Daily News Brief

 

January 24, 2024 (Wednesday)

Asia Pacific

1.       Taiwan Renovating Military Runaways to Prepare for Chinese Missile Strikes. Taiwan is renovating its military runaways as a countermeasure to potential Chinese ballistic missile strikes.

2.       Philippines President Says Does Not Endorse Taiwan Independence. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he does not endorse Taiwan independence and reiterated his country was committed to its One-China policy, in a response to China’s outrage over recent remarks in congratulating Taiwan’s election winner.

Russia/Europe/West

3.       NATO Signs $1.2B Artillery Shell Deal. NATO signed contracts worth $1.2 billion to acquire over 200,000 155-millimeter artillery shells in the face of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine.

4.       Russian Crude Shipments Hit by Storms and Baltic Drone Strike. Russia’s seaborne crude shipments fell to the lowest in almost two months, undermined by adverse weather and a Ukrainian drone strike that briefly halted flows from a key Baltic export terminal.

India/South Asia

5.       OIC Expresses ‘Grave Worry’ over Construction of Ram Temple in India’s Ayodhya. The General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed grave worry over the recent construction and inauguration of the “Ram Temple” at the site of the previously demolished Babri Mosque located in the Indian city of Ayodhya.

6.       35 Indian CPRF Men Killed in Maoist Attack on Camp in Chhattisgarh. According to Kashmir Media Service, the CPI-M central regional bureau described the 16 Jan attack on the Indian Paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force’s Dharmavaram camp in Pamed area of Bijapur district in the state as unprecedented.

7.       Six Indian Fishermen Arrested for Poaching in Sri Lankan Waters. The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) seized two Indian poaching trawlers while conducting a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters.

IIOJK

8.       Mysterious Death of Muslim Employee in Rajouri Raises Concerns. In a disturbing incident, Nissar Ahmad, a Muslim employee of the Jal Shakti Department [power and water], was discovered dead under mysterious circumstances in Darhal, Rajouri district, in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

9.       Indian Army Inducts Logistics Drones to Replace Animal Transport Fleet. The Indian Army has already awarded contracts worth 320 crore Indian rupee ($38.5 million) for 563 logistics drones, The Times of India reported.

Afghanistan

10.      Applicants for Islamic Emirate Forces Increasing: Official. Abdul Hakim Hemat Akhundzada, the commander of the Police Academy of the Ministry of Interior, said that the number of applicants to join the Islamic Emirate’s forces has tripled.

11.      Pakistan Official Again Alleges Threats Coming from Afghan Soil. Balochistan’s caretaker minister for information, Jan Achakzai claimed that Afghan soil is a threat to Pakistani security forces and added that terrorists have networks in Afghanistan.

Middle East/Africa

12.      Israeli Military ‘Encircles’ Khan Younis After 24 Soldiers Killed in Gaza. The Israeli military says its ground forces have “encircled” the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip after 24 of its soldiers were killed in the enclave in its largest single-day toll in the three-month war.

13.      New Zealand to Send Team to Join Intl. Red Sea Coalition in Fight against Houthis. New Zealand announced it would send a six-member team to join an international coalition to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea.

Iran

14.      Iran’s President to Meet with Erdogan in Turkey.  Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will pay an official one-day visit to Turkey for talks focused on the regional repercussions of the Israel-Hamas war, a diplomatic source told AFP.

15.      Pakistan, Iran Agree to Resume Full Diplomatic Ties. The latest sign of de-escalation comes almost a week after Iran struck alleged terror targets inside Pakistan and Islamabad responded with counterstrikes against purported terror hideouts across the border. The strikes killed at least 11 civilians, 9 in Iran and 2 in Pakistan.

PAKISTAN 

Security

16.      CTD, Navy Secure Margalla in Joint Operation. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Islamabad police, in collaboration with Pakistan Navy and quick response teams, executed a joint search and combing operation within the jurisdiction of Margalla police station.

17.      Cabinet Okays Deployment of Pakistan Army During 8 Feb Polls. With the general elections 2024 a little over two weeks away, the Federal Cabinet greenlighted the deployment of Pakistan Army’s personnel as the country was facing a shortage of over 270,000 security personnel.

Economy

18.      Industrialists Denounce Banking Laws. Industrialists have demanded that the government provide a level-playing field to all players of the local industry aimed at bolstering economic growth.

19.      Pakistan-Afghan Border Crossing Reopens after Negotiations. Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened a key trade crossing, officials on both sides said, after a row over travel papers as Islamabad cracks down on cross-border movements.

Politics

20.      LHC Restores Imran Khan’s Interim Bail in Seven Cases. The Lahore High Court (LHC) restored interim bails, granted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and Ex-Proime Minister Imran Khan, in seven cases pertaining to the 9 May riots; the day deposed Prime Minister was illegally arrested.