VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: September 08, 2021

Afghanistan

Taliban Announces Head of State, Acting Ministers: Tolo News

After over two weeks of a power vacuum in the country, the Taliban on Tuesday evening announced a caretaker cabinet. In the new cabinet, Mullah Hassan Akhund has been appointed as the head of state (prime minister).
Click here to read... [2]

Afghan Politicians React to War in Panjshir: Tolo News

Abdullah, referring to the war in Panjshir, wrote on his Facebook page that imposing demands on people by force will not have positive results and will lead to the continuation of conflict and suffering.
Click here to read... [3]

Taliban ban travels to abroad until cabinet is announced: The Khaama Press

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said that people will not be allowed to travel abroad until the new cabinet is complete and Hamid Karzai International Airport is fully prepared.
Click here to read... [4]

Journalists beaten, detained while covering protest in Kabul: The Khaama Press

The Taliban fighters have beaten four Afghan journalists and cameramen and have temporarily detained others as they tried to cover a protest. Afghan journalists say that they were not allowed to cover the protest and their equipment was taken.
Click here to read... [5]

Hundreds chanting slogans against Pakistan in Kabul: The Khaama Press

A number of men and women took to the streets of Kabul chanting slogans against Pakistan as they claim the country’s jets conducted airstrikes in Panjshir province.
Click here to read... [6]

Bangladesh

Padma Bridge Rail Link: May not be ready when bridge opens- Daily Star

It is uncertain whether the rail and road communication on the long-cherished Padma Bridge can be opened for the public on the same day, likely in June next year.
Click here to read... [7]

International Literacy Day: 50 lakhs to be made literate- Daily Star

The government is working on a programme that aims at providing basic literacy knowledge to 50 lakh people aged 15 and above and skill development training to five lakh of them.
Click here to read... [8]

Dengue: Record 343 patients hospitalized, no new death reported in 24 hrs- The Independent

Although no death from dengue was reported in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, a record 343 patients were hospitalised with the mosquito-borne disease, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
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89 officials promoted to addl secy- The Independent

The government has elevated 89 joint secretaries to the rank of additional secretary. The Public Administration Ministry issued two separate notifications in this regard on Tuesday.
Click here to read... [10]

Late budget spending spree causes wastage- New Age

Sluggish spending initially and a spending spree in the latter part of financial years due to lack of proper planning by ministries and divisions have been causing financial indiscipline and wastage of funds for years.
Click here to read... [11]

Home ministry to seek PM’s decision on Khaleda family’s appeal- New Age

The home ministry will send to prime minister Sheikh Hasina an application submitted by the family of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia to allow the former prime minister to go abroad for treatment.
Click here to read... [12]

Cautious rope walking wise for Bangladesh skipping any orbit, say policy researchers- Financial Express

Bangladesh should proactively engage with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to redress any fallout from the emerging geopolitics-geoeconomics diarchies in aftermaths of pandemic.
Click here to read... [13]

BNP is flag-bearer of politics of vengeance: Quader- Bangladesh Today

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today described BNP as the flag-bearer of politics of intolerance and vengeance and said that the people don’t believe BNP would establish democracy as the party itself does politics in undemocratic ways.
Click here to read... [14]

Bhutan

200,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to land today- Kuensel

The biggest consignment of Pfizer vaccine, about 200,000 doses will land at the Paro international airport today.
Click here to read... [15]

The story of Khandu Wangmo’s victims in the sedition case- The Bhutanese

While the Thimphu District Court has convicted Khandu Wangmo for sedition, for planting seditious documents on Pemagatshel Drangpon Yeshey Dorji, his sister who works in the BNCA, and on the Drangpon’s ex-wife’s brother’s car, however, her victims feel that she got away lightly for such a grave crime.
Click here to read... [16]

GDP growth rate drops to an all-time low of -6.3% in 2020- BBS

The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate slumped to an all-time low of -6.3 per cent last year.
Click here to read... [17]

Indo-Bhutan Friendship Car Rally, 2021, From Roads to Hearts- Northeast Today

Indo-Bhutan Friendship Car Rally, 2021, From Roads To Hearts Bhutanese and Indian bilateral relations its people-to-people interactions are unique.
Click here to read... [18]

Maldives

Parliaments are necessary partners for five rays of “Presidency of Hope”: UNGA President-elect - Raajje

Taking the podium at the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament which commenced in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday afternoon, the Maldivian Foreign Minister stated that the 76th session, under his “Presidency of Hope”, will prioritize five rays of hope, all of which require the vital partnership of parliaments.
Click here to read... [19]

Maldives confirms first Covid-19 fatality of September - Raajje

Maldives has confirmed the first Covid-19 fatality of the ongoing month. The deceased has been identified by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) as an 80-year-old Maldivian male. This has pushed the Maldives Covid-19 death toll to 227.
Click here to read... [20]

Maldives ex-president expresses concern over opposition's claims against India - Raajje

Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed has expressed concerns over the accusations made against India by the opposition.
Click here to read... [21]

Medical tourism will progress with establishment of Cancer Hospital: Indian High Commission - Raajje

The Indian High Commission in the Maldives states that in addition to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, medical tourism will be introduced to the Maldives with the establishment of the Cancer Hospital in L. Gan, which is being built with aid from the Indian Government.
Click here to read... [22]

Myanmar

Myanmar junta agrees to ASEAN call for ceasefire to distribute aid -Kyodo - Reuters

Myanmar's military rulers have agreed to an ASEAN call for a ceasefire until the end of the year to ensure distribution of humanitarian aid, Japan's Kyodo news agency said, citing the envoy of the southeast Asian bloc to the crisis-torn nation.
Click here to read... [23]

The Border Consortium Mid-Year Overview: January to June 2021 - Relief Web

On 1st February 2021, the Myanmar military took power in a coup, announced a state of emergency, and formed the State Administrative Council (SAC) to rule the country instead of the elected parliament.
Click here to read... [24]

China's dictatorship diplomacy in Myanmar - Daily Pioneer

The recent news of China inaugurating its rail link to Myanmar may have been overlooked because of the Afghan mayhem. The project is a part of its sea-road-rail link under OBOR which Myanmar had joined in 2013.
Click here to read... [25]

Northern Alliance decries post-coup intensification of Myanmar’s civil war - BNI Online

Civil war has intensified in Myanmar after the military seized power, the three members of the Northern Alliance — the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) — said in a statement on September 4.
Click here to read... [26]

Nepal

1,423 new Covid-19 cases, 2,072 recoveries, 21 more deaths reported on Tuesday- Himalaya

Nepal's coronavirus caseload reached 772,182 on Tuesday with 1,423 more people testing positive for the infection in the past 24 hours.
Click here to read... [27]

Nepal asks India to probe SSB’s involvement in Dhami disappearance- Kathmandu Post

Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested the government of India to launch a detailed investigation into the involvement of Indian security personnel in the disappearance of a Nepali youth in the Mahakali river in Darchula district a little over a month ago.
Click here to read... [28]

Dozens of people registered as disappeared during Maoist insurgency found alive- Kathmandu Post

In the last six years, the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons has received 3,223 complaints of enforced disappearances implicating either security forces or the rebel Maoists.
Click here to read... [29]

Afghans in Nepal await resettlement- Nepali Times

Ever since the most recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, they had been fleeing Kandahar and Kabul to Kathmandu in the hope of third-country asylum.
Click here to read... [30]

House session begins today- Republica

The meeting of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly has been scheduled for today. The 10th session of both the houses of the federal parliament will begin at 4:00 PM.
Click here to read... [31]

Government to table substitution bill at parliament on Thursday- Republica

The Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government, aiming to revise the ordinance based budget implemented by the KP Oli-led government, has planned to endorse the substitution bill.
Click here to read... [32]

Nepal’s export earnings surged more than double in the first month of the current FY- Republica

Nepal exported goods worth Rs 20.76 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year, which is more than double the amount that the country earned during the same period of the previous fiscal year.
Click here to read... [33]

Decision On MCC In Coordination with Other Parties: PM Deuba- Rising Nepal

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the decision on Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) would be taken in coordination with major political parties of the Federal Parliament.
Click here to read... [34]

Pakistan

ECP raises 37 objections to EVM introduction: Dawn

In what was described by a minister as a murder FIR against electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday raised as many as 37 objections to the proposed introduction of EVM.
Click here to read... [35]

Two soldiers martyred in IED attack in North Waziristan: ISPR: Dawn

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that security forces were conducting a clearance operation in the district's Dosalli area when the IED exploded.
Click here to read... [36]

Taliban reject allegations of Pakistan’s interference in Afghan affairs: The Express Tribune

The interference of Pakistan is a rumour that has been spread about for 20 years... we don’t allow interference, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said while addressing a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday.
Click here to read... [37]

Taliban assure Pakistan of addressing security concerns: The Express Tribune

As Taliban seized the last opposition redoubt in Afghanistan on Monday, completing their blitz through the country, their spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan’s concerns on various issues were justified and the group would address those concerns.
Click here to read... [38]

PMDA bill to be rejected if panel felt dissatisfied: Senator Faisal: The News

Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Senator Faisal Javed Tuesday said the committee will reject the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) bill if it felt dissatisfied. He was chairing a meeting of the standing committee held here at the Parliament House.
Click here to read... [39]

Maryam, Bilawal can become PM only through rigging: PML-N, PPP not interested in electoral reforms, says Fawad: The News

Fawad claimed that there were only two ways through which Maryam or Bilawal could become the prime minister of Pakistan: one that Pakistanis had such a bad luck, and the second that they resort to massive rigging
Click here to read... [40]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Finance Minister says country facing twin external and domestic crises - ECONOMYNEXT

Sri Lanka is facing severe external crisis as well as a domestic crisis with revenues falling and expenses continuing to rise, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said, amid Coronavirus pandemic and unprecedented money printing which has triggered a plethora of economic controls.

Click here to read... [41]

2,964 persons test positive for COVID-19; over 2,000 delayed cases added to total - Daily FT

Daily COVID-19 detections dropped below 3,000 yesterday, with 2,964 persons testing positive for COVID-19. Daily detections have remained above 3,000 since 10 August, when 2,922 COVID-19 patients were detected.

Click here to read... [42]

Premier to brief Vatican on the progress of action taken: cabinet Spokesman - Daily Mirror

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. G.l.pieris will brief the Vatican on the progress made in connection with the legal action taken against the suspects involved in the Easter Sunday carnage, Cabinet spokesman, Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said yesterday.

Click here to read... [43]

Rupee depreciates against major currencies - The Morning

The Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) has depreciated overnight on Tuesday (7) against major currencies, despite a US dollar (USD) influx the country’s official foreign exchange reserves received a few days ago.

Click here to read... [44]