VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: July 15, 2022

Afghanistan

Noted religious scholar gunned down in Kabul- Pajhwok

Noted religious scholar Sardar Wali Saqib has been killed by unknown gunmen in the capital Kabul, an official said on Thursday. Click here to read... [2]

Taliban to Participate in Tashkent International Conference- Afghanistan Times

he Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) delegations will participate in an International Conference on Afghanistan which will be held On July 25-26, 2022, in Tashkent with the participation of more than 20 countries and international organizations, a statement from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs published. Click here to read... [3]

Dozens Dead as Flash Flood in Afghanistan- Afghanistan Times

Unseasonal rain and flooding has plagued Afghanistan over the past week. The UN has reported at least 39 deaths and 14 injuries. The central Afghan province of Ghazni is the hardest-hit region. Afghanistan’s eastern region has experienced three flash floods in less than a month. Click here to read... [4]

Afghanistan Ranked Worst Country for Gender Gap- Tolo News

Afghanistan was ranked 146 -- the lowest country -- in the Global Gender Gap Index 2022 rankings. Click here to read... [5]

Kabul Asks Ex-ANDSF Soldiers Studying in India to Return- Tolo News

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior Affairs asked all military students who are in India and other countries to return to Afghanistan. Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh

Country first in S Asia for secondary education- Daily Star

Bangladesh has the lowest proportion of youths aged between 15 and 24 without secondary education level skills in South Asia, found a recent study. Click here to read... [7]

Jute, jute goods exports fall for soaring shipping costs- Daily Star

Exports of jute and jute goods from Bangladesh declined in the last fiscal year due to the unprecedented surge in shipping costs and the higher price of raw fibres. Click here to read... [8]

G20 finance leaders meet in Bali under cloud of Ukraine war- Dhaka Tribune

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin calls a "special military operation", has overshadowed previous G20 meetings, including last week's gathering of foreign ministers. Click here to read... [9]

Foreign loans stressed to keep forex reserves in good shape- Asian Age

As a precautionary move, Bangladesh has started talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about taking a loan of $4-4.5 billion to shore up the precarious foreign currency reservesClick here to read... [10]

Bangladesh may face Sri Lanka-like situation: GM Quader- Asian Age

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quade on Thursday warned that Bangladesh may face a Sri Lanka-like situation due to the implementation of mega projects with foreign loans. Click here to read... [11]

Bhutan

DTT members confident of getting party registered- Kuensel

Members of the newly formed political party, Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa (DTT), are confident of getting the party registered with the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB). Click here to read... [12]

Both countries should ensure minimum cost and avoid delays to maintain viability of future hydro projects- Kuensel

Outgoing Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Ruchira Kamboj, talks to Kuensel reporter Dechen Dolkar on issues pertaining to hydropower projects, fuel prices and railway network. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

Facilitating Nepal's economic growth and strengthening trade ties are key priorities, says Dean Thompson, US Ambassador nominee to Nepal- Himalayan Times

US Ambassador nominee to Nepal, Dean R Thompson said that facilitating Nepal's economic growth and strengthening trade ties are his key priorities during his time in Nepal, in his opening statement before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Click here to read... [14]

National pride projects' cost goes up- Himalayan Times

Both the cost and completion time of projects run under the national pride projects have increased, finds the report released by the Office of the Auditor General yesterday. Click here to read... [15]

'Eligible people deprived of Nepali citizenship'- Himalayan Times

The House of Representatives today held a debate on the Nepal Citizenship (First Amendment) Bill. Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties said that eligible citizens had been deprived of citizenship for long due to non-enactment of new federal citizenship law. Click here to read... [16]

US envoy nominee: Nepal ratified MCC despite China’s ‘disinformation campaign’- Kathmandu Post

In his opening statement before the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, Thompson says he is ‘well prepared’ to take up the assignment in Kathmandu. Click here to read... [17]

Nepal, China agree to activate existing boundary mechanisms- Kathmandu Post

Mechanisms will be formed soon, either during Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka’s upcoming China visit, or at another bilateral meeting, officials say. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan

Imran ‘deeply hurt’ by detailed SC judgement- Dawn

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, expressing his disappointment with the detailed verdict issued by the Supreme Court in suo motu case against the ruling of the deputy speaker on Wednesday night, said the top court should have probed the issue after President Arif Alvi shared it with the chief justice. Click here to read... [19]

Authorities across country brace for ‘rain disaster’- Dawn

Disaster management authorities are bracing for another spell of torrential rains, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan, in anticipation of a “vigorous monsoon” as rain lashed parts of Balochistan, triggering another wave of flash floods in the southwestern province on Thursday. Click here to read... [20]

Sri Lanka

Urea under Indian credit line arrives- Daily Mirror

Forty-six thousand metric tons of urea fertilizer under the Indian credit line reached Sri Lanka recently. The consignment was taken to government warehouses in Colombo yesterday. Click here to read... [21]

Nod given for use of lethal force- Island

The Armed Forces had been ordered to use lethal force if it is necessary to protect public property, key installations, vulnerable points and human lives, the Army announced yesterday. Click here to read... [22]

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation official- Ceylon Today

Gotabaya Rajapaksa has officially resigned as Sri Lanka’s President. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena made the announcement at a media briefing earlier this morningClick here to read... [23]

Fulfill people’s expectations within democratic framework: Chief Prelates- Daily News

The country will become anarchic, through arbitrary power struggles, the Mahanayake Theras of the Three Chapters issuing a statement said yesterday (14). Click here to read... [24]