Neighborhood News Digest – 02 June 2023

Afghanistan

Australia’s most decorated war veteran unlawfully killed prisoners in Afghanistan, judge says – The Hindu

Australia’s most decorated living war veteran unlawfully killed prisoners and committed other war crimes in Afghanistan, a judge ruled Thursday in dismissing the claims by Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith that he was defamed by media. Federal Court judge Anthony Besanko ruled that the articles published in 2018 were substantially true about a number of war crimes committed by Mr. Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal who now is a media company executive. Click here to read... [2]

India cements relations with Afghanistan by routing food aid through Iran – Business Standard

By providing medical aid and food to the people of Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar, India is increasing its soft power in the land-locked country besides sidelining Pakistan. A news report in Afghan news agency Khaama says this also breaks the stranglehold of "Pakistan, which once played a major role in matters of Afghanistan." The report says that earlier, commercial goods from India were trucked to Afghanistan through Pakistan. The use of the Chabahar port also confers a new role upon Iran in providing goods to Afghanistan, relegating Pakistan to a peripheral role. Click here to read... [3]

Afghanistan’s acting FM Muttaqi terms world’s sanctions ‘cruel’ – The Print

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, during a meeting with family members of the 18 Afghan migrants who died while being smuggled into Bulgaria, called the sanctions imposed by foreign countries cruel, reported TOLO News. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Qatar signs LNG supply deal with Bangladesh - Natural Gas World

The agreement entails the supply of approximately 1.8mn metric tons/year of LNG to Bangladesh for a duration of 15 years, starting in 2026. QatarEnergy Trading, the LNG trading arm of QatarEnergy, has signed a long-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petroban). Click here to read... [5]

Per capita income will be $12,500 in Smart Bangladesh: Finance minister - Asia News Network

The per capita income will be $12,500 when the country would turn into “Smart Bangladesh”, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said today. Less than 3 per cent of people of Bangladesh will be below the poverty line and extreme poverty will be reduced to zero by then, he said in his budget speech. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

Advantages of Using Satellite Internet in Bhutan – Tian Shan Net

Satellite Internet in Bhutan has become increasingly popular in recent years. This is due to the many advantages that it offers over traditional forms of internet connectivity. In this article, we will explore some of the key advantages of using satellite internet in Bhutan. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan’s drop in cash crop production puts export targets at risk – Fresh Plaza

Bhutan’s production of the top three cash crops, apple, areca nuts and mandarin orange, has declined. Apple, mandarin, and areca nut are the leading cash crops among the fruit crops grown in Bhutan. According to the 2022 Integrated Agriculture and Livestock Census report, a total of 38,086 tons of fruits were harvested in 2022. Of this, 31,796 tons consisted of major fruits such as apple, mandarin orange, and areca nuts. The remaining 69 tons were newly promoted fruits such as watermelon, kiwi and dragon fruit. Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

Gov’t signs agreement with UNDP Maldives on bulk procurement of medicine - Raajje

The government of Maldives has signed an agreement with UNDP Maldives on the bulk procurement of medicine to the Maldives. The agreement was signed by Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer, Minister of State for Health Ahmed Adil and Managing Director of State Trading Organization (STO) Abdulla Saeed, on behalf of the government of Maldives and Resident Representative at UNDP Maldives, Enrico Gaveglia of behalf of UNDP. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives launches eFaas digital ID app for public preview - Biometric Update

Authorities in the Republic of Maldives have unveiled a mobile application for the country’s national digital ID (eFaas) system. The release of the app, which can run on smartphones of Android 5.0 upwards and also available for download on Google Play and App Store, is for public preview ahead of its official release, according to an eFaas tweet. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar

Myanmar towns record highest temperature in nearly 60 yrs - Dajji World

Two towns in Myanmar recorded the hottest day in nearly 60 years two days ago, the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology said. Hkamti, a town of western Myanmar's Sagaing region, logged its highest temperature in 58 years at 42.3 degrees Celsius, said the weather bureau on Thursday. Click here to read... [11]

What Thailand’s Election Means for Myanmar - Foreign Policy

Thailand’s election last month was a dramatic rebuke of nine years of military-backed rule, which began with a coup in 2014. The opposition, led by the upstart, youthful, and progressive Move Forward Party, won by a landslide and secured a sweeping mandate for change. The constraints of the military-drafted constitution mean it is still unclear whether Move Forward’s coalition will be permitted to govern. Click here to read... [12]

Longwa battling with sunflower drug trafficking and addiction - Morung Express

A disturbing scenario is unfolding at Longwa Village, Mon district, as transnational trafficking of the illicit drug known as Sunflower from Myanmar and addiction to it is taking a devastating toll on the community. Residents of this village, which is situated along the Indo-Myanmar border, are grabbling with the destructive consequences of the surging drug epidemic leading to crime, addiction and social upheaval. Click here to read... [13]

Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Pakistan are among global ‘Hunger Hotspots’ - People Dispatch

Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Pakistan are among the hunger hotspots across the world, according to a UN report released on May 29. Titled “Hunger Hotspots: FAO and WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity,” the report has been jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP). It marks 18 hunger hotspots across the globe where acute food insecurity is expected to increase in the period from June to November 2023.The 18 hunger hotspots include two regional clusters and comprise 22 countries. In these hotspots, parts of the population already facing acute food insecurity will experience “significant deterioration.” Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Nepal prime minister seeks Indian investments in mining, agri, energy, hospitality, IT – The Economic Times

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Thursday said huge business opportunities are there for investors and sought Indian investments in various sectors such as mining, manufacturing, agriculture, energy, tourism, infrastructure, information technology and hospitality. He said that abundance of natural resources, large pool of human capital, a promising market with sound policies and regulatory framework makes Nepal an ideal attractive destination for investment. Click here to read... [15]

On India-Nepal boundary dispute, PM Modi gives a clear assurance to PM Dahal - Hindustan Times

India and Nepal on Thursday unveiled initiatives to ramp up cooperation in energy, including increasing import of hydropower and allowing power exports to Bangladesh, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured his Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal of resolving a boundary dispute in the spirit of friendship. Click here to read... [16]

Modi, Prachanda announce 10-year power trade deal between India & Nepal, sign 7 agreements – The Print

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepal counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ announced the completion of a long-term power trade deal, as well as the signing of seven documents in areas of trade, energy, infrastructure among others. “Long-term power trade agreement has been established between India and Nepal today. This will give strength to the power sector of our countries,” PM Modi said in a joint briefing at the Hyderabad House Thursday. Click here to read... [17]

New Delhi agrees to power transmission from Nepal to Bangladesh through India – The Telegraph

In a significant move, India on Thursday agreed to allow Nepal to sell power to Bangladesh using the Indian transmission network under a trilateral arrangement, in a move that is seen as significant for greater regional cooperation. The Indian side conveyed its decision to Nepal during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda', officials said. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan

President of Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan's party arrested in Lahore: Report – Hindustan Times

The president of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan's party was arrested in the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday, local channel Geo News said. Pervez Elahi joins a long list of key leaders from the party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, to be arrested in recent weeks in a countrywide crackdown. Khan's own arrest on May 9 sparked widespread protests, raising fresh worries about Pakistan's stability as it struggles with its worst economic crisis in decades. Click here to read... [19]

Imran Khan loses his battle with Pakistan’s army – The Economist

Not long ago Imran Khan looked like a man who had defied Pakistan’s all-powerful generals and got away with it. After his arrest by paramilitary goons on May 9th, the former prime minister was freed by a Supreme Court order—even though his outraged supporters had had the temerity to smash up military installations around the country. As Pakistan’s most popular politician, with a legion of committed activists and apparently no fear of the army, Mr Khan looked odds-on to win a general election due later this year. Click here to read... [20]

Six killed, two injured in explosion inside house in Pakistan's Punjab province – The Telegraph

At least six persons of the same family were killed on Thursday in an explosion inside their house in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said. The incident took place in the province's Kot Addu district. Muzaffargarh District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Hasnain Haider, said that all of the deceased individuals belonged to the same family, which used to deal in selling junk, Dawn newspaper reported. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan interested in another loan from IMF to revive economy: Report – The Economic Times

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed interest in securing a new loan from the IMF during his talks with its chief Kristalina Georgieva though there are slim chances for the revival of the ongoing bailout package from the global lender, a media report said on Thursday. Sharif last Saturday held a telephone conversation with the fund's managing director and urged her to revive the $6.5 billion deal which was initially signed in 2019 and was set to expire by the end of this month. Click here to read... [22]

Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory body bars air time for May 9 offenders – The Indian Express

Pakistan’s electronic media watchdog has told the satellite TV channels to boycott “hate mongers, perpetrators and their facilitators” and advised them to refrain from giving airtime to “zealots” of a political party following the May 9 mayhem, a media report said on Thursday, hitting former prime minister Imran Khan’s party. Click here to read... [23]

Sri Lanka

Indian-made eye drops linked to infection in Sri Lanka, drug body launches probe- Scroll.in

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has launched an investigation into an eye drop manufactured in Gujarat has been linked with an infection in more than 30 patients in Sri Lankan hospitals. The patients developed complications after prednisolone eye drops were administered to them following cataract surgery in April, The Hindu reported. Click here to read... [24]

Sri Lanka surprises with 250 bps rate cut, signals rebound from crisis - Devi Discourse

"This can possibly be seen as an end to the crisis," said Sanjeewa Fernando, a senior vice president at Asia Securities in Colombo. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut its standing deposit facility rate and standing lending facility rate by 250 basis points to 13% and 14%, respectively, from 15.5% and 16.5%.Click here to read... [25]