VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 30th August, 2018

PAKISTAN

US military chief coming with Pompeo to Pakistan for talks on terrorism: Dawn

August 30, 2018

The US military chief will accompany the top US diplomat when he visits Islamabad next week and the need to fight terrorists would be “the primary part” of their discussions with Pakistani leaders, says US Defence Secretary James Mattis. At a Tuesday afternoon news briefing at the Pentagon, Mr Mattis also rebuffed suggestions that private military forces could join the fight in Afghanistan, and possibly replace regular US troops. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Joseph F. Dunford, who also attended the briefing, said the US had “permanent interests in South Asia” and wanted to “maintain a presence (there) to have influence in that region”. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Over 460 Pediatric Heart Patients Helped Thanks To India: Tolo News

August 30, 2018

A total of 467 Afghan children between the ages of four months and 18 years suffering from congenital heart disease have benefited in the past year from India’s financial help and were treated in New Delhi. According to a press release issued by the Indian Embassy in Kabul, India has been providing annual financial assistance of $1 million since 2015 to the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) for the treatment of Afghan children suffering from congenital heart disease. “The third installment of $1 million was disbursed to ARCS in August 2017. With this assistance, from August 2017 to July 2018, a total of 467 Afghan children, covering age group from as young as 4 months to 18 years have been treated at Artemis, Fortis, Max Hospital and hospitals associated with SRP Technologies in New Delhi, India,” read the statement. Click here to read... [3]

NEPAL

4th BIMSTEC summit kicks off in Kathmandu: Kathmandu Post

August 30, 2018

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Indian PM Narendra Modi, Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Myanmar’s President Win Myint, Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bhutan Gyalpo Tshering Wangchuk and Sri Lankan President Maitripala Sirisena are attending the summit. PM Oli is scheduled to address the summit for 22 minutes and the heads and representatives other me mber states will address for 15 minutes each after him. Click here to read... [4]

CHINA

China hacked Clinton’s private server? A good example of FAKE NEWS: People's Daily

August 29, 2018

In the latest round of finger-pointing, some US media outlets reported that a Chinese-owned company hacked former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server and obtained nearly all her emails, citing unnamed sources. The Daily Caller reported that a company operating in the area of Washington, D.C., wrote code that was embedded in the server and generated an instant “courtesy copy” for “nearly all of her emails,” which was then forwarded to the Chinese company. Click here to read... [5]

Top concern: happiness of compatriots: China Daily

August 30, 2018

No matter where they are or how far they have traveled, the safety and happiness of overseas Chinese will always be a top concern for their homeland, according to a message from the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Wednesday. The message, released at the opening ceremony of a gathering of returned overseas Chinese, sparked warm applause from participants. Click here to read... [6]