VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: May 02, 2022

Afghanistan

Mullah Hassan Akhund Calls to End Intl Meddling in Afghan Affairs: Tolo News

Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the Islamic Emirate Prime Minister, on Sunday urged Afghanistan’s neighbors and the international community to stop interfering in Afghanistan's internal affairs. Click here to read... [2]

Blinken Gauges Taliban Promises on Girls Education in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Islamic Emirate government fell back on its promise to reopen secondary and high schools for girls’ education, according to sources, marking the remarks before the US senate committee Friday evening. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Energy sector: India to step up co-op with neighbour- The Daily Star

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India will take lead in structuring partnership for production, transmission and trade of energy, especially hydropower, between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. Click here to read... [4]

Haor farmers could avoid huge loss thanks to govt’s timely steps: Deputy Minister- The Daily Star

Farmers have harvested 90 percent of Boro paddy in haor areas, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, deputy minister for water resources, said today. Click here to read... [5]

Dhaka to probe sinking of ship in Kolkata- The Daily Star

The Department of Shipping has formed a three-member investigation committee to probe the sinking of Bangladeshi vessel MV Marintrust-1 at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata over a month ago. Click here to read... [6]

AL, BNP at loggerheads- The Daily Star

A top Awami League leader has said they favour the transparent Supreme Court Bar Association election, while BNP alleged that "one-sided" announcement of the results by ruling party-backed lawyers was "terrible injustice".Click here to read... [7]

Ashrayan project: Construction of 88 houses halted over irregularities- The Daily Star

Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Shahgir Alam has halted the construction work of two shelter projects after finding severe irregularities. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

Foreign ministers inaugurate three projects- Kuensel

Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji and India’s external affairs minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar inaugurated three projects that were completed through Indian assistance yesterday. Click here to read... [9]

Delay in loan disbursement hampers farmer’s groups in Sarpang- Bhutan Times

A group of three farmer’s association in Chuzergang gewog, Sarpang is waiting in vain to kick-start their venture as their loan, despite being approved about six months ago, is yet to be realized. Click here to read... [10]

Bhutan-Bengal ties go beyond boundaries, MoEA Minister- Bhutan Times

The Minister for Economic Affairs, Loknath Sharma, during the sixth Bengal Global Business Summit held on 20-21 April, said West Bengal is a very crucial partner and a close ally of Bhutan. Click here to read... [11]

Gaydrung retrenchment to cost Nu 44.594M- Kuensel

According to the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the special retirement scheme—a year salary starting from April this year and leave travel concession (LTC) and leave encashment—will be paid for their recognition of their dedicated service to the country as per the pay revision Act of 2019. Click here to read... [12]

Maldives

Maldives is preserving its pre-Islamic heritage, with some help from India: Indian Express

A financial grant of approximately Rs. 2.75 crores (4 million Maldivian rufiyaa) by India is helping restore one of the many archeological sites in the Maldives, that are remnants of the country’s Buddhist past. Click here to read... [13]

Maldives top international destination for Indian travellers; Thailand, UAE follow suit: Financial Express

Keeping at bay the fear of new COVID-19 demand, Indian travellers are tapping their pent-up demand. South Asian island nation Maldives is the top destination for Indian wanderers in terms of international travel, this is followed by Thailand and the United Arab Emirates as their next favourite travel destinationClick here to read... [14]

PPM flouts decree, hangs 40ft banner linked to ‘India Out’ movement: The Sun

large banner linked to the ‘India Out’ movement has been put up outside the building where the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) office is located, less than two weeks after a banner outside the same building. Click here to read... [15]

Myanmar

KNLA commander killed in attack on Myanmar junta base in Karen State - Mizzima

The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) reports that one of their top military commanders was killed in a battle to occupy Kyauk Nyat outpost, a Military Council base. Colonel Saw Htoo Ka Shaw, a strategic commander for the KNLA 5 th Brigade was killed in combat with the junta soldiers in Hpapun District, Karen State on 28 April in the morning. Click here to read... [16]

Critics rap Japan for training Burmese military cadets - Mizzima

The Burmese community in Japan has condemned the Japanese government and its ministry of defense for accepting four Burmese soldiers to train at Japanese military facilities, reports DVB. Japan’s Minister of Defense, Nobuo Kishi, said he will accept four cadets from the Myanmar military for military training during a parliament committee session on 26 April. Click here to read... [17]

Myanmar's refugee crisis creates problems for Asean members – NST

While we have always maintained the core principle of non-interference, even with regards to the Rohingya conflict, we must see that Myanmar's actions have imposed upon us all, and Malaysia in particular, challenging domestic issues that require our government to act for our own peace and stability. Click here to read... [18]

Anti-Chinese sentiment turns violent in Myanmar, Balochistan - The Federal

Within a day of the deadly suicide bombing at Karachi by a Baloch lady that killed three Chinese nationals, an underground group fighting military rule in Myanmar threatened to attack Chinese interests.

Ethnic Minorities Eye Autonomy in Post-Junta Myanmar - The Irrawaddy

Following the 2021 coup, there is no viable central government in Myanmar. The junta is illegal and illegitimate and unable to effectively deliver government services. Instead, a range of ethnic armed and other resistance organizations have emerged as viable and legitimate governance entities. Click here to read... [19]

Nepal

Everyone must enhance freedom of expression, says Minister Karki- Himalayan Times

This year's National Journalism Day (May 7) will be celebrated in a grand manner under the slogan 'Professional and Responsible Journalism'. Click here to read... [20]

No domestic flights after 8 pm from Friday, airline operators say- Himalayan Times

The Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has said that no domestic commercial flights will be operated beyond 8:00 pm from Friday, citing technical reasons. Click here to read... [21]

New transmission line planned along Postal Highway- Kathmandu Post

Nepal Electricity Authority wants a $400m loan from India to fund the project. Click here to read... [22]

Election crowds could give rise to fresh surge in Covid-19 cases, experts warn- Kathmandu Post

Health Ministry says it has asked agencies to step up vigilance and maintain supply of essential medical items including the reagents. Click here to read... [23]

Above-normal rains could come as a boon, but fertiliser crisis may dampen farmers’ hopes- Kathmandu Post

As the economy faces a crisis, the situation is unlikely to improve with concerns stemming from high food prices. Click here to read... [24]

Between home and the deep blue sea- Nepali Times

The highs and lows of working on and off-shore oil rig in the Gulf and coming back to business as usual in Nepal. Click here to read... [25]

COVID's new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity from past infection, study says- Republica

Two new sublineages of the Omicron coronavirus variant can dodge antibodies from earlier infection well enough to trigger a new wave, but are far less able to thrive in the blood of people vaccinated against COVID-19, South African scientists have found. Click here to read... [26]

Pakistan

S. Arabia agrees to discuss extending term of $3bn loan: Dawn

Saudi Arabia affirmed its continuous support to Pakistan and its economy, including discussion of augmenting $3bn deposit with the central bank through term extension or otherwise, and exploring options to further enhance the financing of petroleum products and supporting the economic structural reforms for the benefit of Pakistan and its people. Click here to read... [27]

Chinese nationals to get security boost: The Express Tribune

In view of potential threats being faced by China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other joint ventures between the two countries, the premier would assess all the mechanisms earlier devised for ensuring the security of the Chinese nationals and the new plan being devised by the planning and interior ministries. Click here to read... [28]

Inflation in April hits two-year high of 13.37pc: The News

Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), reached a two-year high of 13.37 per cent in April 2022, compared to the same month a year ago, and was 1.6 per cent higher than the previous month, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Sunday. Food and energy costs were the primary contributors to the high level of inflation. Click here to read... [29]

Sri Lanka

No country offers loans to Sri Lanka, SJB said: The Island

Main Opposition SJB says that the international rating agencies have downgraded the country, banks and financial institutions in April as a defaulter and watch negative status. As a result the country has been plunged into a dangerous financial crisis from political and economic crises where it cannot face the international community for any financial transactions. Click here to read... [30]

Why Lanka’s failed dairy experiment is glass half full: Indian Express

Nirupama Subramanian writes: Crippled by an acute shortage of dollars, Sri Lanka has restricted all its imports, including essential food items. At the time Kurien ventured into Sri Lanka, the country’s annual milk powder import bill was $60 million. Click here to read... [31]

Sri Lanka hikes price of medicines 40% amid economic crisis: BBC

Sri Lanka has sharply increased prices of commonly used medication, the second such rise in six weeks, as it struggles to deal with an economic crisis. Antibiotics, certain painkillers and medication for heart conditions are among those hit by a 40% mark-up. Click here to read... [32]

Centre to share Tamil Nadu’s relief materials with Sri Lanka: Deccan Herald

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the relief materials to be supplied by the Tamil Nadu government will be shared with Sri Lanka to be “distributed appropriately” in the current circumstances, two days after the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution seeking permission in this regard. Click here to read... [33]

Sri Lanka’s Opposition barking up the wrong tree by blaming presidential system for current mess: First post

Recently, Sri Lanka’s chief Opposition party proposed a constitutional amendment to change its presidential system to a parliamentary system. From a purely political standpoint, some may justify such a proposal on account of the appropriation of power by the Rajapaksa family. Click here to read... [34]