COUNTRY REVIEWS

South Asia

Bangladesh

• Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad visits India; President Zillur Rahman attended the 4th Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit of the OIC in Makkah; Russia agreed to provide as credit 85 percent of the estimated Tk 12,000-15,000 crore needed for setting up the first-ever nuclear power plant in Bangladesh

Sri Lanka

• Independence Day celebrated at Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka; A large Indian delegation of pharmaceutical industry visits Sri Lanka to set up the proposed Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Hub; Eight Sri Lankan refugees are on fast in Chennai; Sri Lanka to establish diplomatic relations with thirteen Latin American countries; Former LTTE Chief Arms Procurer: Twenty members of the Tamil diaspora from Canada, Australia and five European Countries visit Sri Lanka

Maldives

• President Waheed met with Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia; Dr Waheed delivers his address at the fourth extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Conference

East Asia

Southeast

• Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) supports Philippine government in counter-offensive against Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF); Myanmar ends media censorship; Myanmar likely to become a mid-income nation by 2030; Myanmar to probe sectarian clashes; Malaysian Embassy in Syria temporarily closed; Sentences reduced for over 50,000 in Indonesia

China
(AUGUST 6-12)

• A group of Japanese rightists landed on Diaoyu Island; Chinese nationals released by Tokyo arrive in Hong Kong; Taiwan official: Need for more efforts to boost Cross-Straits relations ; DPRK-Beijing agree to work on Economic Zone; China is willing to work with ASEAN on a code of conduct for South China Sea; Bhutan and China agreed to look for the solution of border issues

Central Asia & Russia

Central Asia

• Kazakhstan extends ban on petroleum product exports until 2013; Russia to increase duty-free fuel supplies to Kyrgyzstan by 30%; Kazakhstan will not sell uranium to Iran; Kazakhstan to supply 300 mcm in gas to Kyrgyzstan; Russia and Kyrgyzstan to discuss waiver of debts, sign new energy deals and extend the use of military bases; Tajikistan to buy wheat, corn, rice from Pakistan

Russia

• Russia and the United States facilitate a visa regime between the two countries; PM Medvedev is hopeful of a visa free travel regime with the European Union; President Putin declares that Russia will not cut down on defence spending; Syrian delegation arrived in Moscow; Russia welcomes the appointment of Brahimi as new U.N. and Arab League envoy for Syria; Russia is against the imposition of a no fly zone over Syria; Belarusian President hails the year 2012 as the most productive with regards to developing relations with Russia; Russia’s Foreign Minister concludes an official visit to Belarus

Africa

• Egypt’s President orders retirement of top generals; Kenya warns Somalia detractors of punitive measures; Fresh unrest reported in Darfur region of Sudan; Shooting in South African mine kills 30 miners; SADC opposes Rwandan support to Congo rebels

DEFENCE REVIEW

National

• Four major DRDO projects running behind scheduled

International

• Chinese warships from the PLA Navy (PLAN) dock in Israel for a five-day visit

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu & Kashmir
(AUGUST 6-12)

• Jammu and Kashmir Interlocutors to revisit the Report; Curfew imposed in a village in Ganderbal district after clashes; Infiltration bid foiled, soldier killed; Retired police official shot dead in Srinagar

(AUGUST 13-19)

• Imam shot at in Rajouri; Clashes in old city

North East India
(AUGUST 6-12)

• Three killed in fresh violence in Kokrajhar; Centre identifies fourteen radical outfits; Sixty Nagaland MLAs meet Prime Minister on Naga issue; Centre, Meghalaya not keen on talks with GNLA; MHA-CBI team arrives in Guwahati; Thirty Five ultras surrender in Tezpur, Assam

(AUGUST 13-19)

• Exodus of North-East students, workers after clashes in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BATD); North East MPs express concern over attacks; Three militants gunned down in Garo Hills; Four serial blasts in Manipur; Four more border trade centres to be opened in North-East

UNITED NATIONS (UN) REVIEW

• Veteran diplomat Brahimi to replace Kofi Annan as UN special representative for Syria, UN Observers end their mission in Syria; UNSC condemns terrorist attacks in Afghanistan; UNSC condemns attack on UN peacekeeper in Darfur