Neighborhood News Digest - 14 October 2024

Afghanistan

12 Political Figures Return to Afghanistan through Commission-Tolo News

Ahmadullah Wasiq, the head of the Commission for Contact with Personalities, stated that in the past month of this solar year, twelve political figures and some other individuals have returned to the country through this commission. The head of the commission said: "In the past month, twelve people have returned to their homeland through the Commission for Contact with Personalities, and they are living happily here with their friends and relatives." Click here to read... [2]

Pashtun Justice Jirga Kicks Off with Thousands in Attendance-Tolo News

The Pashtun Justice Tribal Jirga began on Saturday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after a one-day delay. Thousands of people from various parts of Pakistan have gathered at this Jirga to discuss the challenges and pressures they have faced. Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), stated that Pashtun leaders are tired of the situation in the country. According to him, Pashtun youth will also support the decisions made during this assembly. Click here to read... [3]

Iranian Official: 85% of child laborers in Tehran are Afghan migrants-The Khaama Press

Ali Kazemi, the Secretary of Iran’s National Child Rights Authority, stated that out of the 3,200 identified child laborers in Tehran, 85% are foreign nationals. He added that undocumented children have been deported from Iran, and the country’s laws have been emphasized to other children. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

ICT Chief Prosecutor: Bangladesh to seek Interpol assistance to bring back Hasina-Dhaka Tribune

International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Advocate Tajul Islam has said assistance from Interpol will be sought to bring back fugitives, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, involved in the genocide that occurred in July-August during student protests. Click here to read... [5]

Durga Puja transforms Cox’s Bazar beach into symbol of communal harmony-Dhaka Tribune

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindus, has transformed Cox's Bazar beach into a symbol of communal harmony. The event saw people from different religions, alongside the Sanatan community, participating in a display of unity and peace. Click here to read... [6]

Try AL under the very laws it enacted-The Daily Star

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman yesterday called for the trial of the Awami League under the laws that were enacted during the rule of the AL regime. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

CJI Chandrachud discusses ways to enhance judicial, legal cooperation during his Bhutan visit-The Hindu

Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, along with his Bhutanese counterpart Lyonpo Chogyal Dago Rigdzin, presided over the signing of four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) aimed at enhancing judicial and legal cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. Click here to read... [8]

Tears and inspiration: Royal audience inspires Bhutanese diaspora in Australia-Kuensel

The Royal audiences with the Bhutanese community in Sydney and Canberra have been a profound and transformative experience, evoking deep emotions among those in attendance. The halls echoed with His Majesty’s wisdom, leaving many in tears and filled with inspiration. A powerful message resonated throughout—the call to return to Bhutan and share the skills and knowledge acquired abroad towards nation building. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

High Court rules anti-Israeli protestor's remand was unlawful – Adhadhu

The High Court has ruled that the Criminal Court's decision to extend the detention of Aishath Shadhiya, who was arrested for protesting near embassies calling for an end to Israel's genocide against Palestinians, is invalid. Police said Dr. Shazra Ibrahim, 36 and Aishath Shadhiya, 47, were arrested with a court order for repeatedly protesting near diplomatic missions in violation of the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act, acting in a manner that disturbs an ambassador and obstructing police duty. They were arrested on August 28. Their remand was extended twice. Both the orders were appealed in the High Court. Earlier, the High Court ruled that the Criminal Court's detention order was in violation of Article 13 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure in Conducting Trials. The court decided that she was detained unlawfully. Click here to read... [10]

Government is heading towards a dictatorship: Solih – Adhadhu

The government has ignored the people's demands and is heading towards a dictatorship, stated the former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Speaking at the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s "Decentralized Connection" conference in Kulhudhuffushi, Solih said the government is centralizing all its powers like a dictatorial regime although a democracy mandates listening to the people's demands and providing services more closely. "These people in power today do not listen to what the people say. They are doing everything for their own benefit. Dictatorship is the direction the present government is heading," he said. Click here to read... [11]

Pakistan

Thousands turn up as PTM jirga begins in Jamrud-Dawn

The first day of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement’s Pashtun Qaumi Jirga passed off peacefully on Friday, with organisers anticipating a larger turnout for the second day of the three-day event. Thousands of people attended the jirga in the daytime but the number dropped in the evening. Amid confusion about the jirga due to the previous police actions and the federal government’s ban on the rights movement, the event began on Friday in Jamrud tehsil here following an “agreement” between the provincial government and PTM late on Thursday. Click here to read... [12]

PTM jirga deplores militancy, sense of deprivation-Dawn

The Pashtun jirga organised in Jamrud by the recently proscribed Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) with the government support concluded on Sunday with delegates deploring the impact of militancy and subsequent anti-terrorism operations over the last two decades that had displaced millions. The delegates, from different political parties and professional organisations, held discussions at 60 separate enclosures to present their recommendations for the final declaration at a relatively larger forum. The final declaration was not issued till 8pm on Sunday, and is likely to be issued following deliberations among the stakeholders on its contents. Click here to read... [13]

Foreign dignitaries arrive for SCO summit spadework-Dawn

Foreign dignitaries started arriving in Islamabad for preparatory meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit as Pakistan prepares to host the 23rd summit of the bloc on Oct 15 and 16 amid stringent security measures. Informed sources told Dawn that a four-member delegation from India, 76 delegates from Russia, 15 representatives of China, a two-member team from Iran and a four-member delegation from Kyrgyzstan reached Islamabad on Sunday. Click here to read... [14]

CPEC gains as Chinese premier arrives today-The Express Tribune

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will begin a three-day official visit to Pakistan on Monday (today), first by any Chinese premier in 11 years, with an aim to give a new impetus to the bilateral cooperation at a time of changing geopolitics and challenges to the President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Click here to read... [15]

Sri Lanka

Restructuring of all state enterprises on hold till election is over-Daily Mirror

The government has put on hold key policy decisions on restructuring state owned enterprises including SriLankan Airlines and the transfer of the Mattala international airport until the general election is over, a top source said. Click here to read... [16]

Rajapaksa brothers opt out of Sri Lanka’s November 14 general elections-The Hindu

None of the Rajapaksa brothers, who dominated Sri Lankan politics for decades until they were booted out of office in 2022, will contest in the island nation’s general elections next month. Click here to read... [17]

Adverse weather affects more than 134,400 people in 12 districts, three killed-Daily Mirror

More than 134,400 people in twelve districts have been affected due to adverse weather conditions around the country, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. Accordingly, people in Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo, Kilinochchi, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Hambantota, Galle, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Kurunegala and Puttalam have been affected. A total of 6,963 persons from 1,753 families have been affected and sent to safe locations. Click here to read... [18]