VIF Information Alerts - 5th October 2018

Afghan Govt Says No To ‘Private and Profit Driven’ War

Published: TOLO News
04 Oct 2018

The Afghan Office of the National Security Council (NSC) on Thursday stated government would consider all legal options against anyone who tries to privatize the war in Afghanistan. This comes on the back of a campaign by the founder and former CEO of Blackwater security company, Erik Prince, who for the past few weeks has been promoting the idea of privatizing the war in the country – by using contractors opposed to foreign troops. Click here to read.... [2]

Terrorist Threat ‘More Fluid and Complex Than Ever,’ White House Says

Published: The New York Times
04 Oct 2018

The Trump administration vowed to fight “radical Islamist” militants, as well as Iran, as part of a multifront campaign to eliminate the terrorist threat to the United States, according a long-delayed counterterrorism strategy released on Thursday by the White House.

Administration officials promoted the strategy, the first released since 2011, as a new approach to fighting terrorism in a “landscape more fluid and complex than ever.” It embraced, however, many of the principles adopted and refined by both the Bush and Obama administrations. Click here to read.... [3]

China is secretly hacking computer motherboards. The economic fallout is huge.

Published: The Washington Post
04 Oct 2018

Bloomberg has just published an explosive article claiming that a secret unit in the Chinese military has compromised the motherboards (the systems of chips and electronics that allow computers to work) of servers used by Apple, a bank and various government contractors. China’s exploit was discovered when Amazon did due diligence on a company that it was acquiring, which used servers with the compromised motherboards. Click here to read.... [4]

IMF suggests higher interest rate, rupee depreciation by Islamabad, says report

Published: Financial Express
04 Oct 2018

Not impressed with Pakistan’s recent fiscal and monetary adjustments, the IMF has suggested raising the interest rate to double digits and let the currency weaken by at least 15 per cent more in the current fiscal year, a media report said Thursday. The report comes in the backdrop of cash-strapped Pakistan’s engagement with friendly countries like Saudi Arabia and China to arrange financing to avoid going back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to reports, Pakistan may need up to USD 20 billion to avoid foreign payment crisis.Click here to read.... [5]

Opening of Kartarpur corridor will remain pending if there are no talks: Pakistan

Published: The Economic Times
04 Oct 2018

The opening of the Kartarpur border crossing for Sikh pilgrims will remain pending if there are no talks between India and Pakistan, the Foreign Office said Thursday, asserting that dialogue is the only way forward to resolve issues and disputes between the two countries. Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal told reporters that Pakistan "could only try" to co-exist peacefully with its neighbour. Click here to read.... [6]

Special police officers withdrawn from security of protected persons in Jammu & Kashmir

Published: Hindustan Times
04 Oct 2018

In the aftermath of special police officer decamping with seven rifles and one pistol from the official residence of assembly member and later joining militancy, the police have withdrawn SPOs who were performing duties with the protected persons in Jammu and Kashmir. Additional director general of police, law and order, Muneer Ahmad Khan has directed all the SSPs to withdraw SPOs performing personal security officers (PSO) duties of protected persons.Click here to read.... [7]