VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: March 28, 2022

Afghanistan

US Hopes for Reversal by Islamic Emirate on Girls' Education: Tolo News

The US Special Representative for Afghanistan said on Saturday he is hopeful that there will be a reversal of the Islamic Emirate’s u-turn on girls' education in the coming days.“I am hopeful that we will see a reversal of this decision in the coming days" Thomas West, US special representative for Afghanistan, said at the Doha Forum. Click here to read... [2]

Mullah Baradar Calls for Afghan Self-Sufficiency: Tolo News

First Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said that the aid provided by international donors will alleviate urgent needs for a short period of time, but said that the ministries must work toward self-sufficiencyClick here to read... [3]

Qatar, Indonesia sign letter for providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan: The Khaama Press

Qatar has announced that they have signed a letter of content with Indonesia based on which both the countries will cooperate in providing humanitarian and development assistance to the people of Afghanistan. Click here to read... [4]

Impoverished Afghan families; private schools, universities lose students: The Khaama Press

Owners of private schools and universities in the Afghan capital Kabul complain that they have lost 60% of their students as the new educational year has just begun across Afghanistan. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

It’s delightful to see achievements of Bangladesh- The Daily Star

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he is willing to work with Bangladesh to push the China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership of Cooperation to new heights. Click here to read... [6]

Voter list update begins on May 20- The Daily Star

The Election Commission (EC) will start updating the voter list from May 20 and this would be the last registration of prospective voters before the 12th parliamentary election. Click here to read... [7]

Protesting price hike of daily essentials: LDA hartal in progress- The Daily Star

Half-day hartal, announced by Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) in protest of the price hike of daily essentials, has begun across the country. Click here to read... [8]

Bridge lies with no approach roads- The Daily Star

People of several villages under two unions in Dhanbari upazila have been suffering immensely for long as the bridge over the Bangshi river does not have approach roads on either sideClick here to read... [9]

A big leap in tech industry- The Daily Star

Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City likely to get $1.3b investment by 2025Click here to read... [10]

Mass media employees bill to be placed at JS today- The Daily Star

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud will place the Mass Media Employees (services and conditions) Bill-2022 at JS today. Click here to read... [11]

Bangladeshi exporters worry as global brands cancel Russian orders over Ukraine invasion- Benar News

Bangladeshi businesspeople are jittery about the future of bilateral trade with Russia, saying that international sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine are disrupting their exports of key products such as ready-made garments. Click here to read... [12]

Bhutan

Taiwan-donated oxygen concentrators, face masks, arrived in Bhutan- Focus Taiwan

A total of 2,000 Taiwan-donated N95 respirators and 50 oxygen concentrators have arrived in Bhutan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sunday, amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections in the Himalayan kingdom. Click here to read... [13]

Expansionary fiscal policy pushes debt-to-GDP ratio to 138.8 percent- Kuensel

The country’s outstanding external debt increased to a record high of 138.8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at the end of the fiscal year 2020-21 from the previous high of 121 percent. Click here to read... [14]

Businesses to seek more relief measures- Kuensel

Most of the businesses would not be able to repay loans or operate if the relief or monetary measures are discontinued after June 2022, according to Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) President Tandy Wangchuk. Click here to read... [15]

Chilies from southern districts to hit market by April end- Bhutan Times

Despite initial delay in plantation due to pest infection and cold waves, chilly growers in the south are hopeful that their chilies will hit the domestic market by April endClick here to read... [16]

Govt. to recruit doctors from Myanmar- Bhutan Times

With critical shortage of health specialists and their services becoming even dearer in the country, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has initiated the process to recruit foreign doctors from Myanmar on a contract basis which will extend for two years. Click here to read... [17]

Nepal

Chinese Minister Wang completes three-day visit, returns home- Himalayan

China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi returned home today after completing his three-day visit to Nepal. Click here to read... [18]

Wang urged to get China border opened- Himalayan

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal separately today. Click here to read... [19]

Nepal to receive 11.4 billion rupees in Chinese aid- Himalayan

The government of the people's republic of China will provide more than Rs 11.40 billion in grant assistance to the Government of Nepal under financial and technical assistance. Click here to read... [20]

Tiktok: A tool to win elections- Kathmandu Post

TikTok has been misused by propagandists to spread the political narrative in Southeast Asia. Click here to read... [21]

Main opposition harbours hope to defend pole position, through poll

alliances- Kathmandu Post

UML leaders put on bold faces but are looking deep for opportunities to fight upcoming local elections in collaboration with friends and foes. Click here to read... [22]

(Opinion) Fixing the broken parts in Nepal-China ties: kanak Mani Dixit- Nepal Times

Foreign Minister Wang Yi must use his Kathmandu visit to clear the growing distrust between Beijing and Kathmandu, and seek to better understand Nepal, including its age-old links to Tibet. Click here to read... [23]

Nepal Army Day marked in Kathmandu- Republica

Nepal Army organized a special ceremony to observe the Nepal Army Day and Maha Shivaratri festival at Tundikhel, Kathmandu on Tuesday. Click here to read... [24]

China opposes attempt to engage Nepal in geopolitical games: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi- Nepal Live Today

"China believes that all countries are equal regardless of size, and respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries." Click here to read... [25]

Maldives

India-Maldives launch initiatives to expand security ties to protect S Indian Ocean: Economic Times

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a two-day trip to the Maldives, said on Sunday that “India and Maldives share a deep and abiding friendship. Click here to read... [26]

Explained: What’s behind the new anti-India campaign in the Maldives?: Indian Express

The theme of the rally was “India Out”, a slogan coined two years ago by protesters who claimed that the MDP government led by President Ibrahim Solih had “sold out” the Maldives to India. Click here to read... [27]

Myanmar

China And Pakistan Stepping Up Engagement with Myanmar, And That’s Bad News for India - Swarajyamarg

With global attention focused on the crisis in eastern Europe, China has surreptitiously stepped up its engagement with Myanmar’s junta and has also got Pakistan involved as its proxy to supply arms and munitions to the southeast Asian nation. Click here to read... [28]

Myanmar’s crimes against the Rohingya warrant UN intervention - The Guardian

Now that the US has finally accepted that Myanmar’s ethnic cleansing and mass murder of Rohingya Muslims amounts to genocide (Rohingya refugees welcome US decision to call Myanmar atrocities a genocide, 22 March), the UN should enact its responsibility to prevent and respond to this most serious violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. Click here to read... [29]

Myanmar army denies Rohingya genocide, says some individuals may have committed crimes - US News

Myanmar's military did not commit genocide against minority Rohingya Muslims during 2017 operations in Rakhine state, but crimes may have been committed by personnel on an individual level, an army spokesman said on Thursday. Click here to read... [30]

Myanmar military deliberately killed civilians after coup: Report - Aljazeera

Myanmar’s military and police deliberately killed civilians opposed to its rule in the six months following the coup in February 2021, in a policy that amounts to crimes against humanity, according to new research published on Thursday. Click here to read... [31]

Armed Forces Day Spotlights Atrocities - Human Rights Watch

Myanmar’s Armed Forces Day on March 27, 2022, is an opportunity for foreign governments to take stronger action against the military’s widespread abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. Click here to read... [32]

Massive Military Regime Convoy Arrives in Western Myanmar - The Irrawaddy

A Myanmar military convoy consisting of 80 vehicles including artillery and armored vehicles has arrived in Mindat in southern Chin State, according to the Chinland Defense Force (CDF), a local resistance group fighting the regime. Click here to read... [33]

Drug use on rise in Rakhine under the current government - Narinjara

Rakhine State has been witnessing the increase of illegal drug uses, including WY stimulants, under the current administration of military backed government, allege locals. Ko Aung Chae, a resident of Buthidaung locality, claimed that the use of drugs among teenagers was on rise in their township, which is located in northern Rakhine. Click here to read... [34]

Japan’s ‘Special Relationship’ With Myanmar Has Abetted Decades of Military Rule - The Irrawaddy

That “special relationship”—when it comes to aid, investment and involvement in the so-called peace process—has so far resulted in little more than making sure that the Myanmar military remains firmly entrenched in power. Click here to read... [35]

Pakistan

PM Imran says 'foreign-funded conspiracy' out to topple his govt, claims to have evidence in writing: Dawn

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday claimed that the opposition's no-trust move is part of an alleged "foreign-funded conspiracy" hatched against his government over his refusal to have Pakistan's foreign policy be influenced from abroad. Click here to read... [36]

NA to deliberate on no-trust move today: The Express Tribune

The much-anticipated session of the National Assembly to deliberate on the no-confidence motion filed against Prime Minister Imran Khan by the opposition parties will be held today (Monday). Click here to read... [37]

Gas crisis to hit country in summer too: The News

After the Singapore based LNG trading company GUNVOR backed out of delivery of four LNG cargoes that were to be delivered in the remaining four months, in April, May and two in June of its five-year contract ending in July 2022, and the decision of Pakistan LNG Limited not to procure spot LNG cargo for April at the price of $34.677 per MMBTU offered by Vitol Bahrain in the bids opened on Friday, it seems the country would now experience a gas crisis even in the summer season. Click here to read... [38]

Sri Lanka

India asks Sri Lanka to release fishermen, fishing boats from custody: Economic Times

India expressed its readiness to work together with Sri Lanka for joint research to enhance the productivity of the Palk Bay fisheries. Click here to read... [39]

S Jaishankar Lands in Sri Lanka For Bilateral Talks, BIMSTEC Summit: NDTV

This is his first visit to the island nation since India extended an economic relief package to bail Sri Lanka out of the current economic crisis. Click here to read... [40]