Neighborhood News Digest- 22 March 2024

Afghanistan

Explosion in first district of Kandahar city leaves 21 dead, 50 injured-The Khama Press

According to sources from Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan, it was claimed that in the explosion on Thursday in the first district of this city, at least 21 people were killed and 50 others were wounded, local media reported. The suicide bomber passed through inspection checkpoints and detonated explosive materials among Taliban members gathered outside the Kabul Bank branch, awaiting their salaries, as reported by Afghanistan International. Click here to read... [2]

Azerbaijan Embassy Opens in Kabul: Islamic Emirate-Tolo News

The Islamic Emirate said that Azerbaijan has opened its embassy in Kabul and plans to send its diplomats to this country in the coming days. The spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate calls on the international community to renew its diplomatic relations with the caretaker government. Click here to read... [3]

Efforts to Expand Activities of Italian Embassy in Afghanistan-Tolo News

Natalia Quintavalle, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Italian Embassy for Afghanistan, has announced efforts to expand the embassy's activities in the country during a meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister. The Foreign Ministry has written in a statement that bilateral cooperation between the countries and the Islamic Emirate were also discussed in this meeting. Click here to read... [4]

US to issue more Special Immigration Visas for former Afghan allies-The Khama Press

According to an agreement between the Biden administration and Republicans in Congress, more visas are being issued for Afghans who worked with the United States. It is expected that 38,500 special visas will be granted to Afghans by August under this new agreement, allowing an additional 12,000 visas to be issued. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

PM seeks India’s support to import power from Bhutan- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday sought assistance from India for importing electricity from Bhutan through its territories. She made the request when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma called on her at the Gono Bhaban. Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM's speech writer M Nazrul Islam said, "The prime minister has sought support from India to import electricity from Bhutan smoothly." Click here to read... [6]

World Happiness Report 2024: Only 14 countries unhappier than Bangladesh-The Daily Star

Only 14 countries in the world are less happy than Bangladesh according to the "World Happiness Report 2024". Bangladesh ranked 129th out of 143 countries this year. The country was in 118th place out of 137 nations last year. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

PM Modi embarks on two-day visit to Bhutan- Indian Express

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday embarked on a two-day visit to Bhutan, his first after the new government took office in the Himalayan nation. This visit is part of the Indian government’s emphasis on its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. The Prime Minister is scheduled to receive a grand welcome at the Tashichho Dzong, a traditional Buddhist monastery and the seat of the Bhutanese government. Click here to read... [8]

Declining birth rate: One mouth better than two hands?- Kuensel

To get past the trending norms of having just two children, that has come to comprise and define a Bhutanese family today, the government has pledged to provide Nu 10,000 per month till the child attains the age of three. However, looking at the statistics, and the conscience among the child-bearing and child-rearing Bhutanese, it might require more than monetary incentives to have larger families today. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

Ahead Of Parliamentary Polls, India Hopeful Of Overcoming Strategic Setback - Strat News Global

At a time when Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port is under Chinese control (China Merchant Ports holds an 85% stake), India’s diminished influence in the Maldives following the election of President Mohammad Muizzu, has strategic implications. Former diplomats and naval officers say Maldives is the strategic point by which India could keep “watch on ships operating in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which includes Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshwadeep, and the Andaman Sea.” Click here to read... [10]

Maldives, Turkey to enter preferential trade agreement – Rajje

The governments of Maldives and Turkey are currently in negotiations to enter a preferential trade agreement. This was revealed by the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed via a post on social media platform ‘X’, announcing that efforts are underway to take the relations between the two countries, to the next level. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

Junta navy arrests around 80 Rohingya off Myanmar coast - Benar News

The Myanmar junta’s navy arrested around 80 Rohingya attempting to flee the country by boat, residents who witnessed the event told Radio Free Asia (RFA), a BenarNews affiliate, on Thursday. Officials arrested the group on Tuesday morning in Myanmar’s coastal Mon state. The boat was intercepted off the shores of Ye township’s Kaleguak Island in the Andaman Sea. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar’s junta shuts down public hospital in wartorn township – RFA

Junta authorities closed a public hospital and several private clinics in a wartorn area of Myanmar’s western Rakhine state and ordered doctors and other medical personnel to relocate to the state capital, leaving residents without access to healthcare. It’s the latest example of how Myanmar’s three-year civil war has taken a huge toll on hospitals and schools, which have also been forced to close. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar Rebels Deploy Drone Fleet to Push Back Military - Defense Post

Myanmar rebels credit a new fleet of armed drones with helping them retake a large portion of the northwestern Chin state from government forces in the last year. A total of 70 percent of Chin is now controlled by the Chin National Army (CNA), which fields a fleet of thousands of commercial and agriculture drones, The Guardian reported. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha steps up consultations ahead of China visit- The Kathmandu Post

Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha steps up consultations ahead of China visit. Soon after changing his governing alliance with the Nepali Congress, Prime Minister Pusha Kamal Dahal is sending Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha to China. Click here to read... [15]

PM Dahal sees need of eliminating caste-based discrimination for just society-Nepal News

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has underlined the need of eliminating all sorts of discriminations against humanity. In his address to a function organised marking the 59th International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination here today, the Prime Minister announced that until discrimination is not eliminated, the accomplishments of change could not be safeguarded. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

Shehbaz hints at tough economic measures- The Express Tribune

Addressing the meeting of the Apex Committee of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the prime minister said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had concluded the review for issuance of the last tranche of $1.1 billion that hopefully be received by next month. After this, he said Pakistan also wanted to start another programme with the IMF for a period of three years during which the government will take strict measures to bring deep-rooted structural reforms in the country. Click here to read... [17]

‘Imran’s presence’ in Punjab Assembly stirs drama-Dawn

Jailed PTI founder Imran Khan was conspicuous by his “presence” in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday as a portrait of the ex-PM, placed on the opposition leader’s seat, triggered chaotic scenes in the house, prompting a walkout by treasury members after the chair declined to take any action. Click here to read... [18]

Airstrikes targeted terrorists, not Afghan civilians: FO- The Express Tribune

Addressing the weekly briefing, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Islamabad had provided Kabul with evidence of terrorists on Afghan soil a number of times, maintaining that the country will not tolerate terrorist activities on its territory. The Foreign Office said on Thursday that the airstrikes by the Pakistan armed forces on targets in Afghanistan hit terrorists and not the local civilian population. Click here to read... [19]

Srilanka

IMF reaches staff-level agreement with SL on second review-Daily Mirror

The IMF team reached staff-level agreement with the Sri Lankan authorities on the second review under the economic reform program supported by a 4-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement and concluded the 2024 Article IV Consultation discussions. Addressing the media, IMF Senior Mission Chief Peter Breuer said the staff-level agreement is subject to the approval by IMF management and the IMF Executive Board in the period ahead. Click here to read... [20]

Speaker says foreign powers asked him to take over Presidency during Aragalaya-The Island Online

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday revealed in Parliament that he had been asked by some foreign powers to take over the executive presidency while the country was in crisis owing to the Aragalaya protests. “The objective of those who made that request was to create another Libya or Afghanistan here. They did not want to resolve the crisis or restore law and order to protect this country,” the Speaker said. Click here to read... [21]