PAKISTAN
PM Khan reminds nation of the real meaning of sacrifice in Eid message: Dawn
Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the nation on the celebration of Eidul Azha and urged his countrymen to remember the sacrifices made for the protection, reconstruction and development of Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday. According to the report, the prime minister also urged people “not to forget those who are deprived in this hour of happiness”. Prime Minister Khan reminded the nation that sacrifice “is a universal devotion without which no nation can progress”. In his Eidul Azha message, President Mamnoon Hussain said today’s sacrifice commemorates the obedience and unparalleled examples set by the great prophets of Islam. Click here to read...
AFGHANISTAN
Russia talks on Afghanistan 'unlikely to yield progress': US State Dept: Dawn
August 23, 2018
The United States has rejected an invitation to join Russia-led talks on Afghanistan because they are unlikely to help bring peace, a State Department spokesman said on Wednesday, as the Trump administration prepared to appoint a diplomatic veteran as a new special envoy for the war-battered nation. Russia said that the Taliban will be joining the Sept 4 talks in Moscow, along with representatives of several neighbouring countries. It will be one of the insurgent group's biggest diplomatic forays since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan. Click here to read...
NEPAL
Nepali Congress party poised for epochal meet
August 23, 2018
As the Nepali Congress is set to call for a Mahasamiti meeting next month, a big churning is in the offing inside the party that is expected to gather momentum in coming days. As well as discussion on the party’s future course, the meeting is expected to pave the way for its top brass to gear up for a new leadership. The upcoming 14th General Convention of the party holds much significance because it will bid adieu to the party’s ageing leadership and welcome new faces. A party Central Working Committee meeting called this Friday will decide the date and venue of the Mahasamiti meeting, the party’s highest policy-making body. Click here to read...
MYANMAR
A year on, Rohingya still fleeing Myanmar for crowded camps: Reuters
August 23, 2018
Though Myanmar says it is ready to take back the Rohingya, the continued outflow of refugees such as Hamida and her family underlines the lack of progress in addressing the crisis, a year on from the start of the offensive on Aug. 25, 2017. The Rohingya exodus has threatened Myanmar’s tense transition to democracy and shattered the image of its leader, Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, outside the country. “The crisis has done enormous damage to Myanmar’s standing in the world,” said Richard Horsey, a former U.N. diplomat in the country and a political analyst. Click here to read...
CHINA
China rejects US criticism of El Salvador's decision: China Daily
August 23, 2018
Beijing said on Wednesday that there is no reason for anyone to interfere with El Salvador's decision to establish diplomatic ties with China, and it urged Washington to refrain from sending the "wrong signals" to pro-independence forces in Taiwan. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang asked the United States to "correctly view" ties between China and El Salvador, and properly handle Taiwan-related issues to avoid harming Sino-US cooperation and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. Lu made the remark at a daily news conference after a US State Department spokesman said on Tuesday that Washington was "deeply disappointed" by El Salvador's decision to break ties with Taiwan and that the US is reviewing its relationship with the Central American country. Click here to read...
Beijing, New Delhi to boost military ties: People’s Daily
August 23, 2018
China and India will strengthen cooperation between their militaries and maintain peace along their shared border, the two sides pledged during a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday between State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Wei, who is on a four-day visit to India, said that under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and Modi, friendly coexistence and win-win cooperation have come to characterize relations between the two countries as well as between their militaries. The visit will help further implement the important consensus the two countries' leaders have reached, deepen military and security exchanges and cooperation, and strengthen the building of mutual trust, Wei said. It will also help the two countries' militaries promote their ties and maintain peace in border regions, Wei said. Modi said India and China share vast common interests and should support each other, conduct win-win cooperation and jointly plan for the future. Click here to read...
Xi calls for better fulfilling missions of publicity work: People’s Daily
August 23, 2018
President Xi Jinping has underscored the importance of better fulfilling missions and tasks of the publicity and ideological work under new circumstances. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing a national conference on publicity and ideological work held in Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday. He called for solid publicity and ideological work to unite the people to embrace shared ideals, convictions, values, and moral standards, thus making greater contributions to the overall situation of the Party and the state. Xi said decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012 are correct and that officials on the publicity and ideological front are reliable. Click here to read...
China slaps back at latest United States tariffs in trade war escalation: South China Morning Post
August 23, 2018
China slapped a 25 per cent tariff on an additional US$16 billion in American goods on Thursday – following a similar move by the United States in their escalating trade war. The escalation came despite Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen’s current visit to Washington for talks with US Treasury undersecretary David Malpass, in a bid to reduce tensions. A statement released by the Finance Ministry said new tariffs were imposed on US goods after Washington slapped the same level of tariffs against China on Thursday. A statement released by China’s Commerce Ministry said the latest tariffs by the US were a violation of World Trade Organisation rules. Click here to read...
