Neighborhood News Digest- 10 January 2024

Afghanistan

Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs in 2024 Require $3.06 Billion: OCHA- Tolo News

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that of the 23.7 million people in need of life-saving assistance, “humanitarian partners have prioritized 17.3 million people to receive well-coordinated multi-sectoral assistance in 2024, for which US$3.06 billion is required.” Click here to read... [2]

Hijab guidelines issued amid ongoing girls’ detention in Afghanistan-The Khama Press

After the detention of several girls by the authorities of the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice on charges of “ban hijab” in the outskirts of Kabul, a recent announcement based on the observance of the hijab guidelines in the eighteenth district of Kabul has been issued. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Polls irregularities: EU calls for ensuring timely probe - The Daily Star

The European Union has called upon Bangladesh authorities to ensure a timely and full investigation of all reported election irregularities in the spirit transparency and accountability. Click here to read... [4]

New Cabinet Formation: Loyalists, fresh faces likely to get priority– The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may bank on her party's core ranks while forming the new cabinet tomorrow evening. Several younger leaders are likely to get the chance to be ministers as the PM wants to bring the next generation of leaders to the fore, according to insiders. Click here to read... [5]

Newly elected MPs take oath of office – Dhaka Tribune

The winners of the 12th general election took their oath of office in parliament on Wednesday. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, winning the polls from Rangpur-6, took the oath at 10 am. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

Bhutan Ex-PM's Party Wins Elections, Secures Majority In Parliament: Report – NDTV World

Former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay's party won Bhutan's election Tuesday, media reported, after polls dominated by economic threats challenging the Himalayan kingdom's longstanding policy of prioritising "Gross National Happiness" over growth.
Foremost in the minds of many who voted are the struggles facing the Buddhist-majority kingdom's younger generation, with chronic youth unemployment and a brain drain. Click here to read... [7]

Who is Harvard return Tshering Tobgay set to become Bhutan's PM (again) – Hindustan times

The party of Bhutan's former prime minister Tshering Tobgay won general elections with nearly two-thirds of seats in parliament. Tobgay's People's Democratic Party (PDP) "wins the 2024 National Assembly general elections with 30 seats" while the Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) took the remaining 17, local media reported. Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

Amid row with India, Maldives President tells China to ‘send more tourists’– The Hindustan Times

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on January 9, requested China to "intensify" efforts to send more tourists to his country and stated, "China remains one of our closest allies and development partners." In his address to the Maldives Business Forum in Fujian province, Mohamed Muizzu termed China as the island nation's "closest" ally. Click here to read... [9]

‘India has always…’: Maldives' tourism industry reacts to anti-PM Modi posts over Lakshadweep visit– NDTV

Maldives Association of Tourism Industry “strongly condemned” comments made by some deputy ministers against India and PM Modi after his visit to Lakshadweep. The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry or MATI has said it strongly condemns the derogatory comments made by some deputy ministers on social media platforms against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, days after his visit to Lakshadweep. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar

ASEAN Chair Laos Appoints Special Envoy on Myanmar - The Diplomat

Laos, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has appointed a veteran diplomat as its special envoy to Myanmar ahead of the bloc’s foreign ministerial retreat in Luang Prabang later this month. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar junta asks ethnic armies, political parties to meet new ASEAN envoy – RFA

Myanmar’s military junta has invited representatives from several ethnic armies and heads of political parties to meet with the new ASEAN special envoy during a planned visit this week. However, several key stakeholders will be absent from talks, including members of the opposition. Click here to read... [12]

Nearly 3 dozen political prisoners died in Myanmar jails in 2023 – RFA

Some 34 political prisoners died in military junta’s prisons across Myanmar in 2023, with 18 killed inside jails and 16 others dying due to a lack of medical treatment, a human rights monitoring group said Tuesday. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

Nepal, India agree to move forward with Pancheshwar project, says Foreign Minister Saud - The Print

The Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP) is a hydropower project to be developed on the Mahakali River. A ministerial-level discussion was held about the project during the recent visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Saud said, adding that it was decided to expedite the project’s activities within a month. Click here to read... [14]

Agnipath scheme could mean the end of Nepalese Gurkhas in Indian Army - The Hindu

In the third week of December, media reports, citing excerpts of former Indian Army chief MM Naravane’s forthcoming book Four Stars of Destiny, suggested that the Agnipath scheme surprised the Army. By that extension, it was not unusual for Nepal to have been caught off guard. Click here to read... [15]

Family members of 115 Nepali nationals joining the Russian Army seek govt assistance for rescue - My Republica

Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud has said that the family members of 115 Nepali nationals, who joined the Russian army, have applied for government assistance to rescue them. Speaking at a program held in Kanchanpur on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Saud said that the families of those who have reached Russia and joined the army there have applied to the Department of the Consular Services under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the necessary assistance. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia discuss collaboration in military technologies – Dawn

In a significant move to bolster military cooperation, Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia held discussions on potential collaboration in military technologies, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday. Click here to read... [17]

Nawaz Sharif's win? Pakistan court removes lifetime election bans on convicts – Hindustan Times

Pakistan's Supreme Court scrapped lifetime bans from contesting elections for people with past convictions. Pakistan Chief Justice Faez Isa read the order in a live telecast broadcast on the court's website as per news agency Reuters. This paves the way for former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to run in next month's national election. Click here to read... [18]

US confronted Pakistan on ISI’s role in Uri attack: Ex-envoy – Hindustan Times

Soon after the 2016 terror attack on an Indian Army base at Uri, the US confronted then Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif with evidence of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency’s role in the assault, according to a new book by former envoy Ajay Bisaria. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan Navy says deployment of ships in Arabian Sea region not aimed at helping any country against Houthis - The Hindu

“Pakistan’s decision to deploy warships in the Arabian Sea to maintain its maritime security in international waters and not to help a specific country against Yemen’s Houthis militants,” the Pakistan Navy has said. Click here to read... [20]

Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed serving 78-year jail term in Pakistan: UN - India Today

Hafiz Saeed, mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack and outlawed Jamat-ud-Dawah chief is serving a 78-year-imprisonment sentence in Pakistan, news agency PTI quoted the United Nations as saying. He is facing conviction in seven terror financing cases. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka

Elections: Time for political skulduggery– Daily Mirror Online

With the elections looming on the horizon, the political landscape is witnessing strategic moves and party-switching among politicians, marking a season of political skulduggery. Click here to read... [22]

UNP’s Management Committee decides to field Ranil for Presidency– Daily Mirror Online

The UNP Management Committee today decided to field incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the candidate for the Presidential election which is to be held in September this year. Click here to read... [23]