Neighborhood News Digest- 30 May 2024

Afghanistan

Foreign Ministry Welcomes Moscow's Stance on the Interim Government-Tolo News

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate today (Wednesday) in a statement praised Russia's stance on engaging with the interim government. The ministry said that Kabul has always sought to strengthen relations with Moscow. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, told TOLOnews: "The recent remarks of Russian officials have been positive and indicate that they want to keep the door open for engagement with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate has also established good diplomatic relations with that country." Click here to read... [2]

Turkey suspends diplomatic visa exemption agreement with Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

The Turkish presidency announced in a statement that the diplomatic visa exemption agreement between Turkey and Afghanistan has been revoked. According to the statement from the Turkish Presidency, published on Wednesday, May 28th, this decision, signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, will be implemented starting from June 1. Click here to read... [3]

Afghan Taliban likely to accept invitation to third Doha meeting- The Khaama Press

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban administration has announced a meeting to review the agenda for the third Doha meeting and has given a green light for participation. According to a press release shared by Hafiz Zia Ahmad, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban, on social media platform X, the Ministry’s Center for Strategic Studies held a meeting under the framework of what is called an “academic discussion” titled “Doha 3: The de facto administration’s Interaction with the International Community.” Click here to read... [4]

Academy of Sciences Makes Effort to Promote Pashto Language-Tolo News

Coinciding with May 29th, National Pashto Language Day, the Pashto Literature Department of the Academy of Sciences announced that serious efforts are underway to promote this national language. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Plane Purchase: ‘Airbus’s second proposal far better than the first’ - The Daily Star

Biman's outgoing Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim said the Airbus's second proposal to sell its aircraft to the national flag carrier was far better than the first one. Click here to read... [6]

Dhaka, Delhi to further boost travel of nationals from both sides – The Daily Star

Bangladesh and India have agreed to further strengthen the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate movement of nationals from both sides. Click here to read... [7]

17 sitting Awami League MPs murdered in 52 years – Dhaka Tribune

Since the liberation of the country in 1971, a total of 17 members of parliament (MPs) from the Awami League have been murdered in Bangladesh. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

Govt. commits to making all schools period-friendly in five years-Kuensel

The government yesterday committed to making all schools in Bhutan period-friendly within five years to strengthen and improve menstrual health and hygiene management. The Minister for Education and Skills Development (MoSD), Yeezang De Thapa, made this announcement at Norbugang Central School in Samtse during the observance of Menstrual Hygiene Day. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

Maldives urges Commonwealth to expand support for small island states– Sun International

Maldives has urged the Commonwealth to expand its role in supporting Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – the countries positioned at the forefront of multiple global crises, notably climate change. The appeal was made by Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, in a meeting with Patricia Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives To Introduce India’s RuPay Service To Strengthen Economy – DD News

The Maldives is set to introduce India’s RuPay payment system, a move expected to strengthen the Maldivian Rufiyaa. Although no specific launch date has been announced, this initiative is seen as a step towards enhancing the country’s financial stability. Maldives’ Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, mentioned that both India and China have agreed to use their local currencies for bilateral trade. This strategy aims to reduce reliance on the US dollar and improve regional financial integration. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Arria-formula Meeting on Myanmar – USUN

The situation in Myanmar continues to spiral out of control with clear implications for international peace and security. Since the beginning of this year, Myanmar’s military regime has carried out nearly 1,000 air strikes across the country, averaging six strikes each day. Just five months into 2024, the regime has conducted more airstrikes than in 2022 and 2023 combined. These airstrikes coupled with intense shelling and arson have decimated entire communities, destroying homes and schools, health care facilities, and places of worship. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar junta threatens to block food aid for Rohingyas who refuse military training – RFA

Reports of the forced recruitment come amid fresh calls from the international community to monitor the situation facing Rohingyas amid fears that attempts by the embattled military to incite tension between Muslim Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist communities in Rakhine state is succeeding. Click here to read... [13]

Ethnic Autonomy and its Consequences in Post-coup Myanmar - Crisis Group

The Myanmar state is fragmenting as ethnic armed groups consolidate control of their homelands, while in the country’s centre a weak regime clings to power and launches revenge air attacks on territories it has lost. Further fragmentation seems inevitable but does not necessarily presage catastrophic inter-group violence. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Visa denial to Sandeep Lamichhane by USA sparks protests in Nepal ahead of T20 World Cup – MSN

In Kathmandu, Nepal, protests have erupted following the denial of a visa to prominent leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who was set to represent Nepal in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. Youth in the capital city took to the streets demanding a visa for Lamichhane, urging authorities to allow his participation in the tournament. Click here to read... [15]

Nepalese peacekeeper to be honored posthumously at UN ceremony – MyRepublica

The United Nations (UN) has announced to honor Nepalese peacekeepers posthumously during a ceremony to be organized on Thursday to mark the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. During formal ceremonies at United Nations Headquarters, Secretary-General, António Guterres, will lay a wreath to honor all UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948. He will also preside over a ceremony in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, at which Dag Hammarskjöld Medals will be awarded posthumously to 64 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who lost their lives serving under the UN flag, including 61 who perished last year. Click here to read... [16]

Chinese ambassador in Nepal demands apology from journalist on X; criticised for ‘arrogance’ - Daily Excelsior

The Chinese Ambassador in Nepal has courted controversy after demanding a public apology from a journalist over an X post. Ambassador Chen Song sought a public apology on X, asserting that the information was misleading. This demand came after journalist Gajendra Budhathoki, an editor at Taksar Magazine, wrote on X on May 27 that the interest rate on the loan that Nepal had taken from China to build the Pokhara Regional International Airport was five percent. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan

PM invited to attend summit on Ukraine in Switzerland-Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been invited to attend a Global Peace Summit being held on Russia-Ukraine war in Switzerland from June 15.According to Ukrainian Ambassador to Pakistan Markiian Chuchuk, Switzerland, with the consent of Ukraine, has sent an invitation to Prime Minister Sharif to take part in the upcoming peace summit. Click here to read... [18]

US interested in giving loan for Reko Diq mining project-The Express Tribune

The United States has shown interest in providing debt funding for the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq gold and mines project, marking what could be Washington's first major investment in Pakistan in decades. Government and diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune that the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of the United States, the US government's sovereign export credit agency, was keen on backing the Reko Diq project with financing. Click here to read... [19]

Azerbaijan FM arrives on two-day visit to Pakistan-The Express Tribune

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov on Wednesday arrived in Pakistan on a two-day official visit. Ahmed Naseem Warraich at the Islamabad International Airport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X account. FM Bayramov will call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and hold extensive discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. Click here to read... [20]

Sri Lanka

Election Commission slams election delay moves – Daily Mirror

The Election Commission has expressed strong dismay over any attempts to delay the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections, insisting they proceed as scheduled. Click here to read... [21]

Iraq seeks enhanced ties with Sri Lanka, requests for business links in Baghdad, Kurdistan – Daily Mirror

Trade Minister Nalin Fernando met with Iraqi envoy Mohammed Obaid Jabur Zahir Al-Masoudi today and discussed the conducting of the ninth session of the Iraq-Sri Lanka for Economic and Technical Cooperation in Sri Lanka this November, which is a greater platform for the bilateral relations between both countries, a statement from the Ministry said. Click here to read... [22]

Thailand approves visa-free travel for Sri Lankan tourists – Daily Mirror

Thailand’s cabinet approved a range of visa promotions to attract more tourists from other countries, including Sri Lanka, Foreign Affairs Minister M.U.M. Ali Sabry said. Click here to read... [23]