VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 18th December 18, 2018

PAKISTAN

First Pak-aided US-Taliban talks held in UAE: Dawn
December 18, 2018

United States diplomats and Taliban representatives met in the United Arab Emirates on Monday for talks facilitated by Pakistan on finding a negotiated settlement of the war in Afghanistan. The meeting in Abu Dhabi was also attended by officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. There were no statements from the participating parties at the end of the daylong meeting, although Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal officially announced the start of the talks through a tweet. Click here to read....

FDI plunges as inflows from China shrink: Dawn
December 18, 2018

Foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 35 per cent in the first five months of the current fiscal year, mainly due to a sharp drop in Chinese investments. The State Bank reported on Monday that the FDI during July-November FY19 clocked in at $880.7 million against $1359m in the same period of last fiscal year; a decline of $478m or 35pc. Click here to read....

AFGHANISTAN

UN Secretary General Submits Report On Afghanistan Situation: Tolo

UN Secretary General António Guterres on Monday submitted his report on Afghanistan to the UN Security Council in which he provided an update on the activities of the United Nations in Afghanistan, including political, humanitarian, development and human rights efforts, since the issuance of the previous report, on September 10 this year. According to the report, parliamentary elections were held as scheduled on October 20. In response to long delays and widespread operational difficulties, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) extended voting in some polling centres for an additional day. Click here to read....

NEPAL

Former Prime Minister Tulsi Giri passes away at 93: Kathmandu Post
December 18, 2018

Former Prime Minister and senior politician Tulsi Giri has passed away at his residence in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu on Tuesday, after a prolonged battle with liver cancer, his family source said. He was 93. A patient of liver cancer, Giri was discharged from Medicity Hospital recently. Giri was a former general secretary of Nepali Congress and later became the prime minister during Panchyat era. He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. Click here to read....

MYANMAR

UN Security Council mulls Myanmar action; Russia, China boycott talks: Channel News Asia
December 18, 2018

The U.N. Security Council is considering action to push Myanmar to work with the United Nations to address the Rohingya refugee crisis, although China and Russia have so far boycotted talks on a British-drafted resolution, diplomats said on Monday. he draft resolution aims to put a timeline on Myanmar allowing the return of more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh and addressing accountability, said diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity. Click here to read....

CHINA

Highlights of Xi's speech at a conference celebrating 40 years of reform, opening-up: China Daily
December 18, 2018

President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a grand gathering to celebrate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up in Beijing on Tuesday. Click here to read....

Key meeting predicted to help bolster economy: China Daily
December 18, 2018

China is expected to enact stronger measures, such as additional tax cuts and incentives for consumption and investment, to bolster the national economy next year, a stance that may be clarified at the annual priority-setting Central Economic Work Conference, analysts said. Click here to read....