Neighborhood News Digest – 12 July 2023

Afghanistan

Taliban halt Swedish activities in Afghanistan after Koran burning – Devdiscourse

The Taliban administration halted all activities by Sweden in Afghanistan on Tuesday in response to the burning of a Koran in Stockholm last month, and a major Swedish aid group said it was seeking clarification about the impact on its programmes. Click here to read... [2]

The Taliban are no longer against Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic riches – The Economist

When the Taliban barrelled into Kabul in August 2021, the curators of Afghanistan’s national museum stashed away its pre-Islamic treasures. During the Islamists’ previous spell in power, the Taliban minister of finance led an axe-wielding wrecking crew to smash up thousands of the pre-Islamic artefacts bequeathed by Afghanistan’s staggeringly rich history. Determined to prevent a repeat performance, museum employees camped for nights on end in the battered 1920s Kabul villa that houses its collections. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh moves beyond dollar to settle trade with India in rupee - The Print

Bangladesh is all set to settle trade with India in Rupee from Tuesday, a move to cut their reliance on the American currency, which was involved in nearly 90 per cent of global forex transactions in 2022, The Daily Star reported. Bangladesh Bank and the Indian High Commission are expected to announce the news regarding the Indian currency at an event at Le Meridien Hotel in Dhaka tomorrow. Click here to read... [4]

EU delegation holds talks with Election Commission over Bangladesh polls - BDNews

The European Union's Election Exploratory Mission has sat down with the Election Commission to evaluate the prospects of a fair and free general election in Bangladesh. Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and two other election commissioners met with EU representatives at the watchdog's Agargaon offices on Tuesday. Charles Whiteley, the EU ambassador to Bangladesh, accompanied the delegation. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

Jumbo ties: Bhutan, Assam share a long history of joint domestication of elephants – Frontline

In 1911, the first king of Bhutan expressed interest in capturing wild elephants in Bhutan’s territories and its borders. Two years later, during the King’s trip to Dewangiri, he proposed instituting the elephant khedda (stockade trap) operations with the British districts of Bengal and Assam. In 1914, arrangements for these joint operations were made with the two neighbouring districts. From available British records, these joint expeditions continued for at least three decades right up until 1944. Click here to read... [6]

Concerns mount as Bhutan’s imports surge – Kuensel

In the first quarter of this year, Bhutan witnessed a significant surge in imports, raising concerns over the country’s depleting foreign currency reserves. Recent figures from the Department of Revenue and Customs reveal a staggering 38 percent increase in imports, totalling Nu 31.69 billion compared to Nu 22.87 billion in the same period last year. Click here to read... [7]

Maldives

Jaishankar holds talks with Maldives foreign minister, describes meeting as ‘warm and productive’ - Odisha News

External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday described his meeting with the visiting Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid as “warm and productive”. Shahid arrived on Tuesday in New Delhi on a two-day visit to India. “A warm and productive meeting today with FM @abdulla_shahid of Maldives. Encouraged to learn of the steady progress in our development partnership. It is directly contributing to the economic growth and social welfare of our neighbour,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting. Click here to read... [8]

High Commissioner to the Republic of Maldives - Foreign Minister Gov Australia

Today I announce the appointment of Mr David Jessup as Australia's first resident High Commissioner to the Republic of Maldives. Australia and the Maldives share a strong interest in an Indian Ocean region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, where countries of the region can cooperate, trade and thrive. Australia and the Maldives will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2024.Click here to read... [9]

Myanmar

ASEAN: Thailand defends its approach to resolving Myanmar crisis - Antara News

Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai affirmed in Jakarta on Tuesday that Bangkok's initiative to hold three meetings with the Myanmar junta constituted an alternative approach to resolving the crisis in Myanmar. The approach does not violate the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN ) Leaders' Review and Decision on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus document, Minister Pramudwinai underlined. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar Junta Condemned For Using ‘Prison Transfers’ as a Pretext For Murder - The irrawaddy

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has strongly condemned the junta’s recent wave of extrajudicial killings of political prisoners and is urging the international community to take collective action to ensure that all those involved in the crimes are held accountable. Click here to read... [11]

Nepal

Nepal helicopter crash highlights: All 6 bodies recovered from Mount Everest region; airlifted for post-mortem – Hindustan Times

A helicopter operated by Manang Air, which was transporting foreign tourists from the Mount Everest region in Nepal, went missing on Tuesday, and authorities lost contact with the aircraft. The helicopter was carrying five foreign tourists who were on a sightseeing tour of the world's highest peak. It was scheduled to return to Kathmandu, the capital city, on Tuesday morning. Click here to read... [12]

Nepal & China agree to expedite pending infrastructure projects under BRI – The Economic Times

The agreement was reached during a meeting between the vice chairman of Nepal's National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha, and Chong Liang, the vice chairman of the Chinese government's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), which oversees the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Click here to read... [13]

Deadlock ends in Parliament as Nepal PM Prachanda expresses regret over his controversial remarks – Deccan Herald

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Monday expressed regret over his controversial remarks that an Indian businessman staying here made efforts to make him the premier, saying he should not have made those comments in his present capacity. Click here to read... [14]

Pakistan

Pakistan condemns Koran burning as ‘attack on faith’ at UN rights body – The Print

Pakistan’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that the desecration of the Koran amounted to the incitement of religious hatred as the U.N. Human Rights Council debated a contentious motion in the wake of a Koran burning in Sweden last month. Click here to read... [15]

Pakistan lost over USD 4 billion in FY23 in remittances as illegal channels offer higher exchange rates – Zee Business

Pakistan lost over USD 4 billion in remittances sent by expatriates to illegal channels in the current fiscal year, much higher than the amount the cash-strapped government struggled to secure from the IMF as a bailout. Data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the country's central bank, on Monday showed that the month-on-month remittances increased slightly by 4 per cent to USD 2.183 billion in June, while it witnessed a 22 per cent decline when compared with the USD 2.8 billion the country received in June 2022. Click here to read... [16]

Day before IMF bailout approval meet, Pakistan gets $2 billion from Saudi Arabia – Hindustan Times

Saudi Arabia pledged the funds to Pakistan in April, but had held off depositing the money until it was sure that the IMF bailout would be forthcoming. Pakistan has received $2 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday, a day before the International Monetary Fund's board is expected to give final approval for a much-needed $3 billion bailout. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan’s biggest military sale deal: Iraq may buy 12 JF-17 fighters – The Week

Steeped in financial debt amid worsening economic woes, news of Iraq making up its mind to buy 12 Pakistan-made JF-17 ‘Thunder’ Block III fighter aircraft for its beleaguered air force, ending a two-year-long negotiation process, maybe the source of big relief for Pakistan. At the same time, the reported deal signals a very rare story of the success of the Pakistani military industry. The catch, however, is that the JF-17 is a product of a collaboration by Pakistan with China. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan’s Election Commission issues non-bailable arrest warrant against Imran Khan for contempt – Indian Express

Pakistan’s top election body on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister Imran Khan in a case of contempt. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry for the same offence. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan election commission issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Imran Khan – Deccan Herald

Pakistan's election commission has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a contempt case, broadcaster Ary News reported on Tuesday. Click here to read... [20]

Sri Lanka

Foreign Secretary Kwatra arrives in Sri Lanka on official visit - News On Air

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra arrived in Colombo yesterday on an official visit to Sri Lanka. Mr. Kwatra has reached Colombo to work out arrangements pertaining to Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India. Mr. Wickremesinghe is likely to visit India for the first time since he took office in 2022. The Sri Lankan President is expected to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka to conduct new round of population, housing census - Investing.com

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued a gazette notification to conduct a new round of census of population and housing in the country, an official said here on Tuesday.Anura Kumara, director general of the Department of Census and Statistics, told journalists that the census would be carried out in four stages, namely mapping, listing, data capture and publishing the data, reports Xinhua news agency. Click here to read... [22]