VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: March 24, 2022

Afghanistan

International reactions to postponement of girls’ schools in Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

The postponement of girls’ classes upper than grade 6 has not only triggered reactions inside Afghanistan but also out of the country. Ministry of Education of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on Wednesday morning announced that girls upper than grade six will not be allowed to attend classes at a time when millions of girls across Afghanistan went to their respective schools only to find they are not allowed to go in. Click here to read... [2]

Norwegian Refugee Council asks Taliban to reverse their decision over suspension of schools for teenage girls: The Khaama Press

Norwegian Refugee Council has condemned the decision of the Taliban over suspension of girls’ classes upper than grade 6 and added that this casts a dark shadow on the start of the school year in Afghanistan. Click here to read... [3]

Russian LPG Suppliers to Resume Exports to Afghanistan: Tolo News

Russian producers plan to resume liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies to Afghanistan in March, rail data in Refinitiv Eikon showed, after they lost traditional westbound routes due to the Ukraine conflict. Click here to read... [4]

OIC Meeting Participants Call for Support of Afghanistan: Tolo News

The first day of the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was held in Islamabad on Tuesday and will wrap up on Wednesday. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

41 Bangladeshis return after serving jail terms in Myanmar prisons- The Daily Star

Forty-one Bangladeshis returned to the country from Myanmar yesterday after serving jail terms in different prisons there. Click here to read... [6]

Tk 24cr project to explore electric train service- The Daily Star

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has decided to carry out feasibility study on another railway route to explore whether electric train services can be introduced there. Click here to read... [7]

Restart year-long ration card system- The Daily Star

The National Consumers Rights Movement (NCRM) yesterday demanded re-introduction of the year-long ration card system as scores return empty-handed after queuing for hours for commodities at a subsidised rate. Click here to read... [8]

Bangladesh calls for commitment, action for gender-equal world, curbing emissions- The Daily Star

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatunnesa Indira made the call while delivering statement during the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN headquarters in New York today. Click here to read... [9]

We have ‘sweet’ ties with US: Momen- The Daily Star

Bangladesh has a "sweet" relationship with the US, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday, as he looks to deepen US-Bangladesh ties in the coming days. Click here to read... [10]

Bhutan

A hot issue without solution- Keunsel

It is not only the mercury that is rising in the country. The price of chillies are rising so are suspicions among consumers. Click here to read... [11]

Employment situation to improve but to remain below pre-pandemic level- Keunsel

The employment situation in the country is expected to improve but remain below pre-pandemic level. Click here to read... [12]

BPC waiting for govt. directives to waive electricity bill- Keunsel

Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) is waiting for directives from the government to waive electricity bills of the lockdown period.

Gakiling and Sangbaykha GC roads in bad condition- Keunsel

Gewog connectivity (GC) roads of Gakiling and Sangbaykha in Haa are filled with potholes. Click here to read... [13]

Maldives

MWSC concludes water and sewerage projects in 4 islands- The SUN

Male’ Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) concluded water and sewerage projects in four different islandsClick here to read... [14]

Nearly MVR 800,00 spent to renovate Tech Ministry, including ex-minister’s cabin- The SUN

An audit report released on Monday shows former Technology Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, during his time in office, spent MVR 795,000 from the state budget to renovate his cabin and Block B of the Technology Ministry building to the same design. Click here to read... [15]

Tourism Ministry’s Smith forced to cancel Serbia trip after passport held- The SUN

Tourism Ministry’s Executive Director Ali Hashim (Smith) was forced to cancel an official overseas trip on Tuesday evening after he discovered his passport was being held, barring him from leaving the country. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan High Commission celebrates Pakistan Day in Male'- The SUN

The Pakistan High Commission in Male’ held a flag hoisting ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate Pakistan’s 82nd National Day. Click here to read... [17]

Speaker Nasheed: India played key role in securing Maldives’ independence from British rule- The SUN

Parliament Speaker, former President Mohamed Nasheed said that India had assisted Maldives gain its independence from the control and protection of the British. Click here to read... [18]

Finance Ministry instructs to disburse Ramadan allowance on March 28- The SUN

Ministry of Finance and Treasury on Wednesday released a circular, instructing to disburse Ramadan allowance by Monday, March 28. Click here to read... [19]

Myanmar

Ousted Religious Affairs Minister Hit with 12-year Sentence from Junta - Persecution.org

Last week, the ousted religious affairs minister Thura Aung Ko from the National League for Democracy (NLD) government was sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption, after he was taken away and detained as the February 1 military coup unfolded last year. Click here to read... [20]

Myanmar’s Military Committed Genocide Against Rohingya, U.S. Says - NYTimes

Against the backdrop of a war in Ukraine and atrocities in Ethiopia, the United States on Monday formally accused Myanmar of committing genocide against its minority Rohingya population. Click here to read... [21]

Military attacks endanger people with limited mobility in Myanmar - Aljazeera

Over the past nine months, Daw Mu Ree has hidden in the forest outside her village to avoid military attacks in Myanmar’s northwestern Sagaing region more times than she can count. Click here to read... [22]

Nepal

Poll commission plans video tracking of ballot counting- The Kathmandu Post

The Election Commission will conduct online monitoring of the ballot storage and vote counting from its headquarters in Kathmandu. Click here to read... [23]

Deuba to visit India on April 1-3 in first official foreign trip since taking office- The Kathmandu Post

The prime minister set to leave for Delhi immediately after the Chinese foreign minister concludes his Nepal visit. Click here to read... [24]

Court stays rule of resignation by local representatives seeking re-election- The Kathmandu Post

Election code says officials seeking re-election must resign before nomination for upcoming elections. Click here to read... [25]

Beijing mission is a priority, but Nepal has had no envoy there for 5 months- The Kathmandu Post

Nepal’s political parties have made ambassadorial posts a tool to appoint people of their choice disregarding ethical and political principles. Click here to read... [26]

Ukraine war: Why Nepal chose to go against Russia- Deutsche Welle

Nepal is one of the few Asian countries that deplored Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It is a clear deviation from Kathmandu's nonaligned policy, and will possibly have serious repercussions for the country. Click here to read... [27]

Pakistan

OIC adopts 70-point Islamabad Declaration: Dawn

The two-day meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers ended on Wednesday with affirmation of support for Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir disputes. Click here to read... [28]

Editorial: RED ZONE FILES: All eyes on the allies: Dawn

The ingredients flavouring this political brew are numerous: vocal dissidents, a partisan speaker, unrestrained spokespersons, active courts, and of course, the allies. Ah, those petulant and cryptic allies and their mind games — they could be the death of the government. Literally. Click here to read... [29]

World should acknowledge Pakistan's efforts for regional peace: China: The Express Tribune

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security and measures to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation were discussed. Click here to read... [30]

PML-N reschedules long march: The News

The party sources said the decision to change the schedule of the long march named ‘Mehngai Mukao March’ was taken in an online party meeting chaired by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday. Click here to read... [31]

Sri Lanka

Lanka to obtain services of international law firm to handle dealings with IMF- The Island

Lanka would seek the services of an international law firm, on a long term basis, to assist it in its dealings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Cabinet spokesman, Minister Ramesh Pathirana said on Tuesday (22) at the post-Cabinet press conference. Click here to read... [32]

US, Lanka Partnership Dialogue: Two nations focus on maritime cooperation, defence links- The Island

Lanka and the United States have resolved to continue cooperation on maritime security and work together to ensure a safe maritime domain in the Indian Ocean, through the rules-based international order, the US and Sri Lanka stated in a joint statement issued yesterday (23) following the Fourth Session of the Sri Lanka – United States Partnership Dialogue held in Colombo. Click here to read... [33]

Fuel at concessionary price: Johnston questions Sajith over his claim- The Island

Leader Sajith Premadasa was welcome to extend his assistance to the government, to save the people from the prevailing shortage crises, and there was nothing wrong with him claiming credit for that, Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando told Parliament yesterday. Click here to read... [34]

Gas shortage: NERD relaunches line of stoves as solution- The Island

National Engineering Research and Development Centre (NERD) yesterday re-launched a line of stoves it has developed as a solution to the current kerosene and gas shortages. Click here to read... [35]

Russia’s war in Ukraine is crushing Sri Lanka’s $81 billion economy- The Print

Hit by soaring oil import costs and a dip in tourism revenue, Sri Lanka is racing to avert a default amid dwindling forex holdings. Click here to read... [36]

We are with you’: Sri Lankan hoteliers offer help to stranded Ukrainian tourists- Arab News

When Russia invaded Ukraine four weeks ago, Igor Giudurg was on a vacation in Sri Lanka with his wife and children. They found themselves unable to return home to Kyiv, where Russian air strikes and shelling have since intensified. Click here to read... [37]