Daily News Brief

 

January 17, 2024 (Wednesday)

Asia Pacific

1.       Taiwan to Build Two New Missile Bases as Tensions with China Soar. The Taiwanese government has approved a plan to establish two new missile bases on the country’s east coast to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion.

2.       North Korea’s Kim Shuts Agencies Working for Reunification with South Korea. North Korea has scrapped several government bodies tasked with promoting reconciliation and reunification with South Korea as authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un warned that his secretive country does not seek to avoid war.

Russia/Europe/West

3.       Germany to Donate More Drones to Philippine Coast Guard. Germany has promised to donate drones to the Philippines for maritime surveillance operations in the West Philippine Sea.

4.       EU, US Urge Sustained Support for Ukraine in War against Russia. The European Union and the United States have urged allies of Ukraine to keep up with their funding as the war with Russia nears the two-year mark, with no resolution to the fighting in sight.

India/South Asia

5.       Tension Grips Indian Punjab after Sacrilege Act at Famous Gurdwara, Killing. Tension has gripped volatile state of Punjab in India after a desecration act a famous gurdwara, a place of worship in Sikhism, by apparently a Hindutva activist in the Kapurthala district of the state.

6.       India Trialing Light Tank for Mountain Warfare. India’s Defence Research and Development Organization has begun developmental trials of an indigenous light tank. Following the trials, the 25-ton Zorawar tank’s first prototype will be handed over to the Indian Army for user trials in April.

7.       China Fully Backs Sovereignty of Maldives: President. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has praised his country’s strategic relationship with China, saying the two countries respect each other and Beijing fully supports the Indian Ocean island’s sovereignty. Muizzu’s comments came amid an unease in the Maldives’ bilateral ties with India after he took office in November last year.

IIOJK

8.       Indian Soldier Killed, Several Students Injured in Road Accidents in IIOJK. An Indian soldier was killed while several students and teachers were injured, in two separate road accidents in Jammu region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

9.       Several Landmines Explode as Forest Fire Rages for 3rd Day in Poonch. The forest fire in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Balakote and Mendhar areas of Poonch district raged for the third consecutive day causing several landmines, planted by the Indian army, to explode in the region.

Afghanistan

10.      Afghanistan Discussed by Foreign Ministers of India, Iran. The Minister of External Affairs of India, S Jaishankar, said at a press conference that he talked over the latest changes in Afghanistan with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's foreign minister.

11.      We Mediate, But Not Accommodate TTP in Afghanistan: Taliban. The charge d'affaires of Afghanistan's embassy in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakib, in a special interview with TOLOnews said that the Islamic Emirate’s mediation between Pakistan and the TTP does not mean it is accommodating the TTP in Afghanistan.

Middle East/Africa

12.      LNG Shipments ‘Will be Affected’ by Red Sea Attacks: Qatar. Liquefied natural gas shipments will be affected by tensions in the Red Sea, Qatar’s prime minister said warning that military strikes on Yemen risk aggravating the crisis.

13.      Cargo Ship Hit by Missile Off Yemen: Maritime Risk Company. A Greek-owned cargo ship was hit by a missile off Yemen, a maritime risk management company said, following a string of attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi militia.

Iran

14.      Iraq Recalls Ambassador from Tehran after Missile Strikes.  Iraq summoned Iran’s envoy in Baghdad and recalled its ambassador from Tehran in a sharp rebuke to its ally over deadly missile strikes on its autonomous Kurdish region.

15.      US Condemns Iran for 'Reckless' Missile Strikes on Northern Iraq. The US has condemned Iran over ballistic missile strikes on Iraq's northern city of Irbil, calling them "reckless and imprecise".

PAKISTAN

Security

16.      CTD Arrests Terrorist from Sahiwal. The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab arrested a terrorist of the banned organization Tehreeek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during a raid in Sahiwal.

17.      Pakistan Navy Organizes Free Medical Camp in Balochistan. Doctors and paramedic staff comprising ENT, General Surgeon, Gynecologist, and Skin Specialist examined patients and provided them with free consultation and medicines.

Economy

18.      Circular Debt Reaches Rs5.73tr. Despite constant increases in electricity and gas prices, Pakistan’s energy sector circular debt has spiralled alarmingly to a record Rs5.73 trillion, an amount Rs1.5 trillion more than what the International Monetary Fund had been informed of two months ago.

19.      FBR ‘Delays’ SIMs, Connection Suspension of Non-Filers. The FBR was set to suspend SIMs and utility connections of the non-filers on the International Monetary Fund’s demand, but now the decision has been ‘delayed’ due to ‘legal issues’.

Politics

20.      Sheikh Rashid Arrested in 9 May 9 Case. Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rashid was arrested from outside a courtroom after his bail was rejected in a case related to the 9 May riots, Aaj News reported.