Neighborhood News Digest – 12 September 2023

Afghanistan

Billions of Dollars Injected Into Afghanistan After 9/11 Attack – Tolo News

Following the 9/11 attack that led to the 20-year US-led military mission in Afghanistan, billions of dollars were injected into the war-torn country but Afghanistan failed to reach self-sufficiency. On September 11, 2001, suicide attackers seized US passenger jets and crashed them into two New York skyscrapers as well as the Pentagon.Click here to read… [2]

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of 'unprovoked' border firing, says such incidents embolden terrorists – The Hindu

Pakistan on September 11 accused Afghanistan of "unprovoked and indiscriminate" firing leading to the closure of a key border crossing, and said such attacks embolden terrorists who already have sanctuaries in the Taliban-led nation. Torkham border crossing — the main point of transit for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan — was closed on Wednesday last week after security forces from both countries exchanged fire.Click here to read… [3]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh inks deal with France to buy 10 Airbus aircraft, satellite technology procurement – The Indian Express

Bangladesh on Monday inked a deal with France for the purchase of 10 Airbus aircraft worth USD 3.2 billion and a letter of intent was exchanged for an earth observation satellite system as French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held wide-ranging talks to boost bilateral ties. Macron, whose visit to Dhaka, the first by a French president in 33 years, is widely seen as a move by Paris to consolidate its Asia-Pacific strategy and counterbalance a “new imperialism” in this part of Asia where China’s influence is growing steadily.Click here to read… [4]

Bhutan

Dratshang reinstates the Day of Offering – Kuensel

To commemorate the birth of Her Royal Highness the Princess, the Zhung Dratshang declared the day as Dratshang Yojay Gi Nyim, or the day to make offerings to central monastic body. It is a traditional practice where individuals make voluntary offerings of land and other assets to the Monastic Body with the belief that it would accumulate merit.Click here to read… [5]

Maldives

EC announces provisional results of the Presidential Election – Raajje

The Elections Commission of the Maldives has announced the provisional results of the 2023 Presidential Election. The First round of the 2023 Presidential Election was held on 09 September. With a total of 282,395 eligible voters, polling kicked off at 8am on Saturday and queues closed by 4pm. The first round of the election saw 79.84 percent of eligible voters exercising their right to vote. As such, the number of eligible voters who exercised their right to vote is 225،486.Click here to read… [6]

Myanmar

Rebel group calls for ‘effective sanctions’ on Myanmar junta – UCA News

A rebel group in Myanmar has urged the United Nations (UN) and other international bodies to impose more effective sanctions against the ruling junta following another attack on a school that killed 5 people.Click here to read… [7]

Nepal

‘It’s our biz’: Nepal lawmakers flay Chinese envoy’s remark on Delhi-Kathmandu ties – The Tribune

Lawmakers in Nepal on Friday expressed concern over the controversial remarks made by the Chinese envoy relating to trade between the Himalayan nation and India, explicitly warning the ambassador to be more careful while commenting on sensitive matters of other nations.Click here to read… [8]

Pakistan

Pakistan security personnel killed, several injured in bomb blast in Peshawar – The Telegraph Online

A bomb blast targeting a security forces vehicle near a hospital complex in Pakistan's Peshawar city on Monday, killed one security personnel and injured several others, including four paramilitary force personnel, a senior police official said. The attack took place on personnel of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) in front of Prime Hospital on Warsak Road in this capital city of the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.Click here to read… [9]

Alvi, law minister meet for 2nd time to discuss elections amid speculation of poll date announcement – Dawn

President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday held another meeting with caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam for consultation on the upcoming general elections amid rife speculation of an imminent announcement for the poll date. A Geo report today stated that the president was expected to give the election date at “anytime”, according to “sources privy to the development”.Click here to read… [10]

Sri Lanka

Is balancing India-China strategic equations still proving tough on Sri Lanka? – ORF

The last-minute postponement of Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh’s Sri Lanka visit, scheduled for 2-3 September, owing to ‘unavoidable circumstances’, coupled with the anticipated arrival of a second Chinese ‘spy ship’ this year for docking in Colombo Port in October, may have—together—muddled the host-nation’s strategic equations with the two Asian giants, when it can ill-afford the same.Click here to read… [11]