COUNTRY REVIEWS

East Asia

Afghanistan

• Afghanistan and Pakistan accuse each other over border skirmishes; Afghanistan to wring concessions from the United States in negotiations to sign a security pact

Pakistan

• At least 25 people have been killed and scores wounded after an explosion during an election rally; Nawaz Sharif urges for closer ties with India; Nawaz Sharif set to form government in Pakistan

Bangladesh

• Awami League rejects BNP demand for restoring the non-party caretaker government system; Bangladesh garment makers proposes forming a wage board to review the wages of workers; International Crimes Tribunal-2 has found Muhammad Kamaruzzaman guilty of committing crimes against humanity during the liberation war.

Sri Lanka

• IMF cautions Sri Lanka against easing monetary policies further; National Ranaviru Commemorative Month begins; President Rajapaksa makes a four-day official visit to Uganda; Adversary announcement of IUU issued by the European Union to the Sri Lankan fishing industry removed; Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister visits Sri Lanka.

Maldives

• An Indian Navy aircraft facilitated by the Indian government arrives in Maldives to assist local authorities in the search for Azum; President Waheed congratulates newly appointed Prime Minister of Malaysia; United Nations Trust Fund for the Fight against Piracy has decided to provide support in the repatriation of the Somalian pirates under Maldivian authorities; Maldivian delegation of the Elections Commission visits India; US provides $2.5 million to promote civic participation in the upcoming election; Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations pays a courtesy call on President Dr. Mohamed Waheed.

East Asia

Southeast Asia

• Taiwan national killed in a attack on a boat by Philippine military; Philippines expresses regret for the killing; Two Chinese spotted near Philippines occupied Ayungin Shoal; Najib Razak wins elections in Malaysia; Anwar Protests against Malaysian election results; Twenty one Malaysians arrested in Singapore.

Japan

• Japan and the US to promote cooperation in cyber security; The Japan-Taiwan fishing pact goes into effect without specific rules; Japan, China and South Korea to launch a policy dialogue to combat air pollution problems .

South Korea

• US aircraft carrier Nimitz arrives in South Korea for drills; South Korea rules out its participation in the US-led missile defense system .

North Korea

• North Korea denounces South Korean President’s US visit as a prelude to war.

Russia

• Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister David Cameron discuss steps to resolve the Syrian crisis; Russia and Jordan called on all involved parties to make an effort to organise the conference on Syria; Foreign Minister Lavrov: Russia has no plans to sell S-300 systems to Syria; Russia-Norway military exercisers begins in Barents Sea; Cyprus's Finance Ministry requests Russia for rescheduling a 2.5-billion Euro loan; President Putin expresses his satisfaction on the level Russia’s ties with the US; Russia and the US have agree to create conditions for inclusive dialogue in Syria; Russia ratifies an agreement on the continuation of its military base in Tajikistan; Putin sign the federal law which bans officials from having assets abroad; Medvedev increases the share of new weaponry in service with the Russian armed forces to 75 per cent by 2020; Russia is ready to cooperate with Turkey for joint production of air defence systems; Russia’s trade surplus is down by 13.6 per cent during the January-March period and stood at US$ 54 billion.

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• Defence Minister Antony: “Each country has a right to build border infrastructure in their own land. If China has a right to develop infrastructure, India also has a right”; First squadron of MiG-29K fighter jets commissioned in the Indian Navy.

International

• North Korea criticizes the arrival of the US aircraft carrier Nimitz in the South for a joint drill as an “extremely reckless” provocation; United States: Minesweeping exercise in gulf involving forty one countries not directed at Iran.

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir

• Militants enter in Kupwara; Police officer shot dead at Pulwama, South Kashmir.

North East India

• Refugees in Tripura to return to Mizoram; North-East Students Organization (NESO) moves Prime Minister on influx issues; President to visit Assam and Nagaland.

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• UN Security Council condemns attacks against UN convoy in DRC and Abyei; Four UN peacekeepers captured by Syrian rebels, freed