Neighborhood News Digest – 18 July 2023

Afghanistan

Iran deports more than 4,700 Afghan migrants - The Print

More than 4,700 Afghan migrants have been deported within 24 hours through the Milak border crossing in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported. An Iranian border commander said 4,767 “illegal” Afghan immigrants have reportedly been sent back to Afghanistan through the Milak border crossing in Sistan and Baluchistan in the past 24 hours, Khaama Press reported.Click here to read... [2]

No indication Afghan refugees in Pakistan engaged in extremism: White House – India Today

There is no indication that Afghan refugees in Pakistan or along its border have engaged in acts of extremism, the White House said, after Pakistan's army expressed concern that militants had found safe havens in Afghanistan. "We've seen no indication that Afghan refugees in Pakistan or along that border are guilty of acts of terrorism," White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters in a press briefing on Monday.Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

EAM Jaishankar meets counterparts from Nepal and Bangladesh; discusses ongoing bilateral, multilateral cooperation - Devi Discourse

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met his counterparts from Nepal and Bangladesh here and agreed to work closely to implement the agenda of cooperation set out by the leaderships and exchanged views on regional issues.Jaishankar is here in the capital of Thailand and participated in the BIMSTEC retreat. Click here to read... [4]

Central Bank of Bangladesh provides up to US $ 10 million in loans - Apparel Resources

Recently Bangladesh’s central bank introduced a new long-term financing facility aimed at supporting private sector firms, particularly export-oriented manufacturers, in securing US dollar loans for acquiring equipment and services necessary for sustainable operations. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

More than 2,900 civil servants resign - Kuensel

As many as 2,934 civil servants exited the civil service between January to June, which is the highest in recent years. This includes voluntary resignation and superannuation. According to Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) records, 14 civil servants resigned at the executive and specialists’ level, 1,452 resigned from the professional and management category (PMC), 1,241 civil servants resigned in the supervisory and support level, and 227 resigned from operational staff level between January and June this year. Click here to read... [6]

Non-availability of weather inputs, hydrological data from Bhutan hit flood mitigation, says Bengal government – The Telegraph Online

The non-availability of weather inputs and hydrological data from the neighbouring country of Bhutan has emerged as a headache for the Bengal government which wants to mitigate the impact of flash floods caused by some of the principal rivers flowing through sub-Himalayan districts of the state, said state irrigation minister Partha Bhowmik here on Monday. Click here to read... [7]

Maldives

Joint Press Release – Second Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt - Social News

The Second Round of Maldives-Egypt Bilateral Political Consultations was held on 16 July 2023, in Male’, Maldives. The successful consultations, held in a warm and friendly atmosphere, led by His Excellency Ahmed Khaleel, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives and His Excellency Ambassador Ayman Kamel, Assistant Minister for Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt re-affirmed the strong mutual interest on strengthening the existing bilateral relations between both countries. Click here to read... [8]

Myanmar

Myanmar: Junta threatens to sue outlets, charges journalists - IFJ

Myanmar’s military has threatened legal action against independent media outlets Democratic Voice of Burma and Mizzima, demanding the shuttered organisations pay broadcasting fees incurred before military rule, and charging seven Mizzima employees under Section 505(a) of the country’s penal code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN), in condemning the junta's farcical legal action and demanding it cease its attacks on the media. Click here to read... [9]

How China is using new railway line to extend influence in Myanmar - News sky

At one of the furthest ends of this vast country, there is a new train line, and it speaks volumes about China's ambitions in the region. The southwestern province of Yunnan is rural, remote, and parts of it are still extremely poor. This line is a slightly incongruous flash of modernity, slicing through the mountains. Click here to read... [10]

Nepal

Nepal govt says open border creating security problems – Indian Express

The government of Nepal has said the open border with neighbouring countries is creating security and law and order problems for the country. In letter to the Rashtriya Sarokar and Samanwaya Samiti — a committee of the upper house of Nepal Parliament that looks after issues of national concern and coordinates with the government — the Home Ministry.Click here to read... [11]

S Jaishankar Meets Foreign Ministers Of Nepal, Bangladesh In Thailand – NDTV

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his counterparts from Nepal and Bangladesh here today and agreed to work closely to implement the agenda of cooperation set out by the leaderships and exchanged views on regional issues. Dr Jaishankar is here in the capital of Thailand and participated in the BIMSTEC retreat. Click here to read... [12]

Pakistan

Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan's close aide forms new political party – India Today

Pakistan's former defence minister Pervez Khattak, a close aide of ousted prime minister Imran Khan, on Monday said he has formed a new party - 'Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentarians'. Khattak, who served as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's secretary general and chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the PTI government, quit the post of the party's provincial president soon after the May 9 mayhem. However, the party last week terminated his membership over his failure to respond to a "show cause notice".Click here to read... [13]

Three get life imprisonment for spying for Pakistan’s ISI – Indian Express

A sessions court in Gujarat on Monday sentenced three men to life imprisonment on charges of spying and leaking confidential information about India’s military bases to Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The court of the additional sessions judge, Ambalal Patel, rejected the prosecution’s appeal for the death sentence, saying the crime committed by the trio doesn’t fall under the “rarest of rare” category. Click here to read... [14]

TTP sanctuaries in ‘a neighbouring country’ major reason impacting Pakistan’s security: army top brass – Dawn

The military top brass highlighted on Monday the availability of sanctuaries to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in “a neighbouring country” as one of the major reasons impacting the security of Pakistan. The assessment was made at the 258th Corps Commanders’ Conference, held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where the participants were briefed in detail about the prevailing internal security environment, according to a statement issued by the military’s media affairs wing. Click here to read... [15]

Sri Lanka

PM Modi pursuing “neighbourhood first” policy with Sri Lanka at forefront: Report - The Print

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has prioritized pursuing a “neighbourhood first” policy with Sri Lanka being at the forefront of this approach, according to Trueceylon News. PM Modi has throughout his nine-year tenure as Prime Minister, set an exemplary standard for others to emulate. His transformative endeavours have propelled India from its modest beginnings towards prosperity, as per Trueceylon News. Click here to read... [16]

Is the worst over for Sri Lanka's economic crisis - BBC

At first glance, life in Sri Lanka's financial capital Colombo looks deceptively normal. Roads are packed with traffic, public spaces and restaurants are full of both locals and tourists, while shops are bustling. It is hard to imagine that just a year ago, this was a country struggling with massive shortages after it ran out of foreign currency. Click here to read... [17]