COUNTRY REVIEW

Iraq

• Iraqi security forces launch military action in Basra against Mehdi Army, supported by US Special Forces and coalition air support; Militants blast important oil pipeline

China

• 15-member diplomatic delegation visits Lhasa; Dai Binguo and NSA Narayanan discuss Tibet; Wen says ‘channel for dialogue’ with Dalai Lama open, if he renounces Tibet independence; Beijing unhappy with Washington over shipping of ICBM parts to Taiwan

Myanmar

• Rice seeks New Delhi’s help over Myanmar; Than Shwe: Military will assist civilian government after 2010 elections; Irrawaddy News: Yangon supported Tibetan crackdown

US ELECTION REVIEW

• Democratic and Republican candidates restate their positions on Iraq war; Clinton opposes ‘long-term’ strategic partnership being negotiated with Baghdad

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Taliban vows a fresh Spring offensive; NATO to come out with a ‘Vision Statement’ during their Summit in Bucharest; Oxfam: $10 b of Afghan aid money not spent in past 6 years; Contractor fraud detected in supply of ammunition to Afghan forces

Pakistan

• Yusuf Raza Gilani sworn in as the new PM, secures two-third majority in the National Assembly; 23 ministers to be inducted in the coalition cabinet; New Corp Commanders for Lahore and Mangla

Nepal

• Tibetan exiles in Nepal protest against Chinese crackdown; Prachanda accuses Nepali police of importing arms from India; UNSC, Japan call for free and fair elections

Bangladesh

• Passenger train service between Kolkata-Dhaka from April 14; Dhaka to seek donor status at UNHCR

Sri Lanka

• Colombo initiates developmental projects in the South and re-settlement drives in the East; Muslim refugees to form a political party; Saudi Arabia to help develop Sri Lankan oil and gas industry

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir Development

• Geelani calls for poll boycott

NorthEast Insurgency

• Insurgents storms railway station in Asom; Gogoi ready to facilitate Bangladesh trip for talks with ULFA

Other Development

• SIMI chief among 13 held at Indore

• Separatist Groups of North Bengal Seek New State from Lower Assam to Malda

• TOI: LET PART OF D-COMPANY

NUCLEAR REVIEW

India

• EAM to US: Political problem over nuclear deal being resolved

Iran

• Kofi Annan warns against conflict with Iran

North Korea

• Hill to visit Seoul in an attempt to restart the stalled nuclear disarmament process

France To Cut Down On Its Nuclear Fources

• Sarkozy also calls on nuclear powers to sign the CTBT, proposes treaty banning nuclear-armed short and medium-range ground-to-ground missiles

Growing Civilian Nuclear Energy Plans

• Britain hopes to learn from the French expertise in civilian nuclear power

• Russia and Egypt to conclude an agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation

• UAE to pursue nuclear energy for electricity

• Gates orders a complete inventory of US nuclear arsenal

ENERGY SECURITY REVIEW

• Authorities detain nearly 150 engineers and geologists of BP

• Move to bolster economy of Sunni areas

• Concerns over disruption of Iraqi oil supply; Crude prices cross $107-per barrel