Neighborhood News Digest – 18 September 2023

Afghanistan

U.S. woman among 18 NGO staff detained in Afghanistan – The Hindu

Afghanistan's Taliban authorities have arrested at least 18 staff of an international NGO, including an American woman, accusing them of carrying out Christian missionary work, the country's leaders said on September 16. The International Assistance Mission (IAM) confirmed its staffers were picked up from its office in Ghor province, central Afghanistan, and taken to the capital Kabul.Click here to read… [2]

Afghanistan’s saffron exports down from previous years, say businessmen – The Print

Afghanistan’s export of saffron has decreased this year compared to the previous years, according to businessmen in the country, TOLO News reported. As per the businessmen, the challenges of issuing visas and banking restrictions are factors that have had a negative effect on the country’s saffron exports.Click here to read… [3]

Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing reopens a week after skirmish – Firstpost

The Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan reopened to pedestrians and vehicles early Friday, a senior official told AFP, more than a week after it was closed following a gun battle between frontier guards. Islamabad and Kabul have been in diplomatic deadlock since 6 September, when border guards opened fire at the crossing – halfway between the two capitals – in a dispute over an Afghan outpost being constructed.Click here to read… [4]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh's Adamjee EPZ to get $12.2 mn garment accessory factory - Fibre2Fashion

Chinese company Cherry Button Limited is going to establish a garments accessories manufacturing industry in Adamjee economic processing zone (EPZ) with an investment of $12.2 million. Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) and Cherry Button Limited signed an agreement to this effect at BEPZA Complex, Dhaka, recently.Click here to read… [5]

Bangladesh ramps up lithium battery production in bid to cut emissions - KR ASIA

According to Bangladesh’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) toward reduced emissions under the Paris Agreement, the transportation sector accounts for 9% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Bangladesh. The country has proposed 3.4 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent GHG emission reduction by 2030 in the transportation sector.Click here to read… [6]

Bhutan

Bhutan hits milestone in snow leopard conversation with nearly 40 pc increase in population – The Print

Bhutan has hit a milestone in snow leopard conversation with a nearly 40 per cent increase in the animal’s population in the country, The Bhutan Live reported. The presence of 134 snow leopards has been confirmed in the country by the National Snow Leopard Survey 2022-2023.Click here to read… [7]

Maldives

India vs China: High-stakes battle for influence in Maldives heats up - WIO News

As Maldives holds its presidential elections, India and China are watching the political showdown closely. The presidential race has taken a geopolitical turn as the pro-China candidate surges ahead, challenging the influence of the incumbent pro-India leader. The fate of democracy and the balance of power in the Indian Ocean hangs in the balance.Click here to read… [8]

Maldives and Sri Lanka May Hold the Secrets to Long Life - JGNT

As of 2020, the Maldives had the highest life expectancy among all countries in the subcontinent at 80, and Sri Lanka isn’t far behind at 76. To compare, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Pakistanis live to an average of 70, 72, and 66, respectively.Click here to read… [9]

Myanmar

Myanmar To Offer Visa On Arrival To Indian & Chinese Tourists - Travel and Leisure

Holders of the visas will be “allowed to visit all sites apart from restricted areas for security concerns”, said the report in Thursday’s newspaper. Currently, citizens of both countries must apply for a tourist visa online, or at a Myanmar embassy. The military is struggling to crush opposition to its 2021 coup and has admitted there are swathes of the country it does not fully control. Countries such as the United States and Australia advise against all travel to Myanmar, due to the ongoing conflict.Click here to read… [10]

ASEAN's aerial standoff: Air Force Chiefs absent in Myanmar over junta's actions - Malaysia Sun

Several Southeast Asian air force chiefs did not attend a conference in Myanmar after the ASEAN regional bloc accused the junta of targeting civilians in its post-coup crackdown. The snub came after the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accused the junta last week of failing to implement a peace plan agreed upon with the bloc to end the violence sparked by the military regime's coup.Click here to read… [11]

Nepal

Nepal PM leaves for US for attend UNGA session, will fly to China on Sept 21 – The Indian Express

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda on Saturday left for the US from where he will fly to China amid speculation that its northern neighbour is not comfortable with Nepal formally welcoming a $500 million grant from the United States. PM Prachanda will participate in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to address the UNGA on September 21.Click here to read… [12]

Dahal to seek global community’s nod to Nepal peace process – The Kathmandu Post

Leading a delegation to the 78th General Assembly of the United Nations, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal left for New York on Saturday evening. The prime minister is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 21 and attend a reception hosted by US President Joe Biden on September 19. He will also address the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit and Climate Ambition Summit on the sidelines of the UNGA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said while announcing the visit.Click here to read… [13]

Pakistan

Full court to take up law limiting CJP’s powers today – Dawn

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has constituted the full court comprising all 15 judges of the Supreme Court to take up on Monday (today) a set of nine challenges to the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 — a bill that required formation of benches on constitutional matters of public importance by a committee of three senior judges of the court.Click here to read… [14]

Pak Cover For 3 Terrorists To Cross Line Of Control, All Shot Dead: Army – NDTV

The army today said Pakistan forces fired at them and targeted a quadcopter when Indian troops foiled an infiltration attempt and shot dead three terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. A senior army officer said after three-four terrorists tried to infiltrate in Uri sector, a gunfight broke out and went on for two hours. He said the army used rocket launchers and other heavy weapons to neutralise infiltrating terrorists.Click here to read… [15]

Yet another hike smashes fuel prices record in Pakistan, prompts furore – The Hindu

Amid double-digit inflation, Pakistan's caretaker government has effected yet another hike in the prices of petrol and diesel taking them to a historic high — over (Pakistani) Rs 330 per litre — prompting immediate protests and a legal challenge too. As on Saturday, $1 was equivalent to 296.41 Pakistani Rupee.Click here to read… [16]

PM Kakar says situation at borders ‘alarming’ but won’t cause delay in polls – Dawn

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has said he sees no possibility of a delay in general elections due to the security situation at Pakistan’s borders. The interim premier expressed these views when asked about the possibility during an interview with Voice of America (VOV) Urdu.Click here to read… [17]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Abuses Undercut Proposed ‘Truth Commission’ - HRW

The Sri Lankan government’s ongoing abuses are undermining the purported goals of its newly proposed truth and reconciliation commission, Human Rights Watch said in a report published today. Victims of past violations, their families, and human rights defenders have rejected the government’s initiative because the government has not consulted them, ignores evidence gathered by past commissions, and it exposes them to security force abuses and retraumatization if they participate.Click here to read… [18]

Sri Lanka's Catholics 'can't accept' new Easter bombing inquiries - Asia Nikkei

The appointment of new committees to investigate Sri Lanka's deadly Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 has not satisfied the country's Catholic Church or families of the victims, who say the probes lack independence. On April 21, 2019, bombs ripped through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing over 250 people, including 42 foreign nationals from 14 countries. Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group National Thowheed Jama'ath (NTJ), linked to Islamic State, were found to have carried out the attacks.Click here to read… [19]