Neighborhood News Digest – 08 September 2023

Afghanistan

ACCI Expresses Concern About Closing of Torkham Crossing – Tolo News

Following the clashes between Islamic Emirate forces and Pakistani border guards at the Torkham crossing, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) expressed concern about the halt of the transfer of goods at the Torkham crossing. ACCI said that if the border challenges between Afghanistan and Pakistan are not resolved, the businessmen will lose millions of dollars. Click here to read… [2]

Bangladesh

India likely to sign 3 MOUs with Bangladesh during G20 Leaders Summit – India Today NE

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen stated that three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be inked between Dhaka and New Delhi during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's travel to India for the 'G20 Leaders Summit' from September 8-10. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to leave the nation on a Biman special aeroplane on Friday to attend the 18th G20 (Group of Twenty) conference at the request of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Click here to read… [3]

Bhutan

Bhutan spearheads initiative to restore Eastern Himalayas – The Print

Bhutan, a country known for its pristine landscapes and unshakable commitment to environmental conservation, is emerging as a source of inspiration and action, Bhutan Live reported. In collaboration with regional allies, Bhutan is ready to spearhead a transformative programme that will not only safeguard its own land but will also establish a precedent for worldwide conservation efforts. Click here to read… [4]

Maldives

Maldives gets 1st resident US envoy as Washington strives for wider influence in Indo-Pacific – The Print

Maldives Wednesday officially got its first resident US ambassador, Hugo Hue-Ho Yon, in what appears to be part of Washington’s push for greater influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The development comes just a few months after Maldives reopened its embassy in Washington D.C. and the US reopened its embassy in Seychelles — following a 27-year absence — in the backdrop of growing competition with China for diplomatic clout in the Indian Ocean islands. Click here to read… [5]

Maldives presidential election 2023: Debt, India’s military presence major concerns – Frontline

The 2023 Presidential election is unlike any other in the short history of multi-party democracy in the Maldives, a journey that the people of this archipelago nation embarked on in 2008. There is no one central issue that political parties highlight: the main opposition, the Progressive Party of Maldives, till recently, hyped up an ‘India-out’ campaign, while most of the others have been highlighting multiple issues such as unheard debt levels, congestion in the capital Male, and issues in land/apartment allotment in the Greater Male region. Click here to read… [6]

Myanmar

Myanmar's jailed ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi ailing: source – The Hindu

Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi is ailing and a request for an outside physician to see her has been denied by the country's military rulers, a source familiar with the matter and the shadow government loyal to her said on Tuesday. The 78-year-old Nobel laureate instead has been treated by a prisons department doctor. Click here to read… [7]

In Jakarta, PM Modi Says Engagement With Myanmar Necessary for Connectivity and Security – The Wire

While ASEAN reaffirmed its non-invitation policy towards the Junta, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the regional bloc’s stance, while emphasising the necessity of engaging as Myanmar’s neighbour to address border security concerns and promote connectivity. Click here to read… [8]

Nepal

Nepal ready to cooperate with India to promote millet cultivation and consumption – The Print

Nepal is ready to collaborate with India to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets, which have high nutritional value, as a staple food, agriculture and livestock minister Beduram Bhushal has said. Speaking at an event here on Tuesday, Bhushal congratulated India for taking the lead in the millet campaign, aptly renaming the grains as “Shree Anna” or auspicious grains. Click here to read… [9]

India’s policy towards Nepal and other neighbours is not so friendly: China’s envoy in Nepal – The Hindu

Days before the G-20 summit in New Delhi, which Chinese President Xi Jinping is giving a miss, China’s Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song took a dig at India. “India’s policies towards Nepal and other neighbours are not so friendly,” Mr. Song said, adding that while India had opened its economy, it “doesn’t bring growth”. He pitched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a “gift” to developing countries to achieve rapid economic growth. Click here to read… [10]

Pakistan

Army top brass resolves to assist govt in curbing illegal activities hampering economic growth – Dawn

A meeting called by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) passed a resolution on Tuesday, urging President Arif Alvi to “fulfil your constitutional responsibility” and announce a date for general elections — which are to be pushed beyond the constitutionally mandated cutoff date of November 9 if the Election Commission of Pakistan sticks to its timeline for fresh delimitation of constituencies. Click here to read… [11]

Suicide Bomber Blows Himself Up Near Pakistan's Security Forces' Vehicle In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – NDTV

A suicide bomber blew himself up near a vehicle of Pakistan's security forces close to a nonfunctional airport in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday but did not cause any casualties, an official said. The explosives wrapped up around the bomber's body exploded with a big bang near the Bannu Airport, bordering north Waziristan. The airport has been nonfunctional for the last couple of years. Click here to read… [12]

Four soldiers, 12 TTP fighters killed in northwest Pakistan – AlJazeera

At least four Pakistani soldiers and 12 armed fighters have been killed in clashes near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) armed group claiming responsibility. In a statement on Wednesday, the Pakistani army said a large group of “terrorists equipped with the latest weapons” attacked two military checkposts in Chitral district in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in an “intense exchange of fire”. Click here to read… [13]

Sri Lanka

"Absurd": Ex-Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Denies Involvement In 2019 Easter Bombings – NDTV

The island’s economy was crushed last year by its worst financial crisis in over seven decades, caused by a severe shortage of foreign exchange reserves that triggered widespread unrest and ousted its former president. Helped by a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Sri Lanka has slowly stabilised its economy since March, rebuilding its decimated reserves, moderating inflation and strengthening its currency. Click here to read… [14]

Adani, Emirates, Tata interested in SriLankan Airlines, claims report – Business Standard

The Sri Lankan government is actively exploring options for the privatisation of SriLankan Airlines (UL, Colombo International) and is engaging in talks with various private entities and airlines, according to a report by ch-aviation. Among the potential investors are well-known names such as Emirates (EK, Dubai International), Tata Sons, and the Adani Group. Click here to read… [15]