Posts published in October 2017

Report in The Express Tribune, Oct 26, 2017 News Desk : Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed’s name was not on the list of 75 militants the US had handed over to Pakistan. “The Haqqani network is on the top of the list but none of the militants are Pakistanis,” Asif told senators during a session of the parliament’s upper house, Express News reported. The minister said the…

By Niharika Mandhana in The aWall St Journal, Oct 26, 2017 NEW DELHI—The U.S. and India agreed to work together more closely to bolster regional security and prevent other nations from providing safe spaces for terrorists, during a visit here by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said Wednesday the U.S. and India plan to hold three-way talks with Afghanistan aimed at increasing regional stability. Ms. Swaraj said the two sides…

By Annie Gowen in The Washington Post, Oct 25, 2017 at 10:02 AM NEW DELHI — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that “too many terrorist organizations” find refuge in Pakistan and reiterated his call for the country to do more to address a rising problem of terrorism within its borders that, he said, threatensto destabilize Pakistan itself. “There are too many terrorist organizations that find a safe place in Pakistan from which…

by Chow Chung-yan in South China Morning Post, Oct 25, 2017 The list of new faces who are set to join China’s supreme political body, the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, underscores President Xi Jinping’s desire for continuity and consensus-building, but it also prepares the ground for greater changes in the future. After months of intense discussion, the ruling Communist Party is ready to unveil the top leadership group for the next five years at 11.45am…

By Jeremy Page and Chun Han Wong in The Wall St Journal, Oc 25, 2017 BEIJING—Five years after becoming China’s leader, Xi Jinping has been granted power unmatched in recent decades and a stature on par with that of Chairman Mao. China’s Communist Party ended its weeklong party congress by revising its constitution to inscribe a political theory bearing Mr. Xi’s name and endorse policies to make the nation a world power. The revision to…

by Xie Yu & Wendy Wu in South China Morning Post, Oct 25, 2017 A core group of proven financial technocrats loyal to President Xi Jinping have gained places on the Chinese Communist Party’s new ruling Central Committee. At least 10 of the committee members are seasoned economic and financial regulators, including familiar face Guo Shuqing, the banking regulator who is expected to become the country’s next central bank chief. Miao Wei, the information technology…

By Viola Zhou in South China Morning Post, Oct 25, 2017 Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao has failed to gain a seat on the Communist Party’s biggest leadership body, a move that will deny him a place on the decision-making Politburo and possibly force his retirement. Seen as a protégé of former president Hu Jintao, Li was not among the 204 people named to the Central Committee on Tuesday, even though at 66 he has yet…

by Minnie Chan in South China Morning Post, Oct 25, 2017 China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) could expand one of its top tiers to better grapple with the day-to-day running of the world’s biggest military. Sources close the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said two or three officers could be promoted to vice-chairmen to complement the two-man structure already in place. The new line-up will be revealed on Wednesday after the Communist Party ends its…