VIF Neighborhood News Digest: February 24, 2020

PAKISTAN

Govt. to help KE raise generation capacity by 1,600MW: Dawn
February 24, 2020

Amid delays in K-Electric takeover by the Shanghai Electric Limited (SEL) of China, the government has decided in principle to facilitate the Karachi-based power utility to increase its own generation capacity by 1,600MW and enhance supply from the national grid to 1,400MW on an urgent basis. For this to deliver, the government would immediately allow the KE to start construction of a 700MW coal-based project, provide about 150 million cubic feet of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) for another 900MW project and enhance power off-take from the national grid to 1,400MW through diversion of upcoming nuclear power projects in Karachi. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Ghani to Take Oath of Office for Presidency: Tolo
February 24, 2020

President Ghani to plans to take the oath of office for the presidency on Thursday, a source told TOLO news on Sunday. The Presidential Palace also confirmed that Ghani will do so in the upcoming days. The Independent Election Commission (IEC) granted a certificate to incumbent Ashraf Ghani, who on Tuesday was declared the winner of last September’s presidential elections. The announcement has sparked strong reactions from Ghani’s rivals, many of whom have already rejected the election results as a “fraud.” Click here to read... [3]

BANGLADESH

HC seeks Khaleda’s medical report, next hearing on February 27: Dhaka Tribune
February 24, 2020

The High Court has asked Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Kanak Kanti Barua to submit a medical report on Khaleda Zia’s latest health condition to it by 5pm on Wednesday. The bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq on Sunday asked the VC to submit the report through the Registrar General of the Supreme Court. The court also fixed Thursday 10:30am for hearing on Khaleda Zia’s bail petition in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. Click here to read... [4]

MYANMAR

EU to send another monitoring mission to Myanmar, ambassador says: Myanmar Times
February 24, 2020

An EU monitoring mission is expected to visit Myanmar again before this summer following the EU commission’s decision to withdraw Cambodia’s market privileges in mid-February. Kristian Schmidt, the EU ambassador to Myanmar, told the Myanmar Times in an exclusive interview that he expects the mission to arrive before summer. The EU last sent a mission to the country in October 2018, after which the trade commission announced it was considering revoking trade privileges offered to Myanmar due to human-rights violations in northern Rakhine. Click here to read... [5]

NEPAL

Ruling party's plan to amend the constitution could invite a host of issues: The Kathmandu Post
February 24, 2020

Recent developments in the ruling Nepal Communist Party are certain to have an impact on the internal power equation but they are also likely to impact larger national politics. Saturday’s Secretariat meeting formed a three-member taskforce to amend the constitution to give a National Assembly member the same status as a member of the House of Representatives. Click here to read... [6]

BHUTAN

Economy slugs in the year of the Pig: Kuenselonline
February 24, 2020

If the economy of a country is judged by what is happening in the private sector, the Year of the Pig was the laziest in terms of economic activity. Representatives of the sector accused the government of not injecting enough investment in the economy to keep it buzzing and therefore, forced the sector to tighten its belt, some even resorting to downsizing and retrenchment. Click here to read... [7]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka says it will withdraw from UN rights resolution: Al Jazeera
February 24, 2020

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, who oversaw a brutal end to a decades-long conflict with Tamil separatists, said on Wednesday the country was withdrawing from a United Nations resolution investigating alleged war crimes. Mahinda Rajapaksa was president when Sri Lankan troops defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009, but rights groups accused the army of killing at least 40,000 civilians in the final months of the conflict. Click here to read... [8]

CHINA

Xinhua Headlines: Xi stresses unremitting efforts in COVID-19 control, coordination on economic, social development: Xinhuanet
February 24, 2020

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed unremitting efforts in the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic and coordination in advancing economic and social development. Click here to read... [9]

Xi sets out major tasks for officials: China Daily
February 24, 2020

President Xi Jinping set out eight requirements at a key meeting held on Sunday, including taking more targeted tax-cut measures and stabilizing employment, to resume the nation's economic activities in an orderly way. Click here to read... [10]

Beggar-thy-neighbor practices don’t help with global epidemic control: People’s Daily
February 24, 2020

After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly advised against travel or trade restrictions and called on all countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based and convincing. Click here to read... [11]