VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 5th July, 2018

PAKISTAN
Religious groups jump into electoral fray in a big way: Dawn
July 5, 2018

A lesser known religious party — Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) — that gained prominence after it staged a prolonged sit-in at the intersection between Rawalpindi and Islamabad crippling life in the twin cities last year on the issue of Khatm-i-Nubuwat declaration, has jumped into electoral politics in a big way, fielding more candidates than many of the parties active in the political arena for decades. According to an incomplete ‘final list’ of the candidates announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after an unexplained and unusual delay on Wednesday, the TLP has fielded more than 150 candidates for National Assembly seats across the country. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Meets Afghan Envoy: Tolo News
July 5, 2018

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday met Afghan Ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Pakistan’s Express Tribune reported. Matters of mutual interest including regional security were discussed in the meeting, a statement issued by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. Zakhilwal thanked the army chief for his efforts in improving bilateral relations with Afghanistan, according to the report. The meeting comes a day after US Deputy Assistant Secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Alice Wells held talks with Bajwa and discussed the role Pakistan can play in bringing about peace in Afghanistan. Wells was in Islamabad to explore the possibility of resumption of the Afghan peace process. Click here to read.... [3]

NEPAL
Mansarovar ordeal: Over 500 pilgrims await flights: Kathmandu Post
July 5, 2018
The ordeal of Indian pilgrims returning from Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet is still not over as more than 500 of them are still awaiting for their flights at Hilsa, the border point between Nepal and China, and Simikot, the district headquarters of Humla.

According to the District Police Office, hundreds of people are still at Simikot awaiting their flights. Inclement weather had disrupted the flights to and from the district until Monday. The weather improved from Tuesday onwards. Two hundred and two pilgrims were airlifted from Hilsa and brought to Simikot while 277 pilgrims boarded flights from Simikot and landed at Nepalgunj and Surkhet on Wednesday. Click here to read.... [4]

MALDIVES
Maldives to launch more direct air links with China: Business Standard
July 4, 2018

The Maldivian government is aiming to strengthen tourism ties with China by establishing direct air links between the two countries by the year-end, Tourism Minister Moosa Zameer said on Tuesday. Zameer said in an interview with Xinhua that China was one of the leading countries for Maldives' tourism but Chinese arrivals had seen a decline in recent months due to a state of emergency declared by President Abdulla Yameen in February. Presently there are around 13 flights between China and Maldives weekly, but these destinations are connected through a transit airport. Click here to read.... [5]

SRI LANKA
India to discuss possible joint venture to run Sri Lanka's loss-making Mattala Rajapaksha International Airport in Hambantota: Times of India
July 5, 2018

An Indian delegation is in Colombo to discuss a possible joint venture to operate Sri Lanka's loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota, the government said on Wednesday. The $210 million facility, 241 kilometres south-east of Sri Lanka's capital city, Colombo, is dubbed the "world's emptiest airport" due to a lack of flights. The only international flight operating from there was halted in May due to recurrent losses and flight safety issues. Sri Lankan deputy minister of transport Ashok Abeysinghe stated this in Parliament while answering an Opposition query on whether the Mattala airport, which was funded by China, would be sold outright. Click here to read.... [6]

CHINA
Xi: Cherish China-Russia ties: China Daily
July 05, 2018

China and Russia should cherish their strategic partnership and support each other as they always do to safeguard their core interests, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday. Xi made the remark while meeting with Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of the Federation Council of Russia, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. At the meeting, Xi mentioned conferring on Russian President Vladimir Putin the first Friendship Medal, China’s highest honor to foreigners, last month. It reflected the special and important characters of China-Russia relations, Xi said. Click here to read.... [7]

Beijing will not fire ‘first shot’ in trade war: People's Daily
July 05, 2018

China will “absolutely not” fire the first shot in a trade war with the United States and will not be the first to levy tariffs, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday. The ministry’s comments came as certain foreign media, citing anonymous sources, said China’s tariffs on $34 billion of US goods would take effect from the beginning of the day on Friday. Given the 12-hour time difference, that would have put its implementation ahead of Washington’s. Click here to read.... [8]

China makes significant global contribution since WTO accession in 2001: People's Daily
July 05, 2018

China has made a significant contribution to the world since it joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, People’s Daily Overseas Edition commented on July 4.The country’s determination to further open up is once again indicated by a white paper titled "China and the World Trade Organization" released by its State Council Information Office on June 28. Click here to read.... [9]