SAKTHI BOOKS CURRENT EVENTS

Terrorism

Turkey sacks 18,500 state employees

Turkish authorities have ordered the dismissal of more than 18,500 state employees over alleged links to terrorist organisations. The people have been sacked as part of a crackdown following a failed military coup two years ago. Turkey has been under a state of emergency since July 2016 following an attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

India, Italy agreed to revitalise ties

India and Italy agreed to boost cooperation in counter-terrorism and cybersecurity as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met the top Italian leadership and discussed steps to revitalise bilateral ties. It was the first major political exchange between the two countries. Ms. Swaraj is there on the first leg of her seven-day tour of four European countries.

Leaders sign Qingdao Declaration

10 : The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit concluded with the adoption of the Qingdao declaration. The declaration calls for implementing the three-year plan to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism. It also calls for the implementation of the treaty on long-term good neighbourliness, friendship and co-operation.

Interfaith Dialogue to be organised

India and Indonesia would be organising an Interfaith Dialogue in Indonesia in early October 2018, followed by similar Dialogue in India next year. This would be organised to eradicate radicalism and promote pluralism. Interfaith Dialogue would reflect a united commitment of both the nations to eradicate terrorism, radicalism, and violent extremism and would be the dynamic of pluralism.

India, Nepal to conduct a military exercise

Armies of both the nations, India and Nepal will conduct a 2-week long military exercise ‘Surya Kiran’ in Uttarakhand. The focus of the exercise will be to enhance cooperation in conducting counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain. Around 300 soldiers from both the nations will be participating in this exercise.

Anti Terrorism Day observed on May 21

Anti Terrorism Day is observed every year throughout the country on May 21. The Day is observed to generate awareness in the country among all sections of people, about the danger of terrorism and violence and its effect on the people, society and the country as a whole. Anti-terrorism pledge is taken in all Government offices, public sector undertakings and other public institutions.

Workshop on countering online radicalisation

European Union and National Investigation Agency organised a workshop in New Delhi in which Indian & European experts discussed various aspects of online radicalisation. The officers from both sides deliberated upon the processes that lead to radicalisation and recruitment. This workshop is the clear reflection that the EU and India are joining hands in the fight against terrorism.

India, Ethiopia held bilateral talks

India and Ethiopia vowed to strengthen cooperation in key areas such as defence, counter-terrorism, and trade and investment during the 2nd Joint Committee Meeting between the two countries.External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Dr Gebeyehu led their respective delegations. Both sides also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia.

India, Guatemala signs various agreements

India and Guatemala agreed to work together to combat terrorism. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on enhancing cooperation in diplomatic academics. A Letter of Intent (LoI) of providing training for the English language to Guatemalan teachers was also signed under the ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) programme.

Secure India Conclave underway in New Delhi

The two-day Secure India Conclave got underway in New Delhi on 24th April.The conclave is being organised by Global Counter Terrorism keeping in view Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of New India : Secure India 2018. The event presents a unique encapsulation of prevalent issues in India’s internal security.

Commonwealth Heads of Govt Meeting begins

The two-day 25th Commonwealth heads of Govt meeting began in London. The Summit focuses on peace, prosperity, security, trade and investment. Discussions on strengthening cooperation in the fight against global terrorism & cyber crime are expected. It is after 20 years that the UK is hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Govt Meeting. PM Narendra Modi is attending the summit for the first time.

India unwilling to participate in SAARC

Citing continuing support to cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, India said on Saturday it was difficult to proceed with the SAARC initiative under current circumstances.SAARC Summits are usually held biennially hosted by a member state in alphabetical order. The last SAARC Summit in 2014 was held in Kathmandu.

India-UK signed MoU on organised crime

The Union Cabinet signed a MoU between India, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland on cooperation and exchange of information for tackling organised crime. India and the UK already have a 1995 agreement in place concerning the investigation and prosecution of crime. Both India and the UK are working towards strengthening cooperation to fight the global terrorism and organised crime.

Uttarakhand to host 13th Surya Kiran Exercise

India and Nepal will hold the 13th edition of Surya Kiran joint military exercise in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand in a couple of months.The military exercise will include training on jungle warfare, anti-terrorism combat as well as disaster response activities. The announcement came days after Army chief Bipin Rawat visited Nepal to attend a function to mark the Army Day.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Arrives in India

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau is on a 7 day visit to India to further strengthen strategic ties with a focus on defence and counter-terrorism besides expanding trade and investment ties.Both sides are also expected to deliberate on enhancing cooperation in a civil nuclear sector. His visit comes three years after PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to Canada.

Pak lists Hafiz Saeed’s JuD a terror outfit

Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain has signed an ordinance amending the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act to list groups sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council as terrorist organisations.The move designates 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led groups Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation as terror outfits which were earlier not banned by Pakistan.

Cryptocurrency regulation is inevitable

13 : International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde has stated that regulatory action on cryptocurrencies is “inevitable”.“It’s clearly a domain where we need international regulation and proper supervision,” she said. She added that the IMF is actively trying to prevent digital currencies from being used to launder money or finance terrorism.

Pakistan, Afghanistan to continue talks

Islamabad & Kabul have decided to continue holding discussions to reach an agreement on the entire Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace & Solidarity.The meeting comes in the backdrop of a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan allegedly by Pakistan.APAPPS is a joint action plan for cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism, peace, reconciliation and joint economic development.

India important in success of S Asia policy

India is a key player in ensuring the success of the US’ South Asia policy, US Defense Department has said.India plays an important role in the fight against terrorism which is one of the key aspects of the policy, it added.The US had sought an enhanced role for India in the implementation of the policy.

Bharat-ASEAN Maitri Park In Delhi

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the Bharat-ASEAN Maitri Park in the national capital.ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh also attended the event, held at the Tughlaq Crescent, in the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi. The two-day summit is expected to give boost to India-ASEAN cooperation in key areas of counter-terrorism, security and connectivity.

World Eco. Forum Meeting concludes – 2

Mr Modi outlined climate change, terrorism and protectionism as three global threats.He also met his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau. The Prime Minister also held a meeting with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and discussed steps to deepen the bilateral relationship. At the end, Mr Modi interacted with top global CEOs at the International Business Council event.

US suspends security assistance to Pak

The US is suspending security assistance to Pakistan worth $2bn after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of refusing to crack down on terrorism.The suspension, which prevents delivery of previously agreed military equipment as well as security-related funding, was first announced by the state department on Thursday. The US had already suspended $255m in military aid in August.

African Union, Russia join hands

The African Union & Russia have joined hands to resolve issues of terrorism & transnational crime & to achieve peace.The agreement was made during the meeting between AU Commissioner for Peace & Security Smail Chergui & Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.The visit of the AU Commissioner to Moscow comes within the framework of the growing partnership between the AU and Russia.

France bans all gas and oil production

France’s parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040.Under the law, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted in France or its overseas territories.The French government claims the ban is a world first.

Swaraj attended SCO summit in Russia

On November 30, 2017, Union External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj visited Russian city of Sochi to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.At the summit, India pressed for concerted regional and global efforts to contain terrorism.India had been an observer at the SCO since 2005. India along with Pakistan became full members of SCO in June 2017.

Centre sanctions Rs 275 cr

Central Government has sanctioned Rs 275 crore for establishing a Global Centre for Security and Counter-Terrorism in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Announcement in this regard was made by Rajasthan Home Minister, Gulab Chand Kataria on November 28, 2017. Central Government will allocate Rs. 165 crore and Rajasthan State Government will bear Rs 110 crore for setting-up this centre.

Cooperation in combating terrorism

Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing an Agreement on Cooperation b/w India & Russia in the field of combating all forms of terrorism & organized crime. It would reinforce the relationship b/w India & Russia through exchange & sharing of information & would help in curbing terrorism & enhancing security in the region. The proposed Agreement will replace the Agreement of Oct, 1993.

Indo-Bangla defense cooperation

An army training capsule on counter-insurgency/ counter-terrorism operations will be conducted in Patna’s Danapur Cantonment from November 13 to December 10. This training capsule is one of the major training events and defence cooperation endeavours between the two armies. The training aims at skilling the Bangladesh Army personnel on handling counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism operations

Poverty, corruption free India by 2022

Government think tank NITI Aayog has envisaged a New India by 2022 which will be free from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, and communalism. According to New India @2022 document, India will be in the top three economies of the world if it continues to grow at 8% from now until 2047. It also envisions that we will achieve ‘Kuposhan Mukt Bharat’ by 2022.

India, Tunisia agrees to combat terror

India and Tunisia agreed to jointly combat terrorism and extremism and scale up bilateral cooperation in the field of security. Sushma Swaraj co-chaired the 12th India- Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting with Tunisian Foreign Affairs Minister, Khemaies Jhinaoui. Besides conducting a review of bilateral ties, both the ministers discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Exercise Indra-2017 Concluded

After 11 days of joint training in counter-terrorism operations, the Indo-Russian military Exercise ‘Indra-2017’ concluded at Vladivostok. Personnel from the Indian as well as Russian contingents were awarded medals of excellence for their outstanding performance. The exercise also provided an opportunity to both the armies for greater cultural understanding, sharing experiences.

Inauguration of NIA Headquarters

India’s federal anti-terrorism probe agency, the National Investigation Agency, set up in 2009 in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, has a new headquarters in New Delhi. Rajnath Singh inaugurated the new office at CGO complex, Delhi. The National Investigation Agency is the Central Counter-Terrorism Investigation agency which came into the existence on 31st December, 2008.

India-Australia meeting held

The first meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee was held in New Delhi. This meeting is a follow-up to the MoU on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime between India and Australia. The two sides agreed to pursue further the agenda for cooperation in specific areas with meetings of operational Joint Working Groups.

Cabinet approves the Extradition Treaty

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the signing and ratification of the Extradition Treaty between India and Lithuania. The Treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Lithuania. It would help in extradition of fugitive criminals including terrorists for criminal prosecutions from Lithuania.

Mega internal security scheme

27 : Govt has approved a Rs. 25,000-crore mega internal security scheme to strengthen country’s law & order mechanism, mordernise police forces & effectively fight against terrorism. It would bolster govts ability to address challenges faced in different theatres such as areas affected by LWE, Jammu & Kashmir & Northeast effectively. This is the biggest ever internal security scheme in the country

Pakistan, Russia hold military exercise

Pakistan and Russia are holding 2 week long joint military drill focussing on counter- terrorism operations to enhance military ties between the two countries. The joint exercise DRUZBA 2017 between special forces of Pakistan and Russia Armies started in Minralney Vody, Russia. Last September, a contingent of 100 Russian troops had taken part in joint exercises in Pakistan.

Indo-US commence exercise Yudh Abhyas

Indian & U.S. armies have started the 13th iteration of their Yudh Abhyas series of joint military exercises at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. The exercise will focus primarily on counter-terrorism operations & will also included strategic consultations b/w senior armed forces officers on both sides. The first-ever drill under Yudh Abhyas moniker was carried out in 2004.

National Canine Seminar

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju attended the first National Canine Seminar in NSG Campus, Manesar, Haryana. The theme of the two days National Canine Seminar is ”Canine as Tactical Weapon in Fight against Terrorism”. Objective of this seminar was to discuss & deliberate on the techniques of dog training and strategies of deploying the dogs in Counter Terrorism scenario.

Nepal-India military exercise begins

India and Nepal have begun their joint military exercise in the western part of Nepal, focusing on counter-terrorism and forest fighting operations. The exercise “Surya Kiran” was being participated by around 300 troops each side in Rupandehi district. The 12 th edition of Nepal-India joint military exercise will provide the two armies a platform to exchange experiences, ideas, and skills.

10th India-EU Counter Terrorism Dialogue

10th India-European Union Counter Terrorism Dialogue was held at New Delhi Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms & manifestations and underscored the need for deepening cooperation to combat terrorism in a sustained & comprehensive manner Prospects for deepening counter-terrorism cooperation under UN & FATF were emphasized. Next Dialogue will take place in Brussels in 2018

Commonwealth Bank boss to retire

Chief executive of Commonwealth bank will retire amid pressure from regulators over alleged breaches of laws on laundering and terrorism financing. He had faced calls to step down after AUSTRAC launched a civil action against the bank alleging “serious & systemic non-compliance” with the laws more than 53,000 times. Narev would leave the bank by the end of the 2018 financial year.

75th anniversary of Quit India Movement

Nation is celebrating 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement with “Sankalp se Siddhi – The attainment through resolve” being the theme for 2017. PM Modi urged the nation to make India free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, casteism, & to create a ‘New India’ by 2022. Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 9th August, 1942, demanding an end to British Rule in India.

Counter-terrorism meeting

Indonesia and Australia co-hosted a counter-terrorism meeting to address the rising threat of foreign fighters. The one-day gathering brought together 6 countries including Malaysia, Philippines and New Zealand. Ministers will discuss the challenges posed by growing terrorism in Southeast Asia as well as concerns that IS is trying establish a regional caliphate in Philippines.

Iran and Iraq to boost military ties

Iran and Iraq signed deals aimed at boosting military cooperation during a visit by Baghdad’s Defence Minister Irfan al-Hayali to Tehran. Both the neighbours agreed on a wide range of military and defence cooperation including the “fight against terrorism and extremism”. The Iraqi minister acknowledged Iran’s help in the fight against IS and also stressed the importance of unity.

Tougher conditions for defence funding

US House of Representatives has voted for 3 legislative amendments to impose tougher conditions for reimbursement of defence funding to Pakistan. Pakistan will now have to show satisfactory progress in fight against terrorism. Defence secretary will also need to certify that Pakistan is demonstrating commitment to preventing the Haqqani network from using North Waziristan as a safe haven.

Meeting of SAARC Minister of Law & Order

8th meeting of the SAARC Ministers of Law and Order has started in Colombo. The 3 day meeting will focus on the issue of tackling terrorism apart from discussing liberalization of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms. Indian side is being led by a senior official in Ministry of Home affairs. Last meeting of SAARC Ministers was held in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Modi leaves for Israel

Prime Minister Modi has left for Israel, the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Jewish nation. He will discuss with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu the common challenges like terrorism and ways to boost economic ties. He will be in Israel till July 6 before travelling to Hamburg to attend a G-20 summit. This year marks 25 years of diplomatic relations b/w India and Israel.

Bill to revoke Pakistan’s ally status

2 US lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill in Congress, seeking to revoke Pakistan’s status as a Major Non-Nato Ally. MNNA status was granted to Pak in 2004 by then President George Bush to encourage Islamabad to help US fight Al Qaeda and Taliban. Bill was tabled by Republican Congressman Ted Poe and Democratic lawmaker Rick Nolan accusing Pakistan of failing to effectively fight terrorism

Russian to lead UN counter-terror unit

22 : UN has appointed veteran Russian diplomat Vladimir Voronkov to head a newly established counter-terrorism division. He will have the rank of Under Secretary-General. He has spent more than 30 years in Russia’s foreign service, serving in Vienna as an ambassador to UN organisations since 2011. Counter-Terrorism office would oversee the counter-terrorism efforts of 36 UN-funded programmes.

Controversial anti-terror law passed

Japan passed a controversial anti-terror law that sparked street protests and warnings from critics that it would stomp on citizens’ privacy rights and lead to over-the-top police surveillance. The government argues it is necessary to prevent terrorism ahead of the 2020 Olympics. The legislation would criminalise plotting and preparing to commit 277 “serious crimes”.

New counter-terrorism office approved

The United Nations General Assembly has approved the establishment of a new United Nations office of counter-terrorism to help Member States implement UN’s global counter-terrorism strategy. With the creation of the new office the UN will transfer the relevant functions out of the UN Department of Political Affairs into the new body. The new Under-Secretary-General would Chair the Task Force

5 Arab States Break Ties With Qatar

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. The countries have accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region. The countries have also planned to break off all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar and eject its diplomats from their territories. Qatar was also expelled from a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

National Anti Terrorism Day celebrated.

The National Anti Terrorism Day is celebrated every year on May 21 in India to raise awareness among all sections of people, about the danger of terrorism and violence. Former PM Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a female suicide bomber on May 21,1991 while conducting election campaign in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. He was assassinated by a suicide squad of Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam.

Syria peace talks restart in Geneva.

A new round of Syria peace talks aiming to resolve a six year conflict, opens in Geneva. The UN’s Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said, the negotiations are focused on four separate baskets: governance, a new constitution, elections and combating terrorism in the war-ravaged country. The Syrian regime delegation is being headed by UN ambassador Bashar al-Jaafari.

Indian Army to re-introduce CASO

12 : Indian Army has planned to re-introduce cordon and search operations (CASO) as a part of its counter terrorism operations after a gap of 15 years. The major objective behind the reintroduction of combing operations is to bring the situation in the Kashmir Valley under control. The decision to re-introduce CASO comes against the backdrop of the recent killing of Army officer Ummer Fayaz.

Turkish Prez on 2-day visit to India

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will begin his 2 day India visit from today. The visit will be the first-ever official trip at the presidential level from Turkey to India in seven years. The Turkish president will participate in “Turkey-India Business Forum” during India visit. Talks are expected to cover fight against terrorism, boosting bilateral ties in economy and trade.

1st Nepal-China joint army exercise

The first Nepal-China joint army exercise has begun at Kathmandu. The ‘Sagarmatha Friendship-2017’ drill is aimed to exchange experience, skills and professional knowledge between the armies of Nepal and China. The 10-day exercise is focused on counter-terrorism and disaster management.

India to seal borders with Pak, B’desh

India is planning to seal the international boundaries with Pakistan and Bangladesh soon. This could be India’s major step against terrorism and the problem of refugees according to the home minister. The border with Pakistan would be sealed by 2018, as per a decision which has been taken in the wake of the increase in infiltration attempts.

Al Nagah-II 2017

The armies of India and Oman are scheduled to conduct their second bilateral exercise, Al Nagah-II 2017, in March with a focus on counter-terrorism. The aim of the exercise is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experiences. The navies are holding the bilateral maritime exercises called ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ since 1993.

Pakistan and Turkey Signs 10 Agreements

Pakistan and Turkey have signed 10 agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, including exchange of financial intelligence relating to money laundering, hydrocarbon and defence cooperation. A joint declaration on Turkey-Pakistan Strategic Relationship for Peace and Prosperity was also issued at the end of the meeting resolved to fight against terrorism

India to convene security advisor meet

India will host the first meeting of national security advisers of BIMSTEC countries in the coming months to cooordinate action against terrorism, extremism and radicalization.The Indian offer comes as concerns about the radicalization of Rohingyas by Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) have grown in recent months.

India host the global initiative meet

India will host the Implementation and Assessment Group Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism from February 8 in New Delhi. It is a three day meet which is organised by Ministry of external affairs and department of atomic energy. Global Initiative to combat Nuclear terrorism was launched in 2006 by Russia and the US

French Foreign Minister Meets PM Modi

French Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault met PM Modi & discussed a wide range of issues, including defence & terrorism. Both leaders had discussions on terrorism of which the two countries are victims. The French side said the bilateral ties should move forward with the speed of a Rafale fighter jet. The two leaders also discussed about the cooperation in civil energy.

Amritsar Declaration Condemns Terror

The 6th Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference ended after adopting the Amritsar Declaration. The declaration recognises terrorism as the biggest threat to peace. For the first time, Heart of Asia declaration expressed concern at the violence caused by terrorist groups. The declaration said the countries encourage early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

India-US discuss bilateral ties and cooperation against terror groups

Foreign Secretary Mr. S. Jaishankar meets the US National Security Adviser Ms. Susan Rice in Washington to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation against terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Pakistan signs MoU with India

Pakistan signs MoU with India to resume cricketing ties, which have been suspneded in the aftermath of 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

3rd BIMSTEC Summit

The third BIMSTEC Summit concludes in Myanmar with a joint declaration to combat the growing threat of terrorism, transnational crimes and drug trafficking. All the seven nations agree to intensify efforts to enhance connectivity and cooperation in areas like trade, energy and environment.

Twin car bombs Maiduguri

String of militant attacks in Boko Haram’s birthplace Maiduguri in Nigeria, including twin car bombs at a crowded city market, leaves more than ninety people dead.

Pak unveils new National Internal Security Policy

Pakistan unveils new National Internal Security Policy with fundamental shift in its approach on tackling terrorism, including surgical strikes by military against attackers.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood movement

Egypt’s military-backed interim government declares the Muslim Brotherhood movement, to which ousted president Mr. Mohammad Morsi belongs, a terrorist group.

Huge people killed in Kenya

Islamist terrorists storm a shopping mail in Nairobi, Kenya, killing a large number of people including many of Indian origin.

Al-Qaeda issues its first specific guidelines

Global terrorist group al-Qaeda issues its first specific guidelines for Jihad, urging restraint in attacking other Muslim sects and non-Muslims, and in starting conflicts in countries where jihadis may find a safe base to promote their ideas.

Sixth routine counter-terrorism consultation between India and China

India and China identify common threat of international terrorist forces in South Asia and other regions during Sixth routine counter-terrorism consultation between India and China in Beijing.

Step to infiltration at Assam’s borders

Civil society groups urge the Centre to completely seal Assam’s borders with Bangladesh and Bhutan to put a stop to infiltration and terrorist activities and to seize all illegal arms and ammunition possessed by various groups in the region.

Nepal’s Maoists entered in politics

Six years after Nepal’s Maoists entered open politics, the US finally lifts its “terrorist” tag from the Himalayan nation’s ruling party.

CMs Conference on the NCTC

The Chief Ministers` Conference on the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) is held in New Delhi. Though almost all the Chief Ministers acknowledge the need for a counter-terror body, the Centre fails to convince them to break the logjam over the final move towards setting up the hub.

Violence in China

At least 20 people are killed in China`s Xinjiang region in violence that the government blames on separatists. The incident underscores the ethnic tension in the far-western Muslim-majority region that has erupted intermittently in recent months.

CSTO tightens foreign base norms

Russia has won the right to veto the establishment of new foreign military bases in the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). At their summit in Moscow the leaders of the CSTO agreed that the deployment of foreign bases in their territory is only possible with the approval of all partners of the defence alliance. In order to deploy military bases of a third country in the territory of the CSTO member-states, it is necessary to obtain the official constant of all its members”, said Kazathstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Kazakhstan took over the rotating presidency of the CSTO from Belarus. The defence bloc of former Soviet States also includes Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Afghan envoy to Qatar recalled

Khalid Ahmad Zakaria Afghanistan’s ambassador to Qatar, has been recalled amid reports that the Gulf state is preparing to host a political office for the Taliban – the Islamist insurgent group’s first overseas mission since it was thrown out of power after 9/11. Mr. Zakaria’s recall came two days after that the Taliban held discussions with top western diplomats that had paved the way for the office to be opened within weeks. The Foreign Ministry has offered no official explanation for its action, but a high-ranking  official told Agance France Press the govt. was angered by the failure of Qatar to consult Kabul on its discussions with the Taliban. He said that while the U.S. and Germany had briefed Afghanistan on their secret contacts with  the Taliban, Qatar chose “not to allow the Afghan govt. into these talks”.

Pakistan to deploy air defence along Afghan border

Even as President and supreme commander of the armed forces Asif Ali Zardari’s health remained a matter of speculation, the military leadership of Pakistan has decided to deploy air difense weapons along the border with Afghanistan to avoid the kind of attack two many faced in the week hours of Nov. 26. According to Dawn, the decision was taken in view of a threat perception along the western border from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Till now, Pakistani troops along that border were geared to deal with insurgents and terrorists but now they will also be prepared for an air attack.

Terrorists blow up Syrian oil pipeline

Armed “terrorists” have blown up an oil pipeline west of the flashpoint Syrian city of Homs, state media reported, but an anti-regime group said the govt. was behind the blast. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based activist network, also reported the explosion of “an oil pipeline in Homs which  transports crude to the (central) city’s refinery from eastern Syria”. It gave no cause for the blast Damascus blames the unrest on or armed terrorist groups” and has unleashed military operations against border towns and protest hubs.

Karzai blames Pakistani terrorists for massacre

Afghan president Hamid Karzai blamed Pakistani extremists for an unprecedented attack on Shia Muslims in Kabul that killed 55 people, demanding justice from the govt. in Islamabad. By pointing the finger at the Lashkar-I-Jhangvi militant group, Mr. Karzai threatens to ratchet up tensions with neighbouring Pakistan just days after Islamabad boycotted the Bann conference on the future of Afghanistan. Afghan officials fear that yesterday’s killings in Kabul and the northern city of Mazar-I-Sharif could unleash Iraq. and Pakistan-style sectarian violence ahead of the scheduled departure of NATO combat troops in 2014.

India-Bangladesh agree on extradition treaty

India and Bangladesh agree on an extradition treaty. As per the pact, Bangladesh will hand over ULFA leader Anup Chetia to India, while India will make special efforts to track down and hand over to Bangladesh the killers of the architect of Bangladesh’s independence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

India-Maldives sign agreement

During Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit, India and the Maldives sign in Male a host of  agreements on combating terrorism and drug trafficking; disaster management and coastal security; transfer of sentenced prisoners; cooperation in culture for 2012-15, etc., among others.

China efforts against terrorism

China calls for a renewed and united international effort against terrorism, seeking greater global support for its own battle against terror groups that have, in recent times, become an issue of concern for the country.

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