Neighbourhood News Digest – 10 May 2023

Afghanistan

Barred from schools & universities, female students start own businesses in Afghanistan - ToI

Due to the Taliban-imposed ban on access to education for girls and women students in Afghanistan, some of them have launched their own enterprises in order to support their families economically, TOLO news reported. They claimed that after being denied admission to schools, they started new companies to help themselves and their families. A student of law and political science faculty at one of Kabul's universities told TOLOnews that she has opened a clothes and cosmetics shop. "We work here, but our employees cannot replace our studies. To ensure our future and the future of our nation, as well as its development, we must study to become professionals," she said.Click here to read... [2]

UN calls on Taliban to halt flogging, executions in Afghanistan – The Print

The United Nations has called on the Taliban to halt flogging and execution in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. Human Rights Chief of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Fiona Frazer, in a statement said the Taliban’s corporal punishment is against international law.She urged the Taliban leadership to halt all executions immediately. The Taliban-led ministry said: “In the event of a conflict between international human rights law and Islamic law, the government is obliged to follow the Islamic law.” Click here to read... [3]

The Islamic State Has a New Target: Russia – Foreign Policy

Now that the United States has left Afghanistan, the local branch of the Islamic State has turned its sights on a new enemy: Russia. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the Islamic State’s central propaganda apparatus initiated a Ukraine-focused media campaign in its weekly al-Naba newsletter under the headline “Crusader Against Crusader Wars,” in which the group revelled in the mutual destruction of its declared adversaries on the European continent. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

"No One Can Break Deep Ties Between India, Bangladesh": Amit Shah In Bengal - NDTV

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said that India and Bangladesh share deep ties, with a history of intertwined culture and language, and as such, no one can undermine the good bilateral relations between the two nations. Amit Shah was on a visit to the India-Bangladesh border at Petrapole in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several projects of the Land Ports Authority of India and the Border Security Force (BSF). Click here to read... [5]

Northeast India natural hub to boost relations with Bangladesh – New Age

Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, has described the northeast region of India as a ‘natural hub’ for boosting trade and people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and India. He invited entrepreneurs from Bangladesh to take full advantage of the emerging opportunities in the fast growing economy of the northeastern Indian states and further explore the potential of bilateral trade and investment. Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh cuts import reliance for lifesaving vaccines – Daily Star

Bangladesh has cut its reliance on the global markets for lifesaving vaccines as a number of local manufacturers are producing quality jabs, saving a significant volume of foreign currencies, industry people say. Currently, Bangladesh is almost self-sufficient in manufacturing regular and specialised vaccines thanks to the efforts of local manufacturers. Click here to read... [7]

‘We have a right to live in dignity’: Biharis in Bangladesh fight for equality – and jobs - Guardian

The Urdu-speaking ethnic group was stateless for many years after the partition of India – and even now remain marginalised, living in cramped settlement camps and struggling to find formal work. On his first day at high school, Khalid Hussain was accused of being the son of a war criminal. “A group of Bengali kids surrounded us and made it clear that we were not welcome. The incident still shocks me to this day,” says Hussain, who was 12 at the time. “But we just wanted to learn.” Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

Canada-Bhutan expand cooperation beyond education – Kuensel

Bhutan and Canada marks 20 years of relations this year. Deputy Canada Ambassador to Bhutan Amanda Strohan is in Thimphu to introduce new Canadian Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI) projects, and explore education collaboration. Click here to read... [9]

India bans apple imports, exempts Bhutan – The Economic Times

India, on Monday, prohibited the import of apples where the Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) import price is less than or equal to Rs 50 per kilogram. The government changes the import policy to “prohibited” from “free” earlier. The amendment in the apple import policy will not be applicable to Bhutan, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

Maldives signs key agreements with Serbia - Raajje

The Government of the Republic of Maldives and the Government of the Republic of Serbia have signed four key agreements. The agreements were signed during the ongoing official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid, to Serbia, on Tuesday. Click here to read... [11]

Pres. appoints a member to the Maldives Broadcasting Commission - Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has appointed a new member to the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC). The newly appointed member to the Commission is Safa Shafeeq. She was appointed as a member of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission, on Tuesday. Safa completed her Master of Arts in Social Policy at the Maldives National University (MNU) and her Master of Arts in Communication at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT), Malaysia. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar

ASEAN leaders say 'deeply concerned' about Myanmar violence - Deccan Herrald

Southeast Asian nations said Wednesday they are "deeply concerned" about the violence ravaging Myanmar, and condemned a recent attack on a convoy of diplomats delivering humanitarian aid in the country. Turmoil in junta-ruled Myanmar has dominated at this week's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Indonesia, as the regional bloc faces criticism for its perceived inaction. Click here to read... [13]

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates Sittwe port in Myanmar, receives first Indian cargo ship - NE Now

Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and deputy prime minister of Myanmar Admiral Tin Aung San, on Tuesday, jointly inaugurated the Sittwe port in Myanmar. Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal also received the first Indian cargo ship, which was flagged off from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata. Click here to read... [14]

Low-pressure area likely to intensify into Cyclone Mocha today - Hindustan Times

A low-pressure area over the Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining South Andaman Sea that concentrated into a depression, about 510 km southwest of Port Blair, on Tuesday evening was likely to intensify into Cyclone Mocha by Wednesday evening. Click here to read... [15]

Nepal

Constitutional Council nominates Hari Krishna Karki for new chief justice – The Kathmandu Post

The meeting of the Constitutional Council on Monday decided to nominate the seniormost justice of the Supreme Court Harikrishna Karki for new Chief Justice. “The meeting of the Constitutional Council held on Monday at Singha Durbar unanimously nominated seniormost justice Hari Krishna Karki for appointment as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,” said Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar. “We nominated Karki on the basis of the constitutional provision in the absence of necessary law.” Click here to read... [16]

Fake Bhutanese Refugee Scam: Hold all responsible accountable for their actions – My Republica

The recent revelation by Former Additional Inspector General of Nepal Police Bigyan Raj Sharma regarding the release of two people arrested earlier in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugees scam under political pressure has raised serious concerns about the justice system in Nepal. It is alarming to hear that high-profile leaders of the ruling parties including the then Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand are allegedly involved in such heinous crimes, and despite the evidence, they were able to influence the release of the accused. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan

After Imran Khan's Arrest, Protesters Storm Into Pakistan Army HQ in Rawalpindi – Times Now

After the arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's arrest, protesters have entered compounds of army commanders' residence in Lahore and army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, ANI said quoting multiple Pakistan media reports. The arrest of Imran Khan Was arrested on Tuesday outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC). His arrests resulted in protests and demonstrations by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters across Pakistan. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan Among World's Worst Performers In Internet Access: Report – NDTV

Pakistan in 2022 remained among the world's worst performers in terms of internet access and digital governance, according to a report released on Monday. Titled "Pakistan's Internet Landscape 2022", the report was released by Bytes For All -- a human rights and advocacy organisation -- which explores in detail the relationship between human rights and information and communication technologies in Pakistan last year. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan economic crisis: Hajj quota surrendered to Saudi Arabia for first time in 75 years – Business Today

Pakistan has surrendered its Hajj quota to Saudi Arabia for the first time in 75 years. This decision was taken due to the country's rising inflation that has led to thousands of Pakistanis skipping the pilgrimage this year. Pakistan reportedly returned 8,000 unutilised seats, which will save the Pakistani government $24 million. The religious affairs ministry confirmed the returning of the government scheme quota. Click here to read... [20]

The nuclear factor in the India–Pakistan relationship – ORF

More than a decade before Operation Shakti, the strategic landscape in the Indian subcontinent had already been irreversibly altered when, in 1987, Pakistan declared, albeit informally, that it had a functional nuclear weapon, which it would not hesitate to use if its existence was threatened. The Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 only brought the bombs of India and Pakistan out of the basement, and both countries declared themselves nuclear weapon states.Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka

India extends $1bn credit line for Sri Lanka by a year – Al Jazeera

India has extended a $1bn credit line for Sri Lanka by one year, a Sri Lankan official says, giving the crisis-hit island nation a backup infusion of dollars for essential imports. The credit line, part of about $4bn in emergency assistance extended by India during the peak of Sri Lanka’s financial crisis early last year, was scheduled to end in March. Click here to read... [22]

Sri Lanka Supreme Court clears path to decriminalize homosexuality - CNN

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has given the green light to a bill seeking to decriminalize homosexuality, the speaker of parliament said on Tuesday, in a move hailed as a “historic development” by campaigners. LGBTQ+ rights activists in Sri Lanka have been campaigning for years to change the law in a country where homosexuality is still punishable by a prison sentence and a fine, leading to the private member’s bill presented in parliament last month. Click here to read... [23]

Keywords: Afghanistan, Women, Taliban, Islamic Law, Bangladesh-India, Northeast, Imports, Sri Lanka, Credit, Supreme Court, Homosexuality, Bhutan, Canada, India apples, Nepal, Chief Justice, Bhutanese Refugee Scam, Pakistan, Imran Khan, Protests, Pakistan Army, Rawalpindi, Internet Access, Pakistan economy, Saudi Arabia, India, Maldives-Serbia, Broadcast, ASEAN, Sittwe Port, India-Myanmar, Cyclone