Neighborhood News Digest – 06 November 2023

Afghanistan

Opium Poppy Cultivation Declined by 95% in Afghanistan: UNODC – Tolo News

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in a report that the “opium poppy cultivation and opium production dramatically declined after the ban prohibiting 'Poppy Cultivation and All types of Narcotics' was announced by the de facto authorities (DfA) in April 2022." "Opium poppy cultivation dramatically declined across all parts of the country and almost entirely in some provinces where opium poppy was illicitly cultivated for many years. Nationally, area under cultivation declined by 95% to a total of just 10,800 ha, indicating that farmers were adhering to the ban that was announced in April 2022,” the report reads. Click here to read... [2]

South Korea provides 1 million USD aid to Afghanistan – The Print

South Korea has extended one million dollars as aid to to Afghanistan, a country that is battling a crippling humanitarian crisis. The aid was given through the United Nations’ Humanitarian Coordination Office, Khaama Press reported. The United Nations Humanitarian Coordination Office (OCHA) shared on social media that South Korea has assisted with humanitarian efforts and donated one million dollars to Afghanistan. Click here to read... [3]

Iran Alleges Caught 3 "Israeli Spies" In Joint Op With Afghanistan: Report – NDTV World

State television in Iran reported on Sunday that three Iranians it said were agents in Israel's spy agency Mossad have been detained in a joint operation with Afghanistan's Taliban government. The "three Mossad agents who held Iranian nationality" were detained in the mountainous region between the two countries, the broadcaster said. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, opposition's countrywide blockade disrupts intercity connectivities - DD News

In Bangladesh, on the first day of the 48-hour countrywide blockade programme enforced by the opposition disrupts intercity connectivity amid stray incidents of violence. The blockade is being enforced by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its political allies, Jamaat-e-Islami to mount pressure on the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government to quit and hold the next election which is due in January, 2024 under a non-party, neutral administration. Click here to read... [5]

BSF 'bee sting' to counter criminals at Bangladesh fence - Tribune India

The BSF has undertaken a unique experiment of installing bee boxes on the India-Bangladesh border fence in West Bengal to stop instances of cutting the hedge for cattle smuggling and other crimes, besides generating livelihood for locals. Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh arrests 8,000 opposition activists - UCA News

Bangladesh police have arrested nearly 8,000 opposition figures in a nationwide crackdown since officers broke up a major rally in the capital a week ago, a report said Sunday. The sweeping wave of detentions comes ahead of a general election due in January. The country's major opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and its allies have been staging giant rallies in recent months demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down and allow a neutral government to supervise the vote. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

Amid China boundary talks, Bhutan King to discuss Bhutan-Assam border smart city project – The Hindu

Bhutan’s 4th King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck landed in Delhi on Sunday ahead of talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, a fortnight after Bhutan and China signed an agreement on the boundary delimitation process in Beijing. While the boundary talks will receive the most interest in New Delhi, given India’s concerns over Doklam, the King’s visit is understood to be prompted by an ambitious project Bhutan plans on the border with Assam, in Gelephu. Click here to read... [8]

India’s emerging challenge in Bhutan – ORF Online

In October, Tandi Dorji became Bhutan’s first foreign minister to visit China. Dr Dorji’s visit has garnered significant attention across the world for two reasons: First, by concluding the 25th round of border negotiations, Bhutan and China are drawing close to ending the decades-old territorial dispute. Click here to read... [9]

ECB announces National Assembly poll dates – Kuensel

The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) has announced the schedule for the fourth National Assembly elections, following the Royal Decree issued by His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo on October 14. The primary round of the election is set for November 30, 2023 and the general round will be conducted on January 9, 2024. Click here to read... [10]

NA elections to cost Nu 444M – Kuensel

The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) has estimated a budget of Nu 444.321 million (M) to conduct the fourth National Assembly elections 2023-24. The ECB spent Nu 319.11M in 2013 elections and Nu 439.65M in 2018 elections. The commission spent Nu 54.25M for election campaign fund and Nu 234.69M for travel in-country in 2018 elections. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives

Maldives President-elect Mohamed Muizzu invites India for inauguration but uncertainty prevails over Indian military presence- The Times of India

India is among the countries that have been invited by the Maldives president-elect, Mohamed Muizzu, for his oath- taking on November 17, diplomatic sources informed. The government, however, is yet to take a call on who is going to represent India at the swearing in ceremony of a leader who is considered pro-China, although people close to him have denied that Muizzu's foreign policy will reflect any China bias. PM Narendra Modi was the only head of government to have travelled to Male for the inauguration of Muizzu's predecessor Ibrahim Solih in 2018. Click here to read... [12]

Rasfari reef coral propagation commences- The Edition

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on November 5, that the project to "Restore Rasfari" has officially kicked off. A special ceremony was held on November 5, aboard 'Thimaaveshi,' the research vessel of EPA, to mark the commencement of the initiative, in presence of Minister of Environment, Aminath Shauna; EPA Director General, Ibrahim Naeem, and many other dignitaries. The reefs sustained massive damages when a Panama-registered vessel called 'Navio Amareelis' capsized on the reef. The vessel was en-route to South Africa embarking from Tuticorin, India. During its trip, the vessel's engine died, after which it was adrift before capsizing on the reef. Following the EPA survey, the agency ordered the vessel's owner to pay a fine of MVR 893 million. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar

How Myanmar's Junta is facing its biggest threat since 2021 coup

Ethnic rebel groups jointly known as the Brotherhood Alliance on 27 October launched simultaneous attacks on the military junta in Myanmar’s Shan state. The alliance claims to have captured several towns and cut off vital trade routes to China. The junta has dismissed such claims as ‘propaganda'. Click here to read... [14]

China calls on Myanmar to boost cooperation over border stability

“Myanmar is called on to cooperate with China to maintain stability along the China-Myanmar border, earnestly ensure the safety of the lives and property of Chinese border residents, and take effective measures to strengthen the security of Chinese personnel,” said Nong Rong, assistant Chinese foreign minister. Click here to read... [15]

Nepal

India-Nepal border forces hold talks, discuss ‘mutual issues’

The border guarding forces of India and Nepal discussed “mutual issues” in the three-day annual meeting that started here in the national capital on Monday. Being held between November 6 and November 8, the 7th India-Nepal Coordination Meeting will discuss measures to curb trans-frontier crimes and timely sharing of intelligence inputs, among other issues too, an official said. Click here to read... [16]

Nepal earthquake: Survivors cremate the dead, face uncertain future

Loud wails fill a riverside village in western Nepal that was struck by a powerful earthquake last Friday. Grieving survivors have gathered around funeral pyres to send off 13 people who died in the 6.4-magnitude quake. As they grieve their loved ones, survivors in the remote Jajarkot district worry about their future. They have been sleeping outdoors in the cold since the earthquake flattened their homes and are in dire need of aid. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan

9 Terrorists Killed After Attack On Pakistan Air Force Base, 3 Aircraft Damaged – NDTV World

Nine heavily armed terrorists attacked a Pakistan Air Force training base in Punjab province early this morning and all of them were "sent to hell", the army said, a day after 17 soldiers were killed in three separate terror strikes in the country. The Mianwali Training Air Base of Pakistan Air Force was attacked by nine terrorists, the Pakistan Army said in a statement, confirming that three some damage was done to three already phased-out non-operational aircraft during the attack. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam supremo meets with Hamas leaders in Qatar – The Print

Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met with the Hamas terror group leadership in Qatar amid Israel Hamas war, Dawn News reported on Sunday. It reported that while meeting with the Hamas terror group leaders, he affirmed his support and said that it was the duty of the Muslim world to “unite against Israeli injustices.” Click here to read... [19]

Over 170,000 Afghans left Pakistan since Sept 17: officials – Dawn

More than 6,500 Afghan nationals left Pakistan through the Torkham border on Sunday, taking the number of repatriated Afghans to over 170,000, according to border officials. The voluntary evacuation has been going on since the government gave an ultimatum to all unregistered foreign nationals to leave Pakistan by Oct 31, after which action would be taken against them as per law. Click here to read... [20]

$3bn projects approved for flood-hit areas – Business Recorder

Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives has said that it approved 21 development projects costing US$3 billion for flood-affected areas after securing maximum pledges committed in Geneva for 2022 flood. The Ministry of Planning and Development has stated that since the launch of Resilient, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (4RF) framework, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) successfully approved 21 development projects worth $3billion for flood-affected areas. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka

US court grants Sri Lanka’s request for 6-month halt in Hamilton Reserve Bank lawsuit- Daily Mirror

The United States District Court has granted Sri Lanka’s request for a six-month halt on Hamilton Reserve Bank’s (HRB) lawsuit against the country, US media reports said. HRB has filed a case against Sri Lanka over the 2022 defaulted sovereign bond, claiming that the St Kitt’s-based bank has accumulated a big portion of the defaulted bond, and calling for immediate repayment. Sri Lanka filed a cross-motion to stay the proceeding to facilitate the restructuring of its external debt, which had garnered support from the country’s bilateral creditors. In her ruling on November 2, the judgement give by Judge Denise Cote stated that, “a breakdown in restructuring negotiations could threaten Sri Lanka’s progress towards these IMF targets, its economic recovery, and the well-being of its citizenry”. Click here to read... [22]

CPSL Secretary highlights BRI’s potential for global prosperity and unity– The Island

Dr. G. Weerasinghe, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL), has recently emphasised the immense potential of the Belt and Road Initiative for global economic growth and prosperity. Speaking at the International Think Tank Forum on Building a Global Community of Shared Future in Wuhu, China, Dr. Weerasinghe highlighted that this initiative could address common global issues through a mutually beneficial approach. Click here to read... [23]

Landmark USD 15 million grant strengthens Buddhist ties between India and Sri Lanka- News.lk

In a significant event held in Colombo, the exchange of bilateral documents took centre stage, marking the initiation of projects supported by a generous USD 15 million grant from the Government of India. This grant is specifically allocated to bolster the longstanding Buddhist connections between India and Sri Lanka, underscoring the deep historical and cultural ties that bind these two nations together. The signing of the bilateral agreements took place at the President’s House in Colombo, November 2. President Wickremesinghe and Honourable Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman engaged in lengthy bilateral discussions during this event. Click here to read... [24]