Asia

Accusing India of a murder was only a shady political move by Trudeau.

Accusing India of a murder was only a shady political move by Trudeau.

For over two years, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been relentlessly blaming India for Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder and New Delhi has been hitting back saying that his accusations were not backed by evidence. Now, a Canadian commission has found that there was “no definitive link” with a “foreign state” in the killing of Nijjar. The report is in stark contrast to what Trudeau had said in 2023 that Canada had “credible evidence” that Indian agents had something to do with Nijjar’s death in British Columbia in the same year. The outgoing prime minister, whose unpopularity within his own government forced him to resign, sabotaged the India-Canada relationship by pinning the blame for Nijjar’s death on India. Now it is up to the next prime minister to a
Sheikh Hasina: Is She Coming Back? Why the Awami League May Benefit From the US Fund Freeze in Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina: Is She Coming Back? Why the Awami League May Benefit From the US Fund Freeze in Bangladesh

With the Donald Trump administration halting the United States Agency For International Development (USAID) funding to Bangladesh, the country’s ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina finds herself ‘validated’. A senior leader and an MP of Awami League, who does not want his name to be revealed called the decision as the one which “reflects the truth of the interim government" in Bangladesh. He told News18 that the party’s leaders, workers are still “united" and can “fight back" as and when the elections are announced. “Sheikh Hasina is our guide. We will not leave her, we will not leave our country in their (interim govt’s) hands. Our people know what she did for the country. She is still loved," the senior leader said. Eight months in exile, Hasina, the seasoned politician and the chi
US -Pakistan relations to remain sour in Trump 2.0

US -Pakistan relations to remain sour in Trump 2.0

There is a mix of unreliability, uncertainties and apprehensions about the US-Pakistan relations after Donald Trump has taken over. The financial aid from the US is less likely to reach Pakistan even as Islamabad would have a difficult task of walking tightrope between the US and China. Husain Haqqani, former Pakistani Ambassador to the US, said Pakistan would not be important for the Trump administration. “Pakistan used to be a leading recipient of US aid post-9/11. But in recent years, aid has drastically reduced. Issues like Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programs, its relationship with China, and alleged support for militants are what concern the US,” said Haqqani, who is also a senior fellow at the Washington-based Hudson Institute. The bilateral relations had deteriorated
The Senate of Pakistan decides to outlaw false information on social media.

The Senate of Pakistan decides to outlaw false information on social media.

What do we know about the bill?The law would target anyone who "intentionally disseminates" information they have "reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest." It would allow authorities to imprison social media users for up to three years for spreading disinformation and stipulate fines of up to 2 million rupees ($7,121, €6,822). The legislation would also create an agency with the power to immediately block content deemed "unlawful and offensive" from social media. Pakistan's media regulator blocked Wikipedia in 2023 over "blasphemous material," but the ban was lifted days later at the request of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Journalists walk out from controversial voteThe approval of the bill was accompa
Pakistan is facing difficulties on the western front as it looks east.

Pakistan is facing difficulties on the western front as it looks east.

For some time now, India’s eastern front has drawn the major part of the country’s strategic focus, especially after the dramatic meltdown in Bangladesh on and after August 5, 2024. Yet, a lot has been happening on India’s immediate west too—in Pakistan and Afghanistan—that merits attention, especially because, with several interlinked issues, there is hardly any clear geographical divide in India’s strategic interests on either side. A convergence of four challenges has considerably strained Pakistan’s strategic situation: the continuing internal political instability, severe economic challenges that constrain effective governance including national security, deteriorating security condition involving militant activities, particularly by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the f
The difficult task of striking a balance between ties with China and India

The difficult task of striking a balance between ties with China and India

The government faces two formidable challenges: balancing Sri Lanka’s relations with China and India and balancing the budget for 2025. Today we discuss the formidable challenge of balancing relations with China and India, while the budget for 2025 will be discussed after its presentation next month.Balancing act The antagonistic character of the Sino-Indian relations makes Sri Lanka’s policy of friendship and dependence on both powerful neighbours an extremely difficult balancing act. India views our close economic links with the People’s Republic of China with suspicion and mistrust. This is especially so in respect of China’s access to Sri Lanka’s sea, which India considers as a vital security concern. Agreement The recent Sri Lankan agreement with China on 15 collaborative
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir expose long-standing political divisions.

Elections in Jammu and Kashmir expose long-standing political divisions.

The 2024 elections marked the first in Jammu and Kashmir since India's altering of its legal status in 2019. But despite this shift and concerted efforts toward peace, political allegiances appear largely unchanged. Concerns have been raised around the government's actions that seemed aimed at changing the electorate's composition, while the majority of the populace still desire the restoration of Article 370, demonstrating that the overall political climate in the region remains unresolved. Both regional and national elections were held in India’s troubled Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) region in 2024 for the first time since its autonomy was drastically downgraded in 2019. But despite successful elections in the region plagued by complex territorial disputes and enduring insurgencies, e
As PTI pulls out of talks, Pakistan’s political impasse gets worse.

As PTI pulls out of talks, Pakistan’s political impasse gets worse.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has decided to walk out of talks with the government aimed at defusing tensions that have dominated the country’s political landscape for the past three years, prompting fears of new street confrontations between the opposition party and law enforcement. After three rounds of talks, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had placed the onus on the government to consider its charter of demands, which it presented during the last dialogue on January 16. However, a week later on Thursday, PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan announced that the party would withdraw from negotiations following instructions from Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the former PM is held, Ali Khan
After Baltic Sabotage, Chinese Vessel Hits Taiwan Telecom Cable

After Baltic Sabotage, Chinese Vessel Hits Taiwan Telecom Cable

On January 3, around 12:40 PM, Chunghwa Telecom reported to Taiwan’s Coast Guard that an undersea communications cable near Keelung had been severed. The Coast Guard sent a patrol vessel to intercept the Hong Kong freighter Shunxin-39. Although they made radio contact and conducted an external inspection, rough seas prevented boarding. International law barred seizing the ship as too much time had passed since the incident. Tracking data indicated Shunxin-39 dragged its anchor where the cable was damaged. Marine Traffic analysts reported that the freighter had been crisscrossing waters near Taiwan's northern coast since December 1, leading Taiwanese officials to suspect the cable rupture was not an innocent accident. Retired US Air Force Colonel Ray Powell noted that the vessel
Taiwan discovers six Chinese boats and four Chinese planes near its area.

Taiwan discovers six Chinese boats and four Chinese planes near its area.

Among them, three aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zone. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MSD) has detected four Chinese aircraft and six naval vessels around the island as of 6 am (UTC+8) on Monday. Among them, three aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Sharing a post on X, MND wrote, "4 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." On Sunday, MND detected nine Chinese aircraft and six naval vessels around th...
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