VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: June 08, 2022

Afghanistan
Anas Haqqani Outlines Ways to Overcome Nation’s Poverty: Tolo News

A senior member of the Islamic Emirate, Anas Haqqani, at a gathering in Kabul on Tuesday listed measures to overcome poverty and illiteracy in the country. Speaking at a conference addressing the country’s poverty and education needs, Anas Haqqani called weak former governments, war, illiteracy, unemployment, climate change and population growth the main causes of poverty. Click here to read…

Dep. Minister Calls Education ‘Vital’ for Everyone: Tolo News

Speaking at a gathering in Kabul on Tuesday, the deputy Minister of Education Sheikh Ahmad Shahidkhail said that access to education is essential for the development of society and that everyone, including “men, women, children and the elderly,” should have access to educationClick here to read…

SIGAR: Allegations of Former President Ghani’s Escape with $169M Are “Unlikely to Be True”: The Khaama Press

According to a recent report provided by the SIGAR, the interim findings by indicate that on the day of the former Afghan government’s collapse, tens of millions of dollars had vanished from various departments of the previous administration, particularly the National Directorate of SecurityClick here to read…

India exploring resumption of diplomatic presence in Afghanistan

The issue of India again having a diplomatic presence in Kabul figured at a meeting on June 2 between joint secretary JP Singh, the external affairs ministry’s pointperson on Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Click here to read…

Bangladesh
Upcoming Adani plant in Jharkhand to sell power to Bangladesh will make its economy suffer: Down to Earth

The Adani Godda ultra-supercritical coal power plant being built in Jharkhand’s Godda district by the Adani Group will sell its power to Bangladesh. But a new Indo-Bangladesh report accessed by Down To Earth has claimed that Bangladesh’s economy will suffer in the process, even as Adani will get richer. Click here to read…

Bangladesh’s growth to pick up to 6.7% in FY23: The Bussiness Standard

Although Bangladesh’s growth forecast is expected to slow in the fiscal year 2021-22, it will pick up once again in the FY2022/23, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. Click here to read…

Bhutan
Govt. slashes local government budget- Kuensel

Although local governments (LGs) have been empowered and given greater flexibility in planning and execution of programmes, the total budget for LGs has decreased by 12.5 percent in the fiscal yea” target=”_blank”>Click here to read…r 2022-23. Click here to read…

Monetary measures to continue post-June this year: FM- Kuensel

The government will implement the fourth phase of monetary measures for the private sector next month after Phase III ends this month. Click here to read…

Bangladesh agrees to designate new ports of call for Bhutan- Kuensel

The Bangladesh government agreed to designate new ‘ports of call’ for use by Bhutan from Aricha, Chilmari, Sirajganj, Mongla, Chattogram and Payra Port. Click here to read…

Maldives
Maldives parliament rejects motion that sought condemnation of BJP leaders’ remarks on Prophet: The Print

The Maldivian parliament Monday rejected a motion that called on President Ibrahim Solih’s government to condemn remarks made against Prophet Muhammad by two leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in IndiaClick here to read…

Russia’s Aeroflot to increase flights to Maldives: The Sun

Civil Aviation Authority’s spokesperson Ibrahim Mohamed told Sun on Tuesday evening that the airline had informed it would be operating flights to Maldives six days a week starting Friday, June 10. Click here to read…

Myanmar
HRW calls on Thailand to allow Rohingya access to asylum – Mizzima

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Thai government to provide recently rescued Rohingya asylum seekers with assistance and immediate access to procedures to determine their refugee status. Click here to read…

International Community is allowing the junta to weaponise aid – Mizzima

According to campaign group Progressive Voice the international community risks allowing the junta to weaponise aid by putting all aid through the junta and ignoring the National Unity Government and other anti-junta forces, despite the atrocities committed by the junta. Click here to read…

Moderate mag. 4.2 earthquake – 77 km north of Tachilek, Tachileik District, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), on Wednesday, Jun 8, 2022 at 9:56 am (GMT +6:30) – Volcano Discovery

The quake hit at a very shallow depth of 2 km beneath the epicenter near Tachilek, Tachileik District, Shan State, Myanmar (Burma), in the morning on Wednesday, June 8th, 2022, at 9:26 am local timeClick here to read…

Myanmar’s junta uses identity documents as tools of genocide against Rohingya: report – RFA

Myanmar’s junta is using identity documents to carry out a genocide of the ethnic Rohingya community, much like the perpetrators of the Holocaust and Rwandan genocide, according to a new report, which calls on the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Click here to read…

Thailand urged to let refugee status of stranded Rohingya be evaluated by UN – SCMP

A group of ethnic Rohingya left on a Thai island after a dangerous boat journey from Bangladesh should be given help and the opportunity to determine if they are refugees, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Nepal
Embossed plates must only for new vehicles: DoTM- Himalayan Times

Following widespread criticism, the Department of Transport Management today clarified that the mandatory provision of affixing embossed number plates in Bagmati and Gandaki provinces by mid-July was based on the notice published on Nepal Gazette in October and is only applicable to newer vehicles. Click here to read…

We will bring all the encroached land belonging to PADT: Minister Ale- Himalayan Times

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale has vowed to recover all the land properties in the name of the Pashupatinath Temple but which have been encroached upon. Click here to read…

Uncertainty over plan to sell 200MW power to India after bidding confusion- Kathmandu Post

Manikaran Power has quoted the highest price only for 100MW, while quoting fifth highest for another 100MW, making it difficult for Nepal’s power utility to make a decision. Click here to read…

A smug Dahal ignores party meetings, as he gloats over local poll wins- Kathmandu Post

Insiders say there are no plans in sight to form crucial committees, and without check-and-balance mechanisms, the chair gets free hand. Click here to read…

Nepal clears hurdles to import fertiliser from India to tide it over paddy season- Kathmandu Post

To fast-track the process, the Cabinet has opened the way for a rush shipment of vital crop nutrients, officials say. Click here to read…

Govt dissolves Technical Committee for Revival of Tourism- Republica

The Technical Committee formed earlier for revival of tourism by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has been dissolved. Click here to read…

Pakistan
Economy can’t be revived without political stability, says PM: The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for formulating a “charter of economy” to put the country back on the path of progress, saying there can be no economic stability without political stability in the country. Click here to read…

Rupee plummets to all time low of 204 against USD: The Express Tribune

The Pakistani rupee on Tuesday made a historical drop of Rs4.00 in a single day and surpassed Rs204 against the US dollar for the first time ever in the inter-bank market. Click here to read…

PMLN, PPP to jointly contest Punjab bypolls: The News

The PMLN and PPP have decided to jointly contest the Punjab by-election and maintain a strong working relationship as allies. This was decided in a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz and PPP-Parliamentarians head Asif Ali Zardari at the Bilawal House Tuesday. They agreed to support each other in the bypolls being held on vacant seats in Punjab. Click here to read…

(Editorial) Energy crisis: Dawn

OUR political class’s strategic failures have once again brought us back to the days of relentless ‘load-shedding’. Yet, instead of making a sombre assessment of the failed policies that have brought back these days of misery, our politicians are obfuscating the facts by pointing fingers at each other. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan PM urges citizens not to stock fuel: Economic Times

The Lankan Prime Minister said, the next three weeks will be a tough time for the country with regard to fuel and it is time to use fuel and gas as carefully as possible. He said, negotiations are underway with various parties to ensure proper fuel supply.Click here to read…

Sri Lanka needs to find $6 billion to keep the country afloat this year: The Hindu

Sri Lanka must find $6 billion to keep the country afloat for the next six months, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Tuesday, as he outlined the government’s plans to combat an unprecedented economic crisis. Click here to read…

China shifting focus to Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka president says: Japan Times

China appears to be shifting its strategic focus toward Southeast Asia and Africa, Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said, noting that South Asian countries in financial trouble aren’t getting the same attention from Beijing as before. Click here to read…

New Chief of Staff appointed to Sri Lanka Army: Ada derana

Major General Jagath Kodithuwakku, the present Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army has been appointed the new Chief of Staff of the Army, effective from Wednesday (8). Click here to read…