Neighborhood News Digest- 01 May 2024

Afghanistan

Global, Domestic Condemnation Follows Deadly Mosque Attack in Herat-Tolo News

The recent attack on Shia worshippers at a mosque in the Guzara district of Herat has sparked widespread condemnation from both local and international bodies. The attack resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, including the mosque's Imam, and left several others injured. No group has yet claimed responsibility, and security officials have not provided comments on the matter. Click here to read… [2]

Iran officially begins building wall along its border with Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

Iranian authorities have announced the establishment of teams along the Afghan border to implement a border blockade plan. The estimated cost of this plan is reported to be “three billion dollars.” Iran’s Irna-a news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran, reported in a dispatch on Monday, April 28th, citing Iranian officials that “four border engineering groups of the ground forces have entered the region to implement the eastern border blockade plan with Afghanistan.” Click here to read… [3]

Tehran expresses readiness to cooperate with Kabul for counterterrorism efforts-The Khaama Press

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul has reacted to the attack in Herat yesterday, which targeted worshippers, and has expressed readiness to cooperate with the de facto administration for “fighting terrorism.” The embassy stated on Tuesday, April 30th, on its social media platform X, that it “condemns” the “terrorist attack” in Herat yesterday and has called on the Taliban administration to “identify and punish” the perpetrators. Click here to read… [4]

Bangladesh

Upazila polls: Relatives of AL MPs in 15 races of 2nd phase - The Daily Star

Awami League's move to keep relatives of its lawmakers from participating in the upazila parishad election is falling flat in the second phase of the polls as well. Click here to read… [5]

Awami League closely monitoring upazila polls – Dhaka Tribune

The ruling Awami League will closely observe the recent trend of relatives of party lawmakers participating in the upazila elections, defying warnings by the party's high command, several leaders of the party said after the Central Working Committee meeting on Tuesday. Click here to read… [6]

India-Bangladesh ties could be valuable contributor to regional connectivity: Envoy – Daily Excelsior

The destinies of India and Bangladesh are intertwined and the relationship between the two countries could be a valuable contributor to regional connectivity, Bangladeshi envoy Mustafizur Rahman said on Tuesday. Click here to read… [7]

Jaishankar hails Northeast India's gain from improved Dhaka-Delhi ties – Dhaka Tribune

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has praised Northeast India as a significant beneficiary of recent dramatic strides in India-Bangladesh relations, a departure from obstacles that hindered the region's growth post-partition. Click here to read… [8]

Bhutan

Industrial Transformation Map to be ready by June-Kuensel

The government aims to increase the share of the manufacturing sector in gross domestic product (GDP) from 6 percent in 2021 to 30 percent by 2029. This, the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Employment, Namgyal Dorji, said would require Industrial Transformation Map (ITM), expected to be ready by June this year. Click here to read… [9]

Maldives

Maldives partakes in US military's regional security discussions – Adhadhu

Maldives has participated in the US military's regional security discussions with its allies in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Maldives was represented by Chief of Defense Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy. In a post on X, Hilmy said he participated in the discussions on regional security and cooperation with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command Admiral John C. Aquilino. Click here to read… [10]

Econ Minister encourages foreign investment at World Economic Forum – Avas

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Minister Saeed emphasized the significance of investments for the nation's progress. He appealed to capable investors who have the interest, financial resources, and technology to invest in the Maldives without hesitation. Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer is also attending the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia alongside the Economic Minister. Click here to read… [11]

Maldives to participate in 46th Session of UPR Working Group – Raajje

The government of Maldives is scheduled to participate in the 46th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group. In a statement issued on April 29, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the 46th session of the UPR commenced at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Scheduled to proceed for a two-week period, the session will be wrapped up on May 10. During the cycle, 14 countries will be under review of their respective human rights records; Afghanistan, Chile, Cambodia, Comoros, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Viet, Nam, and Yemen. Click here to read… [12]

Myanmar

India requires to open multiple channels to safeguard Myanmar interests – Economic Times

India continues to enjoy an amicable partnership with the military junta in Myanmar but it faces evolving challenges in the region, with China making deep inroads in the Southeast Asian nation, dealing simultaneously with the men in uniform and the rebels, including in the critical Rakhine state, said experts. Click here to read… [13]

Several new villages emerged in Manipur due to massive influx from Myanmar, says CM N Biren Singh – Deccan Herald

CM of Manipur Biren Singh said that illegal immigration and unnatural growth of new villages caused massive changes in demography of Manipur. Click here to read… [14]

Nepal

Japan foreign minister visiting to widen scope of bilateral ties – The Kathmandu Post

Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamikawa Yoko is set to visit Nepal on May 5. She will be the fourth Japanese foreign minister to come to Nepal since the two countries established diplomatic relations in September 1956. This will be the first visit to Nepal by a Japanese foreign minister since 2019 and also the first to the country for Kamikawa, who is from Shizuoka prefecture at the foot of the highest peak of Japan, Mount Fuji, the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement. Click here to read… [15]

China not to charge visa fees for Nepali nationals – Nepal News

The Embassy of China in Kathmandu has shared that starting May 1, 2024 no visa fee will be applied for Nepali nationals. It may be noted Nepal has been giving the same facility to Chinese citizens since 2016. The decision comes following an agreement reached during the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayankaji Shrestha to China last March. Click here to read… [16]

Pakistan

Govt slashes petrol price by Rs5.45 per litre-The Express Tribune

The federal government on Tuesday slashed the price of petrol by Rs5.45 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs8.42 per litre due to a decline in international oil prices, effective from May 1. The Finance Ministry, in a statement, underscored that these revisions align with the recommendations of the fuel regulator, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). Click here to read… [17]

SBP receives $1.1 billion IMF loan tranche-The Express Tribune

Pakistan’s central bank reported on Tuesday that it had received the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s last tranche of $1.1 billion, which took the cumulative inflows to $3 billion in 10 months at the conclusion of a standby arrangement (SBA). The latest inflows have apparently pushed the country’s foreign exchange reserves, held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), to around $9 billion, stabilising the rupee against the US dollar. Click here to read… [18]

‘No evidence that cipher was in Imran’s custody’-Dawn

In a fresh twist in the cipher case, the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday observed that the Federal Investigation Age¬ncy (FIA) has nothing on record to prove that former Prime Minister Imran Khan retained the confidential diplomatic cable, and that it went missing from his possession. Click here to read… [19]

Sri Lanka

Sajith surprises all, wants to play mediatory role in Indo-China conflict – Daily Mirror

In a surprising move, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, in a meeting with a delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has offered to play a mediatory role between two Asian giants implying India and China, the Daily Mirror learns. Click here to read… [20]

Parties gear up for usual political showpieces – Daily Mirror

Political parties are gearing up for the usual political showpieces on May Day with no exception this year as well with more than 22 rallies being organized across the country today. Click here to read… [21]

Tourism Minister to fix new visa system issues by May 7 – Daily Mirror

Tourism Minister Harin Fernando has pledged to address technical issues of the new visa system by May 7. This comes amid concerns of potential losses of 230,000 tourist arrivals and US$ 425 million in tourism earnings for the year. Click here to read… [22]

India to fund development of Kankesanthurai port in Sri Lanka – Business Line

The Sri Lankan Cabinet has decided to renovate Kankesanthurai Port in the Northern Province with India agreeing to meet the entire cost of the project, a statement said on Tuesday. Click here to read… [23]