VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: April 11, 2022
Afghanistan
Aid Dependent on Girls Access to Education: Envoys: Tolo News

The envoys and representatives of the European Union, US and European countries in a joint statement stressed that the type and scope of “international donor assistance will depend, among other things, on the right and ability of girls to attend equal education at all levels.” Click here to read...

UNAMA Concerned by Threats and Restrictions against Afghan Media: The Khaama Press

United Nations Assistant Mission in Afghanistan in a press release said that UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons called on acting Minister of Information and Culture of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Khairullah Khairkhwa and discussed the closure of girls’ schools and restrictions on media outlets in Afghanistan. Click here to read...

Bangladesh
Indian national shot dead at Lalmonirhat border- The Daily Star

The body of Sirajul Haque, 30, an Indian national, was recovered from the Bangladesh side near sub-pillar 12 of the main pillar 924 of the border in the morning, Haris Mia, Durgapur BOP camp commander of Lalmonirhat 15 BGB Battalion, told The Daily Star. Click here to read...

Save farmland from being fed with sand- The Daily Star

The government should take necessary steps to save around 300 acres of farmland in Khulna's Dacope area from sand dumping, said speakers at a press conference yesterday. Click here to read...

‘Database for journalists’- The Daily Star

The Bangladesh Press Council is preparing a roadmap to create a database for the protection of journalists and media outlets in the country, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday. Click here to read...

Soaring cost of living: Middle class in a tight spot- The Daily Star

Excluded from the government's social safety net, middle-income families are struggling to cope with the rising prices of basic goods and services. Click here to read...

‘Significant changes necessary in Anti-Discrimination Bill before proposed as law’- The Daily Star

Eminent citizens today said they want to be hopeful about the long-waited Anti-Discrimination Bill but significant changes have to be made before the passage of the proposed law in parliament. Click here to read...

Huge amounts of money being siphoned abroad from mega projects: BNP- The Daily Star

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today alleged that thousands of crores of taka are being plundered from mega projects in the country and siphoned off abroad. Click here to read...

Onion farmers in a tight spot for poor prices- The Daily Star

Although onion prices were excessively high just one month ago, farmers in Pabna are now struggling to recover production costs due to a supply glut following this year's harvest. Click here to read...

New study lists Asian countries that will be hit hardest — and least — by the Ukraine war- CNBC

From food prices to tourism and weapons supply, Asia-Pacific countries could be hit hard by the Russia-Ukraine war, even if they are not directly exposed to the conflict, according to a new Economic Intelligence Unit report. Click here to read...

Bhutan
XE variant draws closer to Bhutan: Kuensel

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had announced the detection of the case after conducting genome sequencing on 230 samples of Covid-19 patients. A 50-year old South African woman tested positive for the XE variant. Click here to read...

Maldives
Maldives: Will ‘India Out’ Overwhelm ‘India First’ Close to Elections?: News 18

"In electoral politics, although there is often a major difference between rhetoric while in opposition and action when in government, Abdulla Yameen’s pro-China track record suggests that there is more to his ‘India Out’ campaign than harmless propaganda." Click here to read...

Improving ties with India upsets Maldives' pro-Chinese Opposition: Deccan Herald

In 2018, the Maldives faced a severe economic crisis and now in 2022, Sri Lanka is witnessing a similar situation. The problems in both the countries arose only after their short dalliance with China. Click here to read...

Myanmar
Tatmadaw announced to hand over the country's responsibilities to a democratically elected government after fulfilling the duties of state of emergency: SAC’s Vice-Chair - Eleven Myanmar

The Tatmadaw has clearly announced that upon accomplishing the provisions of the state of emergency, free and fair multiparty democratic elections will be held in line with the 2008 Constitution, and further work will be undertaken to hand over State duties to the winning party in accordance with democratic standards, at the graduation ceremony of the 125th Intake of Defence Services (Army) Officers Training School (Bahtoo) held on April 6. Click here to read...

Armed by Russia, Myanmar’s military is unleashing hell on its people - Sadney Morning Herald

Two weeks earlier, after a shell landed near the Thai police camp here, Burmese forces and the local Karenni Army militia were asked to pack up their bases and shift their fighting further inside Myanmar. Click here to read...

Japan chief of Myanmar's shadow gov't calls for solidarity - Mainichi

The new chief of a Myanmar pro-democracy organization in Japan on Sunday called on its people to band together for the Southeast Asian country's shadow government formed after a military coup more than a year ago. Click here to read...

Myanmar junta accused of murdering children - Mizzima

Campaign group Progressive Voice has drawn attention to how the junta has been abusing children and called for the international community to “wake up and pivot away from a ‘business as usual’ [attitude] towards the military junta”. The group has also called for more action to help children from the international community, particularly the UN and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Click here to read...

Nepal
BRI and MCC, Implications for Nepal: My Republica

China and the United States came face-to-face over the issue of MCC agreement’s ratification through parliament. This is not a good sign for Nepal. The strategic rivalry between the US and China in Nepal should not be taken lightly. Click here to read...

Nepal bans import of luxury items as foreign exchange reserves decline: The Hindu

Nepal’s central bank has announced a ban on the import of vehicles and other luxury items, citing liquidity crunch and declining foreign exchange reserves, despite government assurances that the economy will not go into a tailspin like Sri Lanka.
Click here to read...

Pakistan
Shehbaz set to be elected prime minister today: Dawn

As the National Assembly convenes today (on Monday) to elect prime minister after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday filed their nomination papers, the PTI seems divided over its erstwhile decision of en masse resignations by its lawmakers. Click here to read...

PTI hits the streets against ‘imported govt’: The Express Tribune

Supporters and workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday began to pour into the streets of major cities across the country in a show of support for the ousted premier Imran KhanClick here to read...

Punjab, Sindh, KP, GB governors likely to resign: sources: The News

Following the dismissal of PTI Chairman Imran Khan from the office of the prime minister, Punjab Governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman and Gilgit Baltistan Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon are likely to tender their resignations, sources privy to the matter revealed Sunday.
Click here to read...

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka nearly out of medicine as doctors warn toll from crisis could surpass Covid: The Guardian

Sri Lanka’s doctors have warned they are almost out of life-saving medicines and say the country’s economic crisis threatened a worse death toll than the coronavirus pandemic.
Click here to read...

Protests rage, pressure mounts on Lankan President, PM to resign: The Tribune

As anti-government protests continued throughout Sri Lanka demanding President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation, a group of 42 MPs has sought the resignation of his elder brother and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Click here to read...

Sri Lanka's political alliance moves bill to remove executive presidency powers: Hindustan Times

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa invited 41 lawmakers who quit the government amid the nation's worst economic crisis to meet for talks on a caretaker government on Sunday. Click here to read...

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