Senior CPC official calls for promoting national reunification, rejuvenation: Xinhuanet

December 20, 2022

A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has pledged to unite Taiwan compatriots to jointly promote national reunification and rejuvenation. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in a letter to congratulate the convening of the 2022 annual conference of the summit for entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and its general secretary Xi Jinping. Click here to read…

China-donated aid distributed among 6,000 families in Afghanistan: Xinhuanet

December 20, 2022

Afghan authorities have distributed China-donated humanitarian aid to 6,000 needy families in the western Herat province, provincial director for Natural Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs Mohammad Hashim Khalid said Tuesday. Click here to read…

China adds more cities to pilot programs list for service opening up: Xinhuanet

December 20, 2022

China’s State Council said Tuesday that it has allowed a further six cities to launch comprehensive pilot programs for opening up the service sector. The six cities — Shenyang, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Chengdu — can carry out the pilot programs for a period of three years, starting from the date when their plans for the programs were approved, according to the State Council. Click here to read…

China producing 60 million COVID-19 antigen test kits daily: Xinhuanet

December 20, 2022

China’s daily output of antigen test kits has hit around 60 million units, as the country steps up output of anti-COVID-19 medical supplies. The figures were shared by Huang Guo, deputy director of the National Medical Products Administration, at a press conference on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Major highway tunnel completed in Tibet: China Daily

December 20, 2022

A tunnel connecting Tsokha and Jinling townships in Penba county, Tibet autonomous region, was completed on Saturday after four years of construction. The tunnel is located on Shargongla in the county, where altitudes soar to 5,200 meters above sea level. The mountain is steep and in 2000 was connected with nothing but rough vehicle roads. Click here to read…

China identifies over 130 sublineages of Omicron: China Daily

December 20, 2022

China has detected over 130 sublineages of Omicron in the past three months, including the highly watched BQ.1 and XBB strains, but their pathogenicity remains unchanged, an expert said on Tuesday. Click here to read…

HKSAR chief to begin duty report in Beijing with border reopening, economic recovery topping agenda: Global Times

December 20, 2022

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will travel to Beijing from Wednesday to Saturday to deliver his annual work report, which will also be his first duty visit since he became leader of the HKSAR government.
Click here to read…

Deaths from other or underlying diseases not classified as COVID-related deaths: epidemiologist: Global Times

December 20, 2022

China’s top epidemiologist said at a press conference on Tuesday that the deaths of COVID-19 patients due to underlying diseases, which is the main cause of their deaths, are not counted as deaths from Omicron infections.
Click here to read…

Leading respiratory expert predicts Beijing facing spike in severe COVID-19 cases over coming fortnight, urges city to expand ICUs: Global Times

December 20, 2022

Beijing may experience a spike in severe COVID-19 cases over the next fortnight, a leading Chinese respiratory expert warned, urging medical institutions to expand intensive care units (ICUs) and boost medical resources to address the impending wave of infections.
Click here to read…

Chinese pharmaceutical firms operate at full capacity to address cold medicine shortage: Global Times

December 20, 2022

Many Chinese pharmaceutical companies are operating at full capacity to meet rocketing demand for cold and fever medicines, and thanks to various measures taken by the government and firms, the shortages are easing, according to industry insiders on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Belt and Road News Network Second Council Meeting held in Beijing: People’s Daily

December 20, 2022

The Belt and Road News Network (BRNN) Second Council Meeting was held on Dec. 19 in Beijing. Representatives of 38 council members of the BRNN from 23 countries took part in the meeting online or offline. Click here to read…

U.S. monitoring rising COVID rates in China – White House: Reuters

December 20, 2022

The Biden administration is closely monitoring the rising rates of COVID infections in China in the wake of relaxed rules, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a call with reporters on Tuesday. Kirby said the administration is watching the potential impact on U.S. companies and supply chains although the administration has worked to build up resiliency to mitigate any economic impact. Click here to read…

World Bank cuts China growth outlook on COVID, property woes: Reuters

December 20, 2022

The World Bank has cut its China growth outlook for this year and next, citing the impact of the abrupt loosening of strict COVID-19 containment measures and persistent property sector weakness. The Washington-based lender, in a report released on Tuesday, said it expected China’s economy to grow 2.7% in 2022, before recovering to 4.3% in 2023 as it reopens following the worst of the pandemic. Click here to read…

China urges those with mild COVID symptoms to return to work: Kyodo

December 20, 2022

Chinese authorities have called on those with mild COVID symptoms to return to work, in a radical shift from previous strict restrictions, as the world’s second-largest economy promotes the resumption of business activities and hospitals suffer from manpower shortages amid a surge in the virus. Click here to read…

China says it will only count Covid deaths from respiratory failure in official toll: South China Morning Post

December 20, 2022

China’s National Health Commission has clarified that only Covid-19 patients who die from respiratory failure will be counted towards the official death toll after this week reporting the first deaths since the easing of pandemic controls. Many elderly had other chronic illnesses and very few people died directly from respiratory failure caused by the coronavirus, experts from the NHC said. Click here to read…

China should go easy on zero-Covid violators now that rules have eased, former top court judge says: South China Morning Post

December 20, 2022

Those who might have violated China’s Covid-19 restrictions earlier should be let off now that zero-Covid rules have been eased, a former top court judge has said. Huang Yingsheng, one-time criminal cases judge at the Supreme People’s Court, said even though the pandemic was nearing its end, many amends related to its handling remained to be made – especially in the legal field. Click here to read…

China to work with Australia to promote strategic partnership, says Xi Jinping: Reuters

December 21, 2022

China’s President Xi Jinping said he will work with Australia to promote a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday. “I attach great importance to the development of China-Australia relations and am willing to work with the Australian side,” Xi said in a report from CCTV. Click here to read…

Japan warns of China’s COVID situation, cuts view on factory output: Reuters

December 21, 2022

Japan will pay close attention to the COVID-19 situation in China, in addition to risks from a global economic slowdown, price hikes and supply constraints, according to its monthly report for December. The economic report from the Cabinet Office comes as Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, wrestles with sluggish global growth and high import costs that have weighed on its exports and manufacturing activity. Click here to read…

China imposes national security review on data, merger deals involving foreign capital as Beijing tightens cross-border information flow: South China Morning Post

December 21, 2022

Chinese authorities will impose a strict review of data processing, cross-border data transfers, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities involving foreign capital that could affect national security, as Beijing moves to safeguard what it considers as sensitive information. That approach forms part of new policy guidelines released on Monday by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, the country’s cabinet. The guidelines aim to boost the country’s data market, while addressing issues such as data rights and trading profit distribution. Click here to read…

Xi says China, Germany partners of dialogue, development, cooperation, and for handling global challenges: Xinhuanet

December 21, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China and Germany have always been partners of dialogue, development and cooperation, as well as partners for handling global challenges. Xi made the remarks during his phone talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Click here to read…

New policy mix to propel turnaround in China’s economy: Qiushi

December 21, 2022

With a new policy mix unveiled at a meeting last week, China, the world’s second-largest economy, is ramping up efforts to ensure an overall recovery next year despite the looming shadow of a global economic recession. Click here to read…

Construction of Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle in full swing: Qiushi

December 21, 2022

As another important regional development strategy, the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle in southwest China is glittering under the spotlight of “coordinated regional development” highlighted in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 3,049 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet

December 21, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 3,049 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. A total of 1,953 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the mainland on Tuesday, said the commission in its daily report. Click here to read…

NATIONAL

Tata Power’s IT infrastructure suffered a cyber-attack; critical systems were not disrupted

On 14 October 2022, Tata Power announced that their IT infrastructure dealt with a cyber-attack and some systems were impacted. The cyber-attack targeted its IT infrastructure, but the critical systems have not been disrupted. “The Company has taken steps to retrieve and restore the systems. All critical operational systems are functioning; however, as a measure of abundant precaution, restricted access and preventive checks have been put in place for employee and customer-facing portals and touchpoints,” said Tata Power’s spokesperson.

India’s Power Minister R K Singh informed the Press in April 2022 that Chinese hackers had twice failed to target electricity distribution centres near Ladakh. A Chinese state-sponsored hacking group targeted at least seven Indian State Load Despatch Centres (SLDCs) responsible for real-time grid control and electricity dispatch near the disputed India-China border in Ladakh.^[1]

CERT-In and Power-CSIRT jointly organised a cyber security exercise— “PowerEX-2022”.

On 12 October 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and Power-CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Teams in the Power sector) jointly organised a cyber security exercise— PowerEX-2022 and invited 193 Power sector utilities. The objective of the exercise was to “Recognise, Analyse and Respond to cyber incidents in IT and OT (Operational Technology) Systems”.

CERT-In hosted PowerEX-2022 on its exercise simulation platform with the theme “Defending Cyber-Induced Disruption in IT & OT Infrastructure.” The cyber security exercise involved over 350 officials from various Power sectors.^[2]

CBI-led ‘Operation Chakra’ dismantled cybercrime networks operating in India.

In a joint operation— ‘Operation Chakra’ launched in collaboration with State police, Interpol, and various agencies of other nations, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) dismantled cyber-crime networks operating in India and arrested 16 cyber-criminals. Acting upon the inputs shared by the Interpol, the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and Australian Federal Police (AFP), the CBI, in coordination with State police, carried out search operations at 115 locations across India.

Out of 115 locations, the CBI carried out searches at 87 locations, including 16 States, whereas 28 locations were searched by various State police, including 02 locations by Assam police, 04 locations by Andaman & Nicobar Police, 03 locations by Chandigarh police, 05 places by Delhi police, 12 locations by Karnataka police, and 02 locations by Punjab police. “The operation intends to dismantle the infrastructure of these international cyber-crime gangs in India and bring these perpetrators to justice. India’s fight against transnational organised cyber-crime has thus achieved a major milestone,” read the statement released by the CBI.

During the searches, the CBI unearthed 02 Call Centres in Pune & Ahmedabad and recovered cash worth ₹ 1.8 crores (approx.) and 1.5 kg gold (approx.).^[3]

For a free, open, trustworthy, and accountable internet, the Government of India (GoI) announced amendments to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.

While addressing the media members on 28 October 2022, the Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology— Rajeev Chandrasekhar, said that protecting the Constitutional rights of Indian citizens is a must and that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a trustee of the rights of citizens and Digital Nagriks. The minister addressed the media members about the amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) notified these amendments aimed at protecting the rights of Digital Nagriks as part of a significant push toward an Open, Safe, Trusted, and Accountable Internet. It also strengthens due diligence requirements while holding accountable social media and other intermediaries. They were notified in light of complaints about the intermediaries’ actions or inactions on user complaints about objectionable content or the suspension of their accounts. Intermediaries will now be expected to ensure that no content is uploaded that intentionally communicates misinformation or information that is patently false or untrue, entrusting intermediaries with significant responsibility. The rules also make it clear that the intermediary must respect the rights guaranteed to Indian citizens under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Indian Constitution. ^[4]

The amended rules are hosted on the Ministry’s website and are available at: Click here to read…

UNCTC adopted the Delhi Declaration on Countering the Use of New and Emerging Technologies for Terrorist Purposes.

On 29 October 2022, the Delhi Declaration on the use of the Internet and other technologies for terrorist objectives was unanimously endorsed by the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTC). According to the proclamation, one of the biggest challenges to global peace and security is terrorism, in all of its expressions and forms. As one of the essential takeaways, India now intends to carry out the recommendations based on the three Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) special meeting themes. These include:

• Threats and opportunities related to new payment technologies and fundraising methods,
• Countering terrorist exploitation of ICT and emerging technologies, and
• Threats posed by terrorist misuse of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

As a result of terror infiltration on its soil from neighbouring Pakistan, India reaffirmed its commitment to combat terrorism in collaboration with key global players at the summit. Terrorists have stepped up their use of the internet and other IC technologies, including social media platforms. India also recognised the risks and difficulties of financial technology developments, like crowdfunding platforms, being misused to fund terrorism.^[5]

INTERNATIONAL

Cyber-attack on Chile’s astronomical observatory raised concerns about the security of space tech.

On 29 October 2022, the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA), a Chilean astronomical observatory, was the victim of a cyber-attack and had to halt operations. The attack had affected the observatory’s computer systems and targeted its public website. The attack did not affect ALMA’s scientific data or antennas, but it prevented space observations and limited access to its email servers. Around 66 Radio Telescopes (RTs) make up the ALMA observatory, which is estimated to be worth USD 1.4 billion. These RTs can record high-definition (HD) photos of the extremely faint radio waves generated by far-off celestial objects that are 13 billion light years away.

“Beating one of the world’s most powerful observatories offline demonstrates that cyber-attackers are dogged in their pursuit to disrupt, run reconnaissance efforts, or lift valuable data or IP addresses,” said Josh Lospinoso, the CEO of a cyber security firm— Shift5. Space is another frontier for cyber-attacks, with hackers targeting the space industry for geopolitical and militaristic reasons.^[6]

A cyber-attack disrupted Bulgarian government websites over ‘betrayal to Russia’.

According to Bulgaria’s Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev, on 15 October 2022, pro-Russian hackers carried out a ‘large-scale’ DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack on Bulgarian government websites. The websites of the Presidential Administration, the Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the Constitutional Court were all taken down by the DDoS attack.

Killnet, a pro-Russian hacking group, claimed responsibility for the attack and wrote on its official group on the Telegram app that “the government of Bulgaria is sentenced to network collapse and shame. It was a punishment for betrayal to Russia and the supply of weapons to Ukraine.” Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Killnet group has been active. Numerous government networks in Europe, including those in Romania, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Finland, and Latvia, were among the dozens of targets the group previously targeted. Although the DDoS attack on the Bulgarian websites had no lasting effects and no private information was exposed, it still sparked a significant response from Bulgarian government officials. The Prosecutor-General Geshev described it as “a severe issue” and “an attack on the state of Bulgaria.”^[7]

Chinese cyber-espionage group “WIP19” targeted telecoms and IT service providers in West Asia and Asia.

According to the reports of a cyber security firm— SentinelOne, a new Chinese cyber-espionage group identified as WIP19 has been targeting telecoms and IT service providers based in West Asia and Asia by using stolen certificates to sign several malicious components. To date, the APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) group WIP19 uses malware families such as ScreenCap, SQLMaggie, and a credential dumper. “The stolen certificate was used to sign all of the threat actor’s credential harvesting tools, including a password dumper that relied on open-source code to load an SSP to LSASS and dump the process.

WIP19 was also observed loading a keylogger and a screen recorder using DLL search order hijacking. The keylogger primarily targets the victim’s browser to collect credentials and other sensitive data,” read the statement released by SentinelOne. The backdoor was masked as a legitimate DLL registered to the MSSQL Server in SQLMaggie attacks to provide the attackers with control over the server machine and to perform network reconnaissance.^[8]

Turkey’s new law against disinformation raised deep concerns over free speech.

On 13 October 2022, the Turkish parliament adopted a new law proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan, which would jail journalists and social media users for up to three years for spreading ‘disinformation’. In parliament, President Erdogan’s AK Party (AKP) and its allies MHP voted to approve the bill, whereas MPs in opposition and media rights activists opposed it.

Article 29 of the law state that “those who spread false information online about Turkey’s security to create fear and disturb public order will face a prison sentence of one to three years.”^[9] However, the law did not define the nature of false or misleading information.

Turkey ‘secretly’ assisted Pakistan in establishing a cyber army against India and the US.

According to Nordic Monitor’s findings, Pakistan established a cyber army with the assistance of Turkey in order to influence public opinion and the views of Muslims living in South/South-East Asia, attack India and the United States (US), and undermine criticism levelled against Pakistan establishment. Further, the findings revealed that the proposal to form such an army was raised during private talks between visiting Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and his Pakistani counterpart— former Minister of State for Interior— Shehryar Khan Afridi, on 17 December 2018. On the same day, Minister of State for Interior— Afridi met former Pakistan Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, who later green-lighted the project.

According to sources acquainted with the project, the covert activity was disguised under the bilateral agreement on cooperation against cyber-crime, whereas in reality, it was against perceived influence operations pursued by India, the US, and other foreign countries. Responding to Pakistan’s request to set up the cyber army, Turkey sent five police chiefs from various departments in the Security General Directorate (Emniyet). The five-member team spent months in Pakistan getting the project off the ground and eventually finishing it. The cooperation has since continued under successive governments, with Turkey training approximately 6,000 Pakistani police officers for this and other related projects.^[10]

Japan and Australia strengthen their security pact in response to China’s threat.

On 22October 2022, Japan and Australia signed a new bilateral agreement covering military, intelligence, and cyber security cooperation. The agreement also referred to cooperation in resisting economic coercion and disinformation, which China is widely accused of. The bilateral agreement is the first of its kind where Japan signed with any country other than the United States (US). The agreement covers military interoperability, intelligence, cyber security, operations in space, law-enforcement, logistics and protecting telecommunications. “This new declaration…will chart the direction of our security and defence cooperation in the next 10 years,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.^[11]

Endnotes :

^[1] Greig, Jonathan. “Indian energy company Tata Power announces cyberattack affecting IT infrastructure”, The Record, 14 October 2022, accessed on 02 November 2022, available from: https://therecord.media/indian-energy-company-tata-power-announces-cyberattack-affecting-it-infrastructure/
^[2] “CERT-In and Power-CSIRTs jointly conduct Cyber Security Exercise ‘PowerEX-2022”, Press Information Bureau- Ministry of Electronics & IT, 13 October 2022, accessed on 01 November 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1867348
^[3] “Press Release”, Central Bureau of Investigation, 04 October 2022, accessed on 02 November 2022, available from: https://cbi.gov.in/press-detail/NTI3Ng==
^[4] “Press Release”, Ministry of Electronics and IT, 29 October 2022, accessed on 01 November 2022, available from: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1871840
^[5] “Press Release”, Ministry of External Affairs, 29 October 2022, accessed on 01 November 2022, available from: https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/35840/Delhi_Declaration_on_countering_the_use_of_new_and_emerging_technologies_for_terrorist_purposes ; Majeed, Zaini. “UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Adopts Delhi Declaration; Key Takeaways Here”, Republic World, 29 October 2022, accessed on 01 November 2022, available from: https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/rest-of-the-world-news/united-nations-counter-terrorism-committee-adopts-delhi-declaration-articleshow.html
^[6] Antoniuk, Daryna. “cyberattack on observatory in Chile raises concerns about security of space tech”, The Record, 07 November 2022, accessed on 10 November 2022, available from: https://therecord.media/cyberattack-on-observatory-in-chile-raises-concerns-about-security-of-space-tech/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email ; “Chilean astronomical observatory hit by cyberattack”, SC Media, 08 November 2022, accessed on 10 November 2022, available from: https://www.scmagazine.com/brief/breach/chilean-astronomical-observatory-hit-by-cyberattack
^[7] Antoniuk, Daryna. “cyberattack disrupts Bulgarian government websites over ‘betrayel to Russia’”, The Record, 18 October 2022, accessed on 02 November 2022, available from: https://therecord.media/cyberattack-disrupts-bulgarian-government-websites-over-betrayal-to-russia/
^[8] Arghire, Ionut. “New Chinese cyberespionage group WIP19 targets telecos, IT service providers”, SecurityWeek, 13 October 2022, accessed on 09 November 2022, available from: https://www.securityweek.com/new-chinese-cyberespionage-group-wip19-targets-telcos-it-service-providers
^[9] “Turkey’s parliament adopts media law jailing those spreading ‘disinformation’”, Reuters, 14 October 2022, accessed on 08 November 2022, available from: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/law-that-would-jail-those-spreading-disinformation-progresses-turkey-2022-10-13/
^[10] Bozkurt, Abdullah. “Turkey helped Pakistan set up a secret cyber army for influence operation against US, India”, Nordic Monitor, 24 October 2022, accessed on 31 October 2022, available from: https://nordicmonitor.com/2022/10/turkey-helped-pakistan-set-up-a-secret-cyber-army-for-influence-operation-against-us-india/
^[11] “Japan, Australia upgrade security pact against China threat”, CNBC, 23 October 2022, accessed on 16 November 2022, available from: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/23/japan-australia-upgrade-security-pact-against-china-threat.html

DEFENCE

• MALABAR 22 culminates.
• Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US on a five day official visit to India.
• Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh attends ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting & India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting.
• Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD).
• Raksha Mantri & his Cambodian counterpart co-chair maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.
• RM holds bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Cambodia.
• Bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces.
• DRDO’s Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict Products Released.
• Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’.
• 13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze).
• 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue.
• “AUSTRA HIND 22”.
• India – Malaysia joint military exercise.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa

Chad

• In a surprise attack, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers.

Somalia

• At least 08 people were killed in a terror attack on a hotel by al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.

Pakistan

• Suicide bombing killed a police officer and two civilians in Balochistan province.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

• NIA Special Court sentenced six terrorists in ‘JeM conspiracy’ case.
• Security forces arrested a LeT terrorist from Jammu.
• “Three districts of the UT of J&K are ‘terrorist-free’,” claimed ADGP (Kashmir).
• Police filed chargesheet against HM chief Syed Salahuddin in 10-years old threat case.

Left-Wing Extremism

• Security forces eliminated two Maoists in Odisha.

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

• NIA Special Court pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru’ case.
• NIA filed supplementary chargesheet against a HM OGW in a criminal conspiracy case.

Khalistan-inspired Extremism

• NIA arrested an absconding terrorist from Delhi IGI Airport.

Organised Crime

• NIA conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with Organised Crime network.
• NIA arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in a case related to connection between Organised Crime network and various terrorist outfits.

DEFENCE

MALABAR 22 culminates.

The 26th edition of the multinational maritime exercise MALABAR 22 culminated in the seas off Japan on 15 November 2022. This edition also marked the 30th anniversary of the exercise and was hosted by the JMSDF. The Indian Navy was represented by ships Shivalik and Kamorta. Malabar series of exercises began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and US and gained further prominence with joining of the navies of Australia and Japan.

The sea phase of MALABAR 22 was conducted over a period of five days near Yokosuka and witnessed live weapon firings, surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills and tactical procedures. Another highlight of the sea phase was the conduct of War at Sea exercise which enabled all four navies to consolidate interoperability and hone their tactical skills. The high-tempo exercise saw the participation of eleven surface ships including a nuclear powered aircraft carrier with its integral air elements, alongwith four long-range maritime patrol aircraft, integral helicopters and two submarines.
For more information: Click here to read…

Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US on a five day official visit to India.

Mr Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of Navy, US was on a five day official visit to India from 17-21 Nov 22. Interactions during the visit included those with Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff and high ranking GoI officials in New Delhi. Mr Carlos Del Toro made a visit to Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command at Kochi, wherein interacted with the Commander-in-Chief SNC and visited India’s first indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard.
India and USA have traditionally maintained close and friendly relations. The Defence relationship between the two countries has been one of mutual trust and confidence, which has transformed after the accord of major ‘Defence Partner Status’ to India in Jun 16. In addition, both countries have concluded certain foundational agreements, including the Defence Framework Agreement, signed in 2015, which lays a blue print for collaboration between the defence establishments of both countries, the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed in 2016, which is a foundational agreement facilitating reciprocal logistics support between the Armed Forces of both countries, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) signed on 06 Sep 18, which facilitates information-sharing between the Armed Forces of both nations and more recently, the Basic Exchange Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which enables sharing of geo – spatial information between Ministry of Defence and National Geospatial Agency (NGA), USA.
For more information: Click here to read…

Raksha Mantri (RM) Shri Rajnath Singh attends ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus meeting & India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting.

At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Cambodia Samdech Pichey Sena TEA Banh, Raksha Mantri will pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 22-23, 2022. Cambodia, as the chair of ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus (ADMM Plus) meeting is hosting the 9th annual meeting at Siem Reap, Cambodia and the Raksha Mantri will address the forum on November 23, 2022. He will also call on the Prime Minister of Cambodia.

To commemorate 30 years of India-ASEAN relations, India and Cambodia will co-chair the maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting on November 22, 2022, presided over by Shri Rajnath Singh. Various initiatives to boost India-ASEAN partnership are planned to be announced during the meeting.

India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to further the dialogue and cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. India and ASEAN have elevated their relationship to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in November 2022. Apart from the ADMM-Plus meeting and India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, the Raksha Mantri will hold bilateral discussions with Defence Ministers of the participating countries. During the talks, Shri Rajnath Singh will discuss defence cooperation matters and ways to further strengthen the mutually beneficial engagements.
Reference: Click here to read…

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD).

The IPRD is an apex level international annual conference of Indian Navy, and is principal manifestation of Navy’s engagement at the strategic-level. The fourth edition of IPRD was held from 23 to 25 Nov 22. The theme of IPRD-2022 was ‘Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)’. The six thematically-arranged sessions of the IPRD-2022 are: (1) Weaving the Fabric of Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific: Multilateral Options: (2) Constructing Holistic-Security Bridges across the Western and Eastern Maritime Expanse of the Indo-Pacific; (3) Building maritime Connectivity: Ports, Trade, and Transport; (4) Capacity-building and Capability Enhancement Leveraging the Physical and Social Sciences; (5) Practical approaches to a Regional Blue Economy; (6) Disaster Risk-reduction and Management; Solutions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Vulnerable Littoral States.
For more information: Click here to read…

Raksha Mantri & his Cambodian counterpart co-chair maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.

The maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting was held on 22 November 2022 at Siem Reap, Cambodia to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of India-ASEAN relations in 2022, which has also been designated as ‘ASEAN-India Friendship Year’. During this maiden India-ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting, Shri Singh proposed two major initiatives for further expanding the scope and the depth of the India-ASEAN defence relations. One of the initiatives proposed by Raksha Mantri was the ‘India-ASEAN Initiative for Women in UN Peace Keeping Operations’ which includes conduct of tailor-made courses for women peacekeepers of ASEAN Member States at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India and conduct of a ‘Table Top Exercise’ in India for women officers from ASEAN incorporating facets of UN peacekeeping challenges. The Raksha Mantri underlined the importance of women officers in peacekeeping missions for ensuring lasting peace.
For more information: Click here to read…

RM holds bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Cambodia.

RM held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin in Siem Reap, Cambodia on22 Nov 2022. Shri Rajnath Singh and Mr Lloyd Austin are in Cambodia to attend the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus meeting. The Raksha Mantri was accompanied by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and other senior officials of Ministry of Defence. The two Defence Ministers discussed wide range of issues of mutual interest while expressing their commitment to a strong India-US defence cooperation. RM emphasised the need for both countries to work together for capability building in critical domains such as military aviation, artificial intelligence and cyber technology. The RMlooked forward to building a roadmap towards greater defence industrial collaboration between India and US. He highlighted India’s growing expertise in aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and ship-building, repairs and refits and suggested specific areas where US defence companies can look for technology cooperation and manufacturing opportunities with Indian partners in India. Secretary Austin welcomed the suggestions and assured Raksha Mantri of cooperation in this regard.

The two leaders expressed their commitment towards an inclusive and rules-based Indo Pacific with freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded trade. They further discussed initiatives that can be taken to strengthen maritime cooperation between the two countries including in maritime domain awareness.
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Bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces.

As part of military-to-military exchange programs, a contingent of Indian Special Forces troops are currently engaged in a bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI is the eighth edition of the series of bilateral exercises under this banner. The exercise which commenced on 21 November 2022 aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures for which a comprehensive 13-day training programme has been worked out.
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Defence Research and Development Organistion’s (DRDO) Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict Products Released.

DRDO’s Compendium on Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) Products was released on 23 Nov 2022. In line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” campaign of the Government of India, the compendium consists of more than 100 technologies, systems and products developed by DRDO for LIC operations. It is a valuable repository of information for the central security forces.
For more information: Click here to read…

Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’.

Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra. With an aim to assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a ‘Multi Agency Exercise’ involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets and a ‘Table Top Exercise’. This multi-agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation and their application for successful conduct of HADR. Along with involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well.
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13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze).

The Indian Navy’s guided missile stealth frigate, INS Trikand, offshore patrol vessel, INS Sumitra, and Maritime Patrol Aircraft, (MPA) Dornier, participated in the 13th Edition of the Indian Navy (IN) – Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) bilateral exercise ‘Naseem Al Bahr’ (Sea Breeze). The exercise was conducted from 19 to 24 Nov 22 off the coast of Oman.
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4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh co-chaired the 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with the Minister of Armed Forces of the French Republic Mr. Sebastien Lecornu on his visit to India from 26-28 November, 2022. The visiting French Minister shall also meet External Affair Minister and the National Security Advisor. This is the first visit of Mr Sebastien Lecornu as French Minister of Armed Forces to India. The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. A wide range of bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the dialogue.

The Ministers reviewed the ongoing military-to-military cooperation which has increased substantially in the recent years. They discussed means to strengthen maritime cooperation and increase the scope and complexity of bilateral exercises. They noted with satisfaction that India and France recently held their bilateral Air Exercise ‘Garuda’ at Air Force Station, Jodhpur successfully.

During the dialogue, one of the key areas of discussion was defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’. Future collaborations and potential co-production opportunities were discussed. The Ministers agreed that the technical groups from both the countries should meet early next year and take the key cooperation issues forward.
The Ministers recognised their convergences on number of strategic & defence issues and shared the commitment to work together on enhancing cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral fora, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. France is the current chair of Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and both countries cooperate closely in these fora.
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“AUSTRA HIND 22”.

The bilateral training exercise “AUSTRA HIND 22” between contingents of the Indian Army and the Australian Army is scheduled to take place at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan) from 28 November to 11 December 2022. This is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies. The Australian Army contingent comprising soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division has arrived at the exercise location. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment. Exercise “AUSTRA HIND” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternatively in India and Australia. Aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in Semi deserts terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate.
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India – Malaysia joint military exercise.

India – Malaysia joint military Exercise “Harimau Shakti -2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia on 28th November and will culminate on 12th December 22. Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which is being conducted since 2012. Combat-experienced troops of the GARHWAL RIFLES Regiment of Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise this year to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning & execution of various operations in jungle terrain. The scope of this exercise involves a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain.
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INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa

Chad

In a surprise attack, Boko Haram terrorists killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers.

On 22 November 2022, Boko Haram terrorists attacked on a military unit in the Lake Chad province, near the Nigerian border, and killed at least 40 Chadian soldiers. According to the Chadian government, the unit had been dispatched to establish an army outpost on the island of Boukatoullorom, where Boko Haram has been active in recent years. Various reports confirmed that terrorists attacked the unit in successive waves, managing to enter and destroyed the outpost before stealing weapons and ammunition.
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Somalia

At least 08 people were killed in a terror attack on a hotel by al-Shabaab in Mogadishu.

On 27 November 2022, al-Qa’ida affiliated al-Shabaab terrorists attacked Villa Rose Hotel, a popular hotel in Mogadishu and killed at least 08 people. Next day, on 28 November 2022, the Somali security forces concluded the siege. Somali government officials frequently use the Villa Rose Hotel for meetings. “At the time of attack some government officials escaped from windows,” said a police officer on the basis of anonymity.
For more information: Click here to read…

Pakistan

Suicide bombing killed a police officer and two civilians in Balochistan province.

On 30 November 2022, a suicide bomb explosion targeted a police vehicle, in which a police official and two civilians were killed, in Buleli district of Quetta in Balochistan. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)/Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility of the attack. “The police vehicle was carrying security personnel deployed to protect polio vaccination campaign workers in Quetta.
In the same attack, at least 24 people, including 20 policemen wounded,” said Quetta Police’s Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Ghulam Afzar Mahesar. Later, TTP issued a statement stating that “the attack was carried out after the announcement to end ceasefire, and was planned to take revenge for the death of Omar Khalid Khorasani. Our attacks will continue.” Omar Khorasani was a senior TTP leader who was killed in a car bomb blast in Afghanistan in August 2022.
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DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

NIA Special Court sentenced six terrorists in ‘JeM conspiracy’ case.

On 28 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, New Delhi, pronounced sentence convicting six terrorists— i) Sajad Ahmad Khan, ii) Tanveer Ahmed Ganie, iii) Bilal Ahmad Mir, iv) Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, v) Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, and vi) Mehraj ud-din Chopan, in Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) conspiracy case. The case— RC-08/2019/NIA/DLI pertains to criminal conspiracy of JeM leaders, mainly Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar (brother of Masood Azhar) to recruit people to carry out terrorist attacks in various parts of India. All terrorists, especially Bilal Mir and Muzaffar Bhat, had carried out recee of targets, arranged shelters, and had provided logistic support to carry out attacks in India. Sajad Khan carried our recee of prime locations as potential targets in Delhi.
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J&K Police arrested a LeT terrorist from Jammu.

On 27 November 2022, police arrested a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist— Faisal Munir, from Talab Khatikan area of Jammu city in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Allegedly, Faisal was in contact with officials at Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, to monitor terror activities in the UT of J&K.

Faisal was the main facilitator for collecting arms dropped through Pakistani drones in various border areas of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts. The police also found a hideout of the terrorists inside the Talab Khatikan house of a LeT terrorist which had been erected inside an almirah from where one AK47 rifle, ammunition, and explosives were seized.
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“Three districts of the UT of J&K are ‘terrorist-free’,” claimed ADGP (Kashmir).

On 26 November 2022, the Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) of Kashmir Zone— Vijay Kumar said that “the Kashmir region, which comprises 13 police districts, has 81 terrorists with 29 being local and 52 are of foreign origin (Pakistan). Three districts— Bandipora, Kupwara, and Ganderbal, are terrorist-free with ‘zero’ local terrorists while Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have gone headless after security forces eliminated their key operatives and commanders in multiple counter-terrorism (CT) operations.”
“We are very hopeful of eradicating terrorism from Kashmir in next two years,” said ADGP Kumar.
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Police filed chargesheet against HM chief Syed Salahuddin in 10-years old threat case.

On 23 November 2022, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police filed chargesheet against Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM) chief Mohammad Yusuf Shah aka Syed Salahuddin before National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court, Baramulla, in connection with a case pertaining to threatening Panchs and Sarpanchs for participating in Panchayat elections 10 years ago.
The chargesheet against Salahuddin has been filed under Section 512 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
For more information: Click here to read…

Left-Wing Extremism

Security forces eliminated two Maoists in Odisha.

In a gun-battle with security forces, on 24 November 2022, two Maoists were killed in Gandhamardan Hills area in Bolangir district, Odisha. Some arms and ammunition have also been seized from the alleged Maoist camp.
For more information: Click here to read…

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

NIA Special Court pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru’ case.

On 28 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Bengaluru, pronounced sentence in ‘JMB Bengaluru case’ in which three Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operatives— i) Najir Sheikh aka Patla Anas, ii) Habibur Rahman SK, and iii) Mosaraf Hossain, are convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A]. The cases— RC-19/2019/NIA/DLI and RC-15,16,17,18/2020/NIA/DLI pertains to recovery of huge quantities of electronic/electric items, chemical apparatus, containers, etecetra, used for fabrication of bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from the hideout of JMB group in Bengaluru.
For more information: Click here to read…

NIA filed supplementary chargesheet against a HM OGW in a criminal conspiracy case.

On 25 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary chargesheet against a Hizb ul-Mujahideen (HM) Over-Ground Worker (OGW)— Danish Naseer, in case related to a criminal conspiracy of carrying out terror attacks in India.
Danish Naseer was an HM OGW, allegedly involved in conspiracy. He transferred an amount of ₹ 30,000 to arrested terrorist Kamruj Zaman to further terror activities of HM.
For more information: Click here to read…

Khalistan-inspired Extremism

NIA arrested an absconding terrorist from Delhi IGI Airport.

On 18 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Kulwinderjit Khanpuria, associated with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Liberation Front (KLF), from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport upon his arrival from Bangkok. Kulwinderjit had been absconding since 2019. According to investigation report, Kulwinderjit is the chief conspirator behind terror attacks by targeting establishments related to Dera Saccha Sauda and well of Police and Security in Punjab.

Kulwinderjit Khanpuria, along with his handlers and associates in India and other South-East Asian countries, planned and conspired to carry out terrorist attacks in India. Khanpuria was eventually able to flee India. He first collaborated with Harmeet aka PhD, and now with wanted Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) chief Lakhbir Singh Rode, to use his India-based terrorist associates to target identified individuals and establishments. Khanpuria was declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) by the NIA Special Court in Punjab, and Interpol issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) and a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him. The NIA had also announced a ₹ 5 lakh cash reward for information leading to his arrest. On 21 November 2019, he was chargesheeted as absconder.
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Organised Crime

NIA conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with Organised Crime network.

On 29 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out search operations at over 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Union Territory of Chandigarh, and Delhi/NCR region. The search operations were to dismantle and distrupt the emerging Organised Crime nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug traffickers based in India and abroad in two connected cases registered in August 2022.

The searches were conducted at the premises of Kaushal Chaudhary, resident of Gurugram, Haryana, Vishal Mann from Prahalpur, Delhi, Binny Gurjar from Sangroor, Punjab, Ravi Rajgarh from Ludhiana, Punjab, and their associates. During the searches, NIA officials recovered incriminating material, including contraband and ammunition. According to preliminary investigation, these gangs were carrying out targeted killings and were raising funds to carry out criminal activities. The Organised Crime members were using cyberspace to propagate their deeds to create terror among public.
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NIA arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in a case related to connection between Organised Crime network and various terrorist outfits.

On 24 November 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Lawrence Bishnoi, from Bathinda Jail in a case related to the conspiracy hatched by various terrorist outfits based in India and abroad, working in nexus with organised crime groups to carryout terror acts and targeted crimes.

Investigations have revealed that the terrorists have an active nexus with drug smugglers and cadres/members of the Organised Crime group led by Lawrence Bishnoi, who has been found involved in commissioning various types of terror/criminal acts, including extortions from businessmen, professionals, doctors, and others, which has caused public fear. Lawrence, along with his brothers— Sachin and Anmol Bishnoi and associates, including Goldy Brar, Kala Jathedi, Kala Rana, Bikram Brar and Sampat Nehra were raising funds to carry out terror/criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons and widespread extortions.
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NATIONAL

Pegatron Mobile Manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu: another milestone added to PM’s vision of making India a global electronics manufacturing hub.

On 30 September 2022, the Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship— Rajeev Chandrasekhar, inaugurated the Pegatron mobile manufacturing facility in Chenglapattu near Chennai, Tamil Nadu and said that the facility is another milestone in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a global electronics manufacturing hub. “It is a symbol of the partnership between the Central and State government to help India achieve the target of USD 300 billion in electronics manufacturing, from the current USD 75 billion,” said Minister Chandrasekhar during the inaugural of the facility. The facility was established by Taiwan’s electronics giant— Pegatron Technology India, under the Indian government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, in an industrial park in Chenglapattu, near Chennai.

The PLI scheme has played a significant role in ushering the investments and employment in electronics manufacturing and has catalysed an investment of ₹ 6,500 crores in a short period, generating employment of over 40,000 in Tamil Nadu alone. “It has been an extraordinary journey for Pegatron to be in India. We are overwhelmed by the support extended by the Government of India and Tamil Nadu,” said Cheng Jian Jong, Chairman of Pegatron Technology India.^[1]

Ministry of Communications initiated the ‘Public Consultative’ process on the draft of the Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022.

The Ministry of Communications, Government of India (GoI), had initiated a public consultative process to draft a contemporary and futuristic legal framework in telecommunications. As per the process, in July 2022, the ministry published a consultation paper on ‘Need for a new legal framework governing Telecommunications in India’ and invited comments/suggestions from various stakeholders, including industry associations.

Based on the consultations and suggestions, the ministry has prepared the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022. The draft Bill and explanatory note can be accessed at: https://dot.gov.in/relatedlinks/indian-telecommunication-bill-2022. The deliberations can be shared with the ministry by 20 October 2022.^[2]

“Pervasive digital infrastructure and ensured access to digital services to all is key for a better digital future,” said MoS for Communications.

On 25 September 2022, the Minister of State (MoS) for Communications— Devusinh Chauhan, addressed the Ministerial Roundtable, part of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Bucharest, Romania. The Minister said that a better digital future could only be built on pervasive digital infrastructure, developing digital platforms to deliver government services to all citizens and ensuring access to digital services to all.

The MoS also cited stories about the Government of India’s (GoI) commitment to building telecom infrastructure, such as the plan to extend mobile services to all 6,40,000 villages in India by 2023 and Optical Fibre by 2025. It is the result of citizen-centric and industry-friendly public initiatives and policies that point to a bright future for India’s digital economy. The MoS also highlighted the success of the Digital India Initiative, mainly the Aadhaar and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As per the data, around 400 million transactions were carried out on AEPS, which is the best example of financial inclusion affected by the development of digital infrastructure. “India has been contributing to the goals of the ITU and will take all necessary steps to fulfil Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030,” said MoS Chauhan.^[3]

Indian banking users targeted by SOVA Android Trojan.

On 10 September 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued an advisory about Indian banking customers being targeted by a new variant of mobile banking malware using SOVA Android Trojan. In July 2022, SOVA added India to its target list, where the US, Russia, and Spain were already enlisted. The latest version of this malware hides within fake Android applications that show up the logo of a few famous legitimate apps, such as Chrome and Amazon, to deceive users into installing them. The malware captures the credentials when users log into their net banking apps and access bank accounts. The new version of the malware— SOVA- seems to target over 200 mobile applications, including banking apps and crypto exchanges.

SOVA’s list of functions includes the ability to:

• Collect keystrokes,
• Steal cookies,
• Intercept Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) tokens,
• take screenshots and record videos from a webcam,
• copy/paste,
• Mimic over 200 banking and payment applications.

Another feature of SOVA is its “protections module” refactoring, which aims to protect itself from different victims’ actions. For instance, if the user tries to uninstall the malware from the settings, SOVA can intercept these actions and prevent them (through the abuse of Accessibilities) by returning to the home screen and showing a pop-up displaying “this app is secured”. The attack can effectively jeopardise the privacy and security of sensitive customer data and result in large-scale attacks and financial fraud. The advisory also includes detailed information about the malware and best practices to avoid being a victim of SOVA.^[4]

Quad Foreign Ministers committed to an open, secure, stable, peaceful cyberspace.

The foreign ministers of India, Australia, Japan, and the United States (US) met on September 23, 2022, to discuss the Quad’s commitment to an open, secure, stable, and peaceful cyberspace, as well as regional initiatives to strengthen nations’ ability to put the United Nations’ (UN) Framework for Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace into practice. The security and resiliency of the cyber infrastructure in the region would be guaranteed through targeted actions to improve the cyber capabilities of Indo-Pacific nations.

The Foreign Ministers emphasised their commitment to addressing the global ransomware threat, which has hampered the security and economic growth of the Indo-Pacific region, and referred back to their previous meeting held on 11 February 2022. Ransomware’s global reach has the potential to harm the national security, the financial and commercial sectors, key infrastructure, and the privacy of individuals. The Quad nations value the strides the 36 nations supporting the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) under US leadership and the ongoing, pragmatic consultations against cybercrime in the Indo-Pacific region.a href=”#_edn5″ name=”_ednref5″>^[5]

In 2021, the Indian healthcare sector faced a 7.7 per cent share of cyber-attacks on the global healthcare sector.

According to a report prepared by CloudSEK on “Increased cyber-attacks on the global healthcare sector”, India recorded the second highest number of cyber-attacks, with a total of 7.7 per cent of total cyber-attacks on the healthcare industry in 2021. The United States (US) healthcare sector witnessed 28 per cent of global attacks. According to the same report, the cyber-attack incidence on the Indian healthcare industry translates into over 71 lakh records, whereas Australia has been the most-hit country with around 70 crore records in the first four months of 2022.^[6]

In India, 2021 saw the highest cyber-attacks/breaches in the last four years.

According to the data presented in Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Indian Parliament), India witnessed the highest number of cyber-attacks or breaches compared to the last four years. A total of 160,560 Indian websites were hacked between 2016 and 2021, translating to around 73 websites per day. The year 2021 reported the highest number of cyber-attacks, with a total of 28,897 cyber-attacks, including on 186 government websites.

Some of the significant cyber-attacks involved the State Bank of India (the year 2019), COVID-19 test results (the year 2021), Air India (2021), and Domino’s (2021).^[7]

INTERNATIONAL

Denmark banned Hikvision camera purchases based on a security assessment.

One of the most populous regions of Denmark, which includes Copenhagen, banned the purchases of China-made Hikvision cameras, followed by a security assessment that highlighted Hikvision as a ‘critical’ threat to security. In January 2022, Denmark’s intelligence agency warned against PRC (People’s Republic of China)-made cameras, calling out Hikvision’s vulnerabilities and PRC data laws.

On 26 September 2022, Region Hovedstaden, Denmark’s Capital Region, declassified a June 2022 briefing stating that the Capital Region’s Steering Group for IT and Information Security “has decided to purchase video cameras from the manufacturer Hikvision must be discontinued.” On 15 February 2022, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET/ Politiets Efterretningstjeneste) and the Centre for Cyber Security sent a “Security recommendation regarding the use of surveillance cameras.” The threat consists of a backdoor that “makes it possible for an attacker to access the camera without the use of authentication.” However, the recommendation did not recommend bans but urged patches, and those video cameras are connected to their own (domestic) network.”^[8]

Huawei Technologies staged its ‘Huawei Connect’ in Thailand.

In efforts to avoid a crackdown from the West, mainly the United States (US), China’s Huawei Technologies showcased its ‘Huawei Connect’ annual technology showcase in Thailand, where Digital and Economic ministers from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh had gathered to attend the event. All four countries have already allowed their respective mobile network operators to source 5G telecom equipment from Huawei, despite security concerns, warnings and sanctions/bans issued by the US and European governments.

In South-East Asia, Vietnam has become an alternative destination for electronics manufacturers leaving China, while Indonesia and Thailand are vying to be the centre of a regional electric vehicle supply chain. After Thailand, Huawei Connect will be held in Dubai and Paris. France has discouraged telecom operators from using Huawei 5G equipment but has allowed Huawei to build a factory. Despite US concerns, Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have continued to use Huawei in their networks.^[9]

Optus data breach: hacker released 10,000 records from the Australian Prime Minister’s and Defence Minister’s office.

On 26 September 2022, a purported hacker released a text file of 10,000 customer records and ‘promised’ to leak around 10,000 per day for the next four days unless Optus paid them USD 1 million. “Federal Police investigated a post on an online forum purported to release the records from the recent data breach and threatened to release more until a USD 1 million ransom is paid,” said CEO of Optus— Kelly Bayer Rosmarin. The customer records included e-mail addresses from the Department of Defence and the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The Optus attack has affected up to 10 million customer records. On 27 September 2022, the hacker deleted the original post with links to the data and apologised for attempting to sell data.^[10]

US Senators aimed to amend the Cyber Security bill to include Crypto.

The US Senators Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee) and Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming) attempted to provide frameworks for the digital asset industry. Both Senators urged the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, 2015 amendment to include cryptocurrency. The Electronic Transactions Association endorses the bill.

According to Senator Blackburn, Some criminals have utilised cryptocurrencies to conceal their unlawful activities and escape punishment. The revised “Cryptocurrency Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act” will review and revise current laws to directly address this misuse. It will give bitcoin companies a voluntary way to report rogue actors and safeguard cryptocurrency from risky practices. The bill also aims to mitigate losses from several cyber-related incidents, including data breaches, ransomware attacks, and network damages.^[11]

Endnotes :

^[1]Press Information Bureau. “Pegatron plant roll out another milestone in PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of making India a global electronics manufacturing hub: MoS Shri Chandrasekhar”, Ministry of Electronics and IT, 30 September 2022, accessed on 03 October 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1863721
^[2]Press Information Bureau, “Inviting comments on the draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022”, Ministry of Communications, 22 September 2022, accessed on 03 October 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1861399
^[3]Press Information Bureau, “Better digital future can only be built on pervasive digital infrastructure, developing digital platforms and ensuring access to digital services to all – Shri Devusinh Chauhan”, Ministry of Communications, 25 September 2022, accessed on 03 October 2022, available from: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1862131
^[4] “SOVA Android Trojan targeting Indian banking users”, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, 10 September 2022, available from: https://www.cert-in.org.in/
^[5]“Quad Foreign Ministers’ Statement on Ransomware”, Ministry of External Affairs- Government of India, 23 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/35746/Quad_Foreign_Ministers_Statement_on_Ransomware
^[6]PTI. “cyber-attacks on Indian healthcare industry second highest in the world: CloudSEK”, Outlook, 20 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://www.outlookindia.com/business/cyber-attacks-on-indian-healthcare-industry-second-highest-in-the-world-cloudsek-news-224600
^[7]Basu, Orin and Suparna Shree. “73 websites hacked every day in India, 2021 saw highest cyber breaches in four years”, Zee News, 23 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://zeenews.india.com/india/73-websites-hacked-every-day-in-india-2021-saw-highest-cyber-breaches-in-four-years-2513355.html
^[8]Rollet, Charles. “Danish Capital Region bans Hikvision purchases, calls ‘critical threat to security’”, IPVM, 28 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://ipvm.com/reports/danish-capital?code=1&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
^[9]Regalado, Francesca. “Huawei courts Thailand, Indonesia with supply chain support”, Nikkei Asia, 19 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022, available from: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Huawei-courts-Thailand-Indonesia-with-supply-chain-support
^[10]May, Natasha and Josh Taylor. “Purported Optus hacker releases 10,000 records including e-mail addresses from defence and prime minister.” The Guardian, 27 September 2022, accessed on 05 October 2022. available from: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/27/police-all-over-dark-web-ransom-threat-to-release-10000-customer-records-a-day-optus-ceo-says
^[11]Melinek, Jacquelyn. “US Senators aim to amend cybersecurity bill to include crypto”, Tech Crunch, 29 September 2022, accessed on 06 October 2022. available from: https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/28/us-senators-aim-to-amend-cybersecurity-bill-to-include-crypto/

DEFENCE

• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visit to Egypt.
• MOD signs a deal for dual role Surface-to-Surface BrahMos missile with BAPL.
• Mehar Baba Competition –II.
• Preparations for Def-Expo 2022.
• Participation in Combined Maritime Forces Exercise.
• INS Tarkash at Port Gentil, Gabon.
• 5thAnnual Session of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).
• Successful Flight Tests of Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) Missile by DRDO.
• Multinational Maritime Exercise Kakadu 2022.
• Government appoints Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
• Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Indian Navy visited Australia.
• Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Cruise Training Task Group arrived in Chennai on a three-day visit.

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa

Somalia

• At least 27 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a US airstrike in the Hiran region of Somalia.

Burkina Faso

• Islamist terrorists attacked an aid convoy in the northern province of Soum.

Nigeria

• Security forces killed 07 Boko Haram terrorists in a CT operation in Borno State.

Afghanistan

• The US raised terrorism concerns in Afghanistan and is ready to engage “pragmatically” with the Taliban.
• Three people were killed and many injured in an explosion in Kabul.
• At least 07 people were killed in a blast near Mosque in Kabul.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

• Security forces eliminated three JeM terrorists in Kulgam.
• SIA filed a chargesheet against three accused, including a former minister, in a terror-funding case.

Left-Wing Extremism

• Security forces arrested a ‘most-wanted’ Maoist from Maharashtra.
• Around 700 Maoist supporters surrendered before Odisha police and BSF.

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

• NIA searched several locations across India and arrested PFI leaders and members concerning the registered case.
• “PFI members have connections with SIMI and Indian Mujahideen”, claimed NIA.

Khalistan-inspired Extremism

• NIA filed suppl. Chargesheet in a “conspiracy of targeted killing by KTF” case.
• India raised concerns over the ‘Khalistan Referendum’ and pressed Canada for action against the same.

Narcotics Trafficking

• NIA arrested 26th accused in Heroin seizure case at Mundra Port.

DEFENCE

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited Egypt from September 19-20, 2022

Raksha Mantri (RM) was on an official visit to Egypt from September 19-20, 2022. RM called on President of Egypt Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo. President El-Sisi expressed appreciation that military-to-military cooperation between both the countries has reached a new level and that signing of MoU on defence cooperation is a major achievement. Both leaders agreed to further develop military cooperation and focus on joint training, defence coproduction and maintenance of equipment.

RM also held bilateral talks with Egyptian Defence Minister General Mohamed Zaki in Cairo on September 19, 2022. During the meeting, both sides discussed steps to strengthen defence ties and reached a consensus to enhance conduct of joint exercises and exchange of personnel for training, especially in the field of counter-insurgency. Signing of MoU by the two Defence Ministers on cooperation in the field of defence was a milestone event during the visit, which will pave the way for enhancing defence cooperation across all sectors of mutual interest. The RM also invited his Egyptian counterpart to the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and IOR Defence Ministers’ Conclave, scheduled to be held as part of 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from October 18-22, 2022. Click here to read…

MOD signs a deal for dual role Surface-to-Surface BrahMos missile with BAPL.

Providing further impetus to Aatmanirbharta in defence production, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) signed a contract with M/s BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. (BAPL) for acquisition of additional dual-role capable Surface to Surface BrahMos missiles at an overall approximate cost of ₹ 1700 Crore under “Buy-Indian” Category. Induction of these dual-role capable Missiles is going to significantly enhance the operational capability of Indian Navy (IN) fleet assets.

BAPL is a Joint Venture (JV) between India and Russia making crucial contribution to augment the new generation Surface-to-Surface Missiles (SSMs) with enhanced range and dual role capability for land as well as anti-ship attacks. Click here to read…

Mehar Baba Competition –II

To provide a boost to the growing indigenous drone industry, RM had launched the “MEHAR BABA COMPETITION-II”. The competition is aimed at developing technology for a “Swarm Drone Based System to Detect Foreign Objects on Aircraft Operating Surfaces”. The competition is named after the legendary Air Commodore Mehar Singh, MVC, DSO – affectionately also known as Mehar Baba. The first edition of the competition was launched in October 2018 and had culminated in October 2021.

All aircraft operators face a challenge in keeping the aircraft operating surfaces clean and clear of Foreign Object Debris (FOD). Very often, this is a labour-intensive task that needs to be repeated over a day. This manpower could be more gainfully employed if personnel could focus solely on their core tasks. Furthermore, visual spotting of FOD in low light conditions becomes rather challenging. Hence, the IAF is seeking innovative solutions towards detection of FOD without physical employment of manpower on the aircraft operating surfaces. Click here to read…

Preparations for Def-Expo 2022.

The 12th edition of DefExpo is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat between October 18-22, 2022 in a first ever four-venue format which promises to engage the public and inspire them to join the Aerospace and Defence manufacturing sector; for ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in Defence. The Def-Expo 2022 was earlier scheduled from March 10-14, 2022 and was postponed due to logistical challenges being faced by participants at that stage. The new dates (October 18-22, 2022) were announced on August 08, 2022. The forthcoming edition is the first-ever edition exclusively for Indian companies.

The theme of DefExpo 2022 is ‘Path to Pride’. The expo will also mark the celebration of one year of the formation of the seven new defence companies, carved out of the erstwhile Ordnance Factories. All these companies will be participating for the first time at DefExpo.
The exhibition will also host the 2nd edition of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD), with invites extended to 53 African countries. A separate Indian Ocean Region plus (IOR+) conclave with participation of approximately 40 countries is also on the anvil. Click here to read…

Participation in Combined Maritime Forces Exercise.

INS Sunayna entered Port Victoria Seychelles on 24 Sep 22 to participate in the annual training exercise Operation Southern Readiness of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). This marks the maiden participation of an Indian Navy ship in CMF exercise. The ship is scheduled to participate as associate partner in the capacity building exercises being conducted by CMF. The joint training exercise is being attended by representative delegations from USA, Italy, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and ship participation from UK, Spain & India. Click here to read…
For more information: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1862198

INS Tarkash at Port Gentil, Gabon.

INS Tarkash made a port call at Port Gentil, Gabon as part of her ongoing deployment in the Gulf of Guinea for anti-piracy patrol. This marks the first visit by any Indian Naval Ship to Gabon. Click here to read…

5thAnnual Session of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called upon the Indian defence industry to identify and manufacture state-of-the-art cost-effective products/technologies to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘New India’ that not only caters to its own needs, but also fulfils international requirements. He was addressing the 5thAnnual Session of Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) in New Delhi on September 27, 2022.The theme ‘India@75: Shaping for India@100’, with the aim to position India as one of the top countries in defence manufacturing. Click here to read…

Successful Flight Tests of Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) Missile by DRDO.

DRDO conducted two successful test flight of Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile from a ground based portable launcher at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) designed and developed indigenously by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners.
VSHORADS missile incorporates many novel technologies including miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics, which have been successfully proven during the tests. The missile, meant for neutralizing low altitude aerial threats at short ranges is propelled by a dual thrust solid motor. The design of the missile including launcher has been highly optimized to ensure easy portability. Both the flight tests have completely met the mission objectives. Click here to read…

Multinational Maritime Exercise Kakadu 2022

A P8I Patrol Aircraft of the Indian Navy participated in the Multinational Maritime Exercise Kakadu 2022 hosted by Royal Australian Navy in Darwin from 12 to 25 Sep 22, along with INS Satpura. The exercise had the participation of 34 aircraft from over 20 nations. Click here to read…

Government appoints Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)

General Anil Chauhan, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM assumed office as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on September 30, 2022. General Chauhan will also be the Principal Military Advisor to the Raksha Mantri on all Tri-Service matters as well as head Department of Military Affairs as Secretary. He will also be Permanent Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). Click here to read…

Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Indian Navy visited Australia.

Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Indian Navy visited Australia from 26 Sep – 28 Sep 22. This was his first official visit to Australia upon assuming the office of the CNS. During the visit, he held meetings with Chief of Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Vice Chief of Australian Defence Forces, Secretary of Defence, Chief of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Deputy Chief of Joint Operations. The CNS interacted with the prominent members of Australian Think Tanks to understand and develop new maritime cooperation opportunities. The discussions also highlighted the need for raising the level of synergy and focused efforts for overcoming the challenges of the maritime environment. Click here to read…

Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Cruise Training Task Group arrived in Chennai on a three-day visit.

Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Cruise Training Task Group consisting of two naval ships, arrived in Chennai on a three-day visit on 28 Sep 22.Commander of Cruise Training Task Group and other officials of the consulate of Korea had discussions with the Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Area on matters of common interest. Click here to read…

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Africa

Somalia

At least 27 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a US airstrike in the Hiran region of Somalia.

On 21 September 2022, at least 27 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a US-led airstrike in Somalia’s central Hiran region. According to the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), the airstrike was the sixth recorded strike in 2022. “The defensive strikes allowed the Somali National Army (SNA) and African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUTMIS) forces to regain the initiative and continue the operation to disrupt al-Shabab in the Hiran region of central Somalia,” said AFRICOM. Click here to read…

Burkina Faso

Islamist terrorists attacked an aid convoy in the northern province of Soum.

On 27 September 2022, Islamist terrorists attacked an aid convoy of 150 vehicles, military-escorted and killed 11 security personnel; more than 50 civilians went missing. The attack will likely aggravate shortages of basic supplies, such as food and fuel in Djibo, which has been under a de-facto siege for months by Islamist terror groups. In Burkina Faso, around two million people are displaced due to conflict and climate change. Click here to read…

Nigeria

Security forces killed 07 Boko Haram terrorists in a CT operation in Borno State.

On 21 September 2022, the Nigerian troops of “Operation Desert Sanity and Operation Hadin Kai” reportedly killed 07 Boko Haram terrorists in a counter-terrorism operation in Kayamla village near Maiduguri in Borno State. Boko Haram terrorists usually come to areas to terrorise farmers and kidnap them for ransom money. Click here to read…

Afghanistan

The US raised terrorism concerns in Afghanistan and is ready to engage “pragmatically” with the Taliban.

On 28 September 2022, speaking at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies (CISS), Thomas West— the US special representative for Afghanistan, said that al-Qa’ida’s former leader— Ayman al-Zawahiri had the freedom to operate in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan before we eliminated him. However, we have concerns about al-Qa’ida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Ansarullah, and other terrorist groups that still have an active presence/connection in Afghanistan.

Over the matter, “we have been in contact with the Taliban leadership since the strike which eliminated al-Zawahiri, even in the wake of this event, we [US] are prepared to engage pragmatically with the Taliban regarding terrorism concerns,” said West. Click here to read…

Three people were killed and many injured in an explosion in Kabul.

On 21 September 2022, at least three people were killed, and 13 others were wounded in an explosion in Kabul city. According to the Taliban-appointed spokesperson for the Kabul police chief— Khalid Zadran, the explosion occurred in a restaurant in Kabul’s western Dehmazang neighbourhood. At the time, police were uncertain if the blast was an accident or a terror attack. However, Islamic State (IS)’s affiliated branch— Islamic State Khurasan Province (IS-KP), has increased attacks on mosques and minorities across the country since the Taliban seized political power in August 2021. Click here to read…

At least 07 people were killed in a blast near Mosque in Kabul.

On 23 September 2022, at least 07 people were killed, and 41 were injured in an explosion outside a Mosque in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood after Friday afternoon prayers in Kabul. “The bomb was planted in a vehicle parked in front of the mosque, and an investigation was underway to bring the perpetrators to justice,” said the Taliban-appointed spokesperson of Kabul Police chief— Khalid Zadran.

The bombing was the most recent in a string of deadly attacks that have targeted places of worship in Afghanistan and well-known clerics linked to the country’s ruling Islamist Taliban. The Islamic State’s affiliate group— Islamic State Khurasan Province (IS-KP), has claimed responsibility for several attacks. Click here to read…

DOMESTIC TERRORISM

Jammu and Kashmir

Security forces eliminated three JeM terrorists in Kulgam

On 26-27 September 2022, security forces killed three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, including a Pakistani national, in two separate counter-terrorism (CT) operations in Kulgam district of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

In the first incident, during the search operation in the Ahwatoo area, terrorists fired upon the security forces, which led to the exchange of fire. Two local JeM terrorists— Mohammad ShafiGanie and Mohammad Asif Wani, were eliminated. On 26 September 2022, a search operation in Batpora village of Kulgam district led to an exchange of fire and the elimination of a Pakistani JeM terrorist— Abu Hurarah. Security forces recovered incriminating materials, arms and ammunitions, including an AK-56, two AK-47s, a pistol, a grenade, four magazines, and a pistol magazine, from operation sites. Click here to read…

SIA filed a chargesheet against three accused, including a former minister, in a terror-funding case.

On 24 September 2022, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police filed a chargesheet against three accused, including a former minister— Jatinder Singh, in a terror-funding case. “SIA Kashmir continued its action against narcotics dealers by conducting searches at multiple locations across the valley. The SIA conducted extensive searches at different locations in the districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Kupwara,” said a J&K police spokesperson.

In a statement released by the SIA, it was revealed that “Jatinder Singh was in touch with Hizbul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists and separatists of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which is an unlawful and proscribed association. These inimical entities had sent this terror fund from Pakistan through their associates for Jatinder Singh’s political party. The vision of Jatinder’s political party was to make J&K, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit Baltistan as one independent country by making a condominium of Pakistan and India, for having joint control over currency, external affairs and finance.” Click here to read…

Left-Wing Extremism

Security forces arrested a ‘most-wanted’ Maoist from Maharashtra.

In a joint operation, on 23 September 2022, Bihar Police, Jharkhand Police and Central Security forces arrested a top Maoist leader— Vinay Yadav aka Guruji, carrying a reward of ₹ 18 lakh and wanted in more than 54 cases, including an ambush in Gaya in 2006 on a CRPF convoy. Security forces arrested Vinay from the house of another Maoist sympathiser— AmrendraPaswan, at Mayapur village under Daudnagar police station limits of Aurangabad district, Maharashtra. Upon arrest, the security forces recovered ₹ 20 lakh hidden by Vinay in a hideout in Chakarbandha forests in the same district. Click here to read…

Around 700 Maoist supporters surrendered before Odisha police and BSF.

On 17 September 2022, around 700 active Maoist supporters from various villages on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border surrendered before police and BSF (Border Security Force) personnel in the Malkangiri district in Odisha. These Maoist supporters were involved in assisting violent activities and killing of security forces personnel and civilians and also used to provide logistics to the Maoists.

According to the police, the surrendered militants and sympathisers from Odisha and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh demonstrated their opposition to Maoist ideology by burning Maoist effigies and clothing and shouting slogans— “Maobadi Murdabad Ama Sarkar Zindabad” in front of the media before surrendering. Click here to read…
For more information:

Islamic Extremism (excluding J&K)

NIA searched several locations across India and arrested PFI leaders and members in connection with the registered case.

On 22 September 2022, in a joint operation with the Economic Directorate (ED) and the State police forces, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) searched 93 locations in 15 States across India, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh (UP), Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar, and Manipur. The searches were conducted on premises and offices of PFI (Popular Front of India) leaders and members in connection with five cases registered by the NIA.

The case— RC-03/2022/NIA/HYD pertains to the involvement of PFI leaders and other members in funding terrorist activities, organising training camps, providing arms training and radicalising people to join terrorist groups/organisations. The joint teams recovered incriminating materials, cash, sharp-edged weapons, and several digital devices during the search. The NIA made 45 arrests in the case, whereas 19 were arrested from Kerala, 11 from Tamil Nadu, 07 from Karnataka, 04 from Andhra Pradesh, 02 from Rajasthan, and 01 each from UP and Telangana. As of 22 September 2022, the NIA is investigating 19 cases related to PFI’s illicit activities.

Earlier on 18 September 2022, the NIA searched 38 locations in Telangana and 02 locations in Andhra Pradesh in connection with the same case. During the search, the NIA seized incriminating materials, digital devices, documents, two daggers, and cash worth ₹ 8,31,500 (Eight lakh thirty one thousand and five hundred Indian rupees). Click here to read…
For more information:

“PFI members have connections with SIMI and Indian Mujahideen”, claimed NIA.

According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), several PFI (Popular Front of India) members are associated with proscribed organisations, such as the Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM). The PFI leader— Abdul Rehman, used to be the National Secretary of SIMI and Abdul Sattar— the State Secretary at the PFI, used to be associated with SIMI in the same capacity.

According to news reports citing undisclosed sources, PFI member— Mohammed Sakib allegedly transferred money to the PFI through hawala channels from Pakistan and was in contact with Pakistan-based handlers who wanted to reach out to Pakistani prisoners lodged in different jails. Around 46 PFI members were arrested and convicted in different cases in 2010-2011. Around 355 PFI members have already been chargesheet by the NIA. Click here to read…

Khalistan-inspired Extremism

NIA filed suppl. chargesheet in a “conspiracy of targeted killing by KTF” case.

On 23 September 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary chargesheet against a Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) operative— Gagandeep Singh, aka Gaggu, in a case related to the conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest— Kamaldeep Sharma at village Bharsinghpur, Phillaur, Jalandhar, Punjab. On 04 July 2022, four other accused were chargesheet in the same case.

According to the investigations, another KTF operative Arshdeep Singh aka Arsh and Hardeep Singh Nijjar, both located in Canada, planned the entire conspiracy to sabotage peace and undermine religious harmony. The terrorist group’s members carried out the targeted attack using weapons that Gagandeep Singh had provided on directions of Arshdeep Singh. Click here to read…

India raised concerns over the ‘Khalistan Referendum’ and pressed Canada for action against the same.

On 22 September 2022, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) raised concerns about ‘Khalistan’-inspired activities in Canada and found it “deeply objectionable” as a politically-motivated exercise by extremist elements in a friendly nation. The MEA’s response resulted from “little action” taken by Ontario on three diplomatic messages from the Government of India to stop the so-called ‘Khalistan Referendum’ in Canada’s Brampton on 19 September 2022, asking whether Indian Punjab should not be an independent country. The Canadian authorities reportedly said that “its citizens had the right to assemble and express their views peacefully and lawfully.” “Nevertheless, the Government of India will continue to press the Government of Canada for action in this matter,” said MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. Click here to read…

Narcotics Trafficking

NIA arrested 26th accused in Heroin seizure case at Mundra Port.

On 27 September 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested the 26th accused— Sushanta Sarkar, in a Heroin seizure case at Mundra Port, Gujarat. Sarkar was involved in illicit international trade and trafficking of heroin into India for supporting terrorist activities. Reportedly, Sarkar had ordered heroin concealed in semi-processed talc from Afghanistan to India via Iran in November 2021. He used his “Jesus Christ Impex” firm to do such illicit operations. He further transferred the consignment to another firm belonging to KabirTalwar in New Delhi.

The case— RC-26/2021/NIA/DLI pertains to the international drug trafficking network run by two brothers— Hassan Daad and Hussain Daad (both Afghan nationals). Both brothers delivered multiple heroin-laced consignments to India in containers via the maritime route. In Afghanistan, heroin was purified and concealed in materials such as semi-processed talc and bituminous coal. These shipments were then trucked from the Indian ports of Gujarat and Kolkata to New Delhi. Click here to read…

Chinese premier stresses importance of agricultural science, technology: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday stressed the importance of agricultural science and technology, calling for efforts to promote the innovation and application of agricultural science and technology. Click here to read…

China urges U.S., Britain, Australia to reverse decisions on nuclear submarine cooperation: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday urged the United States, Britain and Australia to fulfill their obligations concerning nuclear non-proliferation and revoke their decisions on nuclear submarine cooperation. Click here to read…

Chinese armed police to host int’l counter-terrorism forum: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

The Chinese People’s Armed Police Force (PAP) will host the International Forum on Counter-terrorism “Great Wall-2022” in Beijing from August 30 to 31, a Chinese military spokesperson said Thursday. Click here to read…

China requires tighter internal control of wealth management companies: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

China’s top banking and insurance regulator Thursday released measures requiring wealth management companies to tighten internal control for sustainable and sound operation in compliance with laws and regulations. Click here to read…

Chinese court upholds death sentence of U.S. citizen convicted of murder: Xinhuanet

August 25, 2022

A Chinese court on Thursday rejected the appeal of Shadeed Abdulmateen, an American national, who was sentenced to death in April this year for intentional homicide. The Higher People’s Court of east China’s Zhejiang Province announced the verdict after holding the second instance trial of Abdulmateen’s case in July and will submit it to the Supreme People’s Court for approval, the court said in a statement. Click here to read…

Handbook helps litigants involved in software disputes: China Daily

August 25, 2022

A handbook outlining what evidence should be provided during a copyright dispute involving computer software was issued by a Beijing court on Thursday, in a bid to give parties easier access to litigation services while improving judicial efficiency. Click here to read…

Some Chinese localities encourage group home buying to prop up sluggish property market: Global Times

August 25, 2022

A number of Chinese localities have announced a range of measures to encourage home buying in a bid to prop up the sluggish real estate sector, which experts have stated will be useful for reducing inventory in some regions, but greater efforts needed to spur demand for overall macro-economic recovery. Click here to read…

UN rights chief ‘under tremendous pressure’ over report on China’s Uyghurs: Reuters

August 25, 2022

The UN human rights chief said on Thursday that she is still aiming to release a long-anticipated report on China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority in Xinjiang by the end of her four-year mandate next week amid “tremendous pressure” from all sides. Click here to read…

Some Chinese financiers cold shoulder Beijing’s property rescue call: Reuters

August 25, 2022

Some of China’s state-backed financial institutions are pushing back on Beijing’s calls to support the embattled property sector due to concerns about the impact of such exposure on their balance sheets, seven people with knowledge of the matter said. Click here to read…

Xi Jinping looks to take China beyond Deng Xiaoping’s ‘get rich’ era with historic third term: South China Morning Post

August 25, 2022

On a cold morning in mid-January, two dozen senior Communist Party officials, wrapped in black coats to protect them against the winter chill, stood solemnly in rows at the courtyard of Guohong Mansion, home to China’s top economic planning agency.
The group had gathered for the launch of the Xi Jinping Economic Thought Research Centre, the 18th research institution set up since the Chinese president’s philosophy was enshrined in the constitution in 2018. Click here to read…

China economy: 7 ‘Xiconomic’ policies that have guided growth over the past decade: South China Morning Post

August 25, 2022

Xi Jinping has reshaped China’s major economic decision-making institutions – most notably the Central Economic and Financial Affairs Commission – since becoming president. Helped by Vice-Premier and chief economic adviser Liu He, Xi’s first term between 2013-18 was devoted to addressing domestic problems. These included high debt, a dwindling demographic dividend, industrial overcapacity and poverty, with structural adjustments and de-risking campaigns high on the agenda. Xi hardened his economic thinking amid the trade war with the United States, growing tension with major Western economies and the coronavirus pandemic. Click here to read…

China completes test of reusable, sub-orbital vehicle: Xinhuanet

August 26, 2022

China successfully completed the test of a self-developed, reusable, sub-orbital vehicle on Friday. The vehicle was launched “vertically” from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwest of the country, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the developer of the vehicle. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 262 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet

August 26, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 262 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 111 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Friday.

Altogether 1,239 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified on Thursday, including 444 in Tibet and 285 in Hainan, said the commission in its report. Click here to read…

China’s BRI new opportunity for deepening mutual cooperation with Africa: Qiushi

August 26, 2022

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will provide African countries with new opportunities to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in line with the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Ministry: Nations’ military drills shouldn’t target 3rd party: China Daily

August 26, 2022

China is firmly opposed to any form of interference by a third party in the China-India boundary issue, Defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Tan Kefei said on Thursday. He also stressed that military exercises between countries should not target any third party. Click here to read…

China builds world’s largest 5G network with 475 million users: People’s Daily

August 26, 2022

China has built nearly 1.97 million 5G base stations and reached 475 million 5G mobile users by the end of this July, said the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), constituting the world’s largest 5G network. The 5G base stations currently in operation in China account for over 60 percent of the world’s total three years after the issuance of 5G commercial licenses, and the country’s 5G users make up more than 70 percent of global 5G users. Click here to read…

China builds world’s largest 5G network with 475 million users: People’s Daily

August 26, 2022

China has entrusted a defense-focused state firm to ship millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil despite U.S. sanctions, part of a deal to offset Caracas’ billions of dollars of debt to Beijing, according to three sources and tanker tracking data. Click here to read…

Half of China hit by drought in record heat wave: Taipei Times

August 26, 2022

A crippling drought exacerbated by a record heat wave has spread across half of China and reached the normally frigid Tibetan Plateau, according to official data released ahead of more searing temperatures yesterday. The world’s second-largest economy has experienced more than 70 days of heat waves, flash floods and droughts — phenomena that scientists say are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. Click here to read…

Another U.S. senator visits Taiwan amid tensions with China: Kyodo

August 26, 2022

A U.S. senator arrived in Taiwan on Thursday in what became the second visit by members of Congress since House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to the self-ruled island infuriated China earlier this month. Republican lawmaker Marsha Blackburn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that her trip to meet with leaders in Taipei is intended to “advance and strengthen our partnerships” and that regular high-level visits to Taipei are “long-standing U.S. policy.” Click here to read…

Afghanistan

Afghan Coal Sold to Companies Linked to Pakistan Army: Analyst: Tolo News

Owners of coal factories in Afghanistan said the Afghan coal is being sold to three Pakistani companies: Fauji Fertilizer Power Station, Cherat Cement Factory and Lucky Cement and Coal. Economists said these companies are connected with the Pakistan Army. Click here to read…

Islamic Emirate Leader Vows to Enforce Islamic Law Across Country: Tolo News

The supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada, vowed to enforce the Islamic system in Afghanistan. In audio recorded from Eid prayers in Eid-Gaah Mosque in Kandahar, Mawlawi Hebatullah Akhundzada, the Islamic Emirate’s leader, said that the laws which were not based on Sharia in the previous government will be demolishedClick here to read…

Kabul Sees Hike in Customs Revenue amid Hunger Strikes: The Khaama Press

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) said it has collected more than 24 billion Afs in revenue from customs offices within the first three months of the fiscal year – a promising figure for a country that has been suffering from financial loose since the fall last August. Click here to read…

Bangladesh

Commit to country’s wellbeing with spirit of sacrifice: PM- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on the eve of the holy Eid-Ul-Azha, has urged all to devote themselves to the welfare of the country while being imbued with the spirit of sacrifice. Click here to read…

Forfeit leaseholders’ deposits if they don’t clean up cattle markets: Mayor Atiqul- The Daily Star

Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam today said deposit money of leaseholders will be declared forfeit if they do not clean up cattle markets under DNCC. Click here to read…

Over 12 crore Bangladeshis can’t afford a healthy diet- The Daily Star

It is roughly Tk 286 ($3.064) in Bangladesh whereas the global average is about Tk 331 ($3.54), according to the UN’s flagship report styled “The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2022: Repurposing Food and Agricultural Policies to Make Healthy Diets More Affordable.” Click here to read…

Dhaka cattle markets finally booming- The Daily Star

After seeing a scarcity of customers, Dhaka’s cattle markets have started gaining momentum after Juma prayers yesterday, as a huge number of buyers rushed to the markets. Click here to read…

“Recall with gratitude Abe’s contributions to elevating Bangladesh-Japan relations”- The Daily Star

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (July 8, 2022) expressed deep shock at former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe’s assassination, calling his sudden demise a great loss for Japan and the world. Click here to read…

Bhutan

Bhutan embarks on small hydropower projects for energy security- Kuensel

The Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) will begin construction of three small hydropower projects, one each at Lhuentse, Zhemgang and Haa, with a total generation capacity of 104 megawatts (MW). Click here to read…

Are managed-out civil servants eligible to contest elections?- Kuensel

With the next parliamentary elections approaching, the political ambitions of the executives who have been managed out through the leadership assessment exercise hinges on what the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) decides. Click here to read…

Walups question legality of land, owner refutes- Kuensel

There are about 30 households in Walungna. Villagers said they were never consulted nor knew that a new settler had bought 14 acres of land above the village, once their tsamdro (grazing land). Click here to read…

Their Majesties offer prayers and butter lamps for late former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe- Bhutan Times

His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen offered prayers and butter lamps at Tashichhodzong yesterday for the late former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. Cabinet ministers, senior government officials, members of the diplomatic community and the Japanese community in Bhutan attended the ceremony. Click here to read…

Sudhakar Dalela appointed as next Ambassador to Bhutan- The Print

Sudhakar Dalela, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1993 batch has been appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday. Click here to read…

Maldives

Maldives seeks loan from Bangladesh – The Daily Star

In another show of the growing strength of Bangladesh’s economy, the government might give loans to the Maldives after the Island nation sought funds. If the government agrees to the request, it will mark the second time that Bangladesh has lent money to another country. Click here to read…

Bilateral ties between Maldives and South Sudan will continue to flourish: FM Shahid – Raajje

Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has expressed confidence that the bilateral ties of friendship between Maldives and South Sudan will continue to develop and flourish in the years ahead. Minister Shahid stated this in his message of felicitations to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of South Sudan, Mayiik Ayii Deng, on the occasion of their Independence Day. Click here to read…

Junta forces overrun resistance base in northwestern Myanmar – Myanmar Now

A base belonging to the anti-junta Yaw Defence Force (YDF) in Magway Region’s Htilin Township was attacked by junta troops last week, forcing resistance fighters to abandon the site and some 20m kyat (US$10,800) worth of supplies. Click here to read…

Blinken hits at ASEAN for lack of pressure on Myanmar – Federal News Network

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is criticizing Southeast Asian nations for not doing enough to press Myanmar’s military government to return the country to the path of democracy following last year’s power seizure. Click here to read…

India running out of options in Myanmar as a civil war rages and China backs the junta – National Herald India

The military junta in Myanmar, which seized power in a coup in February last year, have had luck and China on their side, making them far less vulnerable to external pressure than the Taliban in Afghanistan. Click here to read…

Junta Watch: Coup Leader Says Military Still Needed in Politics; Another ASEAN Snub, and More – The Irrawaddy

Offering a view that is the complete opposite of that held by the Myanmar people, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said during a meeting with military personnel and their families in Pulaw Township, Ayeyarwady Region on Monday that the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military) must continue to take a leadership role in the country’s politics and maintain its oversight position as the “guardian” of the country. Click here to read…

Nepal

NRB seeks suggestions for monetary policy- Himalayan Times

The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has sought suggestions for the monetary policy. Click here to read…

New citizenship bill does away with 7 years wait- Himalayan Times

The government registered a new citizenship bill last night proposing to continue the provision that allows foreign women married to Nepali men to obtain matrimonial naturalisation immediately after they take steps to renounce the citizenship of their mother country. Click here to read…

CPC foreign department chief Liu arrives in Kathmandu- Himalayan Times

Foreign Department Chief of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Liu Jianchao, arrived here this morning, leading an eight-member delegation. Click here to read…

Deuba government taking a leaf out of Oli’s book in obscene fashion, experts say- Kathmandu Post

A bill to amend Constitutional Council Act comes as the latest case to demonstrate current administration is no different from the previous one in disregarding rule of law. Click here to read…

Tax waiver sets off investment rush in automobile assembly plants- Kathmandu Post

Six motor vehicle assembly companies with a combined capital of Rs6.83 billion have been registered with the Industry Department in the current fiscal year. Click here to read…

Govt holds discussion with UML leader Nembang on citizenship bill- Republica

The government has expedited consultation with the main opposition party to endorse the citizenship bill through parliament. Click here to read…

Deuba protested Oli’s intent to change Constitutional Council rules. But, he is proposing the same changes now- OnlineKhabar

KP Sharma Oli issued the same ordinance between 2019 and 2021 introducing changes in the rules of the operation of the Constitutional Council. The ordinance was never endorsed in parliament as the then main opposition Nepali Congress was against it. Click here to read…

No closure after Nepal’s insurgency- Nepali Times

Sixteen years after the conflict ended, families still struggle for transitional justice. Click here to read…

Pakistan

Severe urban flooding in Karachi after record heavy downpour: The Express Tribune

The port city is facing severe urban flooding and continuous torrential rainfall since Sunday night with predictions that heavy downpour will continue for hours to come on Monday. Click here to read…

Deadline extended for energy standards: The Express Tribune

The government has extended the deadline for implementing the minimum energy performance standards for electric fans in an effort to minimise
power outages. Click here to read…

PM Shahbaz Shaarif extends Eid greetings to Erdogan, King Hamad: The News

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday held a telephonic call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, conveyed warm greetings to the government and people of Türkiye on the happy occasion of Eidul Azha. Click here to read…

Editorial: CPEC resumption: Dawn

Work has reportedly resumed on the Main Line 1 (ML-1) upgradation project, the largest component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Pakistan and the centrepiece of the second phase of CPEC. Click here to read…

Two PMLN ministers resign to participate in by-poll campaign: The News

Former speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and former provincial health minister Khwaja Salman Raffique resigned from their posts. PMLN Deputy Secretary Information and Punjab Law Minister Atta Tarar said that both the PMLN leaders had resigned from their posts to participate in the by-election campaign. Click here to read…

Sri Lanka

GR confirms to resign on Wednesday; Presidential Polls before March- The Daily Mirror

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will end his presidency on Wednesday after handing in his resignation to the Parliament Speaker after which a decision has been taken to hold a presidential and parliamentary election before March next year, senior political sources told Daily Mirror last evening. Click here to read…

Slain Japanese PM’s funeral tomorrow; SL declares day of mourning- The Daily Mirror

Tomorrow, the country will observe a state of mourning as a mark of respect to the longest served late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Click here to read…

More than 1.5mn litrs of fuel distributed so far: LIOC MD- The Daily Mirror

More than 1.5 million litres of petrol and diesel have been released for distribution so far from the oil terminal at Trincomalee, Manoj Gupta, Managing Director, Lanka IOC PLC said. Click here to read…

India denies report of sending Indian troops to SL- The Daily Mirror
The Indian High Commission in Colombo categorically denied speculative reports in sections of media and social media about India sending her troops to Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

Pope Francis appeals for peace for SL- The Daily Mirror

Pope Francis has renewed his appeal for peace in Sri Lanka today. “I unite myself to the sorrow of the Sri Lankan people, who continue to suffer the effects of political and economic instability,” Pope Francis said on Sunday, following the weekly prayers. Click here to read…

India always stands with Sri Lanka, no refugee crisis at the moment: Jaishankar- The Daily Mirror

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that India has been providing assistance to Sri Lanka and is monitoring the developments in the island nation adding that there is no refugee crisis now. Click here to read…

EU calls on all parties to focus on a peaceful, democratic transition in SL- The Daily Mirror

The European Union (EU) today called on all parties to cooperate and focus on a peaceful, democratic and orderly transition in Sri Lanka. Click here to read…

US urges SL leaders to work ‘quickly’ to address ‘discontent’- The Daily Mirror

As President Gotabaya Rajapaksa prepares to step down, the United States calls on “the Sri Lankan Parliament to approach this juncture with a commitment to the betterment of the nation – not any one political party,” a State Department spokesperson said as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Thailand. Click here to read…

IMF hopes for resolution of SL crisis to allow bailout talks- The Daily Mirror

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it is hoping for a resolution to Sri Lanka’s political turmoil that will allow a resumption of talks for a bailout package after a violent day of protests. Click here to read…

Xi encourages grain farmers to contribute to national food security: Xinhuanet

June 28, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping has underscored the exemplary role of large-scale grain growers in encouraging more farmers to contribute to the country’s food security. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Monday in a letter replying to Xu Congxiang, a veteran grain farmer in Taihe County, east China’s Anhui Province. Click here to read…

China’s top legislator holds talks with lower house speaker of Kazakhstan’s parliament: Xinhuanet

June 28, 2022

China’s top legislator Li Zhanshu on Tuesday held video talks with Erlan Koshanov, the speaker of the Mazhilis, or lower house, of Kazakhstan’s parliament. Li, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that under the strategic guidance and direct push of the two heads of state, China-Kazakhstan relations have continuously achieved leap-forward development and a new height in the two countries’ permanent comprehensive strategic partnership has been reached. Click here to read…

Profits of Chinese SOEs down in first five months amid pandemic: Xinhuanet

June 28, 2022

China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) reported increased revenue but decreased profits in the first five months of this year, due to a high comparison base last year and the impacts of the pandemic, official data showed Tuesday. Click here to read…

China’s private enterprises quadruple in last 10 years: Xinhuanet

June 28, 2022

The number of Chinese private enterprises quadrupled in the past decade amid efforts to optimize the business environment, the country’s top economic planner said Tuesday. China’s private enterprises increased from 10.85 million in 2012 to 44.57 million last year, Su Wei, deputy secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference. Click here to read…

China unveils major sci-tech issues of 2022: Xinhuanet

June 28, 2022

The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) has released the major issues in science, engineering and technology, as well as industrial technology, for 2022.A total of 30 issues, including the early diagnosis of asymptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, the formation and evolution of black holes in the universe, the application of remote sensing to effectively assess the Earth’s health and the industrialization of memory-computation integrated chips, were highlighted during the closing ceremony of the CAST’s annual conference on Monday in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province. Click here to read…

Robot takes over for humans on power lines: China Daily

June 28, 2022

A robot completed its first work with electricity on overhead power lines in the Qingshan district of Wuhan, Hubei province, on Friday. It is the first time a domestically developed robot has been used to complete electrical work on a 10 kilovolt overhead line in the province. Click here to read…

Academic institutes should be bridges rather than platforms for anti-China lies: Global Times

June 28, 2022

When asked for comments on a China Center newly established within the Hudson Institute, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday that academic institutes should serve as bridges between different countries creating understanding and cooperation rather than distributing lies. Click here to read…

WeChat mini program offers general public virtual tours of Great Wall completely online: People’s Daily

June 28, 2022

A WeChat mini program that offers a window online for the general public to visit the Great Wall virtually was recently launched in China. The mini program was developed after a recent Great Wall protection and maintenance project was completed. During the project, several sections of the Great Wall were restored with the support of a total funding outlay of nearly 50 million yuan ($7.48 million). A documentary and a cartoon book popularizing knowledge about the Great Wall were also launched after the conclusion of the restoration project. Click here to read…

Digital yuan helps stimulate consumption, supports recovery of SMEs across China: People’s Daily

June 28, 2022

Multiple Chinese cities have recently issued “red packets” of digital yuan, or e-CNY, to stimulate consumption, with more e-CNY applications to be introduced in the future. On May 30, Shenzhen city in south China’s Guangdong Province started distributing e-CNY red packets worth 30 million yuan (about $4.50 million) on Meituan, a Chinese e-commerce platform, to revive consumption and aid businesses. Click here to read…

Chinese breakthrough lets human brains beam radio waves: South China Morning Post

June 28, 2022

Chinese researchers say they have made it possible for humans to beam radio waves with their brains in a breakthrough that could have uses ranging from health monitoring to mind-controlled military radar. In an air force laboratory experiment, researchers showed that brainwaves could control and interact with electromagnetic waves remotely. Click here to read…

Xi Jinping points to public opinion campaign as example of ‘whole-process democracy’: South China Morning Post

June 28, 2022

An online public opinion campaign for the Communist Party’s upcoming national congress has set the stage for the conclave, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping. State news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying the campaign was “not just an effective means for party members and the public to put forward their opinions about the country’s development and national rejuvenation but also a vivid demonstration of our whole-process democracy”.
Xinhua said the month-long campaign, which ended in mid-May, gathered 8.54 million opinions from the public for the congress, which is expected to usher in a younger party leadership and a third term for Xi as the organisation’s general secretary. Click here to read…

G-7 renews push to sanction Russia, to tackle China’s market abuse: Kyodo

June 29, 2022

Leaders from the Group of Seven nations made a renewed push Tuesday to continue punishing Russia over its war against Ukraine by agreeing to explore a price cap on Russian oil amid surging energy costs, while pledging $4.5 billion to combat a growing food crisis. Click here to read…

PetroChina may sell Australian, Canadian assets to stem losses: Reuters

June 29, 2022

PetroChina may sell out from natural gas projects in Australia and oil sands in Canada to stem losses and divert funds to more lucrative sites in the Middle East, Africa and central Asia, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Click here to read…

U.S. accuses five firms in China of supporting Russia’s military: Reuters

June 29, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration added five companies in China to a trade blacklist on Tuesday for allegedly supporting Russia’s military and defense industrial base, flexing its muscle to enforce sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. Click here to read…

China’s State Council appoints, removes officials: People’s Daily

June 29, 2022

The State Council announced the appointment and removal of officials Tuesday. Sun Guangyu was appointed as vice minister of emergency management. Zhen Zhanmin will no longer serve as vice president of the National Academy of Governance (NAG) and was appointed vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Yu Bin was appointed as deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council. Click here to read…

New phase of innovation begins between China and Singapore: China Daily

June 29, 2022

The China-Singapore Smart Park was officially opened on Sunday in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province, a new move between the two countries to promote innovative cooperation. As an important part of the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, a landmark Sino-Singaporean government project, the CSSP will focus on the fields of digital economy, green development, biomedicine and smart city construction. Click here to read…

Chinese grows in influence over decade: China Daily

June 29, 2022

Learning of nation’s language a major contributor to international exchanges. China has promoted the high-quality development of global Chinese language learning in the past decade, assisting foreigners in learning standard Chinese and enhancing international communication, officials and experts said. Click here to read…

Account verifications to limit spread of misinformation online: China Daily

June 29, 2022

Internet service providers as well as social media and sharing platforms are to be required to verify accounts that claim to be involved in certain specialist fields, such as the economy, education, health and justice, in order to protect the public from scams and the propagation of misleading information. Click here to read…

Efforts urged to stabilize employment: China Daily

June 29, 2022

Ensuring people’s well-being key to sustained economic development. Premier Li Keqiang has urged efforts to stabilize employment amid the new downward pressure facing the nation’s economy, saying that policies and measures to stabilize economic growth should focus on ensuring the vitality of market players to enable them to stabilize employment. Click here to read…

Full text of Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to National Event on Environment Day 2022: Xinhuanet

June 6, 2022

The following is the full text of Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to the National Event on the Environment Day 2022.

On the holding of the National Event on the Environment Day 2022, I would like to extend my warm congratulations! Natural environment is the basis of human survival and development, and to preserve a sound ecological environment is the shared aspiration of the peoples of all countries. Since the Party’s 18th National Congress in 2012, we have made ecological conservation an initiative vital for sustaining the Chinese nation’s developmentClick here to read…

China reiterates concern over AUKUS-related nuclear material transfer: Xinhuanet

June 6, 2022

China on Monday reiterated concerns over the nuclear weapon material transfer involved in AUKUS, saying the issue should be addressed under the international non-proliferation regime. Click here to read…

Shenzhen to build 20 advanced manufacturing industrial parks: Xinhuanet
June 6, 2022

The southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen plans to build 20 advanced manufacturing industrial parks for strategic emerging sectors and industries of the future. The 20 industrial parks will cover a total area of 300 square kilometers in the districts of Bao’an, Guangming, Longhua, Longgang, Pingshan, and Shenshan, the municipal government announced on Monday. Click here to read…

China EximBank issues bonds to support production resumption in Shanghai: Xinhuanet

June 6, 2022

The Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank), a state-owned policy bank, has issued financial bonds worth 5 billion yuan (about 749.7 million U.S. dollars) to facilitate the resumption of production and work in Shanghai. Click here to read…

Seven arrested for testing misconduct: China Daily

June 6, 2022

The people’s procuratorate of Beijing’s Fangshan district decided to approve the arrest of seven people related to a testing lab on suspicion of obstructing prevention and control of infectious diseases on Monday afternoon, according to an announcement from the government’s official WeChat account. Click here to read…

Tattoo parlors barred from serving minors: China Daily

June 6, 2022

The guideline — released by a high-level task force established to coordinate efforts related to the protection of minors under the State Council, China’s Cabinet — aims to promote the management of tattoo work to protect minors’ legal rights, according to the website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Click here to read…

China remains global leader in 5G patent declarations: China Daily

June 6, 2022

China’s standard essential patent declarations for 5G account for about 40 percent of the global total, ranking first in the world according to a report issued by a national intellectual property research center. Click here to read…

Wang Yi to attend FMs’ meeting with Central Asian nations, jointly tackle security challenge: Global Times

June 6, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to attend the third “China+Central Asia” (C+C5) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kazakhstan and pay an official visit to the country from June 6 to 9. Click here to read…

Nation to open sci-tech sector wider to world while continuing pursuit of indigenous innovation, says minister: Global Times

June 6, 2022

China will open up its science and technology sector wider to the outside world while continuing the pursuit of indigenous innovation, Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang said on Monday. China’s sharing of its sci-tech advances contributes immensely to addressing global issues spanning energy, the environment and coronavirus containment, experts said, while calling for corresponding opening-up moves by other economies. Click here to read…

China pilots low carbon bonds to help companies become greener: Reuters

June 6, 2022

China is rolling out so-called low carbon transition bonds to help companies become greener, the country’s interbank bond market regulator said on Monday, as Beijing strives toward carbon neutrality. Click here to read…

Chinese tech ADRs rise as end of Didi probe raises hope of easing crackdowns: Reuters

June 6, 2022

U.S.-listed Chinese technology stocks rose on Monday after a report that regulators in China are concluding a probe into ride-hailing giant Didi Global raised expectations of easing crackdowns on the country’s internet sector. Click here to read…

China able to take on Taiwan, allies by 2027, says MND: Taipei Times

June 6, 2022

The Chinese military would be capable of fighting against Taiwan and allied forces by 2027, a Ministry of National Defense (MND) report said yesterday. China has set a goal of modernizing its warfare capabilities by that year, which is to mark the 100th anniversary of its army’s founding, and it might by then be able to act more aggressively toward Taiwan, said the report, which the ministry submitted to the Legislative Yuan for review.Click here to read…

Chinese jet threatens Australian surveillance plane over South China Sea: Kyodo

June 6, 2022

A Chinese fighter jet dangerously intercepted an Australian maritime surveillance plane over the South China Sea, endangering the aircraft and its crew, according to the Australian Defense Department. The department said Sunday the Chinese J-16 aircraft intercepted an Australian P-8 Poseidon on May 26 while it was conducting routine maritime surveillance in international airspace over the highly disputed body of water. Click here to read…

China’s unemployment woes see Yunnan offer big cash subsidies to entice college graduates: South China Morning Post

June 7, 2022

Keen on attracting college graduates for essential jobs in rural villages, one Chinese province is looking to sweeten the pot by splashing out on cash handouts. The move by authorities in Yunnan province, announced on Sunday, comes as the nation’s youth unemployment rate and the number of fresh college graduates have both reached record highs, further straining China’s already battered economy. The central government has also ordered local cadres to take the lead in boosting economic growth and employment, as China is struggling to keep the unemployment rate under the government’s target of “within 5.5 per cent” this year. Click here to read…

China brings forward plans for space solar power plant: South China Morning Post

June 7, 2022

China plans to launch an ambitious space solar power plant programme in 2028, two years ahead of the original schedule, according to scientists involved in the project. A satellite will be launched that year to test wireless power transmission technology from space to the ground from an altitude of 400km (250 miles), according to the updated plan in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Chinese Space Science and Technology on Thursday. In the paper, the researchers said the satellite would convert solar energy to microwaves or lasers and direct the energy beams to various targets, including fixed locations on Earth and moving satellites. Click here to read…

Chinese scientists say ‘Midas’ touch helps to fine-tune CRISPR gene editing: South China Morning Post

June 7, 2022

Chinese scientists say they have discovered a new method that can significantly improve the efficiency of genome-editing tools. The method, called Improving Editing Activity by Synergistic Engineering, or Midas, “robustly and significantly increased” the human gene-editing efficiency of three tools they used, the researchers said. Moreover, based on Midas, the researchers found new genome editing tools that had higher efficiency and “very low” off-target effects. Click here to read…

China’s top political advisor holds virtual meeting with Singaporean parliament speaker: People’s Daily

June 7, 2022

China’s top political advisor Wang Yang and Tan Chuan-Jin, speaker of the parliament of Singapore, on Monday held a virtual meeting to discuss bilateral ties. Wang, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, said that the China-Singapore ties feature geographical proximity, shared benefits, close cultural links and people-to-people affinity. Click here to read…

Canadian warplanes’ actions ‘provocative’: China Daily

June 7, 2022

China firmly opposes close reconnaissance and provocative actions by Canada’s warplanes, which threaten China’s national security, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said on Monday. Click here to read…

Former head of local education department under investigation for smearing Chinese traditional festival, historical figure: Global Times

June 7, 2022

The Education Department of Southwest China’s Yunnan Province is investigating its former head, Luo Chongmin, for his controversial remarks about the Dragon Boat Festival, one of the most important Chinese traditional festivals. Yunnan’s Education Department said in an announcement on Monday that it has set up a working group to investigate Luo Chongmin and will release the findings to the public in a timely manner. Click here to read…

More sci-tech innovation a national goal: China Daily

June 7, 2022

China will enhance efforts to make more original breakthroughs in core technologies, train quality talent, conduct institutional reforms, expand international cooperation and contribute more to tackling global challenges, officials said on Monday. Click here to read…

BRICS countries vow to deepen financial cooperation: Xinhuanet

June 7, 2022

The Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of BRICS countries issued a joint statement at a virtual meeting on Monday, reaching consensus on deepening financial cooperation and strengthening coordination on macroeconomic policy. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 39 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet

June 7, 2022

The Chinese mainland Monday reported 39 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 20 in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the National Health Commission’s report Tuesday. Click here to read…

Book of Xi’s discourses on rural work published: China Military

June 7, 2022

A compilation of discourses of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on work concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers has been published by the Central Party Literature Press. Click here to read…

Xi sums up experience from CYLC successes: Xinhuanet

May 10, 2022

The Party’s leadership, firm beliefs and convictions, devotion to national rejuvenation, and its deep roots in the country’s young people are key to the past and future successes of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday. Click here to read…

Xi stresses self-reform of youth league to maintain advanced nature: Xinhuanet

May 10, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) to have the courage to carry out self-reform to maintain its status as an advanced organization that closely follows the Communist Party of China (CPC) and keeps pace with the times. Click here to read…

Biden says “discussing” whether to drop hiked tariffs on Chinese products: Xinhuanet

May 11, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the administration is discussing whether to drop the additional tariffs on Chinese imports imposed during the Trump administration, while noting that no decision has been made. Click here to read…

China calls for equal, balanced global development partnership: Xinhuanet

May 10, 2022

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called for an equal and balanced global development partnership. Wang made the remarks when addressing the high-level virtual meeting of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI). Click here to read…

China to encourage foreign investment in more industries: Xinhuanet

May 10, 2022

China will further expand the industry catalog of sectors encouraging foreign investment, authorities said. The new list will add 238 more items, while up to 114 existing ones will be modified with expansion, said a notice issued by China’s National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). Click here to read…

Beijing reports 59 new local COVID-19 infections: Xinhuanet

May 10, 2022

Beijing reported 59 new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections between 3 p.m. Monday and 3 p.m. Tuesday, said local authorities during a press conference held Tuesday. Click here to read…

Senior Jiangxi provincial legislator expelled from Party, public office: Xinhuanet

May 10, 2022

Gong Jianhua, a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of Jiangxi Provincial People’s Congress, was expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC). He was also removed from public office over severe violations of Party discipline and laws, the country’s top anti-graft body said on Tuesday. Click here to read…

Shanghai reports 228 confirmed, 1,259 asymptomatic local COVID-19 cases: Xinhuanet

May 11, 2022

China’s Shanghai reported 228 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 1,259 local asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, the municipal health commission said Wednesday. Click here to read…

Chinese mainland reports 302 new local COVID-19 cases, 228 in Shanghai: Xinhuanet

May 11, 2022

The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 302 confirmed local COVID-19 cases, of which 228 were in Shanghai, the National Health Commission said on Wednesday. Click here to read…

China slams U.S. for changing Taiwan wording on State Department website: Xinhuanet

May 11, 2022

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday slammed the United States for changing wording related to Taiwan on its State Department website, saying the move will hollow out the one-China principle and will backfire. Click here to read…

HKSAR gov’t strongly refutes G7, EU statements on chief executive election: Xinhuanet

May 11, 2022

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Tuesday strongly refuted statements on the HKSAR’s sixth-term chief executive election made by the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. Click here to read…

Manufacturers embrace the digital economy: China Daily

May 10, 2022

High-quality development has been given fresh impetus. A workshop manufacturing home appliances in Shenyang, Liaoning province, is offering clients a chance to customize refrigerators remotely using their mobile phones. They can choose colors, functions and design styles without having to enter a bricks-and-mortar store. Click here to read…

Guideline targets consumption growth: China Daily

May 11, 2022

Measures aim to boost consumer spending amid spate of outbreaks. A recently released guideline is expected to unleash China’s consumption potential as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 epidemic to foster healthier, more sustainable growth for the overall economy, officials and experts said. Click here to read…

Renmin University pulls itself out of overseas ranking systems: China Daily

May 11, 2022

Renmin University of China has decided not to participate in any overseas university rankings, the website of China National Radio has reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter. Click here to read…

Academics discuss tech impact on human rights: China Daily

May 11, 2022

The Chinese academic community will enhance dialogue and collaboration with international peers to promote the use of science and technology for the benefit of human rights and mankind, officials and experts said. Click here to read…

Shanghai receives food aid from Gansu: China Daily

May 11, 2022

A train loaded with more than 600 metric tons of food aid from Gansu province arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday. The supplies, which were packed in more than 60,000 boxes, comprise 12 featured vegetables and fruits growing in the province’s plateau area. The train also transported some 7,000 boxes of beef noodles from Lanzhou. Click here to read…

Makeshift hospitals within schools closed, disinfected as COVID-19 situation improves: China Daily

May 11, 2022

Makeshift hospitals set up within schools in Shanghai have gradually been closed following disinfection and safety evaluations as locally transmitted infection numbers continue to fall. Shanghai Xijiao School, a school in Changning district to host a makeshift hospital, underwent a two-day disinfection which ended on Tuesday. Another round of disinfection will be carried out following an environmental assessment according to the report of local news portal the Paper. Click here to read…

Superpowers promising not to seek hegemony primary responsible for space security, Chinese diplomat urges: Global Times

May 11, 2022

The primary responsible behavior in space should have superpowers to promise not to seek hegemony, nor dominate the outer space, a senior Chinese diplomat said, elaborating China’s views on how to protect space security and avoid arms race in space. Click here to read…

City near Shanghai to give cash rewards for residents participating in nucleic acid testing: Global Times

May 11, 2022

Local authorities in Jiangyin, a city in East China’s Jiangsu Province, announced they will give a cash reward of 100 yuan ($15) to residents who consistently take part in five rounds of nucleic acid tests, while those who fail to participate more than two tests will be quarantined at their own expense and punished in accordance with the law. Click here to read…

Shanghai’s latest outbreak caused by Omicron’s BA.2 and BA.2.2 mutations, no new variants detected: Global Times

May 11, 2022

The gene sequencing results show the viruses that caused rapid spread in the latest outbreak in Shanghai since March 1 are Omicron’s BA.2 and BA.2.2 mutations, and no new variants have been found. Click here to read…

Xinjiang invites Muslim residents, imams via video link to debunk disinformation ahead of UN human rights chief’s visit: Global Times

May 10, 2022

Happily dancing crowds to celebrate the festival of Eid al-Fitr, clean and solemn mosques with Muslims waiting for prayer time, students in the Xinjiang Islamic Institute reading doctrine out loud … these were the scenarios displayed during an online meeting held by the government of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Tuesday to show the situation of religious freedom in the region. Click here to read…

PLA shadows US cruiser through Taiwan Straits, vows to counter provocations: Global Times

May 11, 2022

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on Tuesday shadowed a US Navy cruiser when it made a provocative transit through the Taiwan Straits. Click here to read…

China to launch pilot projects for integration of domestic and foreign trade: Global Times

May 11, 2022

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) together with 14 government departments issued a notice on Tuesday about launching pilot projects to advance the integration of domestic and foreign trade by removing institutional barriers. The country is rolling out a replicable model to promote a more self-reliant dual-circulation economic strategy for sustainable growth in the coming years. Click here to read…

China unveils draft new version of catalogue for foreign investment in ‘encouraged’ sectors: Global Times

May 10, 2022

China on Tuesday unveiled a draft version of the “encouraged industry” catalogue for foreign investment, continuing to incentivize foreign businesses toward making commitments in manufacturing and services in the less-developed regions of the country. Click here to read…

China speeds up green, low-carbon transformation of data centers: People’s Daily

May 11, 2022

The rapid proliferation of green data centers in China may be attributed to the rapid development of the country’s digital economy, which is driving a wave of green transformation among traditional data centers and resulting in the continual expansion of newly developed ones. Click here to read…

Second 2022 BRICS Think Tank Symposium Held: People’s Daily

May 11, 2022

On May 6, 2022, the second BRICS Think Tank Symposium was held in Chongqing both online and offline. The theme of this conference is “BRICS Cooperation and Global Development: New Era, New Mission, New Plan”, which was hosted by China Council for BRICS Think-tank Cooperation(CCBTC), the Chinese coordinator for BRICS think tank cooperation, and organized by Sichuan International Studies University, the vice-chairman organization of CCBTC. Think tank scholars and business representatives from BRICS countries carried out in-depth exchanges and discussions under the theme. Click here to read…

WHO chief says China’s zero-COVID policy not ‘sustainable’: Reuters

May 10, 2022

The head of the World Health Organization said on Tuesday China’s zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy is not sustainable given what is now known of the virus, in rare public comments by the U.N. agency on a government’s handling of the pandemic. Click here to read…

COVID-19 outbreak hobbles Chinese demand for cobalt, nickel, lithium: Reuters

May 11, 2022

China’s COVID-19 outbreak is suppressing the country’s consumption of cobalt, nickel and lithium by disrupting transportation and cutting battery manufacturing, state-backed research house Antaike said. Click here to read…

WHO chief’s remarks on China’s COVID policy blocked on country’s social media: Reuters

May 11, 2022

A United Nations Weibo post on the World Health Organization chief’s comments that China’s zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy is not sustainable was removed from the Chinese social media platform on Wednesday morning shortly after being published. Click here to read…

Spy boss hints unhappy China officials aiding Australia: Taipei Times

May 11, 2022

The head of Australia’s foreign intelligence service has used a rare public address to suggest that an increasing number of disillusioned Chinese officials are willing to cooperate with the agency. Click here to read…

Chinese media unveils details of US-inspired military logistics system: South China Morning Post

May 11, 2022

Chinese state media has released details of the country’s military logistics supply networks and how they are operating under the concept of joint operations in a system analysts said was inspired by the US military’s transport command. State-owned China Central Television’s WeChat social media account on Monday published a report about the operations of the five logistic support centres of the People’s Liberation Army five theatre commands in the Central, West, East, South and North. Click here to read…

How China-backed projects made Sri Lanka’s economic meltdown worse: South China Morning Post

May 11, 2022

An airport without planes, a revolving restaurant with no diners, a debt-laden seaport – Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has been exacerbated by Chinese-funded projects that stand as neglected monuments to government extravagance. The South Asian island nation borrowed heavily to plug years of budget shortfalls and trade deficits, but squandered huge sums on ill-considered infrastructure projects that have further drained public finances.
It is now in the grip of its worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948, with months of blackouts and acute shortages of food and fuel plaguing its 22 million people. Click here to read…

China will boost ties with Russia in military tech, energy and space, top envoy says: South China Morning Post

May 09, 2022

China will continue to deepen cooperation with Russia on military technology, energy and space, according to its top envoy in Moscow, amid speculation that Beijing might help its neighbour evade sanctions over the war in Ukraine. In an interview with Russian state news agency Tass, Zhang Hanhui said energy had been the “most important, fruitful and extensive area of pragmatic cooperation between Russia and China”. He said such cooperation would be strengthened but – as Europe tries to reduce its dependence on Russian fuel – Zhang stopped short of promising to buy more oil and gas from Russia.
Zhang said there were difficulties in bilateral trade with Russia but the two sides would enhance settlements in their national currencies to ensure stable trade that they hoped would reach US$200 billion by 2024. Click here to read…

Chinese smart satellite tracks US aircraft carrier in real time, researchers say: South China Morning Post

May 11, 2022

When USS Harry S. Truman was heading to a strait transit drill off the coast of Long Island in New York on June 17 last year, a Chinese remote sensing satellite powered by the latest artificial intelligence technology automatically detected the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and alerted Beijing with the precise coordinates, according to a new study by Chinese space scientists. The live-fire exercise that day involved a joint action of seven warships and many planes to simulate a fight against a powerful enemy while passing a narrow passage of water. The fleet tested numerous tactics such as changing formation and making emergency manoeuvres to deter enemy submarines and other threats, according to the US Navy. Click here to read…