Pakistani special envoy for Afghanistan affairs

Pakistani special envoy for Afghanistan affairs

Asif Durrani, Pakistan's special representative on Afghanistan, gives an interview in Islamabad on June 26, 2024, ahead of a two-day United Nations-hosted conference on the country, the third of its kind, which begins on June 30 in Doha and is expected to include the Taliban for the first time.

Pakistani special envoy for Afghanistan affairs

Pakistani special envoy for Afghanistan affairs

Asif Durrani, Pakistan's special representative on Afghanistan, gives an interview in Islamabad on June 26, 2024, ahead of a two-day United Nations-hosted conference on the country, the third of its kind, which begins on June 30 in Doha and is expected to include the Taliban for the first time.

Chinese economy sees hard-won recovery in H1 amid global downturn

STORY: Chinese economy sees hard-won recovery in H1 amid global downturn DATELINE: July 19, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:11 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the views in China 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): FOO SUAN YONG, Senior economist of ASEAN +3 Macroeconomic Research Office 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ESWAR PRASAD, Professor of trade policy at Cornell University 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Japanese): KATSUYUKI HASEGAWA, Professor of international economics and finance at Tokyo Woman's Christian University 5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): AMER ZAFAR DURRANI, President of Reenergia, Social impact advisory group in Pakistan 6. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): THANAWAT TIENSIN, Director of Animal Production and Health Division, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 7. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): MICHEL TAUBE, Founder of Opinion-Internationale and its column Les routes de la Chine STORYLINE: International experts have spoken highly of China's economic performance in the first half (H1) of this year. Despite var

Afghan authorities to asphalt Kabul-Kandahar highway

STORY: Afghan authorities to asphalt Kabul-Kandahar highway DATELINE: July 16, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:28 LOCATION: Kabul CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the asphalting scene of a highway linking Kabul and Kandahar in Afghanistan STORYLINE: Afghan authorities started the project of asphalting a major section of the Kabul-Kandahar highway on Saturday, according to a statement from the caretaker government. Costing 1 billion afghanis (about 11.6 million U.S. dollars), the 27-km-long and 11-meter-wide road will be covered with asphalt between the Arghandi Bazaar and the Durrani area along the Kabul-Kandahar highway, said the office of Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullal Abdul Ghani Beradar. The project is financed by the caretaker government and is expected to be completed by private companies, according to the statement. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kabul. (XHTV)

Pakistani expert says "de-risking" from China harms global economy

STORY: Pakistani expert says "de-risking" from China harms global economy DATELINE: July 3, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:12 LOCATION: Islamabad CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Amer Zafar Durrani 2. various of the White House 3. SOUNDBITE (English): AMER ZAFAR DURRANI, President of Reenergia 4. various of ports in China STORYLINE: Amer Zafar Durrani, president of Reenergia, a social impact advisory group in Pakistan, has criticized the Western "de-risking" concept -- a false proposition based on zero-sum ideology and confabulation. Some Western politicians have promoted the idea of "de-risking" from China this year. Durrani said that as China is a major trading partner of over 140 countries and regions, the Western "de-risking" concept would increase risks, fragmentation and uncertainty for the world economy. SOUNDBITE (English): AMER ZAFAR DURRANI, President of Reenergia "When you look at the current number of countries China trades with, China has progressively become the trade partner with pretty muc

U.S. military spending contributes to rising debt ceiling: expert

STORY: U.S. military spending contributes to rising debt ceiling: expert DATELINE: June 10, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: Islamabad CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. 2. SOUNDBITE (English): AMER ZAFAR DURRANI, Former development specialist with the World Bank Group 3. various of streets and pedestrians in the U.S. 4. file footage of U.S. military STORYLINE: The climbing U.S. military spending is a key factor contributing to the country's rising debt ceiling, a former specialist with the World Bank Group said in an interview with Xinhua on Friday, referring to the last week's U.S. Congress bill to raise America's debt ceiling for the 103rd time since 1945. SOUNDBITE (English): AMER ZAFAR DURRANI, Former development specialist with the World Bank Group "Why they raise the limits on their spending? They're fighting more wars, so they need to spend more money on these wars. So usually the cycle is: go war, make multicountry war, and then the U.S. comes and spends. In

Pakistani experts slam renewed Cold War attempt in Asia

STORY: Pakistani experts slam renewed Cold War attempt in Asia DATELINE: June 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:48 LOCATION: Islamabad CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of views in Asian countries 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NOAMAN ABDUL MAJID, Economist and CEO of WIXEMAN GLOBAL 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ASIF DURRANI, Former career diplomat, Senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute STORYLINE: Some experts in Pakistan have recently slammed the new Cold War attempt in Asia, saying what Asia needs is dialogue and development rather than conflicts. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NOAMAN ABDUL MAJID, Economist and CEO of WIXEMAN GLOBAL "A lot of countries in the Middle East have been ravaged by the war, economically, socially and politically, and they can learn from the ASEAN countries in 1960s and 1970s. We have seen hundreds of thousands of people have died just because of the Cold War politics, because of the bipolar politics, because of the superpower politics. Now ASEAN countries realize that they d

U.S. has become greatest threat to world peace, stability: analysts

STORY: U.S. has become greatest threat to world peace, stability: analysts DATELINE: May 22, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:56 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ASIF DURRANI, Former career diplomat, senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Korean): WOO SUKEUN, Head of Institute of East Asian Studies of Korea in South Korea 3. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ANNA MALINDOG-UY, Philippine political analyst and researcher of Philippine BRICS Strategic Studies 4. SOUNDBITE 4 (Spanish): DIANA VALIDO, Political analyst in Cuba STORYLINE: To maintain its hegemony and global primacy, the United States has long been fanning tensions and creating chaos around the world. U.S. President Joe Biden has begun his visit to South Korea and Japan, his first trip to Asia as president, but not the first time his administration has attempted to stir up divisions and confrontation in Asia. Analysts have warned that Biden's visit to East Asia could increase geopolitical ins

GLOBALink | S. Korean, U.S. presidents hold summit talks in Seoul

STORY: S. Korean, U.S. presidents hold summit talks in Seoul DATELINE: May 21, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:37 LOCATION: Seoul CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. STANDUP (English): ZHOU SIYU, Xinhua correspondent 2. various of the protest 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ASIF DURRANI, Former career diplomat, senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Korean): WOO SUKEUN, Head of Institute of East Asian Studies of Korea in South Korea STORYLINE: STANDUP (English): ZHOU SIYU, Xinhua correspondent "South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden held their first summit in Seoul on Saturday. After the summit at the new presidential office in the central district of Yongsan, the two sides issued a joint statement." According to the joint statement, the two presidents shared the view that the alliance has matured into a deep and comprehensive strategic relationship. They pledged to deepen and broaden cooperation on critical and emerging technologies. Yoon and Biden recognized t

U.S. attempts to maintain hegemony in Indo-Pacific region: Pakistani expert

STORY: U.S. attempts to maintain hegemony in Indo-Pacific region: Pakistani expert DATELINE: May 20, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:09 LOCATION: Islamabad CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ASIF DURRANI, Former career diplomat, senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute 2. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ASIF DURRANI, Former career diplomat, senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute STORYLINE: U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday begins a four-day visit to South Korea and Japan, his first trip to Asia as president. Asif Durrani, a former career diplomat and senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute, said the U.S. attempts to maintain its hegemony through exclusive geopolitical blocs in the Indo-Pacific region. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ASIF DURRANI, Former career diplomat, senior research fellow at Islamabad Policy Research Institute "I think South Korea has been the weakest link as far as you can see Indo-Pacific strategy is concerned, because if you

Afghan rural rehab minister visits Yamada-zeki weir

Afghan rural rehab minister visits Yamada-zeki weir

Nasir Ahmad Durrani (L), Afghan minister of rural rehabilitation and development, visits the "Yamada-zeki" weir in the Chikugo River in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, on March 27, 2015. At right is Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese medical doctor who led the construction of an irrigation canal in Afghanistan. Yamada-zeki is a model of the water intake facility built in Afghanistan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Afghan rural rehab minister obverses Yamada-zeki weir

Afghan rural rehab minister obverses Yamada-zeki weir

Nasir Ahmad Durrani (L), Afghan minister of rural rehabilitation and development, observes the "Yamada-zeki" weir in the Chikugo River in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, on March 27, 2015. Next to him is Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese medical doctor who led the construction of an irrigation canal in Afghanistan. Yamada-zeki is a model of the water intake facility built in Afghanistan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo