Neighborhood News Digest- 10 June 2024

Afghanistan

Regional Contact Group Meeting on Afghanistan Held-Tolo News

The second round of the Regional Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan was held on Saturday in Tehran with the participation of special representatives from Iran, Russia, Pakistan, and China. The ambassador and special representative of Iran for Afghanistan described the current crisis in Afghanistan as severe and stated that to overcome it, the interim government should form a government comprising competent individuals from various sectors. Click here to read... [2]

China, Pakistan Call for Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan-Tolo News

China and Pakistan in a joint statement called on the Islamic Emirate to establish an inclusive government and to not allow others to use Afghanistan’s soil against other countries. The joint statement, issued after the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China at the official invitation of this country, called on the Islamic Emirate to adopt moderate policies and combat terrorism. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Would have been happier with 60pc turnout - The Daily Star

Around 44 percent votes were cast in yesterday's upazila parishad elections, said Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal. Elections to 19 upazilas were held in the fifth phase yesterday. The first phase of this year's upazila election was held on May 8. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina calls on BJP leader LK Advani- Times of India

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh on Sunday paid a courtesy call to Bharat Ratna and veteran BJP leader LK Advani at the latter's residence in New Delhi. Click here to read... [5]

PM Hasina, Modi exchange pleasantries – Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi exchanged pleasantries after Modi's swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on Sunday. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay speaks about one of biggest accomplishments under Modi's leadership – Hindustan Times

Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay on Sunday lauded India's foreign policy since 2014, calling it "one of the biggest accomplishments" of the government. Click here to read... [7]

PM: Bangladesh keen to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan – Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated Bangladesh's eagerness to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan through India when Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay paid a courtesy call on her in New Delhi, India. Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

PM Narendra Modi back at work, engages Maldives Prez Muizzu at President's banquet – Hindustan Times

As soon as the swearing-in ceremony was over and Modi 3.0 had begun, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was back on the job and had a detailed conversation with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu at the dinner table during Rashtrapati Bhawan banquet late on Sunday evening. Click here to read... [9]

President's policy to deepen ties with India: Zameer – Sun Online

Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has said President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's policy is to deepen the bilateral ties between India and the Maldives. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar

134 Myanmar troops sent back from Bangladesh - Asia News Network

A total of 134 members of the Border Guard Police (BGP) and the junta of Myanmar who crossed the border and took shelter in Bangladesh to escape the fighting between the junta and the Arakan Army, were sent back to their homeland yesterday. In exchange, 45 Bangladeshis imprisoned in Myanmar have returned home from the neighbouring country. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar Junta meltdown threatens to end Bangkok’s condominium sales boom as Kyat currency fails - Thai Examiner

Myanmar’s junta is facing a financial meltdown with remittances to the country halving in the last month. At the same time, the military generals are printing money, which has led to the kyat, its currency, collapsing. The result is hyperinflation, which the hidebound regime in Nay Pyi Taw is lying to the world about. However, as its armies retreat, leaving behind tales of torture, rape, and mutilation, there are growing reports of desertions from its ranks and a lack of essential supplies. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar junta launches airstrikes near Ngapali Beach tourist resort in Rakhine State - Mizzima

The Myanmar junta has launched airstrikes and artillery shelling near Ngapali Beach, a major tourist destination in Rakhine State, residents reported. At 1 pm on 6 June, artillery fired by the junta’s air force exploded in front of the main road near the famous Hilton Ngapali resort hotel, according to a resident. “There are no battles here in Ngapali beach resort area. Clashes occurred near Gawt Village. However, the junta dropped bombs with a plane,” the resident said. The explosion reportedly created a hole approximately eight feet wide and two feet deep. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

India-Nepal ties 'will prosper' under Narendra Modi's leadership: PM Prachanda - India Today

A day after attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath-taking ceremony, Nepal's PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' exuded confidence in the future of bilateral ties between New Delhi, and Kathmandu. Recently, a meeting was held between the two leaders. Prachanda extended his best wishes to PM Modi and expressed optimism for the future course of the longstanding friendship between the two nations. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal’s tourism paid for 1.19 million jobs in 2023 - Kathmandu Post

Nepal’s tourism sector generated Rs327.9 billion ($2.5 billion) in revenue and supported 1.19 million jobs directly and indirectly last year, according to the recently released annual World Travel and Tourism Council research report. The report forecasts that Nepal will generate 1.22 million jobs in 2024. The jobs generated by the tourism sector is 15.2 percent of the total. Click here to read... [15]

China conducts done delivery test on Mt Everest without Nepal’s consent - Khabar Hub

In a blatant violation of Nepal’s rule, China completed its first-ever drone delivery tests on Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain, from the Nepali side. DJI, in partnership with Nepalese Airlift, 8KRAW, and local guides, achieved the first drone delivery on Mount Everest without the permission of the Government of Nepal. This test was made using DJI’s FlyCart 30, which can carry up to 33 pounds (15 kg), and was operated under extreme high-altitude conditions. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

COAS Gen Asim Munir meets China's Xi Jinping during visit- The Express Tribune

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and Chinese President Xi Jinping met each other during the sidelines of a high-level Pakistani delegation’s visit to China. A picture of General Munir shaking hands with the Chinese president, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif standing next to them, has been circulating on social media since end of the Pakistani delegation's visit. Click here to read... [17]

Talks with IMF end without agreement- The Express Tribune

Another round of discussions between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has ended inconclusively due to disagreement over new income tax rates for salaried and non-salaried persons and the imposition of standard 18% sales tax on agriculture and health sectors’ goods. Pakistan and the IMF authorities on Friday held discussions on the outstanding issues related to taxation and the energy sector. Sources said that both sides could not resolve their differences on the income tax threshold, the merger of salaried and non-salaried rates and the maximum income tax for individuals. Click here to read... [18]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s IMF programme aimed to succeed by improving governance. Will it? – Daily Mirror

On June 12, the IMF board will approve Sri Lanka’s third disbursement under the current program. However, Sri Lanka is still falling short on the governance improvements that are foundational for its economic recovery. Click here to read... [19]

Ranil in India for Modi’s swearing-in ceremony – Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe reached India today to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will begin his third term later this evening. Click here to read... [20]

No budget proposals for 2025, only interim standard account – Daily Mirror

Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said today that he will not present a budget proposal for 2025 and that only an interim standard account will be presented instead. Click here to read... [21]