VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: 12th November, 2018

PAKISTAN

Lashkari Raisani wants truth commission on missing persons issue: Dawn

A senior leader of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-Mengal), Nawabzada Haji Lashkari Raisani, has suggested to form a ‘truth commission’ on the issue of missing persons. He was addressing a news conference at a protest camp organised by families and friends of some missing persons on Sunday. He criticised the government for allegedly not addressing the issue of missing persons. He claimed that nothing was being done for recovery of missing persons. The BNP-Mengal leader said it was very unfortunate that Baloch mothers and sisters were sitting in a protest camp, but the government was not ready to address their issues. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Khalilzad Discusses Peace With Atta Noor: Tolo News
November 11, 2018

US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad on Sunday met with Atta Mohammad Noor, the chief executive of Jamiat-e-Islami party, and discussed issues around peace in the country. According to reports, Khalilzad told Noor that various parties have become closer to the idea of peace. He stressed the need for a nationally representative team to be established - which is accepted by all sides – to work for peace. This comes after Taliban said they will talk only with parties that have influence among the Afghan people. US ambassador to Afghanistan John R. Bass and Resolute Support commander Gen. Austin Scott Miller also attended the meeting. Click here to read... [3]

Taliban Splinter Faction Says Moscow Meeting Was A “Lie”: Tolo News
November 11, 2018

A splinter faction of the Taliban, led by Mullah Abdul Manan Niazi, said on Sunday the recent Moscow meeting on peace in Afghanistan was a “lie”. But officials from Afghanistan High Peace Council (HPC) said Friday’s Moscow meeting was an important platform towards building peace in Afghanistan and that the peace facilitating body is optimistic about starting direct talks with the Taliban. This comes two days after a meeting in Moscow where representatives of the Taliban and envoys from 11 countries, including the US, exchanged views on the prospects of peace in the country. A delegation from Afghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC) also attended the meeting. Click here to read... [4]

NEPAL

Acharya named ambassador to New Delhi: Kathmandu Post
November 12, 2018

The government has proposed Nilamber Acharya, a former minister, parliamentarian and ambassador, as Nepal’s ambassador to India. The post in New Delhi had been vacant for a year after Deep Kumar Upadhyay resigned ahead of the parliamentary elections. To head its Delhi mission, the government had been looking for a candidate with democratic credentials who is well versed on Nepal-India relations and international affairs while being supportive of the communist administration. Click here to read... [5]

SRI LANKA<.h5>

Sri Lanka PM, 44 ex-MPs defect from party led by president ahead of election: Channel News Asia
November 12, 2018

Sri Lanka's new prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and 44 former lawmakers have defected from the party led by President Maithripala Sirisena, splitting with the president barely two weeks after he installed Rajapaksa in office. Sirisena dissolved parliament on Friday night and called a general election for Jan. 5 in a move that has drawn international criticism as it is likely to deepen the country's political crisis. Click here to read... [6]

CHINA

Dialogue paves way for summit: China Daily
November 12, 2018

China and the United States have agreed to promote a bilateral relationship featuring coordination and cooperation, according to official statements, after top foreign affairs officials and defense chiefs of the two countries concluded a dialogue on Friday. Click here to read... [7]

Xinhua Headlines: 1978-2018: China's import history through the lens: Xinhuanet
November 11, 2018

When put under the lens of history, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) that concluded in Shanghai Saturday might be a milestone amid China's transition from an export powerhouse to an import nation. What the country imported during the past 40 years has changed the lifestyles of many Chinese. What the Chinese consumed, in turn, has reinvented what the world competes to offer. Click here to read... [8]