Neighbourhood News Digest – 05 June 2024

Afghanistan

UN Security Council to Meet on Afghanistan in June – Tolo News

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on the situation in Afghanistan later this month. Although the exact date of this meeting has not been specified, the statement indicates that the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, will also brief this meeting. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva and a representative of civil society are expected to brief in the meeting. Click here to read... [2]

Kazakhstan Removes Taliban from Its Terrorist Organisation’s List – Afghanistan International

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Kazakhstan, announced that the Taliban has been removed from the list of terrorist groups. This decision of the Central Asian country could influence Vladimir Putin's view on removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist groups in Russia. TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported that Kazakhstan has removed the Taliban from the terrorist list in order to develop economic cooperation with Afghanistan. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

The Impact of Green Finance in Bangladesh Charting a Greener Future – The Daily Star

Bangladesh has been profoundly affected by global human-induced climate change, despite its minimal contribution to the problem. In response to this existential environmental crisis, the banking sector has taken proactive measures by offering green finance loans, refinancing options, and dedicated funds aimed at mitigating the devastating effects of climate change and promoting a sustainable future for Bangladesh. Click here to read... [4]

Main Accused in Bangladesh MP Murder Case Fled to USA, Another Accused Held in Nepal – DD News

A suspect in the murder case of Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar was arrested in Kathmandu on June 3, while the main accused has fled to the USA. Anwarul Azim Anar, an MP from Bangladesh, was brutally killed in Kolkata, with his body dismembered into about 80 pieces to destroy evidence. The main accused, a business partner of the victim, fled to America. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

USD 15 SDF for first 15,000 Bangladeshi tourists – Kuensel

The first 15,000 Bangladeshi tourists visiting Bhutan every year can pay a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 15 a day starting June 2, the government has announced. This special scheme will be valid until 2027. This amount is equivalent to Rs 1,200 currently levied on Indian tourists. If the number of tourists exceeds 15,000 in a year, the remaining tourists will have to pay the usual USD 100 SDF a day. Following the implementation of the new tourism policy in September 2022, Bangladeshi tourists visiting Bhutan have to pay the SDF of USD 200 per day. Click here to read... [6]

Maldives

Talks with China to enhance defence ties – Adhadhu

Defense Minister Ghassan Maumoon and Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin held talks on Monday to strengthen military ties between Maldives and China. The Chinese Ambassador paid a courtesy call to the Defence Minister, and the pair discussed the strengthening of military ties and the security and safety of the two countries. An agreement was signed in March to provide assistance to Maldives military and security services by the Chinese military. Click here to read... [7]

President Muizzu congratulates Indian Prime Minister Modi on election win – The Edition

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has extended congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the success in the Indian General Elections of 2024. In a post on social media X, the President expressed hopes for collaboration in enhancing the shared goals in development and stability of Maldives and India. Click here to read... [8]

Myanmar

Protesters aim to stop work at Chinese copper mine in Myanmar – RFA

The Letpadaung mine in the Sagaing region’s Salingyi township has been beset by intermittent protests for more than a decade by villagers angry about being forced off their land, what they see as inadequate compensation and pollution from the mine. Workers at the joint venture between China’s state-owned Wanbao Co. and the military-owned Myanmar Economic Holding Limited company, went on strike soon after the army seized power in a 2021 coup as part of protests across the country against military rule. Click here to read... [9]

Karenni Revolutionary Demands Unity Against Myanmar’s Regime - The Irrawaddy

Revolution is not strange to the majority of the people young or old in Karenni State. Hundreds of villages in Shadaw Township were wiped off the map when Myanmar’s military used its four-cuts strategy [designed to cut off food, funds, information and recruits] in its operations between 1994 and 1996. Refugee camps emerged in their place. Since then, people believe they must revolt against the military. There have been many resistance groups in our state, but there is no cohesion between them. This is the lesson that the people need to learn. They won’t be able to make progress if we don’t learn to work together. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar Junta Arrests Thai Condo Buyers, Realtors as Currency Crashes - The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s junta is attempting to crack down on the sale and purchase of Thai condominiums inside Myanmar following reports that the Thai property market is rising on a Myanmar-fueled buying spree. On Monday, junta officials arrested four people, and are pursuing a fifth, for illegal sales and purchases of Thai condos in Myanmar. The transactions are linked to Thai property expos held in Yangon. Click here to read... [11]

Dhaka seeks Beijing’s engagement with Myanmar for early Rohingya repatriation - Bangi News

Bangladesh has sought China’s support in creating a ‘conducive environment’ and engaging with the Myanmar government for early repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland. Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen had a meeting with the special envoy of China for Myanmar, Deng Xijun, on the sidelines of the 13th bilateral political consultations at the host foreign office on June 4. Click here to read... [12]

Nepal

Leaders of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, congratulate PM Modi on poll victory - Business Standard

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Tuesday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the victory of the BJP-led NDA coalition in the general elections and expressed their desire to work closely with him. "I extend my warmest felicitations to the BJP-led NDA on its victory demonstrating the confidence of the Indian people in the progress and prosperity under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi," the Sri Lankan president wrote on X. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal’s first export project achieves tunnel breakthrough - Kathmandu Post

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday triggered the last blast to mark the breakthrough of the 11.8 km-long headrace tunnel of the 900 MW Arun III Hydroelectric Project in Sankhuwasabha. The largest hydroelectric plant to date is being constructed by India and is Nepal’s first export-oriented project. Construction of the $1.4 billion run-of-the-river type project on the Arun River began in May 2018. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal’s Business News in a Snap - Khabar Hub

Economic Digest offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of significant business happenings in Nepal, presented in easily digestible summaries. Over Rs. 600 billion unused in banks amid stagnant loan demand. Despite a surge of over Rs. 600 billion in bank funds, sluggish loan demand leaves much untouched. Deposits rise, but lending fails to match, resulting in a monthly surplus. Click here to read... [15]

Pakistan

Pakistan, China agree to explore opportunities under CPEC - Business Recorder

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday met with Party Secretary of Shenzhen Municipal Committee and Deputy Party Secretary of Guangdong Provincial Committee Meng Fanli in Shenzhen China Tuesday. The Prime Minister noted that the deep-rooted ties between Pakistan and China were characterized by frequent engagement and dialogue at the leadership level, people-to-people contacts, cultural and educational exchanges. Click here to read... [16]

Qatari diplomat calls on Maryam - Business Recorder

The Ambassador of Qatar to Pakistan, Ali Bin Mubarak Al Khatar called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Governor, Sardar Saleem Haider Khan separately, here on Tuesday and discussed cooperation between the two countries in trade and other fields. During the meeting with Maryam Nawaz, matters of mutual interest and ways to explore potential investment opportunities in the province were discussed. She also apprised him about investment opportunities in Punjab. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change: Zardari - Business Recorder

President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan is among the few countries that have been most affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. “Today, we are commemorating World Environment Day to raise awareness about the issues of land degradation, desertification, and droughts. During the past few years, Pakistan has witnessed diverse climate phenomena, including floods, droughts, heatwaves, and forest fires,” the president expressed these views in his message on Tuesday. Click here to read... [18]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka deploys army after 26 killed in monsoon storms - Borneo Bulletin

Heavy monsoon rains and mudslides in Sri Lanka have killed at least 26 people, the government said yesterday, ordering the army to help tens of thousands displaced. Another 42 people were injured, junior defence minister Premitha Tennakoon told Parliament, with 130,000 people forced from their homes by the floods in 23 out of 25 districts across the nation. “We have deployed the military to assist the relief operations,” Tennakoon said. “Boats have been deployed to help with the supply of relief.” Click here to read... [19]

Sri Lanka fails to cross 900,000 milestone in tourist arrivals end May - Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka failed to cross the 900,000 milestone in tourist arrivals in the five month period ended in May, as the country trailed the arrival target by 13 percent or 133,983 arrivals at the end of the month. In May, tourist arrivals to island nation jumped by 34 percent Year-on-Year (YoY) to 112,128 tourists. However, Sri Lanka missed the target set by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) for the month by 14.4 percent or 18,984 arrivals in the month. Click here to read... [20]

Sri Lanka freezes assets of 15 groups, 210 individuals over terrorist and extremist activities - Daily Excelsior

Sri Lanka has frozen all funds, other financial assets and economic resources belonging to 15 entities, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and 210 individuals allegedly involved in terrorist and extremist activities, a media report said here on Tuesday. A gazette notification issued on Monday in the name of Secretary of Defence General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne issued the order “to freeze all funds, other financial assets and economic resources belonging to or owned or held by any natural or legal person, group or entity designated and listed under the relevant regulation,” news portal Adaderana.Lk said. Click here to read... [21]