Neighbourhood News Digest- 27 December 2023

Afghanistan

Stanikzai admits failure in reopening girls’ schools beyond 6th grade to Iranian delegation- The Khama Press

Abbas Stanikzai, the political deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban administration, has informed an Iranian delegation that they have been unable to create conditions for reopening schools to girls above the sixth grade. Click here to read... [2]

Kazakhstan donates over $400 million to Afghanistan in 2023- The Khama Press

Kazakhstan’s media have reported that since the beginning of this year, the country has provided $472 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. On Monday, the Kazinform news agency of Kazakhstan published a report saying that these humanitarian aids include both food and non-food assistance. Click here to read... [3]

Bangladesh

BGB to be deployed from Dec 29: home minister - The Daily Star

Aiming to maintain overall peace and law and order in the country, Border Guard Bangladesh will be deployed across the country from December 29 ahead of the next parliamentary election alongside the Army, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday. Click here to read... [4]

High interest rates propelling bank deposits – Dhaka Tribune

The demand for liquid money in the banking sector is on the rise as lending to the government continues. Besides, the interest rate ceiling has also been lifted. In such a situation, the interest rate for deposits is also increasing. Click here to read... [5]

Gonotantri Party: SC order on its participation in polls today – The Daily Star

The Supreme Court chamber judge will pass an order today on whether the candidates of two factions of the Awami League alliance Gonotantri Party can contest the elections. Justice M Enayetur Rahim yesterday fixed the date to deliver order on two petitions. Click here to read... [6]

Hefajat postpones December 29 rally – The Daily Star

Hefajat-e-Islami Bangladesh has postponed its scheduled rally on December 29 in Dhaka considering the present situation of the country. Kifayatullah Azhari, publicity secretary of Hefajat, said this today in a statement. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

Political parties grapple with electoral law violations– Kuensel

The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) and the Office of Media Arbitrator (OMA) have been actively working to raise awareness and prevent violations of electoral laws. Despite their efforts, there have been numerous complaints against both the Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Both the parties have also been discouraging the party members and supporters from violating electoral laws. Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

India emerges as top tourist market to Maldives again– Sun Online International

Statistics publicized by the Tourism Ministry show that Maldives recorded 205,278 arrivals from India so far this year – making up 11.2 percent of the total arrivals. This has effectively pushed back Russia, the former top tourist market to the Maldives, to second place. While Maldives has recorded 203.539 tourist arrivals from Russia so far, it makes up for 11.1 percent of the total arrivals. Click here to read... [9]

Gov't signs MoU to upgrade utility services in Villimale'– PSM News

The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with utility companies to upgrade utility services in Villimale'. The environment ministry signed the MoU with State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) and the Maldives Water and Sewerage Company Limited (MWSC). The purpose of the MoU is to identify the challenges and problems with the electricity, water supply and sewerage systems in Villimale' and what needs to be done to solve the problems and keep pace with the increasing demand on the island. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar

Military burned more than 440 bodies over 19-month period - RFA

More than 440 bodies, mostly those of civilians, were burned by ruling junta forces across Myanmar between March 2022 and September 2023, according to a report by a U.K.-based nonprofit group dedicated to exposing human rights abuses and war crimes. The report from the Centre for Information Resilience, or CIR, said the military regime’s soldiers have routinely set villages ablaze and torched civilians – including some believed to be burned alive – amid the ongoing conflict with anti-junta forces to spread fear and control the population. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar's leader co-chairs China-backed Mekong summit - Nikkei Asia

Myanmar's leader has chaired a major regional summit for the first time since the military took power in February 2021, in a meeting that affirmed closer ties with China. Myanmar Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese Premier Li Qiang co-chaired Monday's Lancang-Mekong Cooperation leaders meeting. "Lancang" is the river's name in China. Click here to read... [12]

Manipur: Betel nut smuggling attempt thwarted at Indo-Myanmar border - NE Now

A team of Assam Rifles seized tons of raw betel nuts being illegally brought into India from Myanmar through Manipur’s Tengnoupal district. The haul, estimated to be worth over Rs 83 lakh, was discovered during a strategic ambush near the Ch Tengnoupal village on Monday. Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

Nepal PM Prachanda Vows To Change Working Style As His Government Completes One Year - Outlook India

Nepal will focus its attention towards “game changer” mega hydropower projects, Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said on Tuesday while vowing to change the “traditional” style of working and policy making. “The situation has been created in such a way to allow Nepal to forge partnerships with India, Bangladesh, and China in the area of power trade, the government will now shift its attention to the game changer mega projects,” the prime minister said as he addressed the nation on the completion of one year by the coalition government formed under his leadership. Click here to read... [14]

China-Nepal cultural exchange exhibition fosters the enduring bilateral friendship - Global Times

To share the history of the Miaoying Temple as well as the cultural exchange between China and Nepal, a recent exhibition titled "Sino-Nepal Friendship Across the Himalayas, A Better Understanding Through Bilateral Cultural Communications" opened at the temple on Friday. Click here to read... [15]

Around 100 Nepalis who joined Russian Army are missing: Foreign Minister Saud - Devidiscourse

The concern is that a significant number may have joined the Russian Army, he maintained.The number of Nepalese joining the Russian Army may be higher than that, he added.At least four Nepalese are Prisoners of War POW in Ukraine. Nepal's Foreign Minister NP Saud on Tuesday said that around 100 Nepalis who joined the Russian Army have been reported missing. Out of several Nepalis who have joined the Russian army, seven individuals have lost their lives, according to Foreign Ministry sources here. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

Buner’s first woman minority candidate to stand in upcoming elections- Dawn

Dr Saveera Parkash, a member of the Hindu community, is set to be the first woman minority candidate to stand in the forthcoming general elections from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner district after submitting her nomination papers for the general seat of PK-25. Click here to read... [17]

Peshawar High Court hands ‘bat’ back to PTI- Dawn

In another legal victory for the PTI, the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday suspended an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which had declared the former ruling party’s intra-party polls ‘void’ and revoked its electoral symbol last week. Click here to read... [18]

Sri Lanka

Anti-corruption drive hindered over difference between CC and Executive – Daily Mirror Online

The appointment of the members to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has now been delayed for nearly one month due to difference of opinion between the Constitutional Council (CC) and the Executive on the nominees, Daily Mirror learns. The CC is reported to have endorsed one time Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Neil Iddawela as the Chairman of the Commission as recommended by the Executive. Click here to read... [19]

Leadership Council for UNP during the New Year – Daily Mirror Online

The UNP is to appoint a leadership council to run the party during the new year, with party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe expecting to hand over some powers to the new body. The leadership council is expected to comprise Ruwan Wijewardene, Harin Fernando, Vajira Abeywardena, Ravi Karunanayake Sagala Ratnayake, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Palitha Range Bandara. Click here to read... [20]

“Sri Lanka recovered from worst economic crisis sooner than expected” – Daily News

A well-coordinated and focused implementation effort by the government, policymakers and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka saw Sri Lanka recovering from its worst economic crisis sooner than expected opined Governor Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe at the Macroprudential Surveillance Department (MSD) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) organized Press Conference held on the “Financial Stability Review 2023” in the Atrium of the CBSL Head Office on Friday. Click here to read... [21]