Author: LokMarg

The prevalent political disturbance in Pakistan upon the election of the new government, has proven to be beneficial for militants who have, till now staged 24 per cent more attacks on the authority as well as the civilians in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, causing concerns to the world community.

According to the Global conflict Tracker of the Center for Preventive Action of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which keeps an eye out for ongoing conflicts around the world, concerning the United States, the rise in the number of attacks by the insurgents has been spreading its bases in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, says Portal Plus.
“The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan could increase regional instability by allowing militants from Pakistan to establish a safe haven in Afghanistan,” said CPR. In addition, the persistent instability, Pakistan is facing could pose serious security implications in the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and India.

The primary reason for the attack pertains to the role of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which was banned from Pakistan and has now joined hands with the Taliban, who are also their ideological brothers, says Portal Plus. Further as per CFR reports, “The TTP is closely allied with the Afghan Taliban in its battle against Afghan troops…”

The data further mentions that “in April, militants carried out 34 attacks in which 55 people were killed, including 34 security forces personnel, 13 civilians and eight militants. As many as 25 people were injured including 11 security personnel and 14 civilians. The militants had carried out 26 attacks across the country in March 2022 in which 115 people were killed and 288 were injured.”

The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) confirmed that most of the attacks carried out by the militants occurred in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan also witnessed similar attacks as well. There were 6 militant attacks in FATA, coupled with 10 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 17 people, and four militant attacks in Balochistan causing the deaths of one security official and one civilian says Portal Plus.

Notably, the average number of militant attacks in Pakistan ascended from 16 in 2020 to 25 in 2021, the highest in number after 2017. The CFR data reveals that militancy can be expected not just between Pakistan and Afghanistan but also between Pakistan and China as well which is quite evident from the attack on Karachi University where a woman suicide bomber was involved in the killings of three Chinese nationals. (ANI)

Russia has decided to expel 34 employees of the French diplomatic missions in Moscow in retaliation to a similar move by Paris, according to the country’s foreign ministry on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the ministry summoned French Ambassador to Russia Pierre Levy to express protest in connection with the decision of Paris to declare 41 employees of Russian diplomatic missions in France personae non gratae.
“As a response, 34 employees of French diplomatic missions in Russia have been declared personae non gratae. They are ordered to leave the territory of Russia within two weeks from the date of delivery of the relevant note to the ambassador,” the ministry said as quoted by Sputnik News Agency.

In April, France has expelled six Russians suspected of working as spies under diplomatic cover after the French intelligence services uncovered a clandestine operation on its territory.

“Six Russian agents operating under diplomatic cover whose activities were found to be contrary to our national interests have been declared persona non grata,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, as per France 24.

It said the DGSI domestic intelligence service had revealed on April 10 after a long investigation “a clandestine operation carried out by the Russian intelligence services on our territory”.

The statement did not give details on the nature of the operation.

Meanwhile, Russia will also expel 24 employees of the Italian diplomatic missions in Russia in retaliation to a similar move by Rome, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik today.

The ministry told Sputnik in the day that it had summoned Italian Ambassador to Russia Giorgio Starace to announce Moscow’s response to the expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine in the last week of February.

Since then, several western countries have backed Kyiv in the ongoing war and imposed several sanctions on Russia. (ANI)

Even as Australia and other nations, attempt to challenge China’s recent moves in the Pacific of signing a security pact with the Solomon Islands, the Asian giant’s expansion is being attributed to the strong economic ties it forges with the tiny Island countries.

For countries like Australia and New Zealand, as well as the US, throwing aid and little else at the islands may no longer be enough to keep them on their side as China makes inroads with a seductive mix of money, security and ceremony, Asia Nikkei reported.
“Something China is very good at is cultivating those political-level relationships with Pacific island leaders,” Mihai Sora, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute think tank and a former Australian diplomat posted to the Solomon Islands and Indonesia was quoted as saying.

At the same time, he said, China’s relationships in the Pacific “are not underpinned by aid, they’re underpinned by trade, underpinned by economics.”

In the case of the Solomon Islands, China accounted for 64.4 per cent of exports and 34.4 per cent of imports in 2020, the report said citing the latest data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.

Furthermore, a Brookings Institution report by Jonathan Pryke from 2020 noted that two-way trade between China and the Pacific region had overtaken that of Australia since 2013, excluding Papua New Guinea.

“You can’t ask Pacific island countries to choose between income versus an alliance (of) like-minded powers,” Sora said. “Better diplomacy is part of the answer, but it’s not the whole answer.”

Amid concern about China’s other moves in the region besides the security deal — lately it has also provided policing equipment to the Solomons and military equipment to Fiji, as well as loans to shore up pandemic-hit Pacific economies — Western allies are keeping the jabs flowing, the report said.

It has also been speculated that China is using the COVID-19 pandemic, and its vaccine diplomacy to further its reach in these Pacific countries.

Last July, China accused Australia of interfering in its vaccine assistance to Papua New Guinea, claiming that Australian consultants were using “political manipulation and bullying” to hinder the rollout. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Australia should “stop disrupting and undermining vaccine cooperation between China and Pacific island countries” — a charge Australia rejected, Asia Nikkei reported.

China denies exploiting the pandemic to bolster its influence, or engaging in vaccine diplomacy at all. “China’s vaccine assistance to [the] Solomon Islands is sincere, without any conditions attached,” Ambassador Li reportedly said last July. “China never pursues ‘vaccine diplomacy’ and has no intention to compete with any other country on vaccine assistance.”

When asked if the recent security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands came as a surprise, a former senior official from New Zealand told Asia Nikkei on condition of anonymity, “Not at all.” The ex-official noted China’s ambitions in the Pacific had been visible for some time.

With or without a base, the pact is seen as a potential game changer. In a Brookings article, foreign policy analyst Patricia Kim raised the question of whether it “heralds the rise of a more activist China that is now willing to extend military support to other states in its concerted search for allies.”

A way forward could be to forge more well-rounded relationships, with countries like the U.S., Australia, Japan and New Zealand pooling resources on “large-scale infrastructure projects and projects that deliver a security dividend as well an economic dividend,” Sora suggested.

Some steps are already being taken with Australian local media reporting last year that the country was ready to dole out hundreds of millions of dollars for Pacific projects, the report said.

Last Thursday, a joint statement from a European Union-Japan summit committed to deepening “ties with the Pacific island countries to strengthen good governance and resilience.”

However, for residents of these islands, all this geopolitical jockeying can seem a world away from their daily needs, the report said.

“Whether or not China establishes a military base in the Pacific,” Sora said, adding, “it doesn’t really solve the day-to-day development needs and livelihood needs, education and health needs of people in the Solomon Islands.” (ANI)

As the economic crisis in Sri Lanka is worsening day by day, several people including those jobless are participating in the protest against the government to get two-times meal for the day.
Hundreds of people including daily wage labourers and those who lost their jobs due to the ongoing crisis have queued up at Galle face in Colombo to get food provided by a Colombo based trust.

“We have started distributing food from April 9. We want the President to resign, as he is unable to take care of the poeple and failed to govern the country,” Akushla Fernando who is a social worker told ANI.

She said that her trust gets donation including money, goods and food from across the world. “So far we have distributed food to over thousand people.”

She added, “Many people including those who are working and are jobless come here. Also, there are some people who have lost their jobs because of the ongoing protest say that they don’t care about losing the job because they are protesting for their generation.”

Sri Lanka is facing a large-scale economic crisis, a level of economic emergency of unprecedented nature, with nationwide anti-government protests.

Shervin Ranatunga, another person who was distributing food provided by the Colombo based trust said that there are different kinds of people who are coming here from all over Sri Lanka. “They are coming from far away by buses, taxis and train and we provide for all.”

“We provide food to all without any discrimination –rich and poor,” he said.

Sri Lanka is currently struggling with acute food and electricity shortages and the recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a clampdown on tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is unable to buy sufficient fuel and gas, while the people are being deprived of basic amenities as well.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in an address to the nation on Monday gave an account of the grave economic situation facing the island nation and said that the people need to be prepared to make sacrifices.

Former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down on Monday, following violent incidents reported between pro-government groups and anti-government protesters. (ANI)

Karnataka is likely to witness widespread rains in the coming two to three days, India Meteorological Department informed on Wednesday.

In a conversation with ANI today, Dr Geeta Agnihotri, Head of Meteorological Department, Karnataka said, “For North Interior Karnataka, we are expecting widespread rains for the next two days followed by fairly widespread rains on Day 3. While on Day 4 and Day 5, we are expecting scattered rains.”
“For South interior Karnataka, widespread rains expected for the next two days, followed by fairly widespread rains from day 3-5. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in coastal Karnataka for day 1(today); heavy to very heavy rain on May 19, followed by heavy rain on May 20,” said Geeta Agnihotri.

The IMD in a tweet today also confirmed the information. It read, “Isolated heavy to very heavy falls very likely over Kerala-Mahe, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka on 19th and over Tamil Nadu on 18th with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Kerala-Mahe, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka on today, the 18th May.”

The IMD on Monday declared the onset of monsoon over the Andaman Sea. This year, the early monsoon has been attributed to Cyclone Asani which brought in plenty of moisture over the region.

The IMD, in its daily bulletin on Monday, said that the Southwest monsoon winds are all set to strengthen over these regions in the coming days, and the islands will experience rainfall. (ANI)

In a major step to enhance India’s stature as an international film-making destination, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday announced an incentive scheme for the audio-visual co-production and shooting of foreign films in India with a cash incentive of up to 30 per cent and a cap of USD 260,000.
The Minister made the announcement at the inauguration of the India Pavilion at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.

“I’m delighted to announce today in Cannes an incentive scheme for audio-visual co-production and shooting of foreign films in India with a cash incentive of up to 30% with a cap of USD 260,000,” the minister said.

He also announced incentives to boost local employment.

“In the case of foreign films that will be shot in India, an additional bonus with a cap of USD 65,000 for employing 15 per cent or more manpower in India,” the minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday expressed happiness at India’s participation as ‘Country of Honour’ at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

In a message, the Prime Minister had said that India truly possesses immense potential to become the content hub of the world and the government remains steadfast in its efforts towards furthering ease of doing business in the film sector.

He had also said that from facilitating international film co-productions to ensuring single window clearance mechanism for permissions for filming across the country, India offers seamless possibilities to filmmakers of the world.

“Our spellbinding locations, technological prowess in film making and the talent of young men and women provide a perfect backdrop for film makers,” PM Modi had said.

Anurag Thakur on Tuesday led the largest-ever Indian official delegation of eleven celebrities walking together on the inaugural event at Cannes Film Festival. Mame Khan became the first ever folk artist to open a Red Carpet for Indian contingent. (ANI)

Turkey has blocked the start of consideration of the application for accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, the Financial Times reported citing an informed source.

NATO ambassadors met on Wednesday to begin admission talks on the same day Finland and Sweden filed their bids, but Ankara’s obstruction halted any vote, the newspaper said.
It noted that this called into question the ability of NATO to agree on the first stage of the application of the two countries within one to two weeks.

All 30 NATO member countries must ratify the applications of Finland and Sweden, but the process can only begin when the alliance issues a protocol of acceptance and formally invites these countries to join NATO. (ANI/Sputnik)

Chinese authorities on May 10 detained 170 Tibetans in a village of Gade County allegedly for opposing the government’s order to confiscate grazing lands in the area, reported a Tibetan news website on Monday citing Tibetan Watch.

“The local police and other authorities in Cheudru Village pushed to investigate local Tibetans’ grassland use certificates and confiscate grassland from nomads if their certificates are out of date,” Phayul news quoted, citing a report.

The land which is being used by the nomadic Tibetans to keep their cattle was allotted to them with a permit valid for up to 50 years. Following the Chinese occupation, this land was under government control.

The report said that the Chinese authorities were confiscating the lands from the Tibetan nomads whose grassland-use certificates were outdated. The rural Tibetans claimed that the land given to them for use with a usage permit should belong to the people.

“Local Tibetans have opposed this directive, asserting that grazing lands should belong to the people. As a result of this resistance, over 170 Tibetans from Gade County have been summoned, detained and questioned at one of the county’s police stations,” Phayul news reported citing the report.

Last year, the authorities of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture confiscated the land from nomadic Tibetans and asked them to submit their grassland-use certificate citing that the land belongs only to the Chinese government.

Gade County is located in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in eastern Tibet. After their orders, other countries Golog, namely Machen County, Maduo County, Darlek County, Pema County, and Chigdril County also ordered to confiscate grazing lands from nomads if they were unable to submit the documents. (ANI)

Gujarat Congress Committee working president Hardik Patel, who recently expressed discontentment with the state party leadership, on Wednesday resigned from Congress.

Taking to Twitter, Patel said, “Today I took the courage to resign from the post (Gujarat Congress Committee working president) and primary membership of the Congress Party. I am sure that my decision will be welcomed by all my colleagues and the people of Gujarat. I believe that after this step, I will be able to work truly for Gujarat in future.”
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached out to disgruntled Gujarat Congress Committee working president Hardik Patel to sort out differences in the party unit ahead of state assembly polls, sources had said.

Party sources had claimed that Rahul Gandhi himself sent a message to Hardik Patel asking him to continue in the party. He also asked the party in charge and other leaders to reach out to Patel to sort out the differences.

Speculations were rife about Patel joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after he had lauded the BJP government for revoking Article 370 and the construction of Ram Mandir.

However, he had issued a clarification that he is not upset with party leaders Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi but he was upset with the state leadership.

According to reports, Patel who rose to prominence in July 2015 by leading a Patidar reservation movement, is upset with the party leadership for a long time now.

“He wanted to become president of the state Congress committee but he was only made the working president. Despite being appointed as the working president his opinion is not taken on major decisions by the state leadership,” sources had said.

Speculations are also there that Patel might join Aam Aadmi Party.

The Gujarat Assembly elections are slated to be held this year. (ANI)

Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez who is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, on Wednesday withdrew her petition filed before a Delhi court seeking permission to travel abroad, including Abu Dhabi to attend the IIFA Awards.

Fernandez withdrew her petition as the dates of the event were shifted in June and hence the court questioned her regarding the early approach.
Her lawyers agreed to the court’s query and said that they would approach the court after a few days.

Meanwhile, with regards to the travel to France and Nepal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed the court that for Nepal, her pass to attend the particular event has been cancelled and with regards to travel to France, she has not submitted satisfactory documents and hence the ED opposed her plea.

Earlier this month, the court sought a response from ED on an application moved by Fernandez seeking permission to release her passport for urgent travel to Abu Dhabi, UAE, Nepal, and France for 15 days.

Fernandez is being investigated by the ED in Rs 200 crore extortion case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar.

She had earlier appeared before the probe agency for questioning in a money-laundering investigation against Sukesh Chandrashekhar and others.

The Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh sought a response from the probe agency and had listed the matter for May 18, 2022 for hearing.

The plea submitted that Fernandez is a Sri Lankan national living in India since 2009 and belongs to a Bollywood fraternity and holds a good name in the Bollywood industry.

Advocate Ajit Singh, representing the actor submitted that the ED filed the chargesheet and has not named the applicant as an accused in the present matter. However, without citing any reason to the applicant, the ED seized the passport of the applicant.

The applicant had prayed for the release of her passport and seeks permission from the court to travel to Abu Dhabi, UAE, tentatively from May 17 to May 22, as International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards is organizing the 2022 IFA weekend and awards in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

It further stated that the applicant actor represents the Hindi film industry at the Cannes Film Festival and has been invited to attend and participate in the same from May 17 to May 28, 2022, in France.

The applicant is also associated with the Dabang show since 2017 and has been further invited to attend the same in Nepal from May 27 to May 28, 2022.

There is an active Look Out Circular against her which had led to her brief detention at Mumbai International Airport last year. (ANI)