VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: October 21, 2021

Afghanistan
Lavrov Calls for Inclusive Afghan Govt: Tolo News

The Russian Federation’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov called for the formation of an inclusive government that “truly reflect the interests of all ethnic and political forces” in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

‘250’ Daesh Members Arrested in 1 Month: Officials: Tolo News

More than 250 fighters affiliated with Daesh were arrested within the past month, officials said, adding that many of them are the prisoners who had fled from the prisons across the country. Click here to read…

Afghanistan’s current situation is not stable: Russia: The Khaama Press

Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that lack of recognition of the Taliban, socio-economic and finance sphere, and humanitarian challenges that the de-facto authorities in Kabul are confronted with, is not a stable situation. Click here to read…

War is over in Afghanistan but this is not final chapter: Zalmay Khalilzad: The Khaama Press

US’s outgoing special representative for Afghan peace Zalmay Khalilzad said that war in Afghanistan ended but warned that this is not the final chapter as the people of Afghanistan will confront economic and security challenges. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Man placing Holy Quran at Cumilla puja mandap identified as Iqbal Hossain- Daily Star

From CCTV footage, police have identified the person who placed the Holy Quran at Nanua Dighir Par puja mandap in Cumilla city. Click here to read…

Bangladeshi travellers to India will need post-arrival Covid-19 tests- Daily Star

India today came out with revised guidelines for international arrivals into the country with effect from October 25 under which mandatory RT-PCR report showing samples tested as negative is required for passengers to board an international flight to India. Click here to read…

Police: Comilla resident Iqbal placed the Quran on a Puja idol- Dhaka Tribune

Police have identified the man behind the Comilla incident that sparked nationwide communal violence for the past week. Click here to read…

Fake photos, videos flood social media amid communal tension- Dhaka Tribune

There has been a steep rise in the spread of fake news, photos and videos on social media following the recent incidents of alleged desecration of the Holy Quran and the subsequent attacks on Durga Puja venues across the country. Click here to read…

Death toll passes 100 in Nepal-India floods- Asian Age

More than 100 people have died after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand and parts of Nepal. Click here to read…

PM to open newly built exhibition center at Purbachal tomorrow- Asian Age

Newly built ‘Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center’ at Purbachal will be inaugurated tomorrow. Click here to read…

PM for stern action over attack on Hindu community- Asian Age

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to take immediate action against the perpetrators involved in the recent vandalism at puja mandaps and arson attack on the houses of the Hindu community. Click here to read…

B’desh learning a lot from China in poverty alleviation: Minister- The Observer

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Wednesday said Bangladesh has been learning a lot from its biggest development partner, China, in poverty alleviation. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Incessant rain damages paddy crops across the country- Kuensel

Heavy rain since October 17 has damaged harvested paddies and ripe standing paddy crops in many parts of the country. Click here to read…

67 days without a new Covid-19 community case; Phuentsholing is hopeful- Kuensel

It may take a long time for Phuentsholing to return to pre-pandemic times, but without a single community case for the last 67 days since August 12, the journey has already begun. Click here to read…

Elephants rampaging paddy fields in Pelrithang every night- Kuensel

Farmers in Pelrithang Khatoed in Gelephu have to spend sleepless nights guarding their paddy fields from elephants. Click here to read…

DHI BizAP digital skill-up freelancing for de-suups- Kuensel

The Druk Holding and Investments Limited’s (DHI) second round of the Business Acceleration Programme (BizAP) on digital skill-up freelancing, exclusively for the de-suups, kicked off on October 18 in Thimphu. Click here to read…

Observing and documenting climate change- Kuensel

A team of officials from the tourism, environment, and forest sectors are at Jumolhari, observing and documenting the impact of climate change on communities and their resilience to it. Click here to read…

There is a yeti preserve in Bhutan that is bigger than the size of Singapore- Daily Bhutan

The yeti is a mythical ape-like creature that is believed to roam the Himalayas, known in western pop culture as the Abominable Snowman. Click here to read…

Visitors can look forward to a brand new experience at Paro International Airport- Daily Bhutan

Paro Airport now boasts a new look. Visitors flying into Bhutan can look forward to a fresh experience at its national aviation facility. Click here to read…

Swollen Amochhu washes away 26 cattle- BBS

The swollen Amochhu due to the incessant rainfall washed away 26 cattle in Bangaley village under Denchukha Gewog in Samtse, yesterday. However, the Drungkhag disaster team rescued three cattle as of today. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives Tourism Report 2021: Emerging as a Dream Vacation Destination for the International Tourists – Businesswire

Maldives will attract more than 2.5 million international tourists and generated more than US$ 5 billion in revenues by 2027. Click here to read…

Maldives minister: Failure to limit warming a death sentence – ABC News

A failure to limit global warming could mean a “death sentence” for small island nations like the Maldives, including the end of their livelihoods and cultures, the country’s environment minister said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Myanmar

ASEAN summit without Myanmar leader significant, but not enough – U.S.- Reuters

The United States sees the decision by Southeast Asian nations to exclude Myanmar’s leader from a regional summit as very significant but more needs to be done to address the challenges the country is facing after the military coup there, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Thousands flee Myanmar for India amid fears of a growing refugee crisis: The Economic Times

Terrified farmers and families with children in Myanmar are fleeing into India as the military junta that seized power in a February coup continues to seek out and eliminate resistance along the country’s border. Click here to read…

Pagodas Damaged in Myanmar’s Temple City: The Irrawaddy

Fourteen pagodas in Bagan, Myanmar’s temple city, have been damaged by heavy rain, according to the Bagan branch of the Department of Archaeology and the National Museum. Click here to read…

Ethnic Minority Student Killed in Myanmar Junta Custody: The Irrawaddy

A final-year engineering student who led anti-regime protests in Naypyitaw and Mandalay has died in military custody, his friends told The Irrawaddy. Click here to read…

Nepal

Sixty killed, 27 missing in floods, landslides- Himalayan

Sixty people were killed and 27 were missing in landslides and floods triggered by rainfall across the country in the last 24 hours. Click here to read…

Dahal for setting up agriculture aid fund- Himalayan

CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the government to set up an agriculture assistance fund to provide relief to flood and landslide-hit farmers. Click here to read…

NA engaged in rescue, relief efforts- Himalayan

The Nepali Army has been involved in rescue and relief distribution efforts for flood and landslide survivors. Click here to read…

PM Deuba directs immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation- Himalayan

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has directed the authorities concerned to work for rescue, relief distribution, and rehabilitation of those displaced by the recent series of landslides, floods, and inundation. Click here to read…

Centre mulls mechanism to ‘help’ its ministers

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), which is a major partner in the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led coalition, is preparing to form a mechanism purportedly to help its ministers perform better. Click here to read…

Climate change is a disaster in the Nepal Himalaya- Nepali Times

October is buckwheat harvest time in the distant highlands of Dolpo. In the village of Tso, Namdak Sangmo watches other women from her village fling their sickles, stoop over to sling the sheaves on their shoulders, and bring the crop in. Click here to read…

Rains inflict 30 percent loss to paddy crops output in Chitwan- Republica

Incessant rains have inflicted 30 percent loss to the expected paddy crops output in Chitwan. The rainfall with wind storm caused damages to harvest-ready paddy plantation. Click here to read…

Finding a ray of hope in Nepal’s gloomy politics- Nepal Live Today

In many respects, what is tarnishing Nepali democracy at the national level is a generational problem with leaders too old to really imagine a different way of doing politics. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Govt plans subsidy on petrol for bikes, rickshaws: Dawn

Days after raising the petrol prices to a record level, the federal government has decided in principle to provide subsidised petrol to motorcycle and rickshaw owners. Click here to read…

15-day PDM protest against inflation begins: Dawn

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Wednesday kicked off its 15-day nationwide protest from Rawalpindi against continuous rise in prices of petroleum products and edibles. Click here to read…

Issues stymying CPEC projects remain unresolved: The Express Tribune

Third meeting of the Pak-China Relations Steering Committee reviewed the status of CPEC projects and found that a majority of its directives given in the first week of August had remained unimplemented. Click here to read…

Gen Qamar urges global efforts to avert humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan: The Express Tribune

The meeting took place at GHQ, Rawalpindi, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Click here to read…

FATF’s plenary meeting scrutinises Pak compliance report: The News

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has been scrutinising Pakistan’s compliance report on two action plans and a total of eight points in its ongoing plenary meeting held in Paris. Click here to read…

No-confidence motion: 33 out of 65 vote against Balochistan CM: The News

A no-confidence motion against Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan was tabled in the Balochistan Assembly, Geo News reported on Wednesday. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

18,790 persons vaccinated against COVID-19 on Tuesday – Daily FT

Sri Lanka has thus far administered the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to 14,788,141 persons and the second dose to 12,839,638 persons. Click here to read…

Trade deficit tops $ 5.5 b by August – Daily FT

The country’s trade deficit topped the $ 5.5 billion mark by end-August as imports remained high despite many curtailing efforts. Click here to read…

India lays emphasis on culture diplomacy with Sri Lanka – Daily Mirror

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to inaugurate the Kushinagar International Airport with the landing of an aircraft from Sri Lanka with a high profile delegation on board. Click here to read…