VIF Information Alerts - 18 October 2019

Satellite images show China is expanding shipyard ‘to build more aircraft carriers’
Published: South China Morning Post

17 Oct 2019

New satellite images show China is making fast progress on its third aircraft carrier and expanding the shipyard where it is being built – potentially for more huge ships, according to analysts.

The high-resolution images of the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai were taken last month by the Washington-based think tank Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). They show construction work on the vessel, the Type 002, in the shipyard’s dry dock, with a series of prefabricated sections, bulkheads and other components stacked nearby, Reuters reported on Thursday.Click here to read... [2]

Britain, EU reach Brexit deal, PM Boris Johnson now faces Parliament hurdle
Published: The Indian Express

17 Oct 2019

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Thursday tweeted that the British government and the European Union (EU) have agreed to a “great” new Brexit deal. The deal, which needs renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement in time for an October 31 deadline by both UK and the EU, still needs to be approved by the UK parliament.
“We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control — now Parliament should get Brexit done on Saturday so we can move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime, and our environment,” Johnson tweeted. https://indianexpress.com/article/world/brexit-deal-european-union-britain-boris-johnson-theresa-may-uk-parliament-6074466/" target="_blank">Click here to read... [3]

Turkey Agrees to Pause Fighting, but Not to Withdraw Forces From Northern Syria
Published: The New York Times

17 Oct 2019

Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday agreed to a deal with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that accepted a Turkish military presence in a broad part of northern Syria in exchange for the promise of a five-day cease-fire, completing an abrupt reversal of American policy.

Emerging from close to five hours of talks after a hastily arranged trip to Ankara, the Turkish capital, Mr. Pence hailed the agreement as a diplomatic victory for President Trump, calling it a “solution we believe will save lives.”Click here to read... [4]

The Himalayan Snub: What China Wanted In Nepal But Couldn’t Get
Published: Swarajya

17 Oct 2019

The two-day visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Nepal last weekend was touted as a “highly successful” one that would elevate ties between the two countries. Both sides showcased the 20-odd deals signed between the two countries as proof of the successful visit.

But it were the deals that were not signed whose shadows actually loomed large over the visit. Details of how and why Nepal held out and refused to sign those deals that were being pushed by China are now emerging. An incensed Beijing also held out and refused to grant Nepal its wish list on aid for infrastructure and other projects.Click here to read... [5]

BSF soldier shot dead by Bangladesh border guards after flag meeting
Published: Hindustan Times

17 Oct 2019

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, who accompanied his seniors to a flag meeting, was shot in the head by Bangladesh border guards on Thursday, a BSF spokesperson said. A second BSF soldier was also injured in the shooting,said to be the first of its kind in more than a decade. The incident took place near the Kakmari Char border outpost in Bengal’s Murshidabad district,more than 200 km away from Kolkata around a few minutes before midday.Click here to read... [6]