Neighborhood News Digest – 27 October 2023

Afghanistan

Taliban free Afghan activist arrested 7 months ago after campaigning for girls’ education – Indian Express

The Taliban have freed an Afghan activist who campaigned for the education of girls, a local nonprofit organisation said Thursday. Matiuallah Wesa was arrested seven months ago and spent 215 days in prison, according to the group, Pen Path. Wesa has been outspoken in his demands for girls to have the right to go to school and repeatedly called on the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan to reverse its bans on female education. Click here to read... [2]

ADB Report: Ban on Girl's Education Hindering Aid Implementation – Tolo News

Asian Development Bank wrote in a recent report that despite the absence of an internationally recognized government, ADB financial support to four specialized UN agencies to ensure the continued provision of essential services directly to the Afghan people. According to the report, the ban on girls’ secondary education is a significant implementation constraint for ADB, the UN, and the rest of the donor community, adversely affecting the education component of the Sustaining Essential Services Delivery Project (Support for the Afghan People). Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh honours Indian soldiers martyred during 1971 Liberation War - Times of India

Minister for Liberation War Affairs of Bangladesh A K M Mozammel Huq, attended the event as chief guest while India’s minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt graced the occasion as the guest of honour. Freedom Fighter Lt Col Quazi Sazzad Ali Zahir, Bir Protik conducted the programme. Click here to read... [4]

Top Bangladesh election official warns of poll suspension in case of voting irregularities - The Print

Bangladesh is yet to see a “favourable environment” for the upcoming polls in January, a top election official said on Thursday, warning that in the event of voting irregularities, the entire poll process would be suspended and held afresh. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Habibul Awal’s remarks came in response to escalating tensions in the capital Dhaka over simultaneous rallies announced by the ruling and opposition parties in a show of strength. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

Overworked healthcare workers risk to patients, says research – Kuensel

Incidences of medical errors and patient safety events are higher among healthcare workers burdened with excessive workload and persistent fatigue, a recent study has revealed. ‘Patient safety culture among healthcare professionals in Bhutan’ by Rinchen Pelzang, Norbu, and Kinga Jamphel was carried out in six dzongkhag hospitals, two regional referral hospitals, and the national referral hospital in 2021. Click here to read... [6]

Maldives

Over 3,000 invites for Muizzu’s inauguration- Sun Online

The Parliament says it is getting ready to send over 3,000 invitations for the inauguration of President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu next month. e to remove Nasheed from his position as Speaker. Parliament’s Communications Director Hassan Ziyau stated that ‘we expect to send invitations to some 3,500 people’. However, their attendance will be confirmed once security arrangements are finalized, he said. Muizzu’s inauguration will take place on November 17 at the Republic Square in Male’ City. The arrangements will be made by the Parliament under the advisement of the director general of transition Abdul Raheem Abdulla. Click here to read... [7]

MDP declares it would not accept Muizzu's inauguration with Nasheed as Speaker- Avas

The main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said it would not recognize President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's inauguration if current Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed remains in his position. The MDP initiated a vote of no confidence against Nasheed on October 9, gaining the support of 49 MDP MPs. Nasheed and other MPs were officially notified of the motion on October 12. While the motion has been scheduled for discussion in the upcoming parliamentary session, the MDP Parliamentary Group announced a three-line whip during their Wednesday meeting. Speaking to reporters, MDP PG leader, Hithadhoo North MP Mohamed Aslam, stressed the need to remove Nasheed before proceeding with any parliamentary business. The MDP decided that they would not accept Dr. Muizzu's inauguration in November unless Nasheed were removed. They also made it clear that they would not approve Muizzu's cabinet without Nasheed's impeachment. Click here to read... [8]

Myanmar

Victims of Myanmar Junta File War Crimes Charges in Philippine Court - The Diplomat

In a statement yesterday, the Myanmar Accountability Project (MAP), a London-based advocacy group, said that five victims from Myanmar’s Chin State have filed a criminal complaint with the Department of Justice in Manila. In what the statement described as “an unprecedented move,” they have requested that Filipino prosecutors open a war crimes investigation into ten members of the military’s administration that seized power in February 2021, including Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. The complaint centers on the mass arson attack on the town of Thantlang in Chin State in northwestern Myanmar in September 2021. During the attack, soldiers destroyed some 2,000 homes destroyed and killed at least 250 people. Around 60,000 civilians were driven toward the nearby border with India. The complaint accuses the military of murdering civilians, mutilating bodies, burning down hundreds of houses, destroying churches, and using aid as a weapon of war. Click here to read... [9]

No More Playing Safe With India-Myanmar Border Security and Management - The Quint

The continued violence in Manipur and allegations that illegal entrants from Myanmar have played a major role in fomenting the trouble there has brought the necessity of effective management of the India-Myanmar border into sharp focus. Four Northeastern States of Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh share a 1643-long border of India with Myanmar. Click here to read... [10]

Nepal

4,000 madrasas near Indo-Nepal border under SIT lens over foreign funding - Hindustan Times

The SIT comprises a three-member team headed by ADG ATS Mohit Agarwal, accompanied by SP Cyber Crime Dr Triveni Singh and Director of Minority Welfare, J Reebha. The team has already convened once to outline the investigative approach, with further meetings scheduled for October 30. Click here to read... [11]

Nepal-China relations hit bumpy road as BRI loses steam - First Post

The relationship between Nepal and China has seen many ups and downs ever since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1955. While Nepal accepted Tibet’s accession to China in 1956, and also ratified the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1960, the Chinese were seen to enhance the diplomatic ties for fostering strategic anti-Indian sentiment within the Nepalese government. Click here to read... [12]

Pakistan

IHC restores Nawaz’s appeals against conviction in Al-Azizia, Avenfield references – Dawn

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday restored PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif appeals against his conviction in the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia references. The verdict, which was reserved earlier today, was announced by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb. Click here to read... [13]

No elections in Pakistan in January 2024, says President Arif Alvi – Firstpost

General elections in cash-strapped Pakistan have been the talking point most of the time this year. Even though, the country’s election commission has announced polling for January next, President Dr Arif Alvi said he does not believe them to take place that time. In an interview with Geo News, Pakistan’s President said: “I don’t believe the elections [will take place in the last week of January]. I think that the supreme judiciary has taken notice of it and it will issue an apt order.” Click here to read... [14]

Pakistan national airline cancels 349 flights since Oct 14 due to fuel shortage – Indian Express

Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) routine flight operations have been suspended for two weeks, the national airline said in a statement said on Thursday. A spokesperson told Reuters that 349 flights had been cancelled or rescheduled since Oct 14. Click here to read... [15]

Pakistan sets up deportation centres to hold migrants who are in the country illegally – The Hindu

Pakistan’s caretaker Interior Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, says the deadline will not be extended; he said that no migrants living in Pakistan without authorization would be mistreated after their arrests, adding that they would get food and medical care until their deportations. Click here to read... [16]

China adds Pakistan, Belarus to build lunar base: Report – The Statesman

China has roped in Pakistan and Belarus to its moon programme that aims to construct a permanent lunar base in the 2030s. China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) programme now has seven nations — Russia, Belarus, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Venezuela and South Africa, SpaceNews reported. It is in direct competition with the NASA-led Artemis Programme, which aims to place astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030, and has the support of 29 nations to date, including India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the UK. Click here to read... [17]

Sri Lanka

China’s success in eradication of poverty exemplary – Prime Minister- News.lk

Vice President of China Foundation for Rural Development Liu Wenkui said his Foundation would assist Sri Lanka’s poverty alleviation programme. He gave this assurance when he called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo, on October 25. The Prime Minister said China’s success in eradication of poverty, rural upliftment and ensuring food security has been exemplary. “I thank China for magnanimous contributions to the efforts of my country as well as other developing nations towards achieving food security,” he said. He expressed appreciation to President Xi Jinping for the offer of continuous support to Sri Lanka during President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to Beijing last week. Click here to read... [18]

ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’ arrives at port of Colombo- The Island

The Sri Lanka Navy said ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’ is a 135-metre-long destroyer manned by 249 crew members, commanded by Captain Kim Hyoung Churl, belonging to the Republic of Korea Navy, arrived at the port of Colombo on October 26, on a formal visit. Sri Lanka’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva and a group of dignitaries, held a discussion onboard ROKS ‘Kwanggaeto the Great’. Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva and Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera were also present on this occasion. The ship is scheduled to depart Sri Lanka on October 28. Click here to read... [19]

Sri Lanka to resume ETCA talks with India - Daily Mirror

The President’s Media Division (PMD) of Sri Lanka stated that, Sri Lanka is set to enter its 12th round of negotiations on the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India. The two countries have held 11 rounds of bilateral talks from 2016 to 2019 with the aim of broadening and deepening the existing India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISLFTA). According to the PMD, this comprehensive agreement has a broader scope than the current ISLFTA, underscoring the deepening economic ties between the two nations. In a statement, it stated that the government is placing a strong emphasis on two key components: expanding supply capacity and broadening market access. Click here to read... [20]