Neighborhood News Digest- 30 January 2025

Afghanistan

Akhundzada: We Do Not Fear Warnings from the West or East-Tolo News

Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Islamic Emirate, has stated that he has no fear of warnings from Western or Eastern countries. In his speech at the graduation ceremony of Jihadiyah Madrasa in Kandahar, he added that the Westerners who came to the country did not leave voluntarily but were forced to withdraw from Afghanistan. Click here to read… [2]

Concerns Grow Over Rising Poverty Amid Aid Agency Closures-Tolo News

The shutdown of 50 aid organizations, alongside the suspension of humanitarian assistance in recent days, has raised serious concerns in the country. Some experts warn that if the operations of aid organizations are permanently halted, the poverty crisis in Afghanistan will worsen. They also believe that continuing such decisions is a complete violation of human rights. Click here to read… [3]

$1.5 Million Contract Signed to Build 14 Telecom Sites in Provinces-Tolo News

The Afghanistan Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (ATRA) has signed a $1.5 million contract for the establishment of 14 telecommunication sites in several provinces. According to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology, this contract has been signed between ATRA and several companies, under which 14 telecommunication sites will be built in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, and other provinces. Click here to read… [4]

US aid suspension shuts down 50 aid groups in Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

The Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Abdul Latif Nazari, announced that the suspension of U.S. aid has led to the shutdown of 50 international humanitarian organizations in 28 Afghanistan’s provinces. Nazari urged the international community to separate humanitarian assistance from political matters, emphasizing that the people of Afghanistan should not suffer due to political decisions. Click here to read… [5]

Bangladesh

BNP to hit street in Feb for election by year end – The Daily Star

The BNP is set to take to the streets demanding general elections by the end of this year and protesting the rising prices of essentials, said several standing committee members of the party. Before Ramadan, the party will hold a rally in the capital and in district towns across the country, said sources present at a BNP standing committee meeting held last night. Click here to read… [6]

‘AL won’t be allowed to hold protests’ – The Daily Star

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said the Awami League will not be allowed to demonstrate until it apologises and its leadership faces trial for the killings during the July uprising. He made the comments yesterday, a day after the AL announced on Facebook that it would begin from February 1 a nine-day programme that includes hartals and blockades in protest at what it said were rising prices of essentials, deteriorating law and order, and killings of leaders and activists. Click here to read… [7]

Bangladesh to talk in ‘different tone' in BGB-BSF meeting: Home adviser – Prothom Alo

Bangladesh will speak in a 'different tone' during the upcoming border conference between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), says home affairs adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury. He made the statement while briefing the media following an inter-ministerial preparatory meeting at the secretariat on Wednesday. Click here to read… [8]

St Martin's Island: 9-month travel ban begins 1 Feb – Prothom Alo

A nine-month restriction on movements of tourists in the St Martin's Island, the lone coral island in Bangladesh, will come to force on Saturday, 1 February. Tourists can visit the island until Friday, 31 January, according to a decision of the environment, forest and climate change ministry. Click here to read… [9]

Bhutan

Bhutan faces AI readiness gaps, calls for national strategy – Kuensel

Bhutan has made significant strides in digital governance, including the establishment of secure digital platforms, but critical gaps remain in artificial intelligence (AI) readiness. This is according to the United Nations Development Programme report, “Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment 2024.” The report highlights challenges in AI skills development, funding, data governance, and ethical frameworks, underscoring the need for a comprehensive national AI strategy. In the 13th Plan, the government has allocated over Nu 10 billion in 21st century skilling programmes led by the GovTech Agency. Click here to read… [10]

Maldives

India reconsiders financial assistance due to Maldives FTA with China – Adhadhu

India is reconsidering continuing its financial assistance to the Maldives after the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed with China came into force on January 1. The FTA with China "will dent Maldives revenue as customs forego will be USD 30-40 million per annum." India is also concerned about the Maldives preferential trade agreement signed with Turkey in November which could also result in a revenue loss. Additionally, India predicts that the FTA with China will lead to a "regional trade imbalance" with the number of imports exceeding the number of exports. India decided to provide financial assistance in return for several agreements including the Maldives' cooperation for the military port in the Uthuru Thila Falhu. Click here to read… [11]

Tourist arrivals surge 10.7 percent from last year – Rajjee

The tourist arrival figure recorded so far in January 2025 has surged by 10.7 percent compared to the same period of 2024. This was revealed by the Ministry of Tourism through its latest daily tourist arrival statistics published on January 29. As such, the ministry’s latest figures show that 193,175 tourist arrivals were recorded between January 1 – 28. This is a 10.7 percent surge in comparison to the 174,449 arrivals recorded in the same period last year and much higher than the 155,851 arrivals recorded in the same period of 2023. Click here to read… [12]

Myanmar

MNDAA Leader Vows to Uphold China’s ‘Peace’ Policy on Myanmar – The Irrawaddy

More than a week after China brokered a ceasefire agreement between the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the military junta, the MNDAA’s leader pledged to uphold China’s policy of “promoting peace and dialogue” in Myanmar, adding that the ethnic armed group would strive to achieve peace in the area it controls. MNDAA commander Peng Daxun (aka Peng Deren) said in his Chinese New Year’s message on Tuesday that the MNDAA would “safeguard the political rights” as well as the “high degree of autonomy” that the ethnic armed group had secured for its territory, while upholding China’s policy on Myanmar. Click here to read… [13]

AA Reports Seizure of Myanmar Junta Bases on Rakhine State Border – The Irrawaddy

Rakhine State’s ethnic Arakan Army (AA) claims it has seized junta bases on the border with neighboring Magwe, Bago and Ayeyarwady regions in recent days. On January 27, the AA announced it was advancing eastward through the Rakhine (Arakan) Mountains and had captured the Moe Hti base between Rakhine’s Taungup and Bago’s Padaung on January 26, after a five-day assault. The AA said it seized weapons, ammunition and other military equipment from the base, where it also found the bodies of junta soldiers. A counterattack mounted by regime troops from Bago Region had failed, it added. Click here to read… [14]

Pakistan

SC returns military court docs over ‘prejudice’ fears- Dawn

The Constitutional Bench (CB) of the apex court, on Wednesday, returned sealed envelopes submitted by the government counsel, which outlined the procedures followed during the military trial of civilians involved in the May 9, 2023, attacks on military installations. Click here to read… [15]

Left-behind US weapons in Afghanistan fueling terror attacks in Pakistan: FO-The Express Tribune

Foreign Office has expressed serious concerns over the advanced military equipment left behind in Afghanistan following the US troop withdrawal in August 2021, which has reportedly been used by terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in attacks on Pakistani soil. Click here to read… [16]

Govt employees get free electricity worth Rs6,000 monthly: Energy minister-The Express Tribune

Power sector employees receive Rs6,000 worth of free electricity each month, Energy Minister Awais Leghari revealed on Wednesday, as the government explores legal avenues to end the privilege. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Leghari stated that the government cannot currently halt free electricity for power division and generation company employees due to ongoing legal cases. Click here to read… [17]

President Zardari signs controversial PECA amendment bill-The Express Tribune

President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, has signed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2025 (PECA), officially endorsing the legislation aimed at combating digital crimes. In addition to the PECA bill, President Zardari also signed the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2025, a significant move towards enhancing Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. Click here to read… [18]

Sri Lanka

SL defends legality of operations amid India protest – Daily Mirror

While defending the legality of the Sri Lanka Navy's conduct amid strong protests with Sri Lanka over an incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Rtd) Sampath Thuyacontha said that Sri Lanka will continue to search vessels entering its waters, regardless of their country of origin, in accordance with legal protocols to prevent illegal activities. Click here to read… [19]

Sri Lanka must shift from bailouts and handouts to export-driven growth: ADB – Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka must focus on developing an export-oriented industrialisation policy rather than relying on bailouts and handouts for economic recovery, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said yesterday. With the island nation slated to begin its restructured sovereign bond repayment in the next couple of years, ADB Country Director for Sri Lanka Takafumi Kadono stressed the need for a structured policy shift that will ensure the country does not have to resort to new borrowings. Drawing from South Korea’s economic transformation he highlighted how consistent leadership and policy direction, regardless of regime changes, played a key role in their success—an approach, he opined Sri Lanka too can learn from. Click here to read… [20]

Opposition parties united against Govt over lack of slots in parliamentary bodies – Daily Mirror

The political parties representing Parliament will unite in a joint effort to challenge the ruling National Peoples Power (NPP), accusing it of undermining parliamentary tradition by failing to allocate an adequate number of slots to them in committees. Click here to read… [21]