Neighborhood News Digest – 2 August 2023

Afghanistan

US Envoys in Doha Meeting Call for Islamic Emirate Policy Change – Tolo News

Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri in a meeting with senior Islamic Emirate representatives in Doha, Qatar, urged the Islamic Emirate to reverse policies responsible for the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women, girls, and vulnerable communities, a US State Department statement said. Click here to read... [2]

Over the borderline: on Pakistan and its security situation with Afghanistan – The Hindu

The terror attack in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region, which has claimed 54 lives and left over 200 injured, is a grave reminder of the worsening security situation in the country’s border region with Afghanistan. Ever since the Taliban seized Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan has witnessed rising terror. In January, at least 74 were killed in an attack on a mosque in Peshawar, the provincial capital of KP, by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (also known as the Pakistan Taliban which have close ideological links with the Afghan Taliban but are organisationally different). Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Deep Depression Over BoB Crosses Bangladesh Coast; Heavy Rainfall Warning For 6 Odisha Dists - Pragativadi

The Deep Depression over the Northeast Bay of Bengal crossed the Bangladesh coast close to the east of Khepupara and under its influence heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in six districts of Odisha on the 2nd of August. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh Emerges as a Surprising Hub in the Global Tiger Poaching and Trafficking Crisis - One Green Planet

As the world marks International Tiger Day, a new study has brought to light the unexpected role of Bangladesh in the illicit poaching and trafficking of endangered tigers. This research, conducted by Panthera, a renowned global wild cat Conservation organization, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has revealed that Bangladesh is now both a consumer and a significant source of the illegal tiger trade. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

Bhutanese Youth Look to Australia for a Better Life – VOA

Young people are leaving Bhutan as Australia has reopened its borders to international students after the pandemic. Young people from Bhutan are seeking opportunities outside the country as more are becoming unhappy with the South Asian kingdom’s economy. The number of students arriving in Australia from Bhutan has increased sharply. Over 12,000 arrived during the 11 months ending in May. That number represents about 1.5 percent of the small South Asian country’s population. The country has a youth unemployment rate above 25 percent. Click here to read... [6]

Falling fuel prices versus soaring cost of commodities – Kuensel

Despite the fuel price experiencing an almost 50 percent decrease in the past year, consumers said that the prices of commodities in the market have remained unchanged or even increased. With the salary revision for the public servants and the armed forces, and expected revision for Druk Holding and Investments and other corporate employees, prices are expected to increase. Click here to read... [7]

Maldives

Drug shipment seized en-route to Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka - Edition

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India made a significant interception off the Kerala coast earlier this year, seizing a massive consignment of drugs totaling 2,500 kg of methamphetamine. The drugs were intended to be shipped to the Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka, making it one of the largest single-day drug busts in India in recent times. Click here to read... [8]

China becomes third strongest source market to Maldives - Edition

Chinese tourist market has become the third strongest source market to the Maldives as of July 30. According to the Ministry of Tourism, China has replaced the United Kingdom in third place with 91,555 tourists. After closing its borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, China resumed outbound travel nearly three years later, in early 2023. Click here to read... [9]

Myanmar

Why Did Myanmar’s Military Reduce Aung San Suu Kyi’s Prison Sentence - The Diplomat

Yesterday, Myanmar’s military-led government announced that it had reduced the prison sentence of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to coincide with the beginning of Buddhist Lent. As The Associated Press reported, junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing granted the clemency order to reduce the sentences in five cases against Aung San Suu Kyi. Click here to read... [10]

Manipur Push Back Policy On Myanmar Refugee; One Of The Causes Of Current Conflict - The Frontier Manipur

After a military coup took place on 1st of February 2023, there has been refugees from Myanmar entering Mizoram and Manipur. They are mainly from the Chin tribe. Times of India reported on 26th May 2023 that Mizoram is home to 43,703 refugees from Myanmar including internally displaced people from Manipur. Of this, the Mizoram state home department officials said 35,126 refugees from Myanmar have taken shelter in Mizoram since March 2021, after a military coup in Myanmar. Click here to read... [11]

Nepal

Nepal warn citizens against recruitment by foreign forces in war-torn countries - The Print

Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday evening issued a statement urging citizens not to go for recruitment by foreign forces in war-torn countries. In the statement, the Ministry mentioned that its attention has been drawn to news reports about Nepali citizens being recruited by foreign forces in war-torn countries. Click here to read... [12]

Nepal-India to hold Ministerial-level Joint Commission meeting – The Week

Nepal and India will hold a Ministerial-level Joint Commission meeting here to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and also take necessary steps to work out a future course of action, a senior minister said on Tuesday. This will be the seventh meeting of the Joint Commission, the highest-level bilateral mechanism between the two countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be visiting Nepal to participate in the meeting, according to Foreign Affairs Minister NP Saud. Click here to read... [13]

Constitutional Council strays off the agenda, fails to nominate chief justice – The Kathmandu Post

With just four days remaining for the retirement of Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki, the Constitutional Council failed to pick his successor on Tuesday after the council members suggested that all vacant constitutional positions be simultaneously filled. The chief of the council, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, had earlier been avoiding the meeting, but finally scheduled it for Tuesday after talking to the main opposition leader, CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli, on Sunday. However, the meeting concluded without a detailed discussion on the candidate for chief justice. Click here to read... [14]

Pakistan

Pakistan ready for talks if India willing to address serious issues: Shehbaz Sharif – The Hindu

Pakistan is ready to talk to India on bilateral problems if India is willing to address “serious matters”, said Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 1. Inaugurating the Pakistan Minerals Summit in Islamabad, Mr. Sharif said that the two countries can no longer settle disputes through war. Click here to read... [15]

Amid economic crisis, inflation rate crosses 28 per cent in Pakistan – The Economic Times

Pakistan's inflation rate has increased to 28.3% in July, said the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The finance ministry said last week that the rate could be between 25% to 27%. Fresh fruit prices rose by 17.9%, veggies by 37.64%, tomatoes by 33.45%, and potatoes by 8.16%. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced the petrol price increased by 19.95 Pakistani Rupees per litre, while that of diesel rose by 19.90 PKR. Click here to read... [16]

Xi Jinping Calls Project Through PoK "Testament Of Friendship" With Pakistan – NDTV

China will continue to work with its all-weather ally Pakistan to take their strategic ties to new heights, Chinese President Xi Jinping has said as the two countries celebrated the 10th anniversary of the launch of the ambitious so-called "CPEC" infrastructure projects in the South Asian country for regional connectivity. In his congratulatory message to the 'Decade of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor' (CPEC) celebration event held in Islamabad on Monday, Xi said the USD 60 billion CPEC infrastructure programme is an "important pioneering project" of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Click here to read... [17]

Sri Lanka

Indian grant to be used for education, health sectors in Sri Lanka’s estate areas, says Minister Jeevan Thondaman - The Hindu

The recently announced Indian grant of ₹75 crore, for development projects targeting Sri Lanka’s Malaiyaha [hill country] Tamils, will be used primarily for the education and health sectors in the island’s long-neglected tea estate region, according to Jeevan Thondaman, Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development. Click here to read... [18]

Macron’s Sri Lanka Visit Is Significant - The Citizen

History was made on Friday July 28, it was for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that a French President visited the island nation. Emmanuel Macron was in Colombo for a 55-minute suddenly-arranged discussion with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ranil Wickremesinghe. Click here to read... [19]