COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Pakistan

• Pakistan’s Ambassador to United States Husain Haqqani steps down; Former minister Sherry Rahman appointed new Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US; 28 Pakistan troops killed in a air strike launched by NATO; Pakistan stops NATO supplies to Afghanistan after the attacks on its troops; NATO expresses apology for the incident
  

Bangladesh

• Resentment reported in Bangladsh over Tipaimukh project; Indian Home Secretary: India to track down two fugitive killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and extradite them to Bangladesh; Bangladesh Foreign Minister seeks a formal apology from Pakistan

Sri Lanka

• India’s regional party DMK opposes the Coastguard’s proposal to declare a portion in the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime border as a no fishing zone; Japan's special peace envoy to Sri Lanka attends inauguration of Southern Expressway; Ten Sri Lankan fishermen arrested; Minister of Foreign Trade of UAE visits Sri Lanka; India’s Intelligence Bureau warns of possible presence of sleeper cells and militants of the LTTE in and around Mumbai; Sri Lankan government presents its budget in the parliament; Sri Lanka's exports to the EU grew by 25.5 Percent in the first nine months of 2011; Sri Lanka donated over US$ 50,000 worth of aid to Thailand; Sri Lanka to declare 2012 as the year for a 'Trilingual Sri Lanka';

Maldives

• Protests in Maldives against UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; The Saudi Fund for Development grants US$12.5 million to Maldives

East Asia

China
(NOVEMBER 14-27, 2011)

• Chinese Premier Wen expresses confidence about the future of Sino-India cooperation; China says extending the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period should be the top priority; Chinese FM meets Nepal's FM; China, Turkmenistan sign key gas agreement; China urges Japan to join hands to boost the development of East Asian Region; China calls for resumption of six-party talks; China opposes unilateral, expanded sanctions against Iran; China issues white paper on climate change; White paper on rural poverty reduction

Japan

• Japan and China agree to create a ‘crisis management mechanism’ to avoid potential disputes in the East China Sea; Chain to ease restrictions on Japanese food imports; Japan to provide around 67 billion Yen to help Iraq’s reconstruction efforts

South Korea

• South Korean government holds memorial ceremony to mark first anniversary of Yeonpyeong attack; South Korea to provide economic aid worth $500 million to Philippines within the next two years

Central Asia & Russia

Central Asia

• Turkmenistan, China sign 14 bilateral agreements for cooperation in various sectors; Kyrgyz and Indian forces to hold joint anti-terror exercises next month; Customs Union members consider single currency; Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) and ArcelorMittal sign Memorandum of Understanding; Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on cooperation in space exploration

Russia

• Russia is ready to increase delivery the delivery of natural gas to India; Russia to quit START if the US goes ahead with Europe’s missile defence plan; Russian Air Force to get 90 new aircrafts in 2012; In the backdrop of a spate of space failures, President Medvedev has warned space officials to mend their ways; PM Putin warns the West against interfering in Russia’s votes; Russia wants the US to explain the reported plans on developing and deploying military bases in Afghanistan post 2014 onwards; President Medvedev praises Russia’s effort in the Caucasus in 2008 to prevent further NATO expansion in the region; Russia to give up-to 10 billion loan to Belarus for building a new nuclear power plant; Russia’s budget surplus to reach 300 billion roubles in 2011; Kaliningrad radar station is ready for missile warning system deployment; US stops arms treaty cooperation with Russia; Russia criticizes any attempt to forcefully interfere into the current Syrian crisis; Russia believes that its possible WTO membership will have no negative repercussion on the Customs Union; Russia to give a US$ 2 billion discount in gas prices to Belarus

West Asia

Iran

• Turkish President Abdullah Gul: Dialogue between Iran and the West must resume; Iran Foreign Minister: Iran ready to cooperate with the IAEA if it readjusts its attitude toward Tehran; Ahmadinejad media advisor released on the same day

Iraq

• 19 killed and dozens injured in bomb blasts in Basra; The US spends more than 6 billion in 2012: James Jeffrey

GCC

• Defence Ministers of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) decide to strengthen the Council’s joint defence systems in face of new threats

Yemen

• President Saleh resigns; Mohammed Basindwa appointed as interim Prime Minister

Syria

• Turkey builds up pressure on Syria; UN human rights committee condemns Syrian crackdown; France backs humanitarian corridor in Syria; Arab League imposes sweeping sanctions on Syria

Jordan

• China grants financial and technical aid to Jordan; PM Awn Khasawneh presents his government’s policy statement in Parliament; S&P lowers Jordan credit rating

Israel

• Israel arrests a Jordanian citizen in West Bank; Israel warns to cut off power and water to Gaza

Palastine

• Jordan reiterates support for the unity of Palestinian people; Palestine seek UN intervention to free Israel tax freeze; Islamist movement call for million-man march near Israeli border; Palestinian rivals hail new era of partnership

Africa

Egypt

• Many dead in Cairo anti-military protests; National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) forms fact-finding commission to investigate Tahrir clashes; Kamal Ganzouri appointed new PM; UN renews call to ensure peaceful transition

Libya

• Former rebels given key posts in new government; Deputy PM invites people to join hands in rebuilding the nation

Nigeria

• Four policemen killed in a strike by Boko Haram sect in Yobe state of Nigeria; Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) discloses non-oil export earnings in Nigeria

Sudan

• Sudan agrees to resume talks on post-secession issue; US pledged to support peace implementation in Darfur; Libya pledges to develop bilateral ties with Sudan; Uganda and Tanzania rejected Sudan’s bid to join EAC

South Sudan

• United States warns South Sudan on support to Sudan People Liberation Movement- North (SPLM-N); Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) admits South Sudan as a member state; South Sudan imports huge quantities of items through Mombasa port

South Africa

• South African National Assembly passes Protection of Information Bill; South African national kidnapped in Mali

Somalia

• Explosion occurs outside al-Shabaab base in Afgoye; East African leaders urge Ethiopian support to fight al Shabaab; Deputy PM-led Turkish delegation arrives in Somalia; UN downgrades famine alert in three regions of Somalia; Fresh fighting starts in central Somalia

COTE D’IVOIRE

• European Union assures aid to Cote d’Ivoire despite economic crisis; UN envoy warns on sexual violence ahead of legislative elections

DEFENCE REVIEW

National Defence

• Navy to send pilots to Russia for training in operations of MiG-29K; Army successfully tests UAV’ in the ongoing exercise 'Sudharshan Shakti'

International Defence

• German company to build a major Army training center in Russia; Iraqi President Jalal Talabani; Iraq needs US troops for training

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir

• Police claim decline in militancy in Jammu and Kashmir; President arrived in valley for three days visit; Clashes in city amid shutdown; Two injured in an explosion in Pattan in North Kashmir; A National Conference man and a territorial army personnel shot at

Northeast India

• Meghalaya launches operation to rescue abducted official, traders; Assam CM announces peace pact with the Karbi-Anglong based United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS); Centre confirms presence of North East ultra camps in Myanmar; Anti-talk ULFA faction announces a new 16 member committee; Three GNLA ultras held in Shillong; UPDS peace accord signed; PM likely to visit Manipur; Terror outfit busted by police in North Lakhimpur, Assam

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• India wins a seat in the Joint Inspection Unit of the UN; UN Security Council calls for a comprehensive international response to fight piracy; UN General Assembly calls for increased efforts in Afghanistan; Ukraine supports India’s bid permanent membership in UNSC