Tag Archives: UNICEF

Neighborhood News Digest – 15 February 2023

Afghanistan
Taliban Divided: Interior Min says Afghanistan in “intolerable” state, spokesperson rebuts – Firstpost

Haqqani’s comments came amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Last year in December, the hard-line group banned university education for women in Afghanistan, apart from other obscurantist moves to curb natural freedoms of the people Click here to read…

Taliban forces kill 3 Daesh members in raid on Kabul building – Arab News

Taliban intelligence forces killed three Daesh militants and arrested one in an overnight operation in the Afghan capital of Kabul, an official said Tuesday. The raid on a residential building targeted Daesh militants who organized recent attacks in the capital, said Khalil Hamraz, a Taliban-appointed spokesman for Afghanistan’s general director of intelligence. He called the target in the Karti Naw neighborhood an important Daesh hideout. Click here to read…

Feb.15 Marks 34th Anniversary of Soviet Withdrawal – Tolo News

Wednesday, 15 February 2023, marks the 34th anniversary of the withdrawal of the former Soviet forces from Afghanistan. Many of the survivors of the Soviet attacks said that Russian soldiers in Afghanistan committed mass killings. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
AL’s counter to BNP on streets raises fear of violence – New Age

The ruling Awami League’s recent tendency to announce a counter-programme on the same day as the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s programme has put the country’s two major political parties on a collision course, raising fear of violence. Speaking with New Age, senior politicians, and political analysts said that these counter-political street programmes were a serious worry that may put people’s lives in danger in the coming days as the next general election drew closer. Click here to read…

Unit 1 of Rampal plant to resume power generation Wednesday – Dhaka Tribune

Unit-1 of the 1329MW Rampal coal-fired power plant will resume production from Wednesday, still under a test run that started in August before being discontinued last month. According to official sources, Unit-1, having 660MW capacity, was forced to shut down on January 14 due to shortage of coal supply. The authorities of the power plant were unable to open any letter of credit (LC) to import coal due to the dollar crisis. Click here to read…

Let’s not neglect jute any longer – Dhaka Tribune

It is very encouraging to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself comment on the state of the jute industry in Bangladesh, hitting the nail on the head when she proclaimed that despite being an environment-friendly agricultural product, jute did not get the expected attention and incentives like the RMG (readymade garments) industry. Click here to read…

Bhutan
FDI in the digital sector sees huge potential – Kuensel

Having failed to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) over the years, the FDI Policy is yet again on the government’s table for review. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the average FDI inflows to Bhutan have been less than USD 20 million a year since 2010, contributing less than 1 percent of the gross domestic product. Click here to read…

A Force of Change – Kuensel

Almost a decade after His Majesty’s address to a group of young de-suup trainees at the Military Training Center in Tencholing, Wangdue, the de-suup family today has grown from a few hundred to a formidable group of around 35,000. Click here to read…

Maldives
Latvian traveler caught smuggling drugs into Maldives – Raajje

A foreigner has been arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the Maldives. The Maldives Police Service (MPS) revealed that a traveler from Latvia, 49, was arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the Maldives by ingesting them. The arrest was made following an intel report received by the Police Intelligence Unit, by the efforts of officers from the Maldives Immigration and Maldives Customs Service. Click here to read…

UNICEF Representative presents Letter of Appointment to FM Shahid – Raajje

The new UNICEF Representative to the Maldives, Dr. Edward Addai has presented his Letter of Appointment to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. Dr. Edward presented his Letter of Appointment to Minister Shahid on 14 February 2022. During the meeting held following the presentation, Minister Shahid and the Representative discussed the role of UNICEF in the Maldives. As such, discussions were held in areas on child protection, maternal and child heath, immunization, nutrition, pre and primary education and social inclusion. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Myanmar’s opposition opens foreign ministry office in US – RFA

Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government officially opened a shadow embassy in Washington on Monday, with a U.S. State Department official at the event using a speech to reject the legitimacy of elections planned by the military junta later this year. The so-called NUG has set up a government-in-exile after the military took power from a democratically elected government in a February 2021 coup. Click here to read…

No sales of arms to Myanmar for ‘a very long time’, says Singapore minister – Borneo Bulletin

Singapore has not sold military weapons to Myanmar for a very long time and has effected a ban on the sale of arms there, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament yesterday. The minister was replying to a question from Member of Parliament (MP) Dennis Tap on recent assertions in the report of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar which stated that Singapore functions as a “strategic transit point for potentially significant volumes of items” including raw materials that contribute towards military production by the Myanmar military. Click here to read…

It’s Time for Myanmar’s Neighbors to Sideline the Military Junta – The Diplomat

Anyone still hoping for a political solution to Myanmar’s crisis should ask one question: is the military junta willing to be held accountable for its crimes? The definitive answer, demonstrated repeatedly by their mounting atrocities, is “no.” But without accountability for the crimes committed since the February 2021 coup, which include the burning of women and children alive, there can be no political solution to the country’s conflict. Click here to read…

Chinese crypto scams forcing Filipinos to work for them in Myanmar – Mizzima

Chinese criminals running cryptocurrency scams in Southeast Asia are targeting Filipinos to work for them because of their English-language and computer skills, a Philippine foreign ministry official said Monday. Filipinos were “prized” targets for scam networks operating in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, said Eduardo de Vega, acting undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Click here to read…

Nepal
“Differences Between Friends Can Be Resolved Through Talks”: Nepal Ex-PM – NDTV

Nepal’s former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who on Tuesday held an extensive meeting with visiting Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, said any kind of differences between Nepal and India can be sorted out through dialogue, a source close to the CPN-UML chairman said. Click here to read…

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra completes his two day official visit to Nepal – NewsOnAir

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra completed his two-day official visit to Nepal at the invitation of the Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal. During his two days visit Foreign Secretary Kwatra called on the President of Nepal, Mrs. Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr. Bimala Rai Paudyal alongwith meeting other senior members of the Government of Nepal and other leaders. Click here to read…

Nepal King Rekindles Calls For Restoration Of Nepal’s Status As A ‘Hindu Kingdom’, Joins Protests Against Government – Swarajya Marg

The former King of Nepal Gyanendra Shah on Monday (13 February) joined a public campaign that seeks to reinstate Nepal’s status as a “Hindu Kingdom”. Notably, the campaign was launched on the day the Nepal government led by the Communist Party leader Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ declared a public holiday to mark 23 years of the Maoist war. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Asked to condemn Moscow, but followed India’s example of ‘neutral’ stand in Russia-Ukraine War: Imran Khan – India TV

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday claimed that the former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had asked him to condemn Russia in its act of invading Ukraine, but he refused to do so citing India’s stand on the matter. Click here to read…

Govt turns to parliament after Alvi ‘refuses’ ordinance – Dawn

Despite its attempt to expedite pas­sage of fiscal measures mandated by the Internat­i­o­nal Monetary Fund (IMF), the government was forced to head to parliament on Tuesday after President Arif Alvi “adv­ised” Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to take parliament into confidence over the Rs170 billion in new taxes that are being levied. Click here to read…

The economic woes of Pakistan and Sri Lanka have similar origin stories – Scroll

Economists ascribe Sri Lanka’s recent financial problems to a severe decline in tourism and remittances, as well as a substantial tax cut, but poor governance is atop the list of the factors that played havoc with the island nation’s economy, which relied heavily on tourism and remittances. Both these sources were hit badly by the Covid pandemic as the workers were laid off on a mass scale. Click here to read…

Pakistan nearly doubles gas prices to meet IMF bailout terms – Money Control

Cash-strapped Pakistan nearly doubled natural gas taxes Tuesday in an effort to comply with a long-stalled financial bailout, raising concerns that the hardship could pass to consumers in the impoverished south Asian country. Click here to read…

Pakistan-Turkey relations: What’s in it for Ankara? – DNA India

Three devastating earthquakes struck Turkey’s South-eastern region bordering Syria in the early hours of 06 February 23. The widespread destruction and ensuing loss of life have, as expected in any major disaster of this magnitude, overwhelmed the country. The World community responded swiftly and immediate for HADR operations, given the intensity of envisaged damage, both to property and life. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s too responded to the request by Turkey soon after. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka envoy meets Indian ministers seeking support for economic recovery – Hindustan Times

Sri Lankan high commissioner Milinda Moragoda on Tuesday met with union commerce minister Piyush Goyal and union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss India’s support for his country’s economic recovery, including through the expansion of bilateral trade and use of the rupee for trade settlement. Click here to read…

Protests against Wickremesinghe sweep Sri Lanka’s Tamil-dominated provinces – Peoples Dispatch – Peoples Dispatch

On February 11, the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and students of Jaffna University in Sri Lanka staged a protest against a musical event organized by the secretariat of President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Jaffna as part of Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence day celebrations. At least 18 protestors, including Selvarajah Kajendren, Member of Parliament and General Secretary of the TNPF, were arrested at the protest. They were later released on bail. Click here to read…

Japan to grant 5 bn yen to Sri Lanka for public health sector fuel purchases – Economy Next

Cabinet spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the weekly cabinet press briefing on Tuesday February 14 that 35 million US dollar-worth grant is to be made under Japan’s Economic and Social Developmenet Programme so that Sri Lanka may continue essential and urgent health services uninterrupted. Click here to read…

Russia-Sri Lanka Economic Forum successfully held in Sri Lanka – Daily FT

Amidst the changing global dynamics, with the intention of strengthening socioeconomic relations between Russia and Sri Lanka, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) recently organised a four-day program, Russia-Sri Lanka Economic Forum (23-27 Jan.), which heralded fruitful outcomes for both nations. Click here to read…

Neighborhood News Digest – 09 February 2023

Afghanistan
Regional Security Officials Meet in Moscow, Discuss Afghanistan – Tolo News

The fifth multilateral meeting of security envoys was held on Wednesday in Moscow, during which they discussed the situation in Afghanistan and in the region. The Russian News Agency TASS reported that the Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said that Washington intends to continue its geopolitical experiments, including in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Click here to read…

India to always stand by Afghans, says Ajit Doval at Moscow meeting – The Tribune

“India is and will remain an important stakeholder in Afghanistan. We have always stood by people of Afghanistan and will always support collective efforts to help Afghan people build a prosperous and vibrant nation once again,” said Doval while participating in the 5th Multilateral Meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils/ National Security Advisers on Afghanistan in Moscow on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Afghanistan: Taliban ‘desperate’ for resumption of flights to India – Firstpost

With the global community yet to recognise the current regime in Kabul, the Afghan Taliban is reportedly desperate for flights to resume between India and Afghanistan. According to a Hindustan Times report, the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan are optimistic that India will agree to resume direct flights between New Delhi and Kandahar. Click here to read…

Taliban Tighten Currency Controls After Dollar Smuggling Report – Bloomberg

The Taliban imposed fresh restrictions on people carrying foreign currency out of Afghanistan via a rare directive from the prime minister’s office after a report that millions of dollars were being smuggled in each day from Pakistan, shoring up its battered economy. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
Awami League wants to see no unopposed MPs in next parliament – Dhaka Tribune

Awami League President and Prime Minister President Sheikh Hasina has called upon party lawmakers to take massive preparations for a participatory and representative election, regardless of whether the opposition BNP and its allies participate in it. Click here to read…

Fakhrul, Abbas get permanent bail – Daily Star

The High Court yesterday granted permanent bail to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and standing committee member Mirza Abbas in a case filed over last year’s December 7 clash between police and BNP men in Nayapaltan. The HC bench of Justice Md Salim and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan delivered the verdict holding the final hearing on a bail petition filed by them. Click here to read…

IMF Loans and the Post-Truth Politics in Bangladesh – Geopolitics

Finally, on Jan 30, 2023, Bangladesh successfully secured loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For the last seven months since July 2022, intense negotiations took place which also became a political scoop for Bangladesh’s political parties. Oppositions and pressure groups resorted to mass persuasion using rhetoric and ‘charlatan’ predictions and analysis to decrease citizens’ confidence in the incumbent government. For a while, they were successful in creating skepticism about whether Bangladesh would get the loans or not. Such skepticism also induced unnecessary alarm, stress, confusion, and uncertainty, and created friction in the country. Looking back at that rhetoric, and half-cooked predictions, it seems there is a ‘post-truth’ politics at play in Bangladesh regarding the IMF loan. Click here to read…

Who killed democracy in Bangladesh? – Daily Star

The minister (Obaidul Quader) has cited the “peaceful atmosphere” that prevailed during the polling on February 1. Indeed, it was very peaceful. When fewer than 20 percent of voters turn up to vote, it is bound to be peaceful. When the opposition voters are told not to bother to come to the polling stations, it is bound to be “peaceful.” When an opposition candidate goes into hiding, unable to withstand the pressure on him, peace is bound to follow. The recent by-polls represent the state of democracy in our country fairly accurately. The near-empty polling booths, if nothing, displays a lack of trust; in fact, it demonstrates people’s apathy towards elections and voting. Most voters feel it is an exercise in futility under the present circumstances, the results a forgone conclusion. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Agriculture sector contributes the least to the economy – Kuensel

Agriculture sector employs nearly half of the country’s workforce. However, it is the least productive sector in the country. According to the Royal Monetary Authority’s (RMA) recent annual report, the agriculture sector employed 158,511 persons, equivalent to 49.2 percent of the total labour force in 2021. Click here to read…

India: EAM S. Jaishankar meets National Assembly Speaker of Bhutan Wangchuk Namgyel – Georgia Online

The External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, met with the Bhutanese National Assembly Speaker, Wangchuk Namgyel, in Delhi. The officials, at the meeting, discussed ways to strengthen the economic cooperation and concerns of the youth of both nations. The Indian official met with the 13-member delegation of Namgyel while praising the kind of relations the two nations bear with each other. Click here to read…

Five from Bhutan among IRS officers training in Bengaluru – Times of India

The 74th IRS batch has 43 officers in addition to five Bhutan-origin civil servants who shared their experience of learning in India. They said the IRS syllabus offered them a chance at knowledge enhancement. They got to learn about land, sea and air trade, unlike in their land-locked country. Click here to read…

3.5 million tourists will be welcomed annually by 2028 – Pres. Solih – Raajje

The President made the statement in his Presidential Address on Monday. In his address, President Solih described the past three years as the most challenging years the Maldivian economy has faced. As such, he noted that the Covid-19 pandemic brought a complete halt to the Maldivian economy. The President stated that the administration can show results based on mathematical results on the work done and what remains to be done. He said that data demonstrate how well the Maldivian economy is doing. Click here to read…

Myanmar
Manipur governor calls for combating anti-social activities from Myanmar – North East Now

Inspecting the Indo-Myanmar border at Kasom Khullen sub-divisional headquarters in Kamjong district of Manipur, governor La Ganesan, on Wednesday, called for combating the issues of illegal migration, smuggling of drugs, weapons, sneaking insurgents, etc that are being perpetrated from neighboring countries into Indian territory. Click here to read…

Chevron exits Myanmar upstream sector – Upstream Online

US supermajor Chevron has agreed to sell its significant stake in the producing Yadana gas field offshore Myanmar to Canada’s MTI Energy, prompting Justice for Myanmar to call for Canadian and UK sanctions on state-owned Myanma Oil & Gas Enterprise (MOGE). Chevon confirmed to Upstream it has agreed to sell its 41.1% stake in the Yadana gas project to Et Martem Holdings, a subsidiary of MTI Energy. Click here to read…

Anti-junta forces retreat after holding strategic river village for several days – Myanmar Now

Resistance forces in northern Sagaing Region’s Homalin Township withdrew on Saturday from a strategically important village that they captured and held for several days last week, according to sources. Shwe Pyi Aye Myothit, located on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River some 30km southwest of the town of Homalin, fell to an alliance of anti-junta groups on February 1. It remained under their control for the next three days, despite multiple counterattacks from the military and its militia allies. Click here to read…

Nepal
How Nepal Regenerated Its Forests – Earth Observatory

Today, community forests occupy nearly 2.3 million hectares—about a third of Nepal’s forest cover—and are managed by over 22,000 community forest groups comprising 3 million households. A 2016 United Nations report on the state of forests around the world found that three countries with the most annual gain in tree cover between 2010 and 2015 were the Philippines (with an annual growth rate of 3.3 percent), Chile (1.8 percent), and Lao PDR (0.9 percent). Within community forests of Kābhrepalāñchok and Sindhupālchok, forest growth between 2010 and 2015 was 1.84 percent. Click here to read…

Nepal opens high-level dialogue with defence minister’s visit to India – India Narrative

In a bid to further deepen bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries, Nepal’s Defence Minister Hari Prasad Upreti will be paying an official visit to India next week, officials said here on Tuesday. Upreti is visiting New Delhi from February 13 to 17 at the official invitation of his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh. This is the maiden foreign visit of the defence minister after he assumed the office on January 17. Upreti’s visit will mark the first high-level exchange between Nepal and India after the Prachanda government took office following elections. Click here to read…

Key Ally Quits Government in Nepal – The Diplomat

On February 6, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) decided to quit the coalition government led by Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Center (CPN-MC) supremo Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The party lasted barely a month in the government. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Pakistan Navy invites 110 countries for ‘Exercise Aman’; only 7 bother to send ships – Times Now

Exercise Aman, for the Pakistan Navy, is a prestigious moment. It is its biggest exercise and though it’s to begin on February 10, of the 110 countries invited, only seven have bothered to send ships or submarines. The four-day biannual exercise appears to be another sign of Pakistan’s increasing isolation and participation appears to be going down. This year only seven countries have sent ships– the United States of America, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, and Japan. Click here to read…

Turkey insults Pakistan, refuses to host PM Shehbaz Sharif – Firstpost

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif announced his visit to Ankara to show solidarity with Turkey. He did not think that the country which is currently facing a natural disaster, resources should not be spent on VIP visits. In such a situation, Turkey itself refused to host Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif. Click here to read…

12 TTP militants killed in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province – The Hindu

Pakistan’s security forces gunned down 12 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on February 8 in the country’s restive northwest, police said, as the government stepped up its offensive against outlawed groups following a spike in terror attacks. Click here to read…

Pakistan at beginning of worst economic crisis since country’s formation: Report – Economic Times

Pakistan is currently at the beginning of the worst economic crisis since the country’s formation in 1947, Geo-politik reported. According to Geo-politik, Pakistan has taken fourteen loans from the IMF thus far, but ironically none of them has ever been completed. This, therefore, raises serious questions about the capacity and capability of the Pakistan state to get out of this dead-end. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
“I will respect the country” – Daily News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe delivering the Government’s Policy Statement yesterday requested everyone not to be prisoners of the past, but think about the future. “Let’s unite consensually and move forward democratically to support the recovery of the nation from the current crisisClick here to read…

Swiss government provides funds through UNICEF to support services for children In Sri Lanka – Colombo Page

The Government of Switzerland has contributed Swiss Francs (CHF) 500,000 (approximately Rs. 199 million) through UNICEF to meet the urgent needs of children impacted by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka. With this funding, UNICEF will procure essential medical supplies, including medicines for treatment of illnesses and complications among children and women. In education, the funds will help children in disadvantaged schools continue learning and support catch-up classes to recover learning loss, including by providing transport allowance to teachers and daily snacks to students. Click here to read…

Japanese State Minister of Foreign affairs visits Port of Colombo – Daily News

Japanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs TAKEI Shunsuke visited the Port of Colombo learn about the ongoing developments in the Port of Colombo. During the visit the Japanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs also met the Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) – Keith D. Bernard and other higher officials at the main control tower of the Port. The Chairman of SLPA explained to the Japanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs of the progress of the developments of the East Container Terminal (ECT), the West Container Terminal and the North Port Development Project. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest – December 30, 2022

h5>Afghanistan

NRC Chief Urges West to Engage with Islamic Emirate: Tolo News

Jan Egeland, head of Norwegian Refugee Council, NRC, urged the West to engage with the Islamic Emirate. Egeland made the remarks in a special interview with TOLOnews. He pointed out to the recent decision of the Islamic Emirate regarding the ban on women from going to schools, universities and work, saying that such decision would affect Kabul relations with the international community.”I am sure we will find a solution. We found the solution in the past. We never left Afghanistan. The western forces did, the western diplomats did. I am also asking the western diplomats to engage more with the Taliban but again I don’t think it is gonna be in Doha then because what is said in Doha, is not what decided in Kabul and Kandahar,” Egeland said. Click here to read…

Delivering Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan to Continue: UN: The Khaama Press

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are committed to the delivery of life-saving services to the people of Afghanistan during these difficult times, a UN envoy for Afghanistan said on Thursday. In a media briefing, in New York, on Thursday, Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan said, despite the Taliban-run administration’s decision to ban women from working in non-governmental organizations, the UN and its partners will deliver the much-needed humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan during these tough times. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
Bangladesh is an important country in South Asia: new Chinese envoy – New Age

Newly appointed ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen has described Bangladesh as the ‘Pearl of the Bay of Bengal, an important country in South Asia and a rapidly emerging economy’. ‘Bangladesh is playing an irreplaceable role in regional and international affairs,’ said the ambassador who arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday evening to serve as the 16th ambassador of China to BangladeshClick here to read…

Bangladesh bars Russian vessel under US sanction from entering its territory – New Age

A Russian ship carrying a consignment for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project has been barred from entering Bangladeshi territory due to the sanctions of the United States on it. The incident surfaced at a time when the US and Russia were apparently engaged in a debate over the political developments in Bangladesh. Click here to read…

When will border killings stop? – Dhaka Tribune

There is no questioning the deep ties and friendship India and Bangladesh share, and have always shared, since our inception as a nation. There is no denying that India’s assistance during our Liberation War was the catalyst that helped us become a free nation. However, despite ties between the two countries remaining as strong as ever, it is disheartening to see just the alarming regularity with which we hear news of some Bangladeshi being shot at along the border. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Ramp up the surveillance systems – Kuensel Online

In the face of rising Covid-19 cases in the region, the Ministry of Health has advised the government and the public to step up safety measures. This is an important warning. We have gone through some difficult times. Lockdown is never a convenient measure, as we have experienced. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives taking precautions after threat to Indian High Commission: MEA

The government of Maldives has taken “swift action” after an Opposition leader called for an arson attack on the Indian High Commission in Male, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. Click here to read…

Maldives President In Sri Lanka On Private Visit

Prior to his departure the President kicked off his campaign for the upcoming presidential primary of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). He even met with the press after a long hiatus and answered numerous questions. Both President Solih and MDP leader and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed are running in the primary. The election is believed to be causing even deeper divisions within the party. Click here to read…

Myanmar
UNICEF Myanmar Humanitarian Situation Report No. 11, December 2022 – Relief Web

The number of people displaced nationally, including those in protracted situations, has continued to rise, exceeding 1.5 million as of 26 December 2022. UNICEF reached over 2.7 million children aged 6–59 months with support to the vitamin A supplementation campaign. Click here to read…

Myanmar junta supporters protest outside US and UK embassies – Mizzima

Supporters of the Myanmar junta held protests against the United States’ (US) ratification of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) outside the Yangon US embassy on University Avenue and the UK embassy on Strand Road. The 2022 Burma Act was part of the 2023 NDAA that was ratified into law by US President Biden on 23 December 2022. Click here to read…

Nepal
UML Chair Oli holding talks with Madhav Nepal – Khabarhub

In a bid to narrow down differences, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli and Unified Socialist Chairman Madhav Nepal are holding a meeting on Friday. However, the time and place have not been decided yet. According to sources, the two leaders are meeting on Friday where they would discuss power-sharing and party unity. Click here to read…

Excited to work with new government in Nepal: India – The Hindu

India is “excited” about working with the new government in Nepal, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday. “Our PM congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The Nepalese PM also responded and said he wants friendly relations. He talked about natural affinity. Both our countries have unique bilateral relations. We hope to work together with the new government of Nepal. We are excited to work with the new government,” Mr. Bagchi said. Click here to read…

US funds for Tibetans in India, Nepal – Tribune India

The US budget-2023, passed by the Congress last week, has a provision of USD 11 million for the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and Tibetan communities living in India and Nepal. The budget has made available “not less than $8,000,000” for programmes to promote and preserve Tibetan culture and language for Tibetan communities residing in India and Nepal and “not less than $3,000,000” for programmes to strengthen the capacity of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). Click here to read…

Chinese reactions to Nepal’s election result – ORF Online

Despite the “communist victory” in Nepal, there seem to be some apprehensions within Chinese strategic circles about the stability of this new coalition government. Either due to the havoc wreaked by the ongoing COVID crisis or confounded by the complexity of Nepali politics, the Chinese reaction to Nepal’s election results, as evident from the debates and discussions in the Chinese internet circles, has been rather muted. Click here to read…

Nepal expresses satisfaction over SJVN hydro projects – Devdiscourse

Matters related to the development of hydropower in Nepal were also deliberated in the meeting, the statement.SJVN said its CMD is on an official visit to Nepal to review the execution of 900 MW Arun-3, 669 MW Lower Arun 490 MW Arun-4 hydro projects.The CMD also briefed the Deputy Prime Minister about the measures taken by his company to mitigate the impact of the global pandemic on the construction activities of the Arun-3 Project. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Presidential ordinance likely to bring mini-budget: The Express Tribune

Sources in the Ministry of Finance told The Express Tribune that it has been decided, in principle, to impose 1% to 3% import duties to raise around Rs60 billion in additional revenues. However, these duties might be imposed as a levy, which would keep the money outside the federal divisible pool and would not be distributed under the National Finance Commission Award. Due to its non-tax nature, the levy would also not be counted as part of the Federal Board of Revenue collection.
Click here to read…

Geneva moot to take up plight of flood-hit people: The Express Tribune

The prime minister expressed these views as he chaired a review meeting on the Resilient Pakistan Conference to be held in Geneva next month.
The premier said hundreds of lives and billions of dollars had been lost this year due to flash floods in Pakistan. He vowed to make every possible effort to accommodate the flood-struck population. Click here to read…

National Security Committee meets today: The News

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Friday (today) to discuss the security matters.The NSC meeting has been convened at the PM House, which would be attended by the defence minister, interior minister, foreign minister and finance minister as well as military chiefs, local media reported quoting sources. Click here to read…

Rising inflation, gas shortage, snap polls: PTI holds countrywide protest from today: The News

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced Thursday it would start a country-wide protest movement starting tomorrow (Friday) as the party seeks to force the coalition government into early elections. The PTI has been repeatedly calling for snap elections since ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s ouster in April as it refuses to go back to the National Assembly and keeps on stressing that “early polls” are the only solution to the country’s ongoing crisis, reported local media. But the government has ruled out staging early polls and has told the PTI that given the current situation — floods, census, and new delimitation — the elections cannot be held before October. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
IS member connected with Sri Lanka Easter bomber held for links with Coimbatore blast suspects: NIA – Hindustan Times

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested a member of terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) who was in touch with the mastermind of 2019 Easter Day bombings in Sri Lanka, for his alleged links with suspects in the October 23 blast in Tamil Nadu’s CoimbatoreClick here to read…

Bankrupt Sri Lanka enters New Year with no clarity on bailout – Strait Times

Sri Lanka will hobble into 2023 with old problems it had hoped not to carry over into the New Year. The bankrupt country is nearing its deadline of end-December to get the bilateral approvals necessary for a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with little good news. Click here to read…

Let’s unpack the query in ‘Tamil National Question’ – Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called all parties to get together and solve what he calls the ‘ethnic-problem’ that has remained ‘unresolved’ for decades. Meanwhile, parties that claim to represent ‘Tamil interests’ have put forward a set of demands: a) stop ‘land grabs in the Northern and Eastern Provinces by armed forces the state institutions while releasing all lands so acquired earlier by them in those two provinces, b) hold provincial council elections forthwith after implementing all provisions in the Constitutions and other laws in respect of power devolution, and c) implement power devolution under a federal framework through a new Constitution are the three demands. Click here to read…

VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: March 30, 2022

Afghanistan
UN Calls on Islamic Emirate to Honor Promise on Girls’ Education: Tolo News

The members of the UN Security Council have expressed their deep concern regarding the inability of girls beyond grade six in Afghanistan to return to their schools, as they were promised. Click here to read…

EU: Decision on Girls’ Schools Impacts Engagement: Tolo News

The European Union on Monday in a statement said the decision on girls’ education by the Islamic Emirate violates the fundamental right to education, and called for the immediate re-opening of secondary schools for girls in the country. Click here to read…

WB suspends $600M worth of projects in Afghanistan over school ban: The Khaama Press

The World Bank has announced that they have put on hold four projects in Afghanistan worth of $600 million following the ban on girls’ secondary schools in the country. The projects that were funded by Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) concentrated on agriculture, education, health, and livelihood. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
World Bank approves $358m for safer roads in Bangladesh- The Daily Star

World Bank today approved $358 million to help Bangladesh improve road safety, and reduce fatalities and injuries from road accidents in selected high-risk highways and district roads. Click here to read…

Russel wanted to be an army officer: PM- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked Bangladesh Armed Forces personnel to always be ready to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty. Click here to read…

Only 3,000 social workers to protect vulnerable children in Bangladesh: Unicef- The Daily Star

Over 100,000 social workers are needed in Bangladesh to adequately respond to the needs of vulnerable children, but currently there are only 3,000 social workers in the country, Unicef has said. Click here to read…

Freedom of expression still heavily curtailed in Bangladesh: Amnesty International- The Daily Star

Freedom of expression continued to be heavily curtailed by draconian laws” in Bangladesh in 2021, Amnesty International has said. Click here to read…

Can firmly say Rab last resort in rescuing abducted victims: DG- The Daily Star

The Rapid Action Battalion’s success in combating crime with upholding humanity is unprecedented in the world, said its Director General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Click here to read…

Bomb attack on Benapole land port workers: 3 cases filed against 36- The Daily Star

Three cases have been filed against 36 people in connection with yesterday’s crude bomb attack on workers of Benapole Land Port in Jashore’sSharshaupazila, which left 20 people injured. Click here to read…

Onion import to continue: agriculture secretary- The Daily Star

The option to import onion will remain open now in order to keep the price of the cocking ingredient stable ahead of Ramadan, said Agriculture Secretary Md Sayedul Islam. Click here to read…

US to provide $152m aid for Rohingyas, host communities: Ambassador- The Daily Star.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, has announced USD 152 million in new humanitarian assistance for nearly one million Rohingyas and host communities. Click here to read…

Santal farmers killed selves being deprived of irrigation water: Farmers tell probe body blaming operator- The Daily Star

While the probe committee from the Ministry of Agriculture visited Rajshahi’sGodagariupazila today, many farmers elaborately told them that the death of two santal farmers was primarily because the operator deprived them of irrigation water. Click here to read…

BNP incited left parties to call hart all- The Daily Star

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday said BNP instigated left-leaning political parties to enforce hartal, which protested price hike of essentials. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Actions will be taken on free-roaming Covid-19 positive cases- Kuensel

The increasing number of positive cases in the community is attributed to the people not isolating themselves strictly after testing positive. Click here to read…

India releases Nu 737M for 12th Plan projects- Kuensel

The government of India released Nu 737 million (M) yesterday for projects including roads, urban development and school infrastructure. Click here to read…

8Economic affairs ministry proposes options to reduce fuel price- Kuensel

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) has proposed numerous interventions to the Cabinet to reduce fuel prices. Click here to read…

Maldives

The Maldives, UAE sign MoU on experience exchange on gov’t development, modernization: Raajje M

A significant agreement has been signed between the Maldives and United Arab Emirates (UAE), as part of Vice President Faisal Naseem’s ongoing visit to the UAE. Click here to read…

Myanmar
The Day Civilians Took Office in Myanmar After 53 Years of Military Rule – The Irrawaddy

On this day in 2016, a civilian government took office for the first time in 53 years in Myanmar following the National League for Democracy (NLD)’s victory in the November 2015 general election. Click here to read…

In Solidarity with Coup Leader, Myanmar Ex-Generals Appear at Armed Forces Day Event – The Irrawaddy

The appearance of ex-generals from the previous Myanmar military regime at the Armed Forces Day commemoration and subsequent ceremony hosted by the current regime on Sunday proves that they are all in solidarity with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, who staged a coup that has so far killed 1,700 people. Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Helicopter Crashes in Chin State – The Irrawaddy

A military helicopter crashed and injured five people onboard at Hakha, Chin State’s capital, on Tuesday morning, according to Myanmar’s junta. It is the third air force crash since June. Myanmar’s air force is known for frequent deadly crashes, even during training exercises, due to its largely outdated fleet.Click here to read…

Myanmar Junta Enacts Law Allowing It to Deploy Police to Front Lines – The Irrawaddy

The Myanmar military regime has enacted a new law making it compulsory for law enforcement officers to fight alongside soldiers on the front lines, while expanding their powers to restrict citizens’ civil liberties. Click here to read…

Karen Ethnic Armed Group Tells Myanmar Govt Employees in Its Area to Quit – The Irrawaddy

District level Karen National Union (KNU) offices recently called on non-striking government employees working for the regime in KNU-controlled areas to resignClick here to read…

Public to Boycott Myanmar Junta’s New Year Water Festival – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar could not celebrate Thingyan in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 and military rule but this year the regime is trying to bring the Burmese new year festival back to life. Click here to read…

Airstrikes Continue After Myanmar Junta Suffers Heavy Losses – The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military continues using helicopters to attack villages near the Thai border in Myawaddy Township where its troops are suffering heavy losses. Daily fighting has continued in the Karen State border district for months amid heavy junta reinforcements, artillery and airstrikes. Click here to read…

Youths in Sittwe mark Right to Truth Day with calls for justice, human rights – BNI Online

Commemorated annually on March 24, the UN-recognised day is known in longform as International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. Click here to read…

Nepal
(Editorial)Ties consolidated- Himalaya

Wang’s visit was, thus, a good opportunity for Nepal to clarify Nepal’s position that any development assistance from a country would be utilised solely for development purposes and that it would never accept any project with political and other conditions. Click here to read…

NC to tie up with ruling allies for civic polls- Himalaya

The central working committee of the ruling Nepali Congress today unanimously decided to forge poll alliance with other coalition partners in local elections scheduled for May 13. Click here to read…

Nepal, Republic of South Sudan establish diplomatic relations- Himalaya

Nepal and the Republic of South Sudan have established diplomatic relations. With this, the number of countries with which Nepal has bilateral diplomatic relations has reached 175. Click here to read…

Mahat-led delegation meets PM Deuba- Himalaya

A delegation from Nuwakot led by Nepali Congress Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat today called on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and apprised him of several issues facing the district. Click here to read…

Congress comes up with formal decision on poll alliance- Kathmandu Post

Members of rival Nepal Congress faction fear that alliance with communists could harm the party’s voter base. Click here to read…

Security printing will give sense of independence in printing sector: Communications Minister Karki- Himalaya

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said the purpose of making the country independent in the printing sector is being gradually fulfilled. Click here to read…

Reaction to Wang Yi’s Nepal visit in Chinese media- Nepali Times

Delayed and toned-down reaction to Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to Nepal seems deliberate. Click here to read…

Pakistan
‘Stars not aligned’ for MQM announcement: Dawn

While the combined opposition tried with all its might to prevail upon the party to announce a decision there and then, MQM-P avoided making a definitive statement at such a late hour and announced that it would make its decision public the next day. Click here to read…

PM forbids PTI MNAs from attending NA session on no-trust voting: The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. has barred the ruling PTI lawmakers from attending the National Assembly session on the day of voting on no-trust motion, which is likely to be held in the first week of April. Click here to read…

‘Pakistan can play role for diplomatic solution to war’, PM tells Ukrainian president

Prime Minister Imran Khan has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that non-partisan countries like Pakistan are in a position to play a helpful role in reinforcing efforts for cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic solution in the war-stricken country. Click here to read…

Umpire’s neutrality leaves smaller parties confused: The News

The ‘umpire’s neutrality’ is behind the change of plans by smaller political parties, as they are reluctant to trust the commitments made by the government and the opposition. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Can we eat money?’: Prices high, supplies low, despair in Lanka- Indian Express

Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst economic crises, battered by the Easter Sunday blasts of April 2019, two Covid waves and now the Russia-Ukraine war. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka avoids recession in Dec quarter, GDP grows 3.7% in 2021: Business Standard

Sri Lanka’s economy grew at a slower-than-expected 1.8% in the 4th quarter of the 2021 financial year, taking its full year growth to 3.7 per cent, data from the govt’s statistics department showed. Click here to read…