Neighborhood News Digest- 24 February 2025

Afghanistan

Afghanistan and Uzbekistan discuss financial cooperation and money transfer solutions- The Khaama Press

Noor Ahmad Agha, the Governor of the Central Bank of Afghanistan under Taliban control, met with Timur Ishmetov, the Governor of the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, to discuss creating facilities for money transfers to Afghanistan. The meeting took place on Sunday, February 23, and highlighted efforts to improve financial relations between the two countries. Click here to read... [2]

India considering accepting Taliban Ambassador amid rising Chinese influence in Afghanistan: Bloomberg-The Khaama Press

Bloomberg has reported that India, in response to China’s growing influence in Afghanistan, is cautiously considering accepting a Taliban representative as the ambassador to the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi. This move by India comes as part of a competitive effort to counter China’s influence in the region, and India is currently exploring various avenues to re-establish its relationship with the Taliban. Click here to read... [3]

Ministry of Information and Culture reissues licenses for Radio Begum and Jawan in Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

The Ministry of Information and Culture of the Taliban announced that it has issued new operating licenses for Radio Begum and Radio Jawan. These stations had been previously shut down due to misuse of their operating permits and alleged cooperation with banned media outlets. Click here to read... [4]

Trump appoints official to retrieve US weapons from Afghanistan-The Khaama Press

In a recent speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, U.S. President Donald Trump instructed an official to develop a plan to recover U.S. military equipment from the Taliban. In his recent speech, Trump referred to a person named “Doug” and asked him to take action on retrieving U.S. military equipment from the Taliban. He praised Doug, saying, “He can do this. He is an entrepreneur.” Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Pakistan, Bangladesh resume direct trade for first time since 1971 separation – Telegraph

Pakistan and Bangladesh have resumed direct trade for the first time since the 1971 separation, with the first government-approved cargo departing from Port Qasim, according to a media report. The agreement was finalised in early February when Bangladesh agreed to purchase 50,000 tonnes of Pakistani rice through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP). Click here to read... [6]

$29m spent to prop up ‘radical left communist’ in Bangladesh: Trump – The Daily Star

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his outrage over USAID's spending, accusing the agency of funnelling $29 million to prop up a "radical left communist" in Bangladesh. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington on Saturday, Trump fumed, "$29 million goes to strengthen the political landscape and help them out so that they can vote for a radical left communist in Bangladesh. You've got to see who they supported!" Click here to read... [7]

Jaishankar: Bangladesh must decide what kind of ties it wants with India – Dhaka Tribune

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said Dhaka needs to make up its mind what kind of relationship it wants with New Delhi, stressing that the two neighbours share a very special history that goes back to 1971. “If every day someone in the interim government stands up and blames India for everything, some of those things if you look at the reports are absolutely ridiculous,” Jaishankar said while speaking at the Delhi University Literature Festival on Sunday. Click here to read... [8]

Awami League's backers trying to destabilise the country – Prothom Alo

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has claimed that supporters of the Awami League are attempting to destabilise the country, and vowed that the government would prevent such efforts at all costs. He made these remarks during an emergency press conference on the country’s law and order situation, held at his residence in Baridhara DOHS in the capital around 3:00 am on Monday. Click here to read... [9]

Bhutan

India, Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship, cooperation: Ministry of External Affairs – The Hindu

India and Bhutan enjoy "exemplary ties" of friendship and cooperation, based on trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels, and the visit of Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday (February 22, 2025). Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

Maldives: How Muizzu is balancing ties with India and China amid economic crisis – First Post

The much-strained India-Maldives relations from the early days of President Mohamed Muizzu’s presidency since November 2023 seem set to take a new, even course. The message from Male is becoming clearer, or so it seems—that Maldives would address all of India’s strategic/security concerns, vis-à-vis China especially, but would reserve sovereign rights and national expediency to do business with other nations, starting with China and including Turkey. China has been an intervener and interrupter in IOR affairs for some time now, while the latter entered the scene, first through Pakistan and more recently through Muizzu’s Maldives since his election in November 2023. That message is also seemingly emanating from India’s other ocean neighbour, Sri Lanka—and there is a caveat if it could be called so. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives’ Top Diplomat in Geneva for UN Human Rights Council – PSM News

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulla Khaleel arrived in Geneva, Switzerland on Sunday to head Maldives’ delegation in the 57th Session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council. In a post on his X account, Minister Dr Khaleel said he would be speaking at the High-level General Debate and will be participating in several high-level discussions. The 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council will be held from 24 February to 4 March. The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them. The Council, composed of 47 Member States, provides a multilateral forum to address human rights violations and country situations. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar

Myanmar, Russia to promote mutual economic cooperation – Global New Light of Myanmar

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing received a delegation led by Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Mr Maxim Reshetnikov at the Credentials Hall of the Office of the SAC Chairman in Nay Pyi Taw on February 22, 2025. At the call, they cordially discussed good relations and cooperation between Myanmar and the Russian Federation, further promotion of mutual economic cooperation in all arenas and sectors, and aid provided by the Russian Federation to Myanmar whenever the latter faced natural disasters and other necessary conditions, promotion of investments in Myanmar. Click here to read... [13]

Myawaddy scam valley: 2,000 Indians working in Myanmar's cybercrime web – The Economic Times

Nearly 2,000 Indians are trapped in cyber scam operations in Myawaddy, Myanmar, after being lured with fake job offers. The Indian embassy is working on evacuation efforts and warns that those involved in scams will face legal consequences, with ongoing challenges due to the region’s instability. While some have been rescued, authorities warn that the scale of the scam is much larger than initially believed. The Indian embassy is working to evacuate affected citizens but has cautioned that those knowingly participating in these scams will face legal consequences. Indian officials have urged job seekers to verify employment offers in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand to avoid falling into similar traps. Click here to read... [14]

Pakistan

PM Shehbaz lands in Azerbaijan for two-day official visit-The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Baku on Sunday for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening Pakistan-Azerbaijan ties, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. He was received by senior Azerbaijani officials upon landing at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, according to the PMO. Click here to read... [15]

Economic indicators are improving: Zardari-Dawn

President Asif Ali Zardari has said that problems of the people are decreasing and economic indicators are improving. Click here to read... [16]

IMF talks on $1bn climate funding kick off today-Dawn

A technical mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) begins discussions in Islamabad today (Monday) on Pakistan’s request for over $1 billion in additional financing for climate resilience. This will be followed by a policy review early next week to assess the authorities’ performance under the ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Click here to read... [17]

Governor Kundi says KP CM trying to ‘erase province’s identity’ by renaming stadium after Imran-Dawn

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was trying to “erase the province’s identity” as he criticised the renaming of a stadium in Peshawar to Imran Khan Cricket Stadium. Click here to read... [18]

Sri Lanka

32 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu arrested by Sri Lankan Navy – The Hindu

In a fresh incident, 32 fishermen from Rameswaram, Thangachimadam and nearby areas in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel on charges of poaching along the Palk Straits in the wee hours of Sunday (February 23, 2025). Five trawlers were also seized. Click here to read... [19]

Government’s approval rating rises sharply after election: Verité Research – Daily Mirror

The government's approval rating rose sharply after the election, from 24% in July 2024 to 62% in February 2025, when the latest round of the Gallup style ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll was conducted, Verité Research said. Click here to read... [20]

India - Sri Lanka Petroleum pipeline - Only possible if economically feasible – Daily Mirror

The proposed multi-product petroleum pipeline between India and Sri Lanka will materialize only if it is economically viable but not on political considerations, an official said yesterday. Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) W.A. Rajakaruna told Daily Mirror that the two sides are assessing the project for its feasibility at the moment. Click here to read... [21]