Daily News Brief

 

 January 5, 2024 (Friday)

Asia Pacific

1.       China, US Announce Military Patrols in Disputed South China Sea. Beijing and Washington both announced military deployments in the South China Sea, following heightened tensions between China and the Philippines in the disputed waterway.                                             

2.       China says Red Sea shipping must be protected. “China opposes attacks against civilian vessels,” the country’ foreign ministry spokesperson has reiterated. “I believe all sides need to play a constructive and responsible role in safeguarding the security of shipping lanes in the Red Sea”

Russia/Europe/West

3.       Russia Destroys 10 Ukrainian Missiles over Crimea: Defense Ministry. Russia’s defense ministry said its forces had foiled a Ukrainian attack on Russian facilities in Crimea and had destroyed 10 Ukrainian missiles over the peninsula.

4.       Russia and Ukraine Target Each Other’s Defence Industry Amid Land Stalemate. Russia launched a relentless barrage of missiles and drones into Ukraine during the last few days of 2023 and into the new year, revealing weaknesses in Ukrainian air defences that allowed dozens of people to be killed and hundreds wounded.

India/South Asia

5.       3 Armed Men Shoot Dalit Leader Dead in Punjab, India. The armed men riding a motorcycle shot dead the sarpanch Sandeep Singh in Dadiyana-Hoshiarpur area of the state.

6.       US Invites India to Join Naval Coalition in Red Sea. The US has invited India to join the multi-national naval coalition, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter threats posed by Yemen's Houthi militants in the Red Sea, according to persons aware of the matter.

7.       Will Deploy Naval Vessel in Red Sea to Fight Houthi Attacks: Sri Lanka. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced that Sri Lanka will provide a Navy vessel to fight attacks by Houthi rebels on merchant ships in the Red Sea, joining countries like India in protecting the key waterway for global trade.

IIOJK

8.       Indian Police Arrest 7 Youth, Demolish Structure in Budgam. Indian police arrested, at least, seven people and demolished a structure in Beerwah area of Budgam district. The police claimed that the structure was being used by the detainees, whom police described as overground workers, to wage anti-India propaganda.      

9.       Journalist Sajad Gul Rotting in UP jail Despite IIOJK High Court Orders Release. Even weeks after the detention under draconian law Public Safety Act was quashed by the High Court of occupied Jammu and Kashmir on 19 November last year, Kashmiri journalist Sajad Gul continues to languish in a jail in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Afghanistan

10.      Resolution Shows UNSC Support for Reintegration of Afghanistan: USA. In response to a question regarding the United Nations resolution about Afghanistan, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the resolution shows that the UNSC supports a “process by which Afghanistan is integrated into the international community only by meeting its international obligations.”

11.      Islamic Emirate Estimates Daesh Numbers in Afghanistan Around 80. The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that the Daesh has been suppressed in Afghanistan and that between 70 to 80 Daesh members are estimated to be based in Afghanistan, and they are being hunted.

Middle East/Africa

12.      US Military Conducted Strike, Killed Iran-Backed Iraqi Militia Official. A US official told Fox News that Washington targeted the Iran-backed official in Baghdad, who the US believes played a key role in attacks on American forces in Iraq over the last few months.

13.      Saudi Arabia Condemns Israeli Ministers’ Calls for Displacement of Palestinians. Saudi Arabia rejected statements made by Israeli ministers calling for the return of settlers to Gaza and the displacement of Gazans, stressing that action should be taken against Israel’s violation of international laws.

Iran

14.      Iran Blames Israel, US for Deadly Blasts Near Grave of General Soleimani.  Iran blamed Israel and the United States for twin bomb blasts that killed at least 95 people in the country’s south, ripping through a crowd commemorating Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani four years after his death in a US strike.

15.      Russia Goes Ahead with Plans to Buy Iranian Short-Range Ballistic Missiles. Russia is planning to buy short-range ballistic missiles from Iran, a step that would enhance Moscow’s ability to target Ukraine’s infrastructure, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.

PAKISTAN

Security

16.      Pakistan to Conduct COVID Tests of International Passengers. According to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to save people from the possible outbreak of the new Covid variant. 

17.      CTD Arrests ‘Iron Man of Gaddani’ from Karachi. The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Karachi chapter arrested proclaimed offender alias 'Folad Gadani' arrested from Saeedabad

18.      Terror Financing Cases Increase in 2023: CTD KP. The number of terror financing cases has increased during the last year, according to a report by the Counter Terrorism Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (CTD KP) released here.

Economy

19.      Pakistan Establishes Specialised Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal. Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr. Umar Saif has said that telecom sector disputes and cases will now be handled by a specialized Telecom Tribunal, instead of High Courts.

Politics

20.      PTI Challenges PHC Order Withdrawing Bat Symbol in SC. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) against the decision of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to restore a ruling rescinding its 'bat' election symbol.