Neighborhood News Digest – 29 September 2023

Afghanistan

UN Deputy Secretary-General calls for putting pressure on Taliban to ensure women’s rights in Afghanistan - Telangana Today

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has called for putting pressure on the Taliban to ensure women’s and girls rights to education and work in Afghanistan, TOLO News reported. Mohammed while speaking at a press conference, said that the situation of women and girls is getting worse day by day in Afghanistan. Click here to read... [2]

Taliban issues 13 directives in 2 years, restricts media freedom: Report - Devi Discourse

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan two years ago, they have deliberately issued 13 directives to restrict media freedom and access to important information within the country, reported Khaama Press. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) has documented this trend over the past two years. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

'Canada has become a hub for murderers': Bangladesh Foreign Minister backs India - India Today

The diplomatic landscape is shifting. Following the heightened tensions between India and Canada due to the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Bangladesh has now voiced its own grievances against Canada's extradition policies. At the heart of this controversy is Canada's refusal to extradite Noor Chowdhury, the self-confessed assassin of Bangladesh's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh holds 3rd rank in US apparel imports as China's share drops - Fibre to Fashion

In the first 5 months of 2023, the US imported $3.244 billion worth of apparel, with Bangladesh maintaining its third-place position among suppliers. Over the last four years, Bangladesh and Vietnam increased their market shares by 2.51 per cent and 1.16 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, China's share declined from 27.92 per cent to 18.98 per cent. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

Bhutan gearing up to import electricity from India for extended period: Report - Economic Times

Bhutan is gearing up to import electricity from India for an extended period of approximately five months from December this year to April next year, The Bhutan Live reported. Click here to read... [6]

Maldives

Maldives elections on September 30: Why India is watching closely
Maldives goes to runoff polls this Saturday, after no candidate secured more than 50% of the votes in the first round on September 9. Maldives’ electoral system is similar to France, where the winner has to secure more than 50% of votes. If no one crosses the mark in the first round, in the second round, the top two candidates go head to head. Click here to read... [7]

Myanmar

China’s Yunnan to Limit Myanmar Border Crossings to Counter Telecom Fraudsters - Caixing Global

China will set up a temporary control zone in the southwestern province of Yunnan to restrict movements of people in a region along the border with Myanmar in an effort to combat rampant telecom fraud committed by Chinese nationals lured to the Southeast Asian nation. Click here to read... [8]

Manipur, Mizoram differ on Myanmar ‘refugees’ - The Hindu

The Mizoram government has decided against collecting the biometrics and biographical data of ‘refugees’ from Myanmar while its Manipur counterpart has sought more time from the Centre in view of the ongoing Kuki-Meitei conflict to complete the exercise. Click here to read... [9]

Nepal

Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission says it is concerned over attacks on doctors - Asia News Network

The National Human Rights Commission on Thursday said it was seriously concerned about attacks and abuse on doctors and health workers involved in treating patients and vandalism in health institutions. In a statement, the constitutional body requested those involved in such incidents to refrain from attacking doctors and create an environment for seamless delivery of health services. Click here to read... [10]

Nepal, India, Bangladesh power trade agreement in ‘final stage’, says envoy - Hindustan Times

The proposed tripartite (India, Nepal and Bangladesh) power trade pact, the first of its kind in South Asia, was agreed to by the three countries earlier this year and is aimed at meeting a long-standing demand from Nepal and Bangladesh to allow the sale of electricity the Indian grid. Click here to read... [11]

Pakistan

LeT operative's mystery killing in Pakistan spooks ISI - Times of India

The killing of Maulana Ziaur Rahman, a cleric, at a park in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Jauhar would have attracted the attention of his kin, his friends and those convinced of his religious piety. In Pakistan, several of the clerics are engaged in extra- religious gigs with some of them getting regularly bumped off for various reasons. Click here to read... [12]

The Gulf Cooperation Council And Pakistan Initial A Free Trade Agreement - Globe Echo

Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, said that the Gulf countries together constitute the eighth largest economy in the world, with an annual growth of their combined economies estimated at about 6 percent, and a gross domestic product of up to 2.4 trillion dollars. Click here to read... [13]

Sri Lanka

New IMF funds for Sri Lanka may face delay after review sees revenue shortfall - News On Air

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday announced that it did not reach a staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka during the first review of the US$2.9 billion bailout package. The primary concern cited by the international body was a potential shortfall in government revenue generation by the island nation. Click here to read... [14]

Sri Lanka President urges dialog between West, EU, US and China to face new challenges - Daiji World

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday stressed the need to have a comprehensive dialogue between the West and China, the United States and China and the European Union and China as a robust international plan to address the global challenges anticipated in 2024. Click here to read... [15]