna products from the Maldives to the European market. Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has met with the Managing Director of Asia and the Pacific for the European External Action Service, Paola Pampaloni. The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday and saw FM Shahid and Pampaloni shedding light on the longstanding relationship between the Maldives and the European Union. Discussions at the meeting revolved around avenues to further strengthen the partnership in areas including democracy consolidation, judicial reform, counterterrorism, promotion and protection of human rights and environment and climate change. Click here to read... [5]

Confident that Maldives-China ties will prosper under Wang Yi’s able leadership: FM - Raajje

In a congratulatory message sent to State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi late Sunday, FM Shahid revealed that the government and the people of Maldives joins him in conveying warmest congratulations and best wishes on the Chinese Foreign Minister’s appointment as a member of the 20th Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China. Click here to read... [6]

Myanmar
Myanmar to face nightmare over FATF’s blacklist - BNI Online

Economists and businessmen have warned that international money-laundering watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)' blacklisting of Myanmar will make lives more difficult for the people. The FATF announced on October 21 that Myanmar has been placed on the blacklist from the gray list for failing to address a large number of strategic deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter terrorist-financing systems. But these measures won’t negatively impact humanitarian assistance and nonprofit organizations’ activities. Click here to read... [7]

Myanmar junta attacks PDF camp in Sagaing Region’s Monywa Township - Mizzima

Junta troops raided a Chindwin Attack Force (CAF) people’s defence force (PDF) camp and killed a PDF soldier in Sagaing Region’s Monywa Township at about 6:00 a.m. on 22 October. The dead PDF soldier was named as 19-year-old Wai Yan from the Chindwin Attack Force Company (4) of Battalion (2). A representative of the CAF said: "We split out into numerous units and used powerful weaponry to resist the junta soldiers. Two of our soldiers were hit by a shell at that time, and one of them died.” Click here to read... [8]

Nepal
Nepal exports power to India even during peak hour of Laxmi Puja - Khabarhub

NEA said 380 megawatts of excess electricity was sold in the Indian market during the peak hour on Monday evening. The highest electricity demand in Nepal was at 6:10 PM during Laxmi Puja during which 1,305 MW of electricity was consumed. NEA’s system supplied 1,685 MW of electricity, including exported electricity, during that time. This is the first time in NEA’s history that it has exported excess electricity to the Indian market even on the evening of Laxmi Puja when electricity is consumed in the country itself. Click here to read... [9]

Better forecasting reduces flood impact in Nepal - Nepali Times /h5>

Disaster response usually is just that: responding to disasters after they happen. But with better forecasting, communities can get help before weather extremes induced by the climate crisis unleash floods. October’s unseasonal rains in Nepal was not a surprise, meteorologists using weather modelling had warned of unusually heavy unseasonal post-monsoon downpours. This allowed relief agencies and the government to rush aid to the remote Karnali region of western Nepal. Click here to read... [10]

Pakistan

IMF presses Pakistan to foist more taxes: The Express Tribune

Despite healthy momentum in the revenue generation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to impose roughly Rs600 billion in additional taxes and again urged Islamabad to set up an anti-corruption task force. Click here to read... [11]

PM Shehbaz felicitates Rishi Sunak for becoming UK PM: The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday congratulated Rishi Sunak on his nomination as leader of the Conservative Party and the next prime minister of the United Kingdom. Click here to read... [12]

Sri Lanka

IMF remains only hope for Sri Lanka to emerge from crisis: CB Governor: Daily Mirror

The economic rescue programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains the only path available for Sri Lanka to emerge from the prevailing economic crisis, as no one else is ready to bail out Sri Lanka, according to Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe. Click here to read... [13]