VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: November 17, 2020

PAKISTAN

PM says US pressuring Pakistan to recognise Israel: report: DAWN

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the country is facing great pressure from the United States to recognise Israel, especially in the wake of peace deals between several Arab states and Tel Aviv, but this will not be possible “unless there is a just settlement, which satisfies Palestine”. The prime minister was quoted as making these remarks by the Middle East Eye (MEE) website — a portal with a focus on the region — in a report carried on Monday. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Trump Preparing to Withdraw Troops from Afghanistan: Reports: TOLO News

Facing the end of his time in power, US President Donald Trump is pushing to accelerate withdrawals from Afghanistan, Iran and Somalia by the time he leaves office in January, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Under a draft order circulating at the Pentagon on Monday, the number of US forces in Afghanistan would be halved from the current deployment of 4,500 troops, The New York Times reported, quoting US officials. Click here to read... [3]

BANGLADESH

PM urges BNP to give up politics of violence: Dhaka Tribune

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged BNP to give up the politics of violence. She also asked the party to stop spreading conspiracies saying people would not accept them, nor would they believe them. She made the remarks while replying to a point of order in parliament on Monday. Earlier, while raising a point of order, BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid alleged that the government was oppressing BNP leaders by falsely implicating them in cases of arson attacks. Click here to read... [4]

NEPAL

Health Ministry has spent Rs20 billion on pandemic but infections continue to surge: The Kathmandu Post

The April 2015 earthquake was the biggest natural disaster in Nepal’s recent history. That is, before the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It killed nearly 9,000 and rendered tens of thousands homeless. Along with the private houses, hundreds of health facilities were destroyed, health workers were killed and injured, roads were blocked due to landslides triggered by the devastating quake. Click here to read... [5]

SRI LANKA

Dampened export performance for October: Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka’s export performance for the month of October witnessed a dip, primarily due to the adverse impacts of the second wave of the pandemic, both locally and globally. Statistics from Sri Lanka Customs showed that earnings from merchandise exports recorded a negative growth of 14.9 percent compared to the corresponding month the previous year, reaching to US$ 831.71 million. Click here to read... [6]