Daily News Brief

 

January 16, 2024 (Tuesday)

Asia Pacific

1.       North Korean FM Visits Moscow amid Concerns of Alleged Arms Deal. North Korea’s foreign minister is visiting Russia for three days of talks, as international concern grows over an alleged arms cooperation deal between the two countries.

2.       Taiwan Ruling Party’s Lai Wins Presidential Election. William Lai Ching-te from the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has won Taiwan’s presidential election, despite warnings from China (which claims Taiwan as part of its territory) not to vote for him.

Russia/Europe/West

3.       UK Announces Biggest Military Deployment to NATO Exercises in Decades. Britain will send 20,000 armed forces personnel to one of NATO’s largest exercises since the Cold War, Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced, warning of increasing threats to the Western-led alliance.

4.       Ukraine Downs $365M Russian Spy Planes. Ukraine reportedly shot down a Russian Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control jet and an Ilyushin Il-22M airborne command post.

India/South Asia

5.       Indian Army to Deploy Drishti-10 Drones Near Pakistan Border. The Indian Army’s surveillance capability along the border with Punjab is all set to get a boost as the force is set to deploy its Drishti-10 medium-altitude, long-endurance drones.

6.       10 Indian fishermen Held for Poaching in Sri Lankan Waters. During a special operation conducted to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters, the Sri Lanka Navy has apprehended 10 Indian fishermen along with an Indian trawler after having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters north of Point Pedro, Jaffna.

7.       Maldives Tells India to Withdraw Troops by March. The Maldivian president told India Sunday to withdraw its nearly 100 troops by 15 March, a day after returning from China where he signed a raft of deals.

IIOJK

8.       Indian Troops Launch CASOs in Poonch. The troops carried out the search operations with the help of sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance in Sawjian areas of Mandi tehsil.

9.       India's Protest on UK Diplomat's AJK Visit Rejected. Fahim Kayani, leader of Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK, firmly rejected India's "strong protest" against the recent visit to Mirpur by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, stating that Pakistan has nothing to hide.

Afghanistan

10.      Fazl-ur-Rehman Pledges to Seek Improved Ties Between Kabul, Islamabad. The leader of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, said that they are trying to solve the problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan through understanding.

11.      468,151 Illegal Afghans Repatriated to Afghanistan. Repatriation of illegal foreign nationals including Afghans to their homeland is continuing in a dignified and safe manner, reported Radio Pakistan.

Middle East/Africa

12.      US Claims Shooting Down Anti-Ship Cruise Missile from Houthi-Controlled Areas. Yemen’s Houthi militia fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea but a US fighter jet shot it down in the latest attack roiling global shipping amid Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, officials said.

13.      24,100 Palestinians Martyred in Israeli Strikes. A total of 24,100 Palestinians have been killed and 60,834 have been injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 Oct, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement.

Iran

14.      US Can't Call for Restraint While Backing Israel's War: Iran.  The United States cannot call for restraint while supporting Israel's war in Gaza, Iran's foreign minister said, while calling for a diplomatic solution to the war in the enclave.

15.      Iran Says Houthis Will Keep Up Red Sea Attacks as Long as Israel Continues Gaza War. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia will persist in targeting “Israeli ships” in the Red Sea as long as Israel continues its war in Gaza, Tehran’s top diplomat said.

PAKISTAN

Security

16.      CTD Thwarts Terror Plot against JUI-F Leader. The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) recently thwarted a potential attack on JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and ANP chief Aimal Wali Khan, arresting two would-be bombers. 

17.      Pakistan, Iran to Hold Talks on Afghan Situation. Pakistan and Iran will hold talks on the current situation in Afghanistan particularly the terrorist sanctuaries that the interim Taliban government have not been able to dismantle.

Economy

18.      Action Ordered Against FBR Taxmen on Complaints of Fish Exporters. On complaints of fish exporters, the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to initiate action against the officers involved in ‘choking’ an export-oriented sector and jeopardising the inflow of foreign exchange.

19.      Pakistani PM to Kick Off World Economic Forum Engagements. Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will participate in the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos to meet key business and government leaders to discuss global issues of importance at the sidelines of the event.

Politics

20.      PTI Withdraws Level Playing Field Plea from SC. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) withdrew its petition from the Supreme Court (SC) seeking a level playing field in the upcoming general elections.