Neighborhood News Digest – 25 September 2023

Afghanistan

Afghanistan Among Top 10 Countries Facing Emergency Level of Hunger: WFP – Tolo News

Afghanistan has been ranked the 2nd top country in the world with more than 1 million of its people suffering from emergency levels of hunger, the World Food Programme in Afghanistan said. The WFP Afghanistan said in a post on its X account that at least 6.08 million in Afghanistan are facing the "4th phase" of hunger. Click here to read... [2]

Developing Afghanistan’s mines will uplift Afghans – Al Jazeera

Afghanistan is one of the world’s most resource-rich nations in the world, boasting over 1,200 mineral fields. According to estimates, its mineral wealth is worth $3 trillion and it includes resources such as gold, chromite, copper, iron, lead, zinc, coal, natural gas, petroleum, precious stones, lithium, talc, and various rare earth elements. Click here to read... [3]

At United Nations, session to recognize “Gender Apartheid” in Afghanistan – The Print

The United Nations held a session to recognize the “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule, for the first time as part of their efforts to support human rights, Khaama Press reported. Representatives from different countries attended the session, and the speakers referred to the current situation in Afghanistan, after the return of the Taliban, as an example of “gender apartheid” and called for practical actions to end this situation. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Meghalaya customs officials seize gold worth over Rs1 crore smuggled from Bangladesh - TBS News

Customs officials in India's Meghalaya intercepted a vehicle and recovered 14 gold biscuits valued at over Rs1 crore, that were being smuggled from Bangladesh to Shillong on Friday (22 September). According to Meghalaya's Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) (CCP), sleuths, responding swiftly to credible intel that a sizable quantity of gold of foreign origin smuggled through the Indo-Bangladesh border of Meghalaya would be transported in a vehicle to Guwahati, intercepted a car at Jhalupara, Shillong. Click here to read... [5]

Push by Bangladesh PM’s daughter for WHO role raises transparency concerns - Financial Times

Bangladesh has put forward its prime minister’s daughter to become the next head of the World Health Organization’s south-east Asia region, sparking concerns about the way candidates are chosen for senior roles at the UN health body. Saima Wazed, a mental health advocate, is one of two candidates to be WHO director of south-east Asia, overseeing an annual budget of almost $500mn over two years for 2bn people in 11 countries. A vote is expected at the WHO regional committee’s next meeting at the end of October. Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh says ‘no tension’ with US over visa restrictions - LaPrensaLatina

Bangladesh said on Sunday that United States visa restrictions ahead of the parliamentary elections in January next year would not harm the relationship between the two countries. The US Department of State said on Friday that it was taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic process in Bangladesh. The individuals include members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

DoE aims to add 500 megawatts renewable energy to energy mix – Kuensel

To increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in the total energy mix— individual contribution of energy from various sources, the Department of Energy (DoE) is set to initiate 500 megawatts (MW) of RE projects across the country in the next five years. This in light of an expected rise in energy demand, projected to peak more than 25,270.giga-watt per hour (GWh) in 2030, up from the current 5,000 GWh, last year. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan’s Foreign Minister commends PM Modi, Jaishankar for achieving consensus at G20 Summit – The Print

Bhutan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Tandi Dorji congratulated India for the remarkable success of the G20 Summit held in Delhi. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the External Affairs Minister for their “adept diplomacy” in achieving unanimous consensus on the comprehensive joint Declaration on the opening day of the G20 Summit and the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

Iran Restores Diplomatic Relations With Djibouti, Maldives - Media Line

Iran announced the resumption of diplomatic ties with Djibouti and the Maldives, marking a significant step toward reestablishing its global connections. The Iranian Foreign Ministry disclosed the decisions on Friday; the agreements were made during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with his Djiboutian counterpart Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Maldivian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel. Both meetings were characterized as amicable and focused on mutual respect, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence. Click here to read... [10]

India flags ‘fake’ media reports in Maldives about its embassy, officials - Scroll.in

The Indian High Commission in the Maldives has alleged that some local media outlets have been spreading “fake reports” with the intention to harass and intimidate the mission’s officials and the expatriate community in the country. “These fake reports are designed to create a climate of hate and fear among the Maldivian public with the intention to adversely affect the friendly relations between India and Maldives,” a press statement issued by the high commission said on Friday. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

Manipur government requests Centre to 'permanently close' free movement regime with Myanmar to check influx from across border - Telegraph India

The BJP-led Manipur government has requested the Centre to “permanently close” the free movement regime (FMR) with Myanmar to check influx from across the border. The FMR is an arrangement between India and Myanmar to allow people living along the international border to go as deep as 16km into each other’s territory without any official document or visa. It became operational in 2018. Click here to read... [12]

Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi discusses Myanmar issue with ICRC president - The star

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has discussed the Myanmar issue with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric in New York, reported ANTARA news agency. Both figures discussed the issue during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. During the meeting, Minister Marsudi told the ICRC leader that the Association of the South-East Asian Nations (Asean) would continue to promote the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) as the main reference for resolving the ongoing crises induced by the coup executed by the Burmese military junta. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar Based Groups Abetting Violence In Manipur: NIA - Outlook India

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that ‘outfits based in Myanmar are abetting violence’ in Manipur. The statement from the agency comes a day after it arrested a trained operative of separatist group People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur. The NIA has said that proscribed organisations based in Myanmar are recruiting workers to carry out attacks on security forces and members of opposing ethnic groups in Manipur, IE reported. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Curfew imposed in Nepal-India border town after clash between 2 communities – India Today

Nepal authorities have imposed an indefinite curfew in Malangawa town, situated near India border, following a clash between two communities during the Lord Ganesh idol immersion ceremony, it emerged on Friday. The curfew order, effective from 10:00 pm on Thursday, will remain in force until further notice, Sarlahi Chief District Officer Indra Dev Yadav said. Click here to read... [15]

Prachanda in China, says Nepal is ready to take BRI project further – The Indian Express

Nepal will continue to actively participate in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said, laying to rest speculation that he would push Beijing for measures to safeguard Nepal from falling into a debt trap. Click here to read... [16]

Thousands of teachers protest in Nepal against education bill, shutting schools across the country – The Hindu

Schools for millions of students in Nepal were closed Friday as tens of thousands of teachers protested in the capital against an education reform bill in parliament. Teachers have been demonstrating in Kathmandu since Wednesday against the School Education Bill while teachers' groups negotiate with government leaders over changes to the legislation. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan

World Bank Cautions Pakistan As Nearly 100 Million People Now Under Poverty – NDTV

Poverty in Pakistan shot up to 39.4 per cent as of last fiscal year, with 12.5 million more people falling into the trap due to poor economic conditions, the World Bank has said, as it urged the cash-strapped country to take urgent steps to achieve financial stability. Click here to read... [18]

Resume trade with Pakistan, trade body says – The Hindu

Ahead of the North Zone Council (NZC) meeting to be chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah in Amritsar on September 26, a prominent trade body has raised the demand for the resumption of trade links with Pakistan. Traders are hopeful that the Union government will once again open the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, set up in 2012, to activate business routes for trade with Pakistan and make a new beginning, boosting economic activities in the border State of Punjab. Click here to read... [19]

Sri Lanka

Team from Buddhavanam project visits Buddhist rock caves in Sri Lanka

Buddhavanam team consisting of Mallepalli Laxmaiah, Special Officer, and E. Sivanagireddy, Buddhist expert consultant, visited the third century BC Buddhist rock cut caves at Mathale located on Colombo-Kandy route in Sri Lanka on Sunday where the teachings of Lord Buddha were recorded for the first time on palm leaves. Click here to read... [20]

Chinese assistance to build 1996 new housing units for artists, journalists and low-income earners - Colombo Page

The Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, says the agreement to build 1996 housing units with the assistance of the Chinese government for low-income earners, creative artists and journalists will be signed next month. The Ministry says the signing of the agreements will take place during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing, China, in October. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka’s PM Dinesh Gunawardena applauds India’s continuous progress - DD News

Speaking at the dinner to commemorate India’s 77th Independence Day hosted by Sri Lanka India Society, the Prime Minister said that India has rightfully regained its place on the World’s stage and has enhanced its standing in the international order. The Sri Lankan prime minister praised India for the successful Chandrayaan mission and added that Sri Lanka salutes India for the achievement. He also recounted the outcomes of the visit of Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremasinghe when he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Click here to read... [22]