Neighborhood News Digest – 20 December 2023

Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate Considers Witholding of UN Seat 'Illegal'- Tolo News

The United Nations Credentials Committee has deferred its decision on assigning Afghanistan’s seat in the organization to the Islamic Emirate for the third consecutive time. The Islamic Emirate considers the UN members' decision to not hand over the Afghanistan seat at the United Nations to its ambassador “illegal." Click here to read... [2]

Mujahid: Kabul Facilitating Transfer of Afghan Businesses from Pakistan- Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate declared that it is providing facilities to Afghan businesses in Pakistan who are seeking to transfer their assets to Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told TOLO news that all aspects of the transfer of businessmen's capital, including land distribution, obtaining permits and property transfer have been provided for in the country. Click here to read... [3]

Pakistan boosts security, acts on Kabul’s advice against illegal aliens: PM Kakar- The Khama Press

Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, has highlighted the security issues faced by Pakistan, citing advice from the Taliban administration of Afghanistan to “look inwards.” Kakar stated that the interim Afghan government’s suggestion to address internal issues, led to Pakistan’s decision to organize its domestic affairs, particularly regarding refugee management. Click here to read... [4]

Balochistan Minister: Dam on Kunar River Could Lead to Conflict- Tolo News

Balochistan’s caretaker Minister for Information, Jan Achakzai, warned that the decision of the Islamic Emirate to build a dam on the Kunar River will affect the escalation of tensions and possible conflicts. He said that the Islamic Emirate's decision is unilateral and that this is a hostile act against Pakistan. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Include CHT accord in polls manifesto - The Daily Star

Speakers at a dialogue yesterday called upon political parties to include the agenda of implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in their election manifestos. The speakers expressed their discontent with the peace accord not being fully implemented even after 26 years and demanded its quick implementation. Click here to read... [6]

BNP, allies plan to keep people from vote – The Daily star

The BNP and like-minded political parties are likely to start campaigns on Friday to dissuade voters from casting ballots on January 7, said party sources. They will open the campaigns with distribution of leaflets to discourage voters from going to the polling centres so that the election can be proved to be a "lopsided contest" locally and internationally. Click here to read... [7]

AL’s polls campaign begins from Sylhet today– The Daily Star

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina is set to flag off the party's electioneering today with visits to the shrines of saints Shahjalal and Shah Paran in Sylhet. She will then attend a public rally, organised by Sylhet district and city units of the AL, at the Government Alia Madrasa ground in the city's Chowhatta area at 2:00 pm. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

ADB retains Bhutan’s growth forecast at 4.4 percent next year – Kuensel

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has upheld its economic growth projections for Bhutan at 4.3 percent for the current year and 4.4 percent for the following year, as outlined in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) December 2023 report. The Bank attributes these positive forecasts to the recovery in the tourism industry and the upcoming commissioning of the Nikachhu power plant, expected to generate 491 million units of electricity annually. Click here to read... [9]

Himalayan nations rally for urgent climate action – Kuensel

Mountains, high-altitude areas, and the cryosphere face significant threats, posing a challenge to the ecological balance of our planet. The Hindukush Himalayan (HKH) region, recognising the vital role of these regions, has advocated for urgent action. The recent 28th Conference of Parties (COP28), which concluded on December 12, emphasised the pressing need to address knowledge gaps in adaptation within these regions. Click here to read... [10]

Candidates align pledges with Royal vision – Kuensel

Bumthang – As the common forum for the general elections began in Chumig-Ura, Bumthang yesterday, the candidates presented their pledges in line with His Majesty The King’s address to the nation during the 116th National Day. Bhutan Tendrel Party’s (BTP) candidate, Tshering Lhadon, based her pledges on the three points His Majesty The King shared during the address: energy, connectivity and skills. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives

Parliament passes bill granting impeachment power to MDP – The Edition

Parliament's regulation has been revised granting Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) the power to impeach the President without requiring support from minority parties. According to the amendments, any impeachment resolution against the President or the Vice-President should be notified to the parliament MPs within two days, extending a 14-day period after which the matter must be scheduled for the parliament sitting. The President and the Vice-President may employ three advocates to defend the allegations, and would have the chance to respond during the committee stage. Click here to read... [12]

Maldivian leader sends condolences following deadly China quake – Sun Online International

Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu sent a message of condolence to the Chinese President Xi Jinping on December 19, following a deadly earthquake that hit north-west China. The 6.2 magnitude quake hit mountainous Gansu province at around midnight on December 18, also shaking neighbouring Qinghai. At least 126 people have been confirmed dead, and hundreds more injured. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar

Myanmar Army Fails to Regain Control of Town Close to Manipur From Pro-Democracy Forces - The Wire

After a week-long conflict with pro-democracy forces, the Myanmar army has failed to seize control of the strategic town of Khampat in that country’s Sagaing region. Khampat, located in the Kabaw valley, is located close to the Indian state of Manipur. The town has historically been under the rule of the Burmese kings and the Manipur principality. During the division of territory between a British-ruled Manipur and the Burmese, the Kabaw valley had gone to Myanmar. Click here to read... [14]

Myanmar Rohingyas in Indonesia face uncertain future as local anger rises - The Star

On a remote island in northwestern Indonesia, just miles from the white sand beaches where more than a thousand Rohingya refugees have arrived since mid-November, throngs of residents marched outside a temporary shelter housing the newcomers. Click here to read... [15]

Tentative truce shows China’s influence – and its limits – in Myanmar - Aljazeera

China has emerged as the dominant foreign power in terms of shaping possible outcomes in Myanmar’s spiralling political crisis as Beijing seeks to exert its influence over several armed groups who have staged the biggest challenge to the generals since they seized power in the February 2021 coup. Click here to read... [16]

Nepal

SAARC CCI delegation holds key talks on South Asia’s development at meetings in Nepal - FT.LK

Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal recently emphasised “SAARC has enormous potential to alter our region’s development landscape,” during a call-on by SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation led by President Md. Jashim Uddin in Kathmandu, Nepal. During the two-day visit, the delegation also met Nepal Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, and SAARC Secretary General Md. Golam Sarwar followed by the celebrations of the 39th SAARC Charter Day and the 82nd Executive Committee Meeting of SAARC CCI. Click here to read... [17]

Ambassador Of India To Nepal H.E. Naveen Srivastava Met Nepal Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal - Orissa Diary

Ambassador of India to Nepal H.E. Naveen Srivastava paid a courtesy call on the Nepal Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal at her office today.Various aspects of Nepal-India relations were discussed on the occasion. Click here to read... [18]

Nepal Foreign Minister NP Saud Launched Today UNDP’s Regional Human Development Report 2024 - India Education Diary

Foreign Minister NP Saud launched today UNDP’s Regional Human Development Report 2024. Addressing the programme, FM complimented UNDP for promoting, through its flagship reports, the notion of human centric development. He highlighted Nepal’s efforts in integrating the concept of human development in its periodic plans and the progress made in social sectors. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan

New austerity steps await govt nod – Business Recorder

Fresh austerity measures for the current fiscal year 2023-24 are under submission to the prime minister for approval to control current expenditure, official documents of the Finance Division revealed. Documents noted that measures like a ban on the procurement of durable goods and vehicles are still in vogue and being implemented. Click here to read... [20]

‘Neither India, nor US but we…’: Nawaz Sharif on state of Pakistan’s economy – The Tribune

Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said neither India nor the US were behind the cash-strapped country’s miseries but “we shot ourselves in our own foot”, indirectly referring to the powerful military establishment for its woes. During a conversation with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket aspirants here, the party supremo, who is eying to become prime minister for a record fourth time, pointed out that he was ousted from power three times in 1993, 1999 and 2017. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan car sales struggled to cross 5,000 mark in November; India sold more cars in less than half-a-day – Business Today

The automotive industry in Pakistan is struggling, with car sales plummeting in November 2023. According to the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), only 4,875 cars were sold in that month, a significant drop from the 15,432 cars sold in the same period the previous year. Click here to read... [22]

2 soldiers killed as militants attack paramilitary troops in Pakistan – Deccan Herald

Militants attacked a team of paramilitary Frontier Corps in restive northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, killing two soldiers in an uptick in violence against security forces in the country. The militants fired at the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Frontier Corps from the nearby mountains in the Upper Bara area of Tirah Vally Khyber tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Click here to read... [23]

Sri Lanka

Low propensity to save leads to migrations of professionals: Parliament committee – Daily Mirror Online

Low propensity to save migrations had made most Sri Lankan professionals to migrate, a probe carried out by the Ways and Means Committee had revealed. It was revealed at the committee that some 1,500 doctors, 3,000 professionals in the banking sector and 100 engineers attached to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) have migrated as at September 30 this year. Click here to read... [24]

Ranil should be allowed to run the country for 12 more years: Vajira – Daily Mirror Online

People should give the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe the mandate to govern the nation for 12 more years, UNP MP Vajira Abeywardana said yesterday. Asked as to what election will be held first, the MP said a presidential election will be held first to prevent those who are engaged in international conspiracies to have their way. “President will decide on elections without leaving space for those who are engaged in conspiracies,” he said. Click here to read... [25]

Sri Lanka to reduce electricity tariff in Jan 2024 amid increasing hydropower generation - Investing.com

The Sri Lankan government will reduce the price of electricity during the next tariff revision in January 2024, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera told journalists. Addressing a press briefing at the Presidential Media Center, Wijesekera said on Tuesday that the state-owned electricity producer, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), is producing electricity mostly using hydropower. Click here to read... [26]