COUNTRY REVIEW

Iraq

• Turkey launches fresh attacks against PKK rebels inside Iraq, UN, US urge restraint; Sadr asks Mahdi Army militia to extend ceasefire by another 6 months

China

• China expresses apprehension over Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence; China asserts it is concerned over the situation in Darfur

Japan

• Chinese and Japanese Vice Foreign Ministers discuss East China Sea issue; Maritime Self-Defence Force Chief dismissed over an incident of collision over a destroyer and a fishing boat

Myanmar

• NLD rejects Government’s referendum plans; Gambari expresses optimism on finding a solution; India: Sanctions would not achieve the goal of peace and stability

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Over 35 killed in another deadly suicide attack near Kandahar; Scheffer: Militants inflicting greater casualties to influence public opinion in NATO countries

Pakistan

• PPP and PML-N emerge victorious, to form a coalition government;PPP’s Fahim likely to be the new Prime Minister; US reiterates Musharraf’s role in the new government

Bangladesh

• Bangladesh Army Chief visits India; AL urges government to lift emergency by March 2008

Nepal

• MJF not to participate in elections as its demand for a single Madhes province gets rejected; Indian Embassy denies a meeting was held between UMDF and the Nepali Congress

Srilanka

• ICG blames LTTE and Colombo with human rights violations; Developmental aid package of Rs. 500 million for the East announced; Colombo: Kosovo secession could pose serious threat to international peace

NUCLEAR REVIEW

India

• India-IAEA hold another round of negotiations on India-specific safeguards; Kakodkar: India will go ahead with nuclear deal regardless of regime change in the US; India-Russia draft civil nuclear cooperation agreement drawn up

Iran

• IAEA Director General submits new report on Iran to the Board of Governors; Iran says that it has provided IAEA with data about the new IR-2 centrifuges at Natanz

North Korea

• China makes efforts to take the stalled de-nuclearisation process forward; Hill meets North Korean nuclear envoy in Beijing; Pyongyang asks Tokyo to leave the Six-Party talks

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

• Private agencies and individuals need to augment government’s efforts

Jammu and Kashmir

• Chief of Army Staff: Infiltration on decline but number of attempts up

North East Insurgency

• Six militants killed in Manipur encounter; NSA: Naga peace process has slowed down

Maoist Insurgency

• 20 Maoists gunned down in Orissa; Six CRPF personnel and 11 Maoist killed in Chattisgarh

• Suspected to be a top functionary of SIMI for 8 years

ENERGY SECURITY REVIEW

IRANIAN COMPANY BIDS FOR TWO INDIAN OFFSHORE OIL BLOCKS

• Projects worth $1 billion each

LPG SHORTFALL IMPROVES

• IOC to resume new connections from March 1 if situation continued to improve

CRUDE OIL CROSSES $100

• Third time oil prices crossed the $100-a-barrel mark

INDIA’S ANSWER TO THE BIO-FUEL CONUNDRUM: SWEET SORGHUM ‘JOWAR’

• ICRISAT promotes Sweet Sorghum as part of its Bio-Power Strategy