Daily News Brief

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March 28, 2024 (Thursday)

GLOBAL

Asia Pacific

1.       Chinese Mainland Warns against Taiwan Military's Provocations. The Chinese mainland is closely monitoring the movements of the Taiwan military around Kinmen, an island administered by Taiwan and close to the mainland coast, a mainland spokesman said.

2.       Japan to Designate 16 Airports and Ports for Defense Use. The government plans to designate five airports and 11 ports in the country as facilities that can be used by the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard in ordinary times, people familiar with the matter said.

Russia/Europe/West

3.       Two Dead, 10 Wounded in Russian Attacks on Ukraine. Russian attacks on eastern and southern Ukraine killed two people and wounded 10 others, officials said as Kyiv called for Patriot air defense systems to battle a surge in missile strikes.

4.       George Galloway ‘Accuses UK of Being Involved in Moscow Terror Attack’.  Newly-elected MP George Galloway has accused the UK of being involved in last week’s Moscow terror attack in comments quoted in a Kremlin-linked newspaper.

REGIONAL

India/South Asia

5.       Indian Forces Killed Six Including Two Women in Chhattisgarh. According to reports from Kashmir Media Service, the casualties occurred during an anti-Naxal operation conducted by Indian paramilitary forces, including battalions 205 and 210 of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), along with the Basaguda District Reserve Guard (DRG).

6.       Sea Phase of 'Tiger Triumph' Exercise Commences with Indian and US Forces. According to the Indian Navy, this phase will witness service personnel from both countries going through various facets of amphibious operations, including coordinated Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and MEDEVAC.

IIOJK

7.       Indian CRPF Man Commits Suicide in IIOJK. According to Kashmir Media Service, the CRPF man committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle in the Reshipora area of Shopian district

Afghanistan

8.       US Emphasizes Taliban's Role in Fighting Terrorism in Afghanistan. The U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that combating terrorist groups in Afghanistan is in the “Taliban's” interest.

Middle East/Africa

9.       Turkey Denies Arms Exports to Israel Amid War on Gaza. Turkey has denied allegations of military collaboration with Israel after some media outlets claimed the country continues to export gunpowder, weapons and ammunition to the country.

10.      US-UK Fighter Jets Raid Al-Qatinat Area in Yemen's Baqim District. The US-UK coalition, in continuation of its airstrikes on Yemen, has hit the "Al Khatib" region in "Al-Mina" city located in the west of Yemen.

Iran

11.      Hamas Leader Meets Iran's President Amid Gaza War.  The head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, met with Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi during a trip to Tehran's top leadership amid the war in Gaza.

12.      Attack Drones at Heart of ‘Military Partnership’ Between Russia, Iran. Tehran has provided Moscow’s war machine at least 1,000 attack drones and dozens of multipurpose unmanned aerial systems for use against Ukrainian troops, with future plans to aid domestic production, said CENTCOM boss Gen. Michael Kurilla.

INTERNAL

Security

13.      JIT to Probe Attack on Chinese Engineers, Says Info Minister. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will be formed to probe the terrorist attack on Chinese engineers in Besham.

14.      Pakistan’s Defense Minister Labels Afghanistan as ‘Source of Terrorism’. Pakistan Defense Minister Khwaja Mohammad Asif has labeled Afghanistan the “source of terrorism in Pakistan,” emphasizing the urgent need for a substantial overhaul of the border dynamics between the two nations.

Economy

15.      Pakistan Moves Closer to PIA Privatization with Inaugural Holding Company Meeting. The government took yet another step toward the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as the newly established PIA Holding Company convened its first board meeting in Islamabad, initiating its operations.

16.      Afghans See Pakistan Trade Route as Most Viable Despite Festering Tensions. Afghans say access to international markets through Pakistan is still the most viable option for their landlocked country, as bilateral trade talks took place in Kabul this week to resolve obstructions amid heightened border tensions.

Politics

17.      Bar Associations Demand Probe into IHC Judges’ Letter on ‘Agencies Interference’. The legal fraternity expressed concern over the allegations made by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges against interference in judicial affairs by the country’s intelligence agencies and demanded an investigation into the matter.