VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 2nd August, 2018

PAKISTAN

Imran Khan opts for austere oath-taking ceremony, decides against inviting foreign personalities: Dawn

August 02, 2018

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman and prime minister-designate Imran Khan has decided against inviting foreign dignitaries and celebrities to his planned oath-taking ceremony, instead opting for a simple event, DawnNewsTV reported on Thursday. The PTI, having bagged 115 NA seats and after securing the support of key allies and roping in several independent winners, looks set to form the next government, with its chairman in pole position to become the next PM of Pakistan. To celebrate the fulfillment of Khan's long-held wish to become the premier, the party had initially planned to invite several foreign personalities, with the names of Indian PM Narendra Modi, Bollywood superstar Amir Khan and cricket legends Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavasker and Navjot Singh Sidhu all in the mix. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Former NDS Chief Launches New Political Movement: NDS

August 02, 2018

A new political movement, led by former National Directorate of Security (NDS) chief Assadullah Khalid, was officially launched in Afghanistan on Thursday. Hundreds of supporters from around the country converged on the streets on Thursday morning to attend the launch of the movement, called Omid-e-Sabah. Khalid said their focus will be on security and peace in Afghanistan. He said they would do everything to help end the war in the country but that they want peace to come in a dignified manner and that all Afghans be involved in the process. According to him the only way for the country to resolve the current crisis is through fair and transparent elections. Khalid stated the security situation is deteriorating day-by-day and that national unity is being affected. Click here to read... [3]

NEPAL

India closes its field office in Biratnagar: Kathmandu Post

August 02, 2018

The Government of India has shut down its field office in Biratnagar on Wednesday, bringing to an end its official presence in Nepal’s southern plains after a decade. Though the office has suspended all its operations, field officials say it will take some time for them to vacate the office. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said the move follows the decision of the Indian government on May 21 to close the outpost after repeated requests from the government of Nepal. With this all services which have been carried out so far from the Biratnagar office, including issuing of motor vehicle permits, registration certificates for Indian nationals, attestation of documents, will now be handled by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, chief of the field office Niraj Jaiswal said. Click here to read... [4]

BANGLADESH

Dhaka more interested in water-sharing than on NRC issue, says Bangladesh Minister: The Hindu

August 02, 2018

“Bangladesh is interested in getting its due share of water from India, rather than a part of the citizens of Assam,” says Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu. Bangladesh will discuss water-sharing with India rather than the issue of the National Register of Citizens, a senior Minister of the country said on Wednesday. Hasanul Haque Inu, Information Minister in the Sheikh Hasina government, told The Hindu that India had not raised the issue of human movements from Bangladesh since the creation of the country in 1971, and termed the exclusion of four million individuals from the NRC as the sign of a “democracy deficit” in India. Click here to read... [5] " target="_blank">Click here to read...

CHINA

China Focus: Marking 91st birthday, PLA marches into new era of reform, capacity building: Xinhuanet

August 01, 2018

Under southern China's scorching sun, marines climb high walls with their bare hands and crawl under barbed wire nets, with referees carefully timing them. Three squads of Chinese marines won the top three positions among 13 teams from five countries in an obstacle course contest, the first event of the "Seaborne Assault" competition of the International Army Games, held in the southeastern city of Quanzhou Monday. Click here to read... [6]

Economic Watch: China signals greater focus on economic stability: Xinhuanet

August 01, 2018

A key meeting has signaled that China will put more focus on maintaining the stability of the economy in the second half of this year amid external uncertainties. China will keep its economy on a stable and healthy development track with proactive fiscal policies and prudent monetary policies in the second half, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Tuesday. Click here to read... [7]

China seeks new insights on US trade strategy as it plans next moves: South China Morning Post

August 02, 2018

China is consulting businesspeople and think tanks at home and abroad as it considers whether to adapt its strategy in the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies, according to Chinese government advisers and a US business representative. Click here to read... [8]