VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: April 15, 2019

PAKISTAN

Hazara protesters want PM Khan to visit victims' families: Dawn
April 15, 2019

Amid heavy showers and cold weather, members of the Hazara community continued their sit-in for a third consecutive day, demanding that Prime Minister Imran Khan come to Quetta and assure them of protection and impartial implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP). The western bypass, which links the city with highways, remained blocked for traffic as security forces surrounded the area where the Hazara families had set up their protest camp against the Friday blast at the Hazarganji vegetable and fruit market. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Khalilzad Pushes For Ceasefire As Peace Efforts Continue: Tolo News
April 15, 2019

The US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has held find rounds of talks with the Taliban on Afghan peace, says that agreeing on a ceasefire is the “quickest” way to prevent casualties and that he will continue to push Taliban senior representative to allow their representatives to come to the table of negotiations to discuss this matter. “The quickest way to prevent casualties is to agree to a ceasefire. Taliban senior leadership should allow their representatives to come to the table and discuss. I will continue to press the case,” Khalilzad said in a tweet on Monday. Khalilzad said that the reason that the US entered the peace talks was that “more war is not the answer”. Click here to read.... [3]

NEPAL

Nepal plane crash: Three die at world's 'most dangerous' airport: BBC
April 15, 2019

Three people have died in a plane crash in Nepal, at what is regarded as one of the world's most dangerous airports. The plane veered off the runway and hit a stationary helicopter at Lukla Airport, the main gateway to the Everest region. The runway is short and surrounded by mountains, making it extremely difficult for takeoff and landing. The pilot of the plane and two police officers standing near the helicopter died. Three other people were injured. Both aircraft belonged to companies involved in taking climbers, tourists and locals to the Everest region. Click here to read.... [4]

CHINA

Why Belt and Road Initiative is anything but debt trap: People's Daily
April 15, 2019

Almost six years after Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the grand vision for promoting common development through better connectivity among countries and regions has been morphing into a solution for speeding up global cooperation for greater prosperity. Click here to read.... [5]

Premier Li proposes multiple measures for future China-CEEC cooperation: People's Daily
April 15, 2019

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday proposed a series of measures to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). Li made the proposal when addressing the eighth China-CEEC leaders' meeting in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik. Click here to read.... [6]