Neighborhood News Digest - 28 November 2024

Afghanistan

Kremlin: Removing Islamic Emirate from Banned List Requires Formal Process-Tolo News

The Kremlin clarified that removing the name of the Islamic Emirate from its country's list of banned organizations requires going through formal procedures. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, quoting Russian President Vladimir Putin, described Russia's relations with Afghanistan as essential and emphasized their expansion. Click here to read... [2]

Yue Xiaoyong: Beijing in Dialogue over Islamic Emirate Recognition-Tolo News

Yue Xiaoyong, China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, said that China is engaging in consultations with regional countries regarding the recognition of Afghanistan’s caretaker government. In an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, Yue explained that China’s efforts have contributed to a growing consensus among nations to engage with the Islamic Emirate. Click here to read... [3]

Karzai calls for National Dialogue 23 years after Historic Bonn Conference-The Khaama Press

Twenty-three years after the historic Bonn Conference, the German city hosted a closed-door meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and several political figures. According to a source, the event, titled “Afghanistan at the Crossroads: 23 Years after the Bonn Conference,” was organized by the Academy of International Affairs North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Click here to read... [4]

Pakistan bans Afghan nationals from living in Islamabad without official documents-The Khaama Press

Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, has warned that after December 31 of this year, Afghan nationals will not be allowed to live in Islamabad without official authorization. On Wednesday, November 27, he emphasized that Afghan citizens wishing to reside in Islamabad must obtain permission from the relevant offices of the Ministry of the Interior. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

White paper on economy to be submitted on Sunday: Debapriya - The Daily Star

The Committee on the preparation for "White Paper on the State of Bangladesh Economy" will submit the final report to the chief adviser Sunday, said Debapriya Bhattacharya, the chair of the committee today. Click here to read... [6]

Murder case against Hasina: Court seeks probe report by Jan 5 – The Daily Star

A Dhaka court today asked police to submit by January 5 the probe report of the case filed against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 23 others over the death of Dhaka Degree College student Foijul Islam Rajon, 18, in Dhaka's Mirpur area on July 19. Click here to read... [7]

Iskcon issue a top priority for govt, state tells High Court – Dhaka Tribune

The government has taken a firm stance against any attempt to create unrest or chaos centred on the murder of a lawyer in Chittagong following the arrest of a former Iskcon leader, the state has told the High Court, saying it is a top priority of the government. Click here to read... [8]

Govt to pursue charges of crimes against humanity against Hasina regime, Yunus to ICC prosecutor – Prothom Alo

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim A Khan, called on Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka Wednesday. During the talks, the Rohingya crisis, the situation in Myanmar, humanitarian efforts for the Rohingyas, and the justice and accountability for the atrocities committed during the July-August mass uprising were discussed. Click here to read... [9]

Bhutan

Journalists discuss press freedom, sustainability, and access to information at annual conference– Kuensel

More than 70 journalists from various media organisations, along with officials from the Department of Media, Creative Industry & Intellectual Property (DoMCIIP) and the Bhutan Information and Media Authority (BICMA), are in Paro for a two-day Annual Journalism Conference (AJC). Organised by the Journalists’ Association of Bhutan (JAB), the conference aims to address critical challenges facing Bhutan’s media landscape. With the theme, “Reconnecting the Journalism Fraternity”, the first day of the conference focused on key issues including attrition of senior journalists, sustainability of media outlets, declining press freedom in Bhutan, and strategies to improve access to information. In 2024, Bhutan’s World Press Freedom Index dropped 57 places, from 90th to 147 this year. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

Maldives enter visa exemption agreement with Tajikistan– Adhadhu

The Maldives government has signed a visa exemption agreement with the government of Tajikistan. It formalizes the exemption of visa requirements for nationals of Maldives and Tajikistan for a period of 30 days. The bilateral agreement was signed by Permanent Representative of Maldives to the UN Dr. Ali Naseer Mohamed and Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the UN Hikmat Jonibek Ismoil. The signing ceremony was held in New York, at the Permanent Mission of Tajikistan. According to the Foreign Ministry, the signing of the bilateral visa exemption agreement formalizes the existing unilateral visa-free regimes of both countries. Click here to read... [11]

Chinese Ambassador Lixin to return home after three years– Adhadhu

China's Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin is scheduled to return home after completing her term of office. Chinese Ambassador Lixin paid a farewell visit to Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Khaleel on Tuesday. Her date of departure is unknown. During the meeting, Khaleel thanked the Ambassador for her efforts to strengthen Maldives-China relations over the past three years. Ambassador Lixin also thanked the Maldives people and government for their assistance and hospitality during her tenure. According to the Foreign Ministry, discussions were also held on projects undertaken by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu during the past year. Click here to read... [12]

Pakistan

PTI workers incensed by leadership’s failure to lead from front-Dawn

Following the debacle of PTI’s retreat from Islamabad a day earlier, the rank and file of PTI is fuming with indignation over the party leadership’s failure to lead from the front. Party workers are also upset that they were left stranded and unguided to respond in tough situations in the wake of executing party founder Imran Khan’s final call for protest and sit-in in Islamabad. Click here to read... [13]

Bushra, Gandapur booked in seven cases-Dawn

Former first lady Bushra Bibi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and other PTI leaders were booked in seven new cases in Attock on Wednesday following recent violent protests. According to official sources, the FIRs were lodged with the Hasanabdal, Hazro and Injra police stations against Bushra Bibi, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub and former president Arif Alvi. Click here to read... [14]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka reaffirms commitment to chemical weapons convention– Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka reiterated its long standing commitment to the full, effective, and non-discriminatory implementation of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) at the 29th session of the Conference of State Parties (CSP-29) to the Chemical Weapons Convention yesterday in The Hague, the Netherlands. Click here to read... [15]

Four dead, several missing as Sri Lanka faces massive rains, floods – Deccan Herald

Four persons, including two children, have died and several others remained missing while over 2.30 lakh individuals were affected across Sri Lanka due to inclement weather following a massive rain system in southwest Bay of Bengal, authorities said. Click here to read... [16]

Sri Lanka's newly-elected Parliament to take up two key policy debates next week- The Hindu

Sri Lanka's newly-elected Parliament will take up two key debates next week, including one on the government's policy statement, the first such discussion under the National People's Power (NPP) government following its resounding victory in the November parliamentary election. The debate on the government's policy statement, presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the inaugural session, will occur on December 3 and 4, followed by a vote. Click here to read... [17]