VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 14th August, 2018

PAKISTAN

Imran Khan says ready to look into ‘rigging’ allegations: Dawn

August 14, 2018

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Monday sought all-out support of allied parties in the election of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly. Imran Khan was speaking at a reception he hosted in honour of the parliamentarians of the PTI and allied parties. He reiterated his promise to open to audit results of all constituencies where the PML-N believes elections were rigged. Mr Khan thanked all allied parties for their support to the PTI.Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Clashes Ease in Ghazni City As Taliban ‘Pull Back’: Tolo News

August 14, 2018

Ghazni residents said early Tuesday that the Taliban has withdrawn from a number of areas in the city after setting government buildings on fire. Residents said that currently the battlefield is in Asfanda, Noghi and around the Khoghyani district, on the outskirts of the city. They also said that the bodies of over 100 people have been taken to Ghazni’s regional hospital and over 200 people were treated at the hospital – many of them in the hospital grounds because of overcrowding. Residents said a shortage of medicine is one of the main problems at the hospital and that there are still bodies lying in the hospital grounds. In the meantime, a security source confirmed that 100 policemen were killed in the Ghazni clashes but no details have been released on the number of casualties among army and NDS forces.Click here to read... [3]

NEPAL

GMR, Bangladesh to sign power purchase pact

GMR Upper Karnali Hydropower, the Indian company building the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project located in western Nepal, is close to signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Bangladeshi government to export electricity generated by the plant. Under the PPA, GMR will export up to 500 MW to Bangladesh using Indian transmission lines. GMR and the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), a statutory body of the Bangladeshi government, have agreed to the commercial terms of the PPA. The BPDB has sent the agreement to the office of the Bangladeshi prime minister for approval, according to a highly placed GMR source.Click here to read... [4]

MALDIVES

Maldives wants to shed 'excessive Indian influence', says Chinese media: Times Now

August 13, 2018

Two days ago the Maldives asked India to withdraw its helicopters and military personnel from the island nation citing the expiry of an agreement between the two countries in June. The move was seen as a snub to India by President Abdulla Yameen’s China-backed government. Chinese state-owned media, however, dubbed the incident as an attempt by Male to shed “excessive Indian influence”.The article says India considers Maldives to be its “backyard and sphere of influence with a strong desire to tighten its grip” on Male and stay away from “other countries’ influence” – read China's influence. India opposed Yameen’s crackdown on rivals and an emergency imposed by his regime in the country. This pushed Yameen deeper into China’s arms who wooed him with investments.Click here to read... [5]

CHINA

Trend of capital inflows to keep yuan steady: China Daily

August 14, 2018

China has seen steady growth of capital inflows in the first half this year, in terms of both foreign direct investment and holdings of onshore financial products, despite global trade tensions and currency turmoil in some emerging markets.Click here to read... [6]

Reform, opening up break new ground for China: article: Xinhuanet

August 13, 2018

Reform and opening up have broken new ground for China and should be advanced with resolution and courage, according to a commentary published on state media Monday. The Chinese-language commentary, which was published under the byline "Xuanyan" in the People's Daily, summarized China's achievements in reform and opening up.Click here to read... [7]

China to diversify supply system of soybean import: People's Daily

August 13, 2018

China is now making efforts to establish a more diversified soybean supply system by increasing the import sources and adjusting domestic production of oil-bearing crops, insider from China’s major grain stockpiler said, adding that the soybeans imported from other countries except the US can meet China’s daily demands. China Grain Reserves Corporation (Sinograin) has expanded the purchase from South America, who contributed over 90 percent to about 2.5 million tons of imported soybeans in May.Click here to read... [8]