Neighborhood News Digest – 04 December 2023

Afghanistan

Kabul Rejects US Report on Al-Qaeda, Daesh in Afghanistan- Tolo News

On November 30, the US State Department released a report dated April 2023 that focused on terrorism in 2022 and which claimed that Al-Qaeda, Daesh and other regional terrorist groups remained active in Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate rejects the US State Department's 2022 annual terrorism report about the activity of al-Qaeda and Daesh elements in Afghanistan and according, to the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, “in the two years of the rule of the Islamic Emirate, no threat has been made to any country from Afghanistan”. Click here to read... [2]

UN to Hold Meeting on Afghanistan This Month- Tolo News

The UN Security Council said in a statement that it will convene for its quarterly open briefing on Afghanistan in December 2023. According to the statement, the special representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva; Ambassador José de la Gasca (Ecuador), the Chair of the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee; and a representative of civil society are expected to brief. Click here to read... [3]

Stanikzai Criticizes Meetings on Afghanistan in Neighboring Countries- Tolo News

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, criticized the meetings on Afghanistan in neighboring countries, saying that the "Illegal meetings held outside the country are launched with the aim of weakening the country and the system. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

$8b climate fund rolled out for Bangladesh - The Daily Star

In a first in Asia, development partners have come together to announce an $8 billion fund to help Bangladesh mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. This collaborative approach is being spearheaded by the International Monetary Fund. "Bangladesh has been at the forefront of those warning about the elevated risks of climate change for vulnerable countries as well as stressing the importance of international collaboration to support those in need," said Kristalina Georgieva, the MD of IMF, in a statement yesterday. Click here to read... [5]

January 7 Polls: Aspirants from minorities rise in number – The Daily Star

The number of aspirants from minority communities for the upcoming national election is higher compared to the previous polls. Apart from the ruling Awami League and opposition Jatiya Party, three new political parties and three Islamist parties have nominated members of religious and ethnic minorities to run for the polls. According to the Election Commission data, 102 aspirants from minority communities have submitted their nomination papers for the January 7 parliamentary polls. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

Voter turnout decreases as compared to third NA elections – Kuensel

The primary round of the fourth National Assembly (NA) Elections for 2023-24 witnessed a decline in overall voter turnout, showing a three percent decrease compared to the primary round of the third NA elections. Despite the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) extending postal ballot services to employees of critical service providers in the private sector, including Druk Holding and Investment (DHI) Companies and some State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), the primary election saw a dip in voter participation. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan National Assembly polls: PDP secures landslide victory in primary round – The Telegraph Online

The People’s Democratic Party secured a landslide victory in the primary round of the fourth National Assembly elections in Bhutan. The outcome announced on Friday is likely to make New Delhi happy as it signals the possibility of a friendly party at the helm in the Himalayan country after the final round of the polls which is scheduled to be held on January 9. Five parties, the highest in the history of Bhutan since the country’s transition to parliamentary democracy in 2008, took part in Thursday’s primaries. A total of 3,13,162 voters out of 4,97,058 eligible and registered voters around 63 per cent exercised their franchise. Click here to read... [8]

Satellite images show China's greed for more land in Bhutan – India Today

Following the 2017 India-China Doklam crisis, the Siliguri Corridor, which is also called the Chicken’s Neck, has emerged as a strategic location near the western borders of Bhutan. However, being thwarted by the western corridor, China is now eyeing the northern border areas. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

India agrees to pull out soldiers from Maldives, says Muizzu– Indian Express

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu said on December 3, that the Indian government has agreed to withdraw its soldiers from the island nation. Whereas New Delhi stated that the issue was briefly discussed in Dubai where President Muizzu met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed on how to keep the Indian helicopters and an operational aircraft ongoing, along with that to set-up a core group, that both sides have agreed to, will look at details of how to take (HADR) Humanitarian and Disaster Relives forward”. “In the discussions we had, the Indian government has agreed to remove Indian soldiers,” Muizzu told reporters in Male. Click here to read... [10]

India and Maldives core group to discuss usage of Indian military platforms- WION

India and Maldives have agreed to form a core group to deliberate on the continued usage of Indian military platforms in the island nation. Maldives has acknowledged the utility of these platforms and the fact that it is an important segment of bilateral development partnership is also recognised. The Indian military platforms have contributed significantly in; humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, combating illegal maritime activities, and have saved numerous Maldivian lives as they executed over 500 medical evacuations in the past five years. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives Pres urges concrete action and financial strengthening at COP28 Summit- Avas

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has expressed frustration over the lack of tangible outcomes from discussions at previous COP Summits. Speaking at the COP28 Summit, President stated that discussions and talks have been held for years at the world's largest environmental summit without fruitful results. He emphasized the urgency for immediate action, stating that the Maldives cannot afford to stand by while climate change continues to inflict damage. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar

Myanmar rebel groups mounting nationwide offensive against junta - Wion News

Myanmar's pro-democracy fighters have intensified their fight against the country's military. The People's Defense Force groups or the PDFs are now pushing to capture the first state capital from the junta. Click here to read... [13]

Study shows unexpected expansion of rare earth element mining activities in Myanmar-China border region - Phys.Org

As the demand for rare earth elements increases world-wide, so too do the mining activities associated with rare earth element extraction. Rare earth elements are listed as 15 elements on the periodic table constituting what is known as the lanthanide series, ranging in atomic number from 57 (lanthanum) to 71 (lutetium), as well as scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y), which serve as essential inputs for information and energy technologies, especially renewable energy technologies. Click here to read... [14]

Myanmar: The last days of the junta - Lowly Institute

The latest phase of military conflict in Myanmar pitting rebel forces against the Myanmar military, better known as the Tatmadaw, may herald a new political and security landscape in the war-torn Southeast Asian country. Click here to read... [15]

Nepal

Nepal’s mountains are crying out for help and COP28 must respond, says UN chief Guterres - Asia News Network

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has raised the issue of the climate crisis that the Himalayas are facing and its terrible impact on the lives of local communities. Speaking at an event organised by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on the sidelines of the COP 28 in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, Guterres said: “It is deeply shocking to learn how fast the Himalayan glaciers are melting. And deeply distressing to hear first-hand from local communities about the terrible impact on their lives.” Click here to read... [16]

New air route strengthens Sino-Nepalese ties - China Daily

With the arrival of Himalaya Airlines' flight H9780 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport from the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Saturday, the first international direct flight between Shanghai and Nepal was officially launched, according to the Shanghai Airport Authority. The debut of the direct flight comes as Shanghai's aviation market continues its recovery which has been happening since the start of this year, the airport authority added. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan

Nine including two soldiers shot dead by militants in Pakistan – The Hindu

Militants opened fire at a bus in northern Pakistan, killing nine people including two soldiers, local police said. The shooting occurred on Saturday, December 2, 2023 night in the Chilas area of the northern Gilgit Baltistan region, police officer Azmat Shah said. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan Replaced As Party Head By Gohar Khan – NDTV World

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, currently in jail facing myriad charges he says are rigged to keep him from contesting elections next year, was replaced Saturday as head of the party he founded, officials said. Khan launched the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in 1996, failing to win a single seat in an election the next year but growing rapidly to become the biggest bloc in the National Assembly following the 2018 vote, propelling him to the premiership. Click here to read... [19]

US officials to visit Pakistan in Dec to discuss Afghanistan, other issues – Business Standard

United States officials will visit Pakistan in December to hold consultations about several issues including the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, according to Geo News. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the two countries are also exchanging visits in a bid to speed up the consultation process. Click here to read... [20]

PM Kakar for adapting Indus Basin to climate change impacts – Dawn

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has said that adapting Pakistan to climate change is vital to adapting the Indus Basin to the impacts of climate change as the majority of population is linked to the river. Addressing an event on ‘Living Indus Initiative’ held here at the Pakistan Pavilion at the venue of the United Nations’ 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) on Sunday, the PM said Pakistan’s climate challenge was primarily a water challenge that needed immediate action to be addressed. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka

Colombo East Container Terminal to be completed by mid next year – Daily Mirror

The construction of the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo port which is currently in progress is to be completed by mid-next year to commence operations. The Ministry said the jetty planned for this terminal will be 1,400 metres long upon completion, allowing three mega ships to berth simultaneously. While paying a special inspection visit to the construction site of the terminal, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said a total of US USD 585 million has been allocated for the development of the terminal through financial provisions by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). Click here to read... [22]

Indian envoy visits Sri Lanka's north, underscores India's commitment to country – The Hindu

The Indian envoy here has visited Sri Lanka's Northern Province to emphasise New Delhi's abiding commitment to the development and well-being of the people of the country through enhanced development cooperation and expanded economic partnership. Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay has completed a three-day visit to the province, the Indian High Commission said in a statement on Saturday. He was accompanied by senior diplomats of the High Commission on the visit from November 29 to December 1. Click here to read... [23]