COUNTRY REVIEW

Iraq

• Iraqi delegation visits Tehran over its alleged support to the insurgency inside Iraq; Turkish Army claims it killed 150 PKK rebels; Maliki: Special Forces deployed inside Sadr City to root out militias

China

• Dalai Lama’s representatives and the Chinese government hold talks on Tibet; China’s longest sea-bridge opens; Rapid development of trade with Taiwan noted

Japan

• Japan expresses concerns about Pakistani missile tests, offers 47.9 billion yen in loans; Hu to visit Japan

Myanmar

• Myanmar’s PM visits Bangkok; Thai PM: Myanmar working towards ’50 percent democracy’; UNSC urges to ensure ’fundamental political freedoms’ are respected; US places more firms under sanctions

US ELECTION REVIEW

• Clinton releases a plan to protect service men from mortgage crisis; Clinton, McCain support plan to suspend federal excise on gasoline in the travel season, Obama opposes the proposal; Obama breaks his relationship with pastor Jeremy Wright

South Asia

Afghanistan

• Karzai escapes attempt on his life; Intelligence Chief blames militants with ties to Al Qaeda inside Pakistan; NYT: Pentagon debating deploying another 7,000 troops

Pakistan

• Coalition government in crisis over the restoration of judiciary; Peace talks with militants discontinued

Nepal

• Madhesi leaders want demands to be met, favour a national foreign policy based on principles of panchsheel; Future role of the UNMIN being debated; Sood: India willing to help Nepal’s transition to peace, stability, democracy

Bangladesh

• PAF Chief visits Bangladesh; India-Bangladesh sign a draft document on border demarcation in the Habiganj-Tripura sector; Foreign Adviser calls for a readjustment of Bangladesh’s foreign policy

Sri Lanka

• Tehran to provide $450 m for developing hydro-power projects and refineries; UNP vows to pass an Act to disarm armed groups if he came to power

Maldives

• UN sends a fact-finding mission in context of its first multi-part elections in October 2008

PAKISTAN-OCUPIED KASHMIR REVIEW

• Gilani visits POK and insists full cooperation in development process; President of POK calls on the Federal Minister of Defence; GBUM asks China to stop investment in the disputed regions

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir Development

• Violence going down significantly in J&K, says A.K. Antony; Sajjad Afghan, the J&K’s commander-in-chief of HuM killed in encounter

NorthEast Insurgency

• Manipur government decides to arm villagers to fight militants

Maoist Insurgency

• A high-powered committee suggests holding peace talks with the Maoists; Reports allege that Maoists were grooming teenagers in Orissa

NUCLEAR REVIEW

Iran

• Heinonen visits Tehran for discussions; Iran says new round of talks to begin by end of next week

India

• UPA-Left Committee on nuclear deal to meet on May 6; Dr. Singh-Ahmedinejad discuss nuclear issue, reaffirm right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy

North Korea

• Bush administration comes in for criticism for not sharing information on the Syrian issue with IAEA earlier; Syrian President refutes US’s claims, says Israel hit military target, not a nuclear facility

ENERGY SECURITY REVIEW

Alternative Sources Of Energy

• Bush attributes rising food prices to India’s middle class; Congress: India is a net food exporter; Bush also calls for increased ethanol use

GeoPolitics

• Tehran completes deals with Chinese, Malaysian, and Swiss companies, sanctions regime under threat

Market

• Oil prices on an upward trend due to a strengthened dollar

Natural Gas

• Menon: IPI Pipeline ‘doable’; Ahmadinejad welcomes proposal to include China in project; Christine Fair: IPI Pipeline “absolutely infeasible”