VIF Information Alerts -10th December 2018

Pak continues to harbour terrorists, US should not give it even one dollar: Haley

Published: The Tribune
10 Dec 2018

Pakistan continues to harbour terrorists that turn around and kill American soldiers, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has said, asserting that Washington should not give Islamabad even a dollar until it addresses the issue. Haley, the first Indian-American ever appointed to a Cabinet position in any US presidential administration, said the US did not need to give money to countries that wish harm to America, go behind its back and try and "stop us from doing things".Click here to read.. [2]

Trump administration resists global climate efforts at home and overseas

Published: The Washington Post
09 Dec 2018

The United States joined a controversial proposal by Saudi Arabia and Russia this weekend to weaken a reference to a key report on the severity of global warming, sharpening battle lines at the global climate summit in Poland aimed at gaining consensus over how to combat rising temperatures.

Arguments erupted Saturday night before a United Nations working group focused on science and technology, where the United States teamed with Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to challenge language that would have welcomed the findings of the landmark report, which said that the world has barely 10 years to cut carbon emissions by nearly half to avoid catastrophic warming.Click here to read.. [3]

India, China to resume military drills

Published: The Pioneer
10 Dec 2018

India and China will resume their joint military drills after a one-year gap on Tuesday in the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu to improve capabilities in fighting terrorism and promote mutual understanding, officials said on Sunday. The opening ceremony of the drills will be held on December 11, they said. Each side will send 100 troops to take part in the 7th India and China joint military exercises — ‘Hand in Hand’ — which will focus on counter-terrorism operations, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang said last month.Click here to read.. [4]

India and China to launch platform for diplomacy

Published: The Economic Times
10 Dec 2018

India and China for the first time will launch a forum for high-level people-to-people and cultural exchange on December 21. The mechanism, which will cap a year of thaw in Sino-Indian ties, will be inaugurated by foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and her counterpart and state councillor Wang Yi.Click here to read.. [5]

Sri Lanka crisis: President Sirisena dissolves parliament, calls for snap polls

Published: The Asian Age
10 Dec 2018

Sri Lanka plunged deeper into crisis on Saturday after President Maithripala Sirisena called a snap election, leaving the country facing a further two months of damaging political paralysis with a pair of bitter rivals claiming to run his government. In what opponents condemned as an illegal move, Sirisena dissolved parliament on Friday and announced a January election after it became clear his designated Prime Minister -- former president Mahinda Rajapaksa -- would not be able to command a majority in the current legislature.Click here to read.. [6]

Maldives applies to rejoin Commonwealth: President's office

Published: The Economic Times
09 Dec 2018

The Maldives has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth, reversing a policy of isolation under autocratic leader Abdulla Yameen who suffered a shock defeat in September. His successor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, wrote to the 53-member bloc on Friday seeking readmission two years after Yameen pulled the atoll nation out of it, the P resident' s office said on Sunday.Click here to read.. [7]