COUNTRY REVIEW

South Asia

Pakistan

• Federal cabinet expanded; Richard Boucher and Gen. Petraeus visit Islamabad; IMF sanctions $9 billion; 22 killed in Bajaur

Bangladesh

• EC announces schedule for parliamentary elections as well as upazila polls; AL and BNP welcome the move, urge free and fair polls; ADB and Bangladesh government sign a $87 million agreement

East and SouthEast Asia

China

• Hu Jintao congratulates President-elect Obama; K2K International Conference held in Dali; China urges Dalai Lama not to support Tibetan independence; China and Italy sign scientific cooperation agreement

Japan

• Asahi Shimbun: Support for an early general election falls to 33 per cent; Japan and the US agree on the need to credibly verify Pyongyang’s nuclear

activities

Myanmar

• Tension between Bangladesh and Myanmar mounts over Myanmar’s attempt to explore oil and gas in Bay of Bengal; Hundreds flee Myanmar’s border with Thailand to escape renewed fighting between KNU rebels and the soldiers of the breakaway ceasefire group,

West Asia

Iran

• Majlis impeaches Interior Minister over fake degree; Supreme Leader praises amicable ties between Sunnis and Shiites in Iran; Ahmadinejad congratulates Barack Obama on his victory

Iraq

• Eleven killed in Baghdad bomb blasts; Iraq’s Parliament grants local council seats for minorities; Reports: Obama’s victory shifting political ground in Iraq

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir

• Separatists welcome Barrack Obama's victory, pin hopes on Bill Clinton

NorthEast Insurgency

• Tarun Gogoi: Bangladesh biggest threat to Assamv