Neighborhood News Digest – 28 March 2023

Afghanistan

MoFA Said Delegates Visited Afghan Consulate in Tajikistan – Tolo News

The Foreign Ministry’s spokesman said that a delegation of the Islamic Emirate led by Mohammad Musa Amiri, head of the ministry's finance and administrative office affairs, on Thursday visited the Afghan consulate in Khorog Badakhshan in Tajikistan. The deputy spokesman of MoFA said that the purpose of the visit was to review the activities of the consulate and remove challenges. Click here to read... [2]

Afghanistan Receives Aid Of $21 Mn From Japan For Essential Vaccines For Children, Women – Business World

In order to help Afghanistan tackle the humanitarian crisis, Japan has contributed funds of about USD 21 million to provide essential vaccines to the women and children of the crisis-hit country, Khaama Press reported. Following the humanitarian gesture by Japan, UNICEF will provide clean water for 30,000 people in four provinces across Afghanistan, and vaccines for 18.3 million mothers and children. Click here to read... [3]

6 Killed In Kabul Suicide Blast Near Foreign Ministry, 2nd In 3 Months - NDTV

A suicide attack on Monday not far from Afghanistan's foreign ministry killed six civilians and wounded several others, the interior ministry said. The attacker was identified by Afghan forces but the explosives he carried detonated and "killed six civilians and wounded a number of others", ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor tweeted. The blast occurred in front of a business centre near the foreign ministry. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Japan to connect landlocked North East with Bangladesh – Economic Times

The landlocked Northeast India may soon get a trade gateway through Matarbari deep sea port in Bangladesh being constructed by Japan, thanks to Tokyo's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy as outlined by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. "Viewing Bangladesh and other areas to the south as a single economic zone, we will promote the Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept in cooperation with India and Bangladesh to foster the growth of the entire region," Click here to read... [5]

Momen urges vigilance against anti-Bangladesh disinformation campaign - TBS

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged everyone to remain vigilant against those spreading misinformation and falsehoods about Bangladesh. He said this while addressing a discussion on "Bangabandhu and Bangladesh" organised by Bangabandhu Foundation on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of independence at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium in Dhaka. Momen said that some nagging quarters ("Naalish Party") have been running disinformation campaigns against the government. Click here to read... [6]

Foreigners’ interest in investing in Bangladesh increases for political stability: Hasan – Financial Express

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud says foreigners are becoming more interested in trade and investment in Bangladesh due to political stability and an increase in people's purchasing capacity in the country with a fast-growing economy. "Political stability is a prerequisite for any investment and economic development. As the size of our country's economy is expanding, there is political stability and people's purchasing capacity is in increasing trend, it is the right time to invest in Bangladesh now," he said. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

Trashigang’s NC Candidates offer same pledges – Kuensel

The five National Council (NC) candidates of Trashigang pledged to resolve the goongtong and youth unemployment issues in the dzongkhag. Sangay Tenzin from Thrimshing pledged to review the existing laws that do not benefit society. He said he would address the youth unemployment issues and emphasised on balanced socioeconomic development. “I will ensure that the planned activities and approved projects benefit the people,” said Sangay Tenzin. “I will be a bridge between the government and the people.” Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

Maldives observes surge in covid-19 caseload - Raajje

Maldives has observed a surge in the weekly Covid-19 numbers reported across the country. This was revealed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in its latest figures publicized on Monday. As such, over the past week, Maldives confirmed 16 new Covid-19 infections, out of which 12 cases were confirmed from the Greater Malé Region and the remaining four were detected from others including industrial islands, liveaboard vessels and resorts. Click here to read... [9]

Myanmar

Myanmar junta chief vows to crush resistance forces in rare speech - ABC

Myanmar's junta chief — flanked by tanks and missile launchers — has vowed not to let up in a crackdown on opponents and said elections would be held, weeks after the military conceded it did not control enough territory to allow a vote. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing made the remarks in a rare speech at a military parade to mark Armed Forces Day. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar Junta Must Not Betray Bangladesh On Rohingya Issue This Time – Eurasia Review

The latest move by Myanmar’s military junta to show its readiness to repatriate the Rohingyas to diplomats from Bangladesh, India, China and ASEAN countries is shocking. Diplomats from these countries were taken to Maungdoo and Sittwe in Rakhine State on March 9. They are told that the Myanmar government wants to start the repatriation process soon. Click here to read... [11]

Nepal

Amritpal's bid to escape India, Nepal declares him most-wanted - One India

Radical Sikh leader, Amritpal Singh may have reached Nepal and the immigration department out there has put him on the surveillance list. Amritpal Singh has been on the run since the Punjab Police launched a massive offensive on him last week. He managed to slip out of Punjab, reach Haryana and then sneak into Delhi. Click here to read... [12]

Nepal, a crucible of fragile coalitions - The Hindu

In a short span of time since being in power from December 25, 2022, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, supremo of the Maoist Centre (MC), has had to face a vote of confidence twice — on January 10, 2023 and again on March 20. Though it would seem unusual, it is not an unexpected happening given the state of disarray contemporary Nepali politics is in after the general election in November 2022. Click here to read... [13]

Pakistan

IHC grants Imran interim bail in 7 cases relating to Federal Judicial Complex clashes – Dawn

The Islamabad High Court on Monday granted PTI Chairman Imran Khan interim bail in seven cases registered against him following clashes at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) on March 18 when the former premier had appeared in the Toshakhana case. In petitions filed in the IHC today, the PTI chief sought interim bail in the cases registered against him at Golra, Bara Kahu, Ramna, Khanna, and CTD police stations. Click here to read... [14]

Democracy summit invitation by US a test for Pakistan’s diplomacy – The Print

The democracy summit in Washington beginning on Tuesday would be a test for Pakistan’s diplomacy as the cash-strapped country would look to rekindle ties with the US without irking its longtime ally China, according to a media report. Like the first democracy summit in 2021, both India and Pakistan have been invited to the summit. Pakistan had opted out of the first summit, reportedly on the back of the Biden administration’s refusal to reach out to the then-prime minister Imran Khan. Click here to read... [15]

'Either Imran will be eliminated or we will be': Pakistan Minister's shocking threat – The New Indian Express

Imran Khan has turned politics into enmity and taken it to a point where "either he or us" will be "eliminated" from the political arena, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said, warning that the ruling party will go to any extent to protect its existence. In an interview with a private TV channel, the senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) termed the ex-prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief an "enemy" of his party and said Khan will be "treated like that." Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan SC issues notice to Election Commission over delay in Punjab elections – Devdiscourse

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for dragging its feet on elections in Punjab, Geo News reported. The apex court sought guarantees from the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to bury the hatchet for free, fair, and transparent elections. Click here to read... [17]

Sri Lanka

'Sri Lanka to seek fresh $1 billion credit from India to buy essential items'

Sri Lanka would seek a new temporary credit facility from India to purchase essential items including food and medicine, the official media here reported on Monday. The Sri Lankan finance ministry officials held talks with its Indian counterparts to obtain the new temporary $1 billion facility for the "purchase of essential foodstuff, medicines and other goods for the country," the state-run Daily News newspaper reported. Click here to read... [18]

Foreign Ministry organises IORA workshop on ‘Cooperation for Maritime Security’ – Daily News

A three-day workshop on ‘Cooperation for Maritime Security’ organised by the Foreign Ministry in collaboration with the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) concluded on March 23. The workshop provided an insightful analysis on IORA Member States to identify gaps between domestic legislation and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The focal points of maritime safety and security of the IORA Member States, namely Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Yemen and officials from the Foreign Ministry, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard attended the event. Participants from Dialogue Partners of IORA, Germany, Italy, Japan and USA also joined the workshop virtually. Click here to read... [19]

President of ICCR Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe launches Sri Lanka chapter of India Alumni in Colombo – NewsOnAir

President of ICCR Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe launches Sri Lanka chapter of India Alumni in Colombo. Speaking after launching the Sri Lanka chapter of India Alumni, he stressed the knowledge traditions existing in India. He said that India is repaying the debt of Sri Lanka welcoming Prince Mahinda and Princess Sanghamitta by hosting its students. Dr. Sahasrabuddhe added that ICCR provides a large number of scholarships to students to enable them to pursue education in over 43000 colleges under over 1100 universities at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral research levels. Click here to read... [20]