Neighborhood News Digest - 08 April 2024

Afghanistan

Taliban erects Kandahar Mosque walls amid potential ISIS threat to Hibatullah Akhundzada-The Khama Press

According to local media reports, the Taliban is constructing security walls or T-walls around the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar due to concerns about security threats from potential ISIS attacks during Eid ul-Fitr prayers. Videos show the Taliban constructing security walls around the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar due to concerns that Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s supreme leader, might be targeted by ISIS during Eid prayers, as reported by Afghanistan International citing its sources. Click here to read... [2]

Work Begins on Chinese-Funded Nilabagh Project in Kabul-Tolo News

The start of a residential project called Nilabagh, for which $71 million has been invested by a Chinese company, was celebrated in Kabul on Sunday. According to officials at the Ministry of Urban Development and Land, this project will include 1,400 residential apartments across 56 blocks, and is planned to be completed under the supervision of this ministry within 3 years. Click here to read... [3]

Australian Media reports Taliban shift to Methamphetamine production after poppy ban-The Khama Press

The Australian weekly “Saturday Paper” reported that the Taliban, following the announcement of the poppy cultivation ban, has shifted its focus to the production and trafficking of methamphetamine instead of heroin. According to the report, a significant portion of methamphetamine (crystal meth) originates from Afghanistan and reaches drug markets in Australia. Click here to read... [4]

Two thousand Afghan prisoners will be released on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr-The Khama Press

The Taliban authorities have announced that they will release two thousand prisoners across Afghanistan on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr. The Bakhtar News Agency, under Taliban control, reported on Sunday, April 7th, that Abdul Wali Mahmood, the deputy director of the Taliban’s court inspection department, said the process of identifying deserving prisoners for release continues. Click here to read... [5]

Bhutan

Non-hydro debt set to reach threshold with Nu 35 billion borrowing in FY 2024-25-Kuensel Online

The government can borrow an extra Nu 35.88 billion as non-hydro debt in the fiscal year 2024-25, based on the projected gross domestic product (GDP) for that period. According to the Public Debt Management Policy 2023, which requires that the non-hydro debt should not exceed 55 percent of GDP annually, the government could potentially borrow up to Nu 130.19 billion in the fiscal year 2024-25. Click here to read... [6]

The legislature must amend the evidence Act for justice-Kuensel Online

Bhutan’s legal landscape in private law pertaining to agreements must be transformed, particularly with the enactment of the Contract Act in 2013. This Act is derived primarily from the Indian Contract Act of 1872 and the Restatement (Second) of Contracts from the United States both in substance and formulation. This Act would suit well in emerging issues arising from private contractual disputes. However, there are some serious challenges as it contradicts the Evidence Act 2005. Click here to read... [7]

Bangladesh

Govt asks ministries to brace for further belt-tightening in budget - The Daily Star

The finance ministry has instructed ministries and divisions not to seek any block allocation in the upcoming budget to avoid misuse of the hard-earned money since the government's capacity to spend has been constrained by lower tax collections. Click here to read... [8]

Brazil to help Bangladesh join BRICS – The Daily Star

Visiting Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira yesterday said his country would consider Bangladesh's keen interest to become a BRICS member "very strongly and positively". Click here to read... [9]

Bangladesh, Brazil sign deal to exchange expertise for mutual advancement – Dhaka Tribune

Bangladesh and Brazil have signed an agreement to use each other’s “strengths and resources” for technical cooperation and economic development. Visiting foreign minister Mauro Vieira signed the Basic Agreement on Technical Cooperation (TCA) with his counterpart, Dr Hasan Mahmud, after the bilateral meeting at the state guesthouse Jamuna. Click here to read... [10]

Teknaf residents terrified as shelling, gunfire echo across Naf River – Dhaka Tribune

Panic gripped residents of Teknaf on Sunday as the sound of gunfire and shelling intensified across the Naf River in Myanmar amidst clashes and exchanges of fire between the Arakan Army and the armed forces in Rakhine State. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives

Maldives actively participates at 55th HRC Session – Raajje

The delegation of Maldives actively participated in the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council was held in Geneva, Switzerland. It wrapped up on April 5. The Human Rights Council passed 34 resolutions and appointed 14 special procedures mandate holders during the session. Click here to read... [12]

Maldives thanks India for sending essential commodities amid tensions, Jaishankar responds – Mint

After months of diplomatic tension, the Maldives has thanked India for renewing the quota to import essential commodities during 2024 and 2025. In a post on the social media site X (formerly known as Twitter), the Maldives' Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer extended his thanks on behalf of the island nation. India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also took to X, to respond, stating that India is ‘committed to its neighbourhood first and SAGAR policies’. Click here to read... [13]

India steps up supply of essential commodities to Maldives in 2024-25 – CNBC TV 18

At the request of the Maldives government, India has allowed the export of certain quantities of essential commodities for the year 2024-25. Announcing this through a post on social media platform X, the Indian High Commissioner said that this was being done under a unique bilateral mechanism under which the quotas for each of these items have been revised upwards. Click here to read... [14]

Myanmar

For peace, Myanmar needs outside help. Friends, including India, must step in - India Express

Myanmar has been at war with itself for the past three years. The military coup in February 2021 unleashed a chain of violent conflicts in many parts of the country, resulting in its de facto division into a section where the military government called the State Administration Council (SAC) still rules and another where the Resistance is in charge. The latter projects that the tide is now turning in its favour. What is the ground reality? On a recent visit to Bangkok, this writer interacted with a group of regional experts on Myanmar. Click here to read... [15]

Myanmar military loses border town in another big defeat - BBC

The military regime which seized power in Myanmar three years ago has suffered another big defeat, this time on the eastern border with Thailand. Troops had suffered weeks of attacks by ethnic Karen insurgents, allied with other anti-coup forces. Hundreds of troops guarding the vital border town of Myawaddy have now agreed to surrender. Most of Myanmar's overland trade with Thailand passes through Myawaddy. On Friday, the Karen National Union announced that it had accepted the surrender of a battalion based in the town of Thanganyinaung, about 10km (6.2 miles) west of Myawaddy. Click here to read... [16]

Drone Strikes on Myanmar Military Capitol Signify Deteriorating Situation - AsiaSentinel

Myanmar’s civil war entered a dramatic new phase late last week with an attack by multiple drones against the capital Naypyidaw. An estimated 23 fixed-wing drones targeted the military headquarters and the air force runway at Naypyidaw airport, and reportedly also targeted the residence of the head of the State Administration Council (SAC), Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Click here to read... [17]

Nepal

Nepal proposes customs pact with India to curb border trade offences

Nepal has proposed a customs agreement with India that will enable exchange of information which could help in preventing and reducing customs related offences across the border. India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and shares a border of over 1850 km with five Indian states – Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Since most of the trade takes place through land, the instances of offences are high and the Nepalese proposal (once accepted by India) could reduce them. Click here to read... [18]

Massive clash between protesters and police leaves six injured in Nepal - Assam Tribune

As many as six people sustained injuries, including two police personnel and several people were arrested after a clash broke out between the members of the National Liberation Movement and the police in Nepal on Saturday. The incident occurred near Singha Durbar, the administrative capital of Nepal. According to reports, the clash erupted when members of the National Liberation Movement, led by Madesh-based leader Rajendra Mahato, held a protest march in Kathmandu, demanding recognition of states on the basis of ethnicity. Click here to read... [19]

Nepal Army to collect 10 tonnes of garbage from Mount Everest - Deccan Herald

A 12-member team led by Maj. Aditya Karki will embark on the Everest base camp on April 14 to bring the garbage from Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse and Mt. Nuptse, according to a source from the Nepal Army. The source said an 18-member Sherpa team will assist the army in its cleaning expedition. The expedition, to be flagged off by Nepal Army chief Gen. Prabhuram Sharma here on April 11, will bring at least 10 tonnes of garbage and five dead bodies of climbers lying unattended in the mountain, Nepal Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Krishna Prasad Bhandari said. Click here to read... [20]

Pakistan

PM Shehbaz meets Saudi crown prince in Makkah-Dawn

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Sunday after the Saudi premier extended a special invitation to him for an iftar dinner in Makkah. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Mr Sharif appreciated the upward trajectory of longstanding fraternal relations and reaffirmed the resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties. The prime minister and members of his cabinet earlier left for Makkah to perform Umrah, the PM Office media wing said. Click here to read... [21]

Sikh pilgrims to arrive on 13th for mela-The Express Tribune

Sikh pilgrims from India will come to Pakistan on April 13 to participate in the celebrations of Khalsa Janma Day and Vasakhi Mela. Officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Pradhan and other Sikh leaders will welcome the guests. ETB Secretary Farid Iqbal said all facilities would be provided to the Sikh pilgrims. In this regard, arrangements under the supervision of the Board's Additional Secretary Shrines Rana Shahid Saleem have been finalized. The main ceremony will be held at Gurudwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal, on April 14. Click here to read... [22]

World Bank wants unified GST collection agency-Dawn

The World Bank has asked Pakistan to adopt a national fiscal policy by aligning federal and provincial spending with constitutional mandates, merge various federal and provincial revenue agencies into a single general sales tax (GST) collection agency, and effectively tax agriculture, capital gains and real estate in the next fiscal year’s budget. Click here to read... [23]

Sri Lanka

Govt. settles US$ 2bn foreign debt and interest – Daily Mirror

The government announced that it has been successful in settling a total of US$ 1909.7 million in foreign debt and interest payments within a time-frame of about 19 months. Click here to read... [24]

US expresses support for Sri Lanka’s economic reform efforts – Daily Mirror

The US has expressed support for Sri Lanka's security and sovereignty and its ongoing efforts to complete the fiscal, monetary, and governance elements of its IMF bailout programme. Click here to read... [25]

President highlights absence of UNP policies in SJB – Daily News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the present Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) lacks the policies of the United National Party (UNP), with its economic strategy now being overseen by individuals who was expurgated by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Click here to read... [26]