Neighborhood News Digest – 31 July 2023

Afghanistan

29.2 million people projected to need humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan: UNICEF – The Print

In a recent report on Afghanistan, UNICEF said that over 15 million people are expected to experience food insecurity till October 2023, with 29.2 million people expected to require humanitarian assistance, TOLOnews reported. Afghanistan’s recession has been exacerbated by drought-like conditions, floods, insecurity, harsh winters, political and economic instability, and displacement.Click here to read… [2]

International aircrafts’ travel times set to come down as Afghan airspace to open up after 2 years – The Economic Times

Since August 2021, flights between the western and eastern regions, including northern India, have taken longer routes to circumvent Afghanistan airspace. These diversions added approximately half an hour of flying time. The situation further escalated last summer when Russia's attack on Ukraine prompted additional airspace restrictions, leading to Western carriers avoiding Russian airspace altogether. With the recent reopening of Afghanistan's airspace for overflights, one section of the congested air route is finally relieved.Click here to read… [3]

Bangladesh

Clashes in Bangladesh between police and opposition supporters - Aljazeera

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the transfer of power to a non-party caretaker government until the next general election, which is expected to be held by early January.Click here to read… [4]

Bangladesh to clear energy bills ahead of elections, revamps upstream contracts - SP Global

Bangladesh is to pay around $960 million per month from July to clear outstanding payments to LNG suppliers, international oil companies and local and foreign power plant owners, State Minister for the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Nasrul Hamid told reporters late July 27.Click here to read… [5]

Bhutan

Foreign currency outflow causes economic downturn – Kuensel

The government has to stimulate the country’s economy, according to experts, as they anticipate that the revision of salaries for public servants will potentially boost economic activities, assuming individuals increase their spending. With the adoption of Pay Revision Bill 2023 by the Parliament on July 4, public servants received their revised salaries ranging from 55 to 74 percent from yesterday along with an existing 20 percent housing allowance. “The Ministry of Finance has released revised salaries to the public servants through budgetary agencies yesterday,” an official from the ministry said.Click here to read… [6]

India, Bhutan Foreign Secys meet, discuss partnership – The Indian Express

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra met visiting Bhutanese Foreign secretary Pema Choden on Saturday and conveyed India’s commitment to partner with Bhutan based on the priorities of the neighbouring Himalayan nation. “Pleased to receive Foreign Secretary Aum Pema Choden of Bhutan after the India-Bhutan Development Cooperation talks this evening. Discussed our support for Bhutan’s development aspirations,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.Click here to read… [7]

Maldives

UAE Ambassador presents credentials to President of Maldives - The Print

Sheikh Rahma bin Abdulrahman Al Shamsi presented his credentials as Ambassador of the UAE to the Republic of the Maldives to Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of Maldives, during an official ceremony at the President’s office in Male.Click here to read… [8]

The Role of Wind Energy in the Maldives’ Energy Market - Energy Portal

The Maldives, a tropical paradise renowned for its stunning white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, is making significant strides in the renewable energy sector. The country is increasingly turning to wind energy to meet its growing energy demands, thereby reducing its dependence on expensive and environmentally harmful fossil fuels. This shift towards wind energy is not only helping the Maldives to achieve its sustainability goals but is also reshaping the nation’s energy market.Click here to read… [9]

Myanmar

After MHA push, Mizoram prepares to collect biometrics of ‘illegal migrants’ from Myanmar - The Print

Nudged by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Mizoram government is preparing to collect the biometric details of “illegal migrants” in a special drive across the state, which shares a 510-km long border with Myanmar. However, the state has conveyed to the central government that it would be “difficult” to meet the September 30 deadline, ThePrint has learnt.Click here to read… [10]

Will hold talks with other nations to resolve Rohingya crisis: EU official - Business Standard

The European Union assured that they will hold conversations with other countries about what needs to be done to resolve the Rohingya crisis, reported Dhaka Tribune. Eamon Gilmore, European Union's Special Representative for Human Rights spent a full day in Cox's Bazar and met the Rohingyas who fled from Myanmar over the past six years.Click here to read… [11]

Nepal

Nepal to change projects whose power will be sold to Bangladesh – The Kathmandu Post

Nepal is preparing to change projects whose electricity will be exported to Bangladesh once a tripartite agreement involving India gets signed. Earlier, the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) had requested the Indian authorities to allow it to sell the power generated from the 52.4 megawatts (MW) Likhu-4 project to Bangladesh.Click here to read… [12]

Indian Embassy and Consulate General organises LiFE mission event in Nepal – The Print

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Indian Consulate General in Birgunj held series of events on LiFE mission, a global awareness program launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that seeks to create an ecosystem that will reinforce and enable environmentally friendly behaviours to be self-sustainable.Click here to read… [13]

Pakistan

40 killed in suicide blast at political party meet in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa- Hindustan Times

The explosion took place at the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) workers' convention in Bajaur’s Khar. At least 40 people were killed and more than 150 were injured in a suicide blast at a political party's meeting in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, news agency Reuters reported citing local broadcaster Geo News.Click here to read… [14]

Cash-strapped Pakistan approves projects worth billions of dollars to Gulf countries for investment purpose – The Economic Times

In a major development, cash-strapped Pakistan has in principle approved 28 projects worth billions of dollars that would be offered to Gulf countries for investment with the long-term objective to reduce reliance on loans and imports. The newly established Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) -- a hybrid civil-military forum - is leading the drive to fast-track economic development to address the financial woes of the country.Click here to read… [15]

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrives in Islamabad to celebrate decade of CPEC – Dawn

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Sunday arrived in Islamabad on a three-day visit during which he will attend a ceremony planned to mark 10 years of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. A statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) earlier on Saturday said that the Chinese vice premier will be in Pakistan from July 30 (today) to August 1 (Tuesday) at the federal government’s invitation to attend a ceremony celebrating a decade of CPEC as the chief guest.Click here to read… [16]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka hit by record brain drain, but some stay to rebuild - Asia Nikkei

As Sri Lanka sank deep into its economic crisis last year, dentist Lakmal Kulasekara watched many in his field pack up and leave. No matter how bad things became, he was determined to stay. "My education was paid for by the people of Sri Lanka, including poor people, and if I don't pay it back, I am not a man," he said of the nation's free public education system. "Yes, we have a problem in our country. But just because of the problem, if everyone chooses to leave, then what will happen?"Click here to read… [17]

French President Macron visits his counterpart in Sri Lanka - The Hindu

French President Emmanuel Macron held discussions with his Sri Lankan counterpart on July 29 on an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region in the first-ever visit by a French leader to the Indian Ocean island nation. As the fourth-largest creditor to Sri Lanka, France had pledged cooperation in debt restructuring to help the island nation recover from its economic crisis.Click here to read… [18]