VIF Neighbourhood News Digest: August 16, 2019

PAKISTAN
PM questions world's silence on IoK, warns of severe repercussions in case of ethnic cleansing of Muslims: Dawn
August 16, 2019

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday once again questioned the international community's silence on Indian-occupied Kashmir and warned that should ethnic cleansing of Muslims take place in the region, there would be severe repercussions in the Muslim world. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN
Hekmatyar Says Incumbent Govt Will ‘Collapse’ After US Withdrawal: Tolo
August 16, 2019

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami party who runs for president, says the incumbent government is “weak” and cannot decide on major issues in the country and that it will “collapse” if the US forces leave the war-ravaged Afghanistan. Addressing a group of his supporters at a campaign gathering at his residence in Kabul, Mr. Hekmatyar said that the US is seeking a government which will remain for a while after it withdraws its troops from the country. Click here to read.... [3]

BANGLADESH
National Mourning Day observed across country: Dhaka Tribune
August 16, 2019

In Rajshahi, the day was observed with a fresh vow to materialize the dreams of Bangabandhu to build a ‘Sonar Bangla,’ and to bring back the fugitive convicted killers of Bangabandhu to execute the verdict in the murder case. The National Mourning Day, and the 44th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was observed across the country on Thursday with due respect and solemnity. In Rajshahi, the day was observed with a fresh vow to materialize the dreams of Bangabandhu to build a ‘Sonar Bangla,’ and to bring back the fugitive convicted killers of Bangabandhu to execute the verdict in the murder case. Click here to read.... [4]

Myanmar
Myanmar rebels kill over a dozen in attack in Shan state: Al Jazeera
August 16, 2019

Ethnic armed fighters in Myanmar have killed at least 15 people, most of them members of the country's security forces, in attacks on an elite military college and other government targets in the country's north, an army spokesman said. Click here to read.... [5]

Sri Lanka
IS has found footing in Sri Lanka, India: report: Daily Mirror
August 16, 2019

India, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Afghanistan are among the countries where the Islamic State (IS) terror group has found a footing, as its influence has diminished drastically across its territory of origin in Iraq and Syria, the Hindustan Times reported on Friday quoting a leading conflict monitor. According to data released by Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), a US-based conflict monitoring and crisis mapping body, IS has this year regrouped and carried out more activity outside of West Asia than inside it for the first time, “The IS greeted its loss of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2018 with expanded global presence in 2019,” said the ACLED report titled Branching Out: Islamic State’s Continued Expansion. Click here to read.... [6]

Bhutan
Digitisation drive in banking reaches new heights: Kuensel
August 16, 2019

If the amount and number of electronic money transactions are any indication, the pace of digitisation in the country’s banking sector has gained new heights. The Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) took the digitisation initiative in 2006 with implementation of Bhutan Electronic Clearing House to verify the legitimacy of documens and in 2007 cheque truncation system was introduced to facilitate digital interbank cheque settlement.Click here to read.... [7]

Nepal
Former judges to scrutinise SC judgments: The Himalayan Times
August 16, 2019

Former Judges Forum-Nepal plans to scrutinise some of the recent judgments passed by the Supreme Court with the aim of identifying flaws in those judgments. FJF-N has formed a five-member committee under Top Bahadur Singh to analyse some of the recent judgments of the apex court to inform the public as to how those judgments contradicted the jurisprudence established in past precedents of the apex court. Member-Secretary of the committee Shambhu Bahadur Khadka told THT that the committee would start consulting stakeholders — judges, Judicial Council, bar representatives, journalists and lawyers. “We’ll recommend the reasons for the erosion of public’s faith in the judiciary.” Click here to read.... [8]

China
Blindsided: why does Beijing keep getting Hong Kong wrong? : South China Morning Post
August 16, 2019

Hong Kong businessman Sam Tsang does not like to talk politics. As a senior business consultant who travels frequently to mainland China and Taiwan, he knows silence is often golden. He was in for a shock when, one night in mid-July, his boss introduced him to two “mainland researchers” who were visiting Hong Kong. That evening, all they talked about was politics. Click here to read.... [9]

New int'l land-sea trade corridor drives development of western China: People’s Daily
August 16, 2019

The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor will inject strong impetus into the development of provinces and regions in western China thanks to enhanced connectivity. Eight western Chinese provincial regions signed a framework agreement to cooperate in building the corridor, including Chongqing Municipality, provinces of Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai and Yunnan, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Click here to read.... [10]