VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: October 06, 2022

Afghanistan

Hanafi: Islamic Emirate Committed to Improving Education: Tolo

News

At an event for World Teachers' Day, 2nd Deputy Prime Minister Hanafi said that the acting government is committed to the improvement of quality and quantity in the education sector. Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi criticized the freezing of Afghanistan's foreign assets and said that more than 800,000 government employees' salaries have been paid from the national budget. Click here to read... [2]

US, Pakistan Discuss Afghan Situation: Pakistani Media: Tolo News

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa, met with the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Pakistani media reported, saying that both sides discussed the situation in Afghanistan along with several other matters. Click here to read... [3]

No one including Taliban was expecting flee of Ghani that resulted in the failure of peace talks: US: The Khaama Press

The United States of America, as one of the parties in the US-Taliban agreement signed in Doha, still believes that the main reason for the failure of the intra-Afghan peace negotiations in Doha was the flee of Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the former president of Afghanistan. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

President Hamid: Do not let anyone use religion to mislead people: Dhaka Tribune

President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday asked everyone to be vigilant so that no individual or group can use religion to mislead people to pursue their interests. Click here to read... [5]

Power back in Bangladesh after grid failure caused massive blackout: Hindustan Times

Electricity supply across Bangladesh has been restored after the South Asian country plunged into a blackout following the failure of its national power grid, officials said. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

Inward remittance falls by 30 percent in first six months - Kuensel Online

Despite the central bank’s initiative to improve remittance inflow from Bhutanese living abroad, the first six months saw a decrease in remittance inflow by about 30 percent compared to the same period last year. Bhutan received remittance of Nu 2.83 billion (B), equivalent to USD 38.12 million (M), in the first half of this year, a decrease of Nu 1.22B. During the same period last year, the remittance received was Nu 4.03B, equivalent to USD 54.72M. To encourage the remittance inflow, the central bank increased cash incentives from 1 to 2 percent for inward remittance from June last year until December this year. Click here to read... [7]

Environment advocate calls for action against climate change - Kuensel Online

Last month, Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk, 40, walked all the way to Lunana, sometimes carrying his bicycle on his back. He collected a pet bottle and filled it with glacial water from Thorthormi which he shows to the students when he visits schools to talk about the impacts of climate change. Jamyang an actor, filmmaker, and advocate and environmentalist said that the bottle signifies plastic pollution and the glacial water represents the melting glaciers. The team plans to go beyond Bhutanese to raise awareness about climate change. The campaign covers 15 dzongkhags in Bhutan – Pemagatshel, Trashiyangtse, Trashigang, Lhuntse, Mongar, Bumthang, Zhemgang, Trongsa, Wangdue, Punakha, Chukha, Haa, Paro, and Thimphu. Gasa has already been covered. Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

India-Maldives discuss ways to boost cooperation in defence - Live Mint

Indian foreign secretary is on a three day official visit to Maldives where he discussed ways to boost the defence cooperation with Maldivian defence minister. The defence minister of Maldives thanked India for its unwavering support and assistance to enhance capabilities of the Maldives National Defence Force and the defence sector, as India's foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra met Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Didi and discussed ways to boost the defence cooperation between India and Maldives. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives slaps terror charge on 38 for Yoga Day ruckus - Tribune India

The Maldives government has charged 38 persons on various grounds, including terrorism, for storming and disrupting the International Yoga Day celebration organised by the Indian Cultural Centre in Male in June. A mob had stormed the national stadium in Male on June 21, scuffled with participants and vandalised property before they were dispersed. Co-sponsored by the Indian Cultural Centre, the Yoga Day event was attended by then Indian envoy Munu Mahawar and prominent citizens of Maldives. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar

Myanmar jails Japanese filmmaker for 10 years: diplomatic source - RFI

Myanmar's junta has jailed a Japanese filmmaker for 10 years for encouraging dissent against the military and violating an electronic communications law, a diplomatic source told AFP on Thursday. Toru Kubota was sentenced by the court in Yangon's Insein prison on Wednesday, a diplomat at Japan's embassy in Myanmar said, adding that the filmmaker's trial for allegedly violating immigration law was "still continuing”. Click here to read... [11]

India rescues 45 nationals trapped in fake job rackets in Myanmar - News on Air

India has rescued around 45 of its nationals trapped in fake job rackets in Myanmar. This was stated by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet. Out of them, 13 Indian citizens reached Tamil Nadu yesterday, October 5. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar Junta’s Nuclear Ambition Timeline - The Irrawaddy

The junta’s recent confirmation that it will build a small-scale nuclear power plant in the next few years caps Myanmar’s long pursuit of nuclear technology dating back to early 2000. The Southeast Asian country’s two-decade-long journey to nuclear capability was made possible by Russia after a series of engagements that accelerated under the current junta and its military predecessor. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

Nepal proposes selling an additional 222 MW of electricity to India — Economic Times

Nepal proposes selling an additional 222 MW of electricity to India as it is facing losses of up to 800 MW daily due to increasing electricity generation within the Himalayan nation and decreasing domestic demand. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal coalition to aim for growth if returned to power, finance minister says - MSN

Nepal's ruling coalition will provide incentives for exporters and lift import curbs as part of efforts to put the economy on a higher growth trajectory if it is returned to power in a general election next month, the finance minister said. Led by the centrist Nepali Congress party and a group of former Maoist rebels, the five-party alliance, which has been in government since July last year, hopes to win voters' confidence in the Nov. 20 vote for the 275-member parliament. Click here to read... [15]

Pakistan

Focus on long-term Pak-US defence partnership: Lloyd Austin: Dawn

US Defe¬nce Secretary Lloyd J. Austin said on Wednesday that his talks with visiting Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa focused on the long-standing partnership between the two defence establishments and on areas of mutual interest. Click here to read... [16]

Process for COAS’ appointment to begin within weeks: Khawaja Asif: Dawn

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the process for appointing the new chief of army staff would begin within weeks and assured that it would be done according to the Constitution. Click here to read... [17]

Not bothered by COAS appointment, says Imran: The Express Tribune

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that the army chief should be appointed on merit and that he was not bothered by any individual being appointed to the top military post in Pakistan. Click here to read... [18]

ADB to provide up to $2.5b for Pakistan flood relief: The Express Tribune

The Asian Development Bank will provide flood relief support to Pakistan to the tune of $2.3 to $2.5 billion including $1.5 billion for the BRACE programme which will be placed before the ADB board for approval this month. Click here to read... [19]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will get far less favourable votes at the UNHRC; Ali Sabry: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka will get “significantly lesser” number of favourable votes at the UN Human Rights Council, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Wednesday said, apparently resigned to reduced international support at the Geneva forum whose 51 st session is underway. Click here to read... [20]

Efforts underway to identify root causes of food losses in Sri Lanka: Daily Mirror

Efforts are underway to identify the root causes of food losses in Sri Lanka, with the support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIRA), so that the local authorities are able to address the issue and create a new economic value chain. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka anticipates ‘significantly lesser’ number of favourable votes at U.N. Human Rights Council: The Hindu

Sri Lanka will get a “significantly lesser” number of favourable votes at the U.N. Human Rights Council, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Wednesday said, apparently resigned to reduced international support at the Geneva forum whose 51 st session is underway. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-anticipates-significantly-lesser-number-of-favourable-votes-at-un-human-rights-council/article65971975.ece [22] " target="_blank">Click here to read...