Daily News Brief

 

January 25, 2024 (Thursday)

Asia Pacific

1.       North Korea Fires Several Cruise Missiles Towards Yellow Sea: South Korea. North Korea fired several cruise missiles towards the Yellow Sea, Seoul’s military said, the latest in a series of tension-raising moves by the nuclear-armed state.

2.       US Wants Japanese Shipyards for Warship Maintenance. The US and Japan plan to allow maintenance and repair of US warships at private Japanese shipyards.

Russia/Europe/West

3.       Russia Accuses Ukraine of Downing Plane with 65 POWs on Board. A Russian official has accused Ukraine of shooting down a military transport plane in an incident that it says killed 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and nine others.

4.       Russian Parliament Adopts Resolution Slamming French ‘Mercenaries’ in Ukraine. The Russian parliament passed a resolution addressed to French lawmakers denouncing the alleged presence of French “mercenaries” in Ukraine, further escalating its confrontation with Paris.

India/South Asia

5.       1,088 farmers committed suicide in 2023 in Maharashtra’s Marathwada: Report. A report from the divisional commissioner’s office revealed that the figure has gone up by 65 compared to 2022.As per the report, 1,023 farmer suicides were reported in 2022 in Marathwada.

6.       India to Strengthen Ties with France. French President Emmanuel Macron will attend India’s Republic Day celebrations as the chief guest, as New Delhi and Paris continue to negotiate multi-billion dollar deals to buy French fighter jets and submarines for the Indian military.

7.       Indian Navy Carries Out Engagement of Land Target. With Supersonic Missile. The Indian Navy & BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited carried out successful engagement of land target at enhanced range with an advanced supersonic cruise missile. According to IN spokesperson, this endeavor revalidates “Make in India” project for extended range precision strike capability from combat & mission ready ships.

IIOJK

8.       India’s Republic Day Brings More Miseries to IIOJK People. India’s Republic Day on 26th January, has brought more miseries to the oppressed people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir as Indian troops have intensified checking and frisking in Srinagar city and other parts of the territory in the name of so-called security measures.

9.       Report Highlights India’s Systematic Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in IIOJK. In a comprehensive analysis, Advocate Nasir Qadri, the Executive Director of ‘Legal Forum for Kashmir’ (LFK), has documented India’s institutionalized and systematic discrimination against Kashmiris, framing it within the context of genocide and ethnic cleansing as defined by international law.

Afghanistan

10.      4 Countries to Soon Hold Meeting on Afghanistan: Kabulov. The Russian president’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, in an interview with TASS News Agency said that Russia, China, Pakistan, and Iran are preparing for the meeting.

11.      Kabul's Stance on Women's Rights ‘Unacceptable’: US State Dept. The deputy spokesperson for the State Department said that the US government has made it clear to the "Taliban" that the current situation in Afghanistan is "unacceptable" for Washington.

Middle East/Africa

12.      US Carries Out New Strikes in Yemen, Iraq Sites. The United States military launched new strikes in Yemen against Houthi antiship missiles and facilities in Iraq targeting Iran-backed armed groups it says were behind missile and drone attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria.

13.      Hezbollah Says Targeted Command Center in Northern Israel. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it targeted the Israeli army’s northern command center in response to “recent assassinations and repeated attacks on civilians” in Lebanon and Syria.

Iran

14.      Iran Drones Become Latest Proxy Tool in Sudan’s Civil War.  Iran has supplied Sudan’s army with combat drones, taking sides in a disastrous civil war fueled by proxies keen for Red Sea access that has displaced millions and risks destabilizing the wider region, according to senior Western officials.

15.      Iran, Russia Security Chiefs Assert Anti-Terror Fight Will Continue. During a meeting in Moscow, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Akbar Ahmadian and his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues, including security and defense ties between the two countries and Israel’s crimes in the Gaza Strip.

PAKISTAN

Security

16.      Pakistan Armed Forces Fully Prepared Against Any Threat: COAS. Addressing the participants of Pakistan National Youth Conference in Islamabad, the COAS further said Pakistan will never compromise its sovereignty.

17.      Security Alert Issued Amid Terror Threats in K-P, Punjab and Balochistan. Security forces across major cities in Pakistan have been placed on high alert following intelligence reports of potential terrorist activities orchestrated by banned groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Economy

18.      Cabinet Defers FBR Restructuring. The federal cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, deferred the approval of the restructuring plan for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) due to questions regarding the mandate of the caretaker government and the perceived complexity of the proposed scheme.

19.      Pakistan Benefiting from First CPEC phase: PM. Caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaarul Haq Kakar said that having achieved the first phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Islamabad was benefiting from its early harvest projects while remaining engaged with Beijing to execute the next phase.

Politics

20.      SHC Directs Govt, PTA to Ensure Uninterrupted Internet Access till Election Day. The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the government and the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to ensure uninterrupted internet access till 8 February polls.