Neighborhood News Digest- 25 July 2024

Afghanistan

Iran begins major border sealing project to secure Northeast frontier with Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

Ahmad Akbari, commander of the 444th Engineering Group of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces, has announced the commencement of technical work on the border sealing project in north-eastern Iran with four engineering groups. According to the Iranian Mehr News Agency on Tuesday, July 23, General Akbari reported that the project to seal the shared borders between the Khorasan Razavi region and Herat province spans 300 kilometres and is currently underway. Click here to read... [2]

Survey: Afghans Want Women's Inclusion in Intl Decision-Making Forums-Tolo News

The latest quarterly survey conducted between 17 and 29 April by UN Afghanistan indicated that the consulted Afghan women and men feel that the international community should put in place formal mechanisms to ensure women’s inclusion in international decision-making forums which discuss the future of Afghanistan. The survey, which covered 888 people across 33 provinces (not Uruzgan) of Afghanistan is conducted by UNAMA, UN Women and IOM. Click here to read... [2]

National Labor Conference Paves Way for Over '1 Million Job Opportunities'-Tolo News

The National Labor Conference ended with the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding between the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and a number of governmental institutions and the private sector. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs stated that as a result of these agreements, job opportunities will be created for more than one million people. Click here to read... [3]

Ramin Behzad: Natural Events Have Caused Job Losses in Afghanistan-Tolo News

Ramin Behzad, the head of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Afghanistan, said in an exclusive interview with TOLO news that the current Afghan job market is facing numerous challenges. Behzad added in this interview said that political changes, reduced investments, economic shrinkage, droughts, floods, and earthquakes have led to increased unemployment in Afghanistan. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Lifting curfew depends on this Friday – Daily Star

The government may decide to reopen the educational institutions and lift the curfew in most places after Friday as the last weekend saw large-scale violence over the quota-reform protest. Click here to read... [5]

Economy with deep scars limps along – Daily Star

Business and industrial activities resumed yesterday amid a semblance of normalcy after a spasm of violence, internet outage and a curfew that left deep wounds in almost all corners of the economy. Click here to read... [6]

Peter Haas leaves Bangladesh quietly – Dhaka Tribune

“Not exactly the way I expected to conclude my assignment as US ambassador to Bangladesh,” Peter Haas wrote on LinkedIn as he departed from Bangladesh without the customary farewell meetings with the president, prime minister and foreign minister. Click here to read... [7]

Nation is in grave need of peace and stability – Dhaka Tribune

The Prime Minister has spoken to the nation. In her rather brief address, she was clearly exercised by the need to reassure the country that after the violence of the last few days, her government would do everything to ensure a return to normalcy. One hardly needs to be told that the government has been badly shaken by the incidents of manifest violence which have rocked the country. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

Our visit will boost ties of friendship between Bhutan and Bharat: Bhutanese PM-The Indian Express

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who along with his King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck wrapped up their three-day visit to Gujarat on Wednesday, said the trip would strengthen the ties of friendship between “Bhutan and Bharat”. In the last leg of their programme in the state, the King and PM of the neighbouring nation visited the GIFT City, an upcoming global financial and IT services hub, near Gandhinagar. Click here to read... [9]

Govt targets major growth for industries in 13th Plan-Kuensel Online

The government has set an ambitious target to increase the manufacturing sector’s share of GDP from Nu 24.61 billion in 2023 to Nu 43.59 billion by 2029, with an average growth rate of 10 percent. However, achieving this growth outlined in the 13th Plan will require the government to address key challenges confronting the industry sector, particularly access to market, access to finance, and skilled labour shortages, among others. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

India slashes proposed aid to Maldives – Adhadhu

Grant aid from the Indian government to the Maldives for the next fiscal year has been reduced. The budget submitted to India's Parliament on February 1 allocated USD 72 million as aid to the Maldives. But the budget was passed, on July 23, with aid to the Maldives slashed to USD 48 million. According to the initial budget proposed to the Indian Parliament, the Maldives would have been the second highest recipient of grant aid from India. India will provide the highest amount of aid over the coming year to Bhutan and Nepal. Click here to read... [11]

Governing rules of 20th People’s Majlis, passed– Raajje

Governing rules of the ongoing 20th People’s Majlis assembly, have been passed. The rules were approved by the parliament’s general committee, with the votes of 64 lawmakers who attended the sitting on July 24. During the first parliamentary sitting, it was passed to implement the governing rules of the past 19th People’s Majlis assembly, until the rules of the new parliamentary tenure are compiled. Accordingly, the general committee has gone ahead with the process of compiling the rules. Parliamentary Group leader of the main-ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) and MP for Inguraidhoo constituency Ibrahim Falah proposed to implement the governing rules of the 19th People’s Majlis tenure. Click here to read... [12]

Celebrating one year in the Maldives: High Commissioner David Jessup on Strengthening Australia-Maldives Relations – The Edition

Australia’s first resident High Commissioner to the Maldives, David Jessup, has completed his first year of diplomacy in the Maldives after presenting his credentials on July 24, 2023. Over the past year, the High Commissioner’s journey has been one of building foundations and fostering connections, with a vision for a robust future of bilateral cooperation. David's tenure coincides with the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations between Australia and the Maldives, which has provided opportunities to raise the profile of the bilateral relationship. Click here to read... [13]

Pakistan

Govt postpones decision on PTI ban in cabinet meeting-The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where a six-point agenda was deliberated, Express News reported. The session notably addressed the potential implementation of Article 6 against former President Arif Alvi, PTI founder Imran Khan, and former deputy speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri, amid considerations of a ban on PTI. Click here to read... [14]

Pakistan waives visa fee for 126 countries-Dawn

In a major change in visa policy aimed at attracting tourists and investment from across the world, Pakistan has completely waived the visa fee for the citizens of as many as 126 countries. The decision, dubbed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a “quantum jump” to attract businessmen, investors, tourists and other travellers and to bring ease of doing business, was taken at the federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Click here to read... [15]

CM Gandapur accepts demands of Bannu jirga leaders-The Express Tribune

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has agreed to all the demands put forward by the Bannu Aman Jirga, as reported by Geo News. The agreement was reached in a meeting held earlier this week, sources revealed on Wednesday. Click here to read... [16]

Sri Lanka

Election Commission in a dilemma in absence of IGP to conduct polls – Daily Mirror

Hot on the heels of the Supreme Court issuing an interim order restraining Deshabandu Tennakoon from functioning as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Election Commission is in a dilemma in the conduct of the presidential election after its declaration on Friday in the absence of a police chief. Click here to read... [17]

Sarath Fonseka announces Presidential candidacy – Daily Mirror

Former Sri Lanka Army Commander Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has formally declared his candidacy for the upcoming Presidential election. He invited every Sri Lankan to join him to take Sri Lanka forward. Click here to read... [18]

Japan to resume suspended projects in Sri Lanka – Daily Mirror

The Government of Japan has officially decided to resume disbursement to Yen loan projects, which have been suspended since Sri Lanka's default in 2022. Click here to read... [19]