COUNTRY REVIEW

South Asia

Afghanistan

• 9 US soldiers die in Taliban attack in Kunar province; NATO denies reports of cross-border operations; Obama in Kabul warns of ‘precarious situation’; 13 civilians killed in NATO and US strikes

Pakistan

• NATO deploys on Pak-Afghan border; Gilani: Operations against militants in tribal areas to continue; Obama calls for shift in US focus from Iraq to militants’ sanctuary in Pakistan

Nepal

• Ram Baran Yadav elected President, Paramanad Jha as Vice-President; CA passes the AEB; UNCTAD: Nepal still a long way to go before graduating from the LDC status; Sen cautions against UNMIN seeking a extended mandate

Sri Lanka

• Colombo unveils new restrictions on foreign aid workers; Sri Lankan forces regain Vidathalthivu; HRW expresses concerns about arbitrary detentions; Karunanidhi calls on central government to take back Katchathivu

East Asia

China

• China unveils J-10; Russia to return Yinlong (Tarabary) Island and half of Heixiazi Island; Beijing hopes Darfur situation wont be complicated by the attempted prosecution of al-Bashir

West Asia

Iraq

• Bush opposes “artificial timeline” for troop withdrawals; Maliki and Bush agree on ‘time horizon’ for reduction of US forces; Obama proposes plan for troop withdrawals by summer of 2010

INTERNAL SECURITY REVIEW

Jammu and Kashmir

• IED blast kill 10 soldiers in J&K

Maoist Insurgency

• Maoists kill 20 policemen in Orissa; Centre plans to set up six jungle warfare and counter-insurgency schools in Maoist-affected states

NorthEast Insurgency

• Manipuri militant groups recruiting children; Nine militant groups active in Assam

NUCLEAR REVIEW

India

• UPA wins trust vote in Lok Sabha with a margin of 19 votes; Dr. Singh describes outcome as a convincing victory; Menon: India will manage a “clear and unconditional exemption” from the NSG; China not to be a stumbling block for safeguards agreement

Iran

• Washington plans to open a US interests section in Tehran; Senior State Department official ‘present’ at EU-Iran talks; EU-Iran talks make little headway

North Korea

• North Korea removes 4000 nuclear fuel rods from Yongbyon; Six parties present verification mechanism to North Korea