Neighborhood News Digest – 17 July 2023

Afghanistan

China increases investment in Afghanistan – The Siasat Daily

In recent months, Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in Afghanistan under the Belt and Road Initiative but face challenges due to terrorism and instability, Voice of America (VOA) reported. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs position paper on Afghanistan stated that China would “do its best” to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development.Click here to read… [2]

Afghanistan: Police destroys poppy on 40,000 acres of land in the Badakhshan province – The Print

Poppy has been eradicated from around 40,000 acres of land in the Badakhshan province in the last three months, Khaama Press reported citing Shafiqullah Hafizi, the director of the counter-narcotics police department in the province. “The poppy eradication campaign started three months ago, and so far, we have destroyed 40,000 acres of poppy, and the process will continue until the poppy fields are completely demolished in the province,” Hafizi said.Click here to read… [3]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh: Muslim scholars demand end to Chinese persecution of Uyghurs - ETV Bharat

Beijing under Xi Jinping has expanded its repression of the Uyghurs in recent years, which includes setting restrictions on their freedom of speech, expression and religion.Click here to read… [4]

What connects India and Bangladesh - Indian Express

In 2021, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh as a “Guest of Honour” during Mujib Borsho (the centenary of Bangladesh’s founder and the country’s former President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman). The then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, visited Bangladesh the same year on the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s victory in its War of Independence.Click here to read… [5]

Bhutan

Assam CM: Regulated release of water from Bhutan's Kurichhu dam ensured no severe flooding – The Economic Times

Unlike in the past, release of water from Bhutan Kurichhu dam has not led to severe flooding along the villages in Assam's Baksa and Chirang districts. This has been made possible following regulated and controlled release of water from Kurichhu Hydropower Plant.Click here to read… [6]

Bhutan: Construction of mega solar power plant begins in Wangdue Phodrang – The Print

The groundbreaking ceremony for the solar plant with a capacity of more than 17 megawatts of electricity in Wangdue Phodrang was held on Thursday. The plant is expected to be ready in a year and a half and will produce around 25 million units of energy in a year, Bhutan Live reported.Click here to read… [7]

Maldives

Maldives celebrates millionth tourist arrival - Edition

Maldives achieves its one millionth tourist arrival target on Sunday early noon with the arrival of Russia’s Anton Pavlov. Pavlov was welcomed at Velana International Airport (VIA) on July 16, by an entourage led by Minister of Tourism Abdulla Mausoom and top officials of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).Click here to read… [8]

Destabilising Maldives Interest Of Countries Eyeing Control Over Indian Ocean: Abdulla Shahid - ABP Live

Speaking exclusively to ABP Live during his recent two-day visit to India, Shahid said only a “democratic and stable” Maldives, which is going to face a crucial Presidential election in September, will give an assurance to the world of credibility in the island nation’s decision making.Click here to read… [9]

Myanmar

EAM Jaishankar meets Thai & Myanmar counterparts to discuss trilateral highway - NewsonAir

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Myanmar colleague Than Swe on Sunday to discuss accelerating projects, particularly the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, and to emphasise the significance of preserving peace and security in border areas.Click here to read… [10]

Myanmar: Official events marking Martyrs' Day to occur nationwide July 19 - Crisis 24

Myanmar will mark the 76th Martyrs' Day, a nationwide public holiday, July 19. Large official events will probably occur in Naypyidaw and Yangon, where a ceremony will likely take place at the Martyrs' Mausoleum. Government office and business closures are probable July 19.Click here to read… [11]

Nepal

Top US official discusses partnership assures assistance to Nepal – The Week

US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu on Friday met Nepalese Foreign Minister N P Saud and assured continued American assistance to the Himalayan nation as it graduates from the list of the Least Developed Countries. During the meeting at Singhdurbar here, Lu and Saud discussed the implementation of USD 500 million MCC-Compact, which marks a new chapter in the US-Nepal Partnership aiming to increase the availability and reliability of electricity, improve roads, and facilitate power trade across South Asia, a statement from Nepal's Foreign Minister Secretariat said.Click here to read… [12]

India gifts 84 vehicles to Nepal for hospitals and schools – Hindustan Times

The keys of 34 ambulances and 50 school buses were handed over by Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava to representative organisations. India on Sunday gifted 84 vehicles to various organisations working in health and education sectors across Nepal, the Indian Embassy in Nepal said.Click here to read… [13]

Kurtha-Bijalpura section of rail line connecting India and Nepal begins operation – Devdiscourse

The operations of a section of the cross-border Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas rail line connecting India and Nepal began on Sunday, officials here said. Nepal's Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Prakash Jwala, launched the operations on the Kurtha-Bijalpura rail section of the cross-border rail line at Bijalpura, the Indian Embassy here said in a press release.Click here to read… [14]

Pakistan

Nearly 150-year-old Hindu Temple demolished in Pakistan – Deccan Herald

A Hindu temple, believed to be built nearly 150 years ago, has been demolished after being declared an old and dangerous structure in Karachi, the provincial capital of Pakistan’s Sindh province, leaving the Hindu community in shock.Click here to read… [15]

Pakistan lost USD 8.3 bn in remittances, exports in FY-2023 – The Print

Pakistan incurred a huge USD 8.3 billion loss in remittances and exports during the previous fiscal year as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government chose to appease the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a USD 1.2 billion tranche, according to Dawn.Click here to read… [16]

Pakistan gets IMF loan, enough money for 'whose flag taller' contest with India – Indi Today

The government in Pakistan's Punjab province has declared to hoist its national flag on a 500-foot-tall flag mast, costing around PKR (Pakistani rupee) 40 crore on August 14 to mark its 76th Independence Day. This comes after Pakistan secured a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to contain its crumbling economy.Click here to read… [17]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka not averse to using Indian rupee as common currency: President Wickremesinghe - The Hindu

Sri Lanka would want to see the Indian rupee used as much as the U.S. dollar, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, days ahead of his first official visit to New Delhi. Mr. Wickremesinghe, also the cash-strapped country's Finance Minister, made this remark while addressing the Indian CEO Forum here this week. “Just as East Asia, including countries like Japan, Korea and China, witnessed significant growth 75 years ago, it is now India’s turn, along with the Indian Ocean region," Mr. Wickremesinghe said.Click here to read… [18]

Why China-funded sea cucumber farming in Sri Lanka is alarming India - The Week

In June 2022, the Sri Lankan government approved a proposal for a sea cucumber farm spanning 5,000 acres in Jaffna, Mannar, Kilinochi and Batticaloa districts. According to the National Aquaculture Development Authority, sea cucumber export has brought in considerable amount of foreign exchange. “There has been much opposition. But it is the livelihood of most fishermen in our country. It is for exports. We set up the farms only after thorough research,” says Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda, who is an MP from Jaffna.Click here to read… [19]