VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: August 17, 2022

Afghanistan

Intl Calls to Support Afghan Women Remain High: Tolo News

The EU, US and UN Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have once again reiterated their support for Afghan women and girls. “One year after the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan, the humanitarian situation has worsened, and wide-spread human rights violations are rising, in particular against women, girls and minorities,” said Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Click here to read... [2]

Muttaqi Calls for Int’l Cooperation with Taliban Leadership: The Khaama Press

The Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi at a ceremony in Kabul on Monday urged the world leaders – including international community – to cooperate with the Taliban leadership for the betterment of the region. Muttaqi made the remarks at a ceremony that was held to honor the first anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power since August 15, 2021. Click here to read... [3]

Bhutan

Bhutan imports tobacco worth Nu 565.63M in first half of 2022: Kuensel Online

The country imported tobacco and tobacco products worth Nu 565.63 million (M), including 96.85M sticks of cigarettes worth Nu 509.9M, in the first six months of this year, according to statistics published by the Department of Revenue and Customs. The ban on sale of tobacco was lifted in July last year as the smuggling of tobacco products became rampant amid the pandemic. Click here to read... [4]

Tourists visiting monuments must pay in advance to TCB until September 23: Kuensel Online

The counters for the collection of entry fee at monument sites that the tourists visit are still not open. The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) notified on July 15 that the National Monument Committee revised the entry fee at monument sites with immediate effect. The notification states that based on the itinerary, applicable entry fees will be collected by the TCB until September 23. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Hasina tears into AL leaders for not speaking out after Bangabandhu’s assassination: Bdnews24.com

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has lashed out at the Awami League leaders who remained silent after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the massacre of his family in 1975. Click here to read... [6]

Awami League leader stabbed to death in Dhaka: Dhaka Tribune

A local leader of the ruling Awami League was stabbed to death in the Jatrabari area of Dhaka on Tuesday night. According to the police, Abu Bakkar Siddque Habu, 35, was president of unit No 14 within ward No 50 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Awami League. He was the son of the late Ali Ahmad Hawlader of Nanda village in Shariatpur. Click here to read... [7]

Maldives

Pres. reaffirms commitment to provide more opportunities for athletes: Raajje

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to developing sports and providing more opportunities for athletes. He made this statement at a meeting with the national table tennis team upon their return after representing the country at the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games 2021, on Monday. Click here to read... [8]

Ambassador of Russia pays a farewell call on Foreign Secretary: Raajje

The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Maldives, Yuri Materiy, paid a farewell call on Foreign Secretary, Ahmed Latheef. The Ambassador of Russia made the farewell call on Foreign Secretary on Monday. Click here to read... [9]

Myanmar

Myanmar military sentences Suu Kyi to six more years in prison: Myanmar Now

A junta court in Naypyitaw sentenced ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to six more years in prison on Monday after convicting her of four corruption charges, sources close to the case said. Months after the military overthrew her National League for Democracy (NLD) administration, the coup regime charged Suu Kyi with abusing her position as party leader to benefit a private foundation named after her mother, Daw Khin Kyi, as well as an affiliated project. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar’s Supply Chains Break Down Amid Fuel Shortages: The Irrawaddy

Amid serious fuel shortages and price hikes across Myanmar, businesses say they will soon halt operations unless availability improves. Thanks to the regime’s foreign currency controls and the restricted supply of fuel, it is becoming increasingly difficult to buy gasoline and diesel with prices exceeding 2,000 kyats per liter. Click here to read... [11]

Nepal

Nepal’s remittance earning crosses Rs1 trillion mark: Kathmandu Post

Nepali migrant workers sent home Rs1 trillion in the last fiscal year ended mid-July, a record-high money transfer to Nepal since Nepalis started to look for overseas employment more than two decades ago. Click here to read... [12]

Israel seeks 1,000 Nepali workers to fill its farming job slots: Kathmandu Post

Israel has asked for 1,000 Nepali workers to be absorbed in its farm sector. The West Asian country has been facing a severe shortage of farm hands which has hampered production. Click here to read... [13]

Pakistan

A dangerous dead end: Dawn

IT was yet another massive show of political strength by the ousted prime minister in Lahore last week. The triumph in the recent by-elections and regaining control of Punjab seem to have given the PTI a huge political boost. Evidently, the charge of receiving ‘unauthorised funding’ does not seem to have had any effect on the party’s support base. Click here to read... [14]

Imran’s close aide put on no-fly list: The Express Tribune

The federal cabinet amended the Exit Control List (ECL) on Tuesday on the recommendation of the Interior Ministry, removing 22 names from the no-fly list and adding 10 people to it, while giving a one-time permission to three people to leave the country. Click here to read... [15]

Remittances dip to 5-month low: The Express Tribune

The flow of remittances sent home by overseas Pakistanis slowed down to a five-month low at $2.52 billion in the first month (July) of current fiscal year mainly due to lesser number of working days in the month. Click here to read... [16]

Sri Lanka

As its spy ship docks in Sri Lanka port, Beijing says: ‘This is life’: The Indian Express

As the Chinese ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 arrived Tuesday morning at Hambantota port, a strategically important deep sea port in southern Sri Lanka, Tuesday, China said the activities of its vessel will not affect the security of any country and should not be “obstructed” by any “third party” – a reference to India and its security concerns. Click here to read... [17]

Chinese vessel ’Yuan Wang 5’ arrives: Daily Mirror

The chinese scientific research vessel 'Yuan Wang 5' arrived at the Hambantota port this morning amid concerns raied by India. Sri Lanka on Saturday had granted permission to the Chinese “research/survey” ship Yuan Wang 5 to dock at Hambantota Port from August 16 to 22. Click here to read... [18]