VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: September 27, 2021

Afghanistan

Female Leaders at UNGA Call for Afghan Women's Rights: Tolo News

A number of women leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York are vocally advocating for Afghan women and girls, saying their rights should not be taken away and the Taliban should refrain from violence.
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Imran Khan Seeks World's Support to Taliban: Tolo News

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York urged the international community to engage with and support the Taliban instead of isolating them.
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Impossible for us to recognize Taliban: Italian FM: The Khaama Press

The foreign minister of Italy Luigi Di Maio strongly reacted to the Taliban’s caretaker cabinet and said that it is impossible for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to be recognized by them.
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Strengthening banking system, economic growth is of utmost importance: Taliban: The Khaama Press

Taliban say that the strengthening of the banking system, growth of commerce, and economy of Afghanistan is vital and will do their best in this regard.
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Bangladesh

80 lakh Covid shots in a single day!- Daily Star

The premises of a vaccination centre in Khulna Sadar Hospital is crammed with people waiting for their Covid shot. Volunteers at the centre said it is almost impossible to maintain social distancing when the crowd is so large.
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2 arrested for torturing teenager- Daily Star

Police have arrested two persons for brutally torturing a teenage boy for ransom in Natore on Saturday night.
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2002 attack on Hasina’s motorcade in Satkhira: Fugitive convict arrested in Dhaka- Daily Star

Detectives have arrested a convict in a case filed over the attack on the motorcade of the then opposition leader and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Satkhira 19 years ago.
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Experts wary of importing LNG- Dhaka Tribune

Three cargoes of LNG are being procured from the spot market to increase the country's gas supply.
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World Sindhi Congress held protest in Geneva against human rights violations in Pak's Sindh- Asian Age

The World Sindhi Congress (WSC on Thursday held a protest here against human rights violations in Pakistan's Sindh province.
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BNP sees no success in PM's US visit- Asian Age

Stating that the Prime Minister's visit to the USA has 'no success', BNP on Sunday alleged that the government wants to take international advantage by keeping the Rohingya problem alive.
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Sedition case: Three Rajshahi BNP leaders granted bail- Daily Observer

The three leaders are BNP Chairperson's adviser and former Rajshahi City mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, Rajshahi City BNP president Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul and general secretary Shafiqul HuqueMilon.
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UNGA ends without speeches by Afghan, Myanmar delegates- New Age

The United Nations General Assembly in New York ends Monday but without speeches by those in power in Afghanistan and Myanma.
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'Bangabandhu’s historic UNGA speech in Bangla was greatest day of Bangabandhu's life'- The Independent

Father of the Nation of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first Bangalee who made history by delivering the first Bangla speech, for the first time in its history, at the 29th the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 25, 1974.
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LPG pricing by BPC faces opposition from energy regulator, rights groups- Financial Express

A government move allowing BPC monopoly on pricing its liquefied petroleum gas, bypassing scrutiny, came under a broadside from both the country's energy regulator and rights group.
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Bhutan

Are we normalising sexual harassment?- Kuensel

Playful age-old culture, many say, is being used to normalise sexual harassment today. The work place has changed from fields to offices and many now question if Bhutanese society is normalising sexual harassment in the name of culture.
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Let Climate Change not slide this time- Kuensel

The National Determined Contributions (NDC) synthesis report, published last week, reports on NDCs from all 191 Parties to the Paris Agreement.
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LG members to resign in the last week of October- Kuensel

The second local governments (LGs) will complete their terms in the last week of October.
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LDCs call for more climate finance- Kuensel

UN Climate Change published a report last week. Following the report, the Least Development Countries (LDC) called for deep emission cuts and scaled-up climate finance.
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Trucks ferrying boulders from Gelephu barred from plying via Meghalaya, India- Kuensel

Thirty-three trucks carrying boulders from Gelephu were stranded at the Assam-Meghalaya border in India for three weeks after being barred from entering Meghalaya on August 26.
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Dairy farmers start first yoghurt production firm in Dagana- Kuensel

Dagana’s deputy chief livestock officer, Pema Wangchuk, said that the 19-member dairy group was formed in 2014 to meet market demand for local milk, butter, and cheese.
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Bhutan is home to one of the most expensive mushrooms in the world- Daily Bhutan

Email There is even a festival for it, known as the Matsutake Mushroom Festival. There, you’ll get to sample various dishes prepared with this mushroom.
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Bhutan takes dog population management to another level- BBS

Today there are more than 72,000 dogs in the country and the number is only increasing. With it, there is an increase in dog bite cases and rabies outbreaks every year. To address this issue, the Livestock Department has come up with a strategy to achieve a hundred per cent sterilization of stray dogs.
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Implementing transformative pedagogy in schools effectively- Monggar- BBS

Transformative pedagogy is a teaching method that focuses more on engaging students in the learning process rather than a teacher giving lectures.
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Maldives

789 Covid-19 vaccination doses administered on Saturday - Raajje

According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Saturday’s vaccinations included 156 first doses administered to 104 atoll residents and 52 residents of the Greater Malé Region, as well as 633 second doses.
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India remains top source market for Maldives tourism as total arrivals top 843,552 - Raajje

With 191,824 visitors by the end of the third month of the ongoing year, neighboring India remains the top source market for Maldives tourism.
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Myanmar

Forever ‘engaging’ the Tatmadaw? - The Star

THE suffering of millions of our neighbors in Myanmar is fading from our radar, as the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan has raised fears of homegrown terrorists and lone wolves.
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Military assigns civilians administrative duties without its direct involvement: SAC chairman - Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar’s Tatmadaw (military) has assigned respective civilian administrative bodies without direct involvement with State administration as ruling over the public through armed bullying and fear is unacceptable, said Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
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Military cuts off internet connection in 11 more townships in northwestern Myanmar -Myanmar Now

The junta cut off mobile internet access and most Wi-Fi services to 11 townships in war-torn areas of Chin State and Magway Region at 6pm on Thursday evening, according to locals and members of the local resistance forces in the area.
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It's virtually certain no one will speak for Myanmar at U.N. - The Hindu

The dispute between Myanmar’s military rulers and the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi that they ousted about who should represent the country at the United Nations hasn’t been resolved.
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Risks of India getting sucked into Rakhine conflict - North East Now

A new book – “Irrawaddy Imperatives” by a serving Indian army brigadier Jaideep Chanda has pointed to the risks involved in Delhi getting militarily ‘sucked’ into the Rakhine conflict in Myanmar.
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Nepal

730 new Covid-19 cases surface on Sunday, active caseload drops to 19142- Himalaya

Nepal's coronavirus caseload reached 791,392 on Sunday with 730 more people testing positive for the infection in the past 24 hours.
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'CPN-UML will be defeated in polls'- Himalaya

Nepal Communist Party-Unified Socialist Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the CPN-UML would face defeat in the upcoming general elections.
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Schools to run classes in-person- Himalaya

A large number of urban migrants' kids are back in their villages and are virtually attending classes in their schools based in Kathmandu valley.
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PM directs NA to identify security challenges- Himalaya

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed commitment not to let the Nepali Army suffer on account of inadequacy of resources.
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Deuba is struggling. But what is Maoist Centre up to?- Kathmandu Post

It has intrigued many as to why Dahal, the leader of the key coalition partner, is not providing a list of ministers to the prime minister to help him expand the Cabinet.
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No need to disclose investment source raises money laundering risk- Kathmandu Post

A new provision in the Financial Act for this fiscal year that it would not seek source of income from investors if they are investing in infrastructure projects and businesses has raised a question of policy reversal.
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Indra Jatra observed amid fanfare- Kathmandu Post

The eight-day festival, celebrated mainly in the three districts of Kathmandu Valley, Dhulikhel and Dolakha, formally began with the installation of lingo (a sacred wooden pole) at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square on Saturday morning.
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(Opinion) Helping Nepal’s Covid orphans- Nepali Times

Nearly 11,000 Nepalis have lost their lives to Covid-19 since the outbreak began in January 2020, most of them in the age group 20-50, but there are also children under 18. Hundreds of children have become orphans in the wake of the pandemic.
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Red tax: Everything you should know about Nepal protest over sanitary pad price- OnlineKahabar

The budget subsequently increased the price of sanitary pads in the market, creating a hullaballoo on social media and the country.
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NC 14th general convention: Myagdi and Mustang District Committees get new leadership- Republica

New leadership has been elected in all local levels of Myagdi and Mustang districts under the 14th General Convention of the Nepali Congress (NC).
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Make arrangements for students who returned from China due to COVID-19 to go back: Parliamentary committee- Republica

A parliamentary committee has directed the government to immediately make arrangements for students who returned from China due to COVID-19 to back and continue their studies.
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Border Study Committee Submits Report to Home Minister- Rising Nepal

The Committee formed to study the border issue between Nepal and China submitted its report to the government on Sunday.

Pakistan

US allows humanitarian assistance, Quad reaches understanding on Taliban: Dawn

The US Treasury Department has issued licenses to facilitate humanitarian aid and financial assistance to the people of Afghanistan, while upholding sanctions on the Taliban.
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PM welcomes inclusion of Karachi coastal uplift plan in CPEC: Dawn

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday lauded the inclusion of Karachi’s coastal development plan in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and said the move would bring the city on a par with developed port cities of the world.
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FM Qureshi arrives in London on three-day official visit: The Express Tribune

Upon arrival at the Heathrow Airport, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Moazzam Ahmad Khan and Deputy High Commissioner Dr Faisal Aziz and other senior officials of the High Commission welcomed the foreign minister.
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Pakistan allows Afghan airline to operate Islamabad-Kabul flights: The Express Tribune

Pakistan has allowed an Afghan airline to operate its flights from Islamabad to Kabul, a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) official said on Sunday.
Click here to read [46]

‘Pakistan seeks trade deals with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman’: The News

Pakistan will pursue individual trade deals with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Razak Dawood said on Sunday, as talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council remain stalled, foreign media reported.
Click here to read [47]