Neighborhood News Digest- 09 January 2024

Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate’s PM Meets Pakistan’s Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman- Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate’s Prime Minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, received the Pakistani delegation led by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, the leader of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party. Click here to read... [2]

Ministry Launches Campaign to Solicit Public Opinion on Governance-Tolo News

The Ministry of Information and Culture launched a campaign to collect the opinion of the people regarding governance. The campaign launched by the Ministry of Information and Culture is titled “Prosperous and Responsible Government” and, includes the people, analysts, investors and social activists who will share their views with the government officials. Click here to read... [3]

Taliban detains group of women at Khair Khana, Kabul- The Khama Press

The Taliban’s Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice officials have detained and imprisoned dozens of women and girls in Kabul, citing the reason as “non-compliance with Taliban’s dress code.” " target="_blank">Click here to read... [4]

American University of Afghanistan resumes online classes, especially for girls-The Khama Press

The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) has introduced an online Transition to Success (TTS) program to support higher education opportunities for Afghan students, particularly women and girls, inside Afghanistan, and maintain an educated workforce “which will be the basis for political and economic stabilization in Afghanistan,” the University said on its social media platform X. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s elections were not free and fair: US - The Daily Star

The United States has said the January 7 national elections were not "free and fair". "The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties participated," said the State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement early today. Click here to read... [6]

Record number of independents triumph in Bangladesh election – Dhaka Tribune

The highest number of independent MP hopefuls–61 to be exact–emerged victorious in Sunday’s election, setting a new record in Bangladesh’s political history. In the 1973 general election, five independents secured victory, followed by 16 in 1979, 32 in 1986, 25 in 1988, three in 1991, 10 in 1986, one in 1996, seven in 2001, four in 2008, 16 in 2014, and three in 2018. Click here to read... [7]

India is a great friend of Bangladesh, says Sheikh Hasina after her win – The New Indian Express

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sheikh Hasina for being re-elected as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina, in her first press conference, after her electoral victory said that India is a great friend of Bangladesh. Click here to read... [8]

BNP shelves plans for hartal, blockade for now – The Daily Star

BNP will not go for any hartal and blockade-like programmes over the next few days even though the party outright rejected the poll results. The party, which is the main opposition for the Awami League, wants to continue with its peaceful programmes including mass contact and leaflet distribution to garner public support for its demand for election under a neutral government. Click here to read... [9]

Nasrul Hamid: New cabinet may be formed by Jan 15 – Dhaka Tribune

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that a new cabinet may be formed by January 15. He also said that the supply of power and energy at affordable prices will be the main challenge for the new government. Click here to read... [10]

Bhutan

Parties contribute at least half a million in fines to ECB – Kuensel

Presidents of Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), their candidates and supporters contributed at least half a million Ngultrums to the Election Commission of Bhutan in fine for breaching election rules, mostly social media regulations up to the poll day today. As of yesterday, a total of 32 individuals have been warned and fined by the Office of the Media Arbitrator of the Election Commission of Bhutan for violating social media regulations during the general round of the election. Click here to read... [11]

Bhutan votes today as economic crisis hits 'national happiness' – Hindustan Times

Bhutan is conducting general elections on Tuesday amid significant economic challenges, raising questions about the country's longstanding commitment to prioritize "Gross National Happiness" over economic growth, as reported by Al Jazeera. Click here to read... [12]

Maldives

China on India-Maldives row: ‘Never asked them to reject New Delhi’– The Hindustan Times

Chinese state media Global Times, stated that; “China has always treated the Maldives as an equal partner and respected its sovereignty. It also respects the friendly and cooperative relationship between the Maldives and India, fully aware of the importance for Malé to maintain good relations with New Delhi. Beijing has never asked Malé to reject New Delhi because of the conflicts between China and India, nor does it view cooperation between the Maldives and India as unfriendly or a threat. It is also willing to carry out trilateral cooperation between China, India and the Maldives. New Delhi should stay more open-minded, as China's cooperation with South Asian countries is not a ‘zero-sum game’." Click here to read... [13]

India Summons Maldives Envoy Amid Row Over Remarks Against PM Modi– NDTV

The statements, made by three Deputy Ministers, followed massive outrage within the Maldives with several prominent leaders criticising the remarks against the nation's "closest neighbour". Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed described the remarks as “appalling" and asked President Mohamed Muizzu's government to distance itself from these comments. Following this India Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Maldives High Commissioner Ibrahim Shaheeb, on January 8. Click here to read... [14]

Indian envoy meets Maldivian government hours after New Delhi’s summons amid row- India Today

Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Munu Mahawar on Monday met Maldivian Foreign Ministry officials in what is said to be a pre-arranged meeting. This came hours after the External Affairs Ministry summoned Maldivian envoy Ibrahim Shaheeb to its South Block venue in New Delhi amid an ongoing controversy over insulting remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following his recent Lakshadweep visit. Click here to read... [15]

Myanmar

Myanmar issues remain central in Indonesia's diplomacy: Minister - Antara News

Indonesia affirmed that it would continue to pay special attention to issues related to humanitarian and political crises in Myanmar in its diplomatic activities even after concluding its chairmanship term in ASEAN last year. Click here to read... [16]

Myanmar: Clashes in northern and western regions persist as of Jan. 9 after armed groups seize Kokang region - Crisis 24

Significant ground, air transport, and land border transit disruptions continue as armed clashes in northern and western Myanmar persist as of Jan. 9. Resistance forces have effectively gained control of the Kokang region after seizing the capital of Laukkaing. Click here to read... [17]

Hopes and fears seen as Myanmar junta eases forex rules to raise foreign currency – RFA

At the end of last year, weeks before the third anniversary of the 2021 military coup that plunged Myanmar into chaos and war, the junta-controlled central bank took the rare step of freeing up its strict foreign exchange controls. The Dec. 6 move by the Central Bank of Myanmar would mean that “buyers and sellers can set exchange rates by themselves depending on the market trends,” the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported. Click here to read... [18]

Nepal

Nepal-India friendly bus service starts in Pyuthan - My Republica

Nepal-India friendly bus service has started from Pyuthan Buspark Tikuri in Pyuthan to New Delhi, the capital of India. Saroj Thapa, Minister of Industry and Transport, Government of Lumbini Province, inaugurated the service at a function held here on Monday. On that occasion, Minister Thapa said that the government has prioritized the management of the transport sector. Click here to read... [19]

Nepal records highest quantity of paddy production this year - My Republica

Nepal recorded the largest paddy production in its history this year. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoAL), the country produced the largest quantity of paddy in the current fiscal year (FY) 2023/24. Click here to read... [20]

Pakistan

PTI asks SC to take notice of Sunday’s internet disruption – Dawn

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has urged the Supreme Court to take notice of the suspension of internet service and blockage of social media websites during the party’s fundraising telethon on Sunday. Telecom operators have also expres­sed concern over frequent internet outages “on political grounds”. Click here to read... [21]

Nawaz Sharif's win? Pakistan court removes lifetime election bans on convicts – Hindustan Times

Pakistan's Supreme Court scrapped lifetime bans from contesting elections for people with past convictions. Pakistan Chief Justice Faez Isa read the order in a live telecast broadcast on the court's website as per news agency Reuters. This paves the way for former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to run in next month's national election. Click here to read... [22]

US designates China, Pakistan as ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ for severe violations of religious freedom – The Print

The US has designated China, North Korea and Pakistan as “Countries of Particular Concern” for engaging in and tolerating “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Announcing the Religious Freedom Designations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that advancing the freedom of religion or belief has been a core objective of US foreign policy ever since Congress passed and enacted the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998. Click here to read... [23]

TTP militants kill six Pakistani policemen going to escort polio vaccination team – The Hindu

A bomb explosion targeting policemen going to provide security for polio vaccination workers killed at least six of them and injured 22 others in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on January 8, in the latest terror attack claimed by the dreaded Pakistani Taliban. Click here to read... [24]

Sri Lanka

SL to lure 1mn Chinese tourists under ‘Ni Hao Zhong Guo’ programme – Daily Mirror Online

Sri Lanka is actively working towards increasing the influx of international visitors from China, with plans underway to lure one million tourists in 2025, under the ‘Ni Hao Zhong Guo’ programme. The first Chinese tourist group to Sri Lanka through the Ni Hao Zhong Guo programme is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka between January and February 2024. Click here to read... [25]

Protest against TIN – Daily Mirror Online

The 'New Wings' organization held a protest in front of the Fort railway stations in Colombo today against the recent increase in the Value-Added Tax (VAT) to 18 percent with the intention of increasing state revenue to more than Rs. 4 trillion by the end 2024 and the Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) system introduced by the Government. Click here to read... [26]

13 Indian fishermen repatriated from Sri Lanka to Chennai – The Print

As many as 13 Indian fishermen were repatriated from Sri Lanka to Chennai on Tuesday, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a statement. Earlier on January 5, 21 Indian fishermen were repatriated from Sri Lanka to Chennai, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka informed through a statement. Click here to read... [27]