The story of China starts with economies of scale offered by the country to the western industrial world so that they could outsource their manufacturing to China. With consequent exponential economic rise, came the conceit and hubris, particularly, in absence of political opposition, prompting the Chinese polity to nurture ambitions of acquiring a status of a world power.&nbsp;

While the Chinese are known for visualisation of their plans looking beyond hundreds of years, they apparently have set their eyes on world leadership role in the seemingly impractical short time span. The current Chinese leadership is obviously in hurry, prompting them to use the military to push their politico-economic agenda. As a result, they have disturbed the global geopolitical canvas, spreading negative political synergies all around.

A country like China, which is thriving on industrial production has a compulsion to seek and nurture the markets for her goods and services. In that, Chinese vulnerabilities lie in her geographical location on a distant flank with a limited communication network, energy inadequacy, and external political linkages to their manufacturing sector. Therefore, it essentially requires a secure and viable communication network for ease of logistics, cooperative approach to market competition, and mutual respect and accommodation to interests of other stakeholders. However, there is an apparent conceptual deficit as regards to all these parameters, when it comes to China.

China happens to be literally a landlocked entity with exception of the eastern flank, which opens to the high seas. Then there are a number of contentious political issues with her neighbours, primarily due to Chinese political manipulations and cultural hubris. As a result, China has to transit through circuitous and not so friendly Indo-Pacific region. Hence, they nurture deep-seated insecurities and apprehensions which have shaped Chinese political conduct. In that, they seem to have chosen to use selective coercive diplomacy and confrontationist attitude instead of cooperative accommodation to achieve their national objectives.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Such a political brinkmanship, however, have no place in current globalised corporate culture. Somewhere in their political psyche China continues to nurture a medieval mindset, which may turn out to be a probable cause of nemesis for their ambitions.

China has embarked upon BRI scheme to take care of their economic insecurities and increase their political influence world over. Chinese military overtures in the South China Sea and &ldquo;Strings of Pearls&rdquo; in the&nbsp;Indian Ocean are operative part of their expansionist strategy.&nbsp; China, in pursuit of their economic colonisation, intends investing in the improvement of logistics infrastructure as well as establish industrial and power corridors in impoverished countries of Chinese interests.&nbsp;

On the Western flank, the CPEC scheme seems to be running into rough weather due to Chinese insensitivity in trespassing Indian sovereignty and security situation in Af-Pak region which happens to be the most disturbed areas as on date. Geopolitical interests coupled with the physical presence of extra-regional powers in Afghanistan have further complicated the political situation which is unlikely to be resolved in near future. Within Pakistan also, there is a political dissent in face of Chinese hegemonic tendencies. Rebellious Baluchistan and Northern Areas add to the friction areas for smooth operation of the scheme.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On the Eastern flank, China has chosen to use military overtures in staking their claims over the South China Sea(SNS) based on unsubstantiated historical linkages. They have also refused to obey directives of international court on the law of seas at Hague. It has led to militarisation of the South China Sea with an occasional show of force and coercive military diplomacy. It surely has increased political opposition amongst the larger part of international community impinging on Chinese credibility as a responsible emerging power.&nbsp;

There have been scathing diplomatic statements targeting China from various world forums in favour of a free flow of trade in international waters. Naval exercises the Malabar and Quad consisting of US, India, Australia and Japan are part of military diplomacy to convey coercive political signals to China.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Southern flank, though much away from their mainland, Chinese expansionist pattern is reflective in the desire to come up with a &ldquo;Strings of Pearls&rdquo; in the Indian Ocean region, the latest one being reported to be on&nbsp; Pakistani coastline. In that, China has been exploiting small countries with a lure of economic goodies in return for permitting the establishment of Chinese military bases to safeguard their maritime interests. It has increased the military ante in the IOR as the region happens to be the link between two most frequented oceans for international trade and commerce.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India, with her domination of the IOR, is a matter of concern for China. They see India as an impediment to their hegemonic intent of pushing their economic agenda.&nbsp; Hence, a deep set of insecurities have shaped Sino-Indian relations wherein China sees India as a rival who needs to be given a punch and not a handshake.

Consequently, China has been indulging in military overtures against their regional rivals so to make them submit to their political dictates. The Doklam standoff followed by an increase in military incursions along the Sino-Indian LAC is part of their high handedness and coercive diplomacy. They keep issuing similar coercive warnings to countries in regions of the South China Sea and South East Asia.&nbsp; China, obviously, wants to keep the water warm but not boiling through such a politico-military psychological warfare.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Overall the strategic audit is indicative of Chinese failure in &ldquo;team building&rdquo; due to their self-centered exclusivity, insensitive conduct and absence of political social grace expected of a responsible leader in making. Therefore, the&nbsp; Chinese vision does not seem to be in sync with appropriate strategic outlook. The rhythm of their ongoing political tango is not conducive towards achieving their aspirations. Hence, China needs an urgent mid-course correction.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China seems to have chosen to use coercive diplomacy and confrontationist attitude instead of cooperative accommodation to achieve their national objectives.

The story of China starts with economies of scale offered by the country to the western industrial world so that they could outsource their manufacturing to China. With consequent exponential economic rise, came the conceit and hubris, particularly, in absence of political opposition, prompting the Chinese polity to nurture ambitions of acquiring a status of a world power. While the Chinese are known for visualisation of their plans looking beyond hundreds of years, they apparently have set their eyes on world leadership role in the seemingly impractical short time span. The current Chinese leadership is obviously in hurry, prompting them to use the military to push their politico-economic agenda. As a result, they have disturbed the global geopolitical canvas, spreading negative political synergies all around. A country like China, which is thriving on industrial production has a compulsion to seek and nurture the markets for her goods and services. In that, Chinese vulnerabilities lie in her geographical location on a distant flank with a limited communication network, energy inadequacy, and external political linkages to their manufacturing sector. Therefore, it essentially requires a secure and viable communication network for ease of logistics, cooperative approach to market competition, and mutual respect and accommodation to interests of other stakeholders. However, there is an apparent conceptual deficit as regards to all these parameters, when it comes to China. China happens to be literally a landlocked entity with exception of the eastern flank, which opens to the high seas. Then there are a number of contentious political issues with her neighbours, primarily due to Chinese political manipulations and cultural hubris. As a result, China has to transit through circuitous and not so friendly Indo-Pacific region. Hence, they nurture deep-seated insecurities and apprehensions which have shaped Chinese political conduct. In that, they seem to have chosen to use selective coercive diplomacy and confrontationist attitude instead of cooperative accommodation to achieve their national objectives. Such a political brinkmanship, however, have no place in current globalised corporate culture. Somewhere in their political psyche China continues to nurture a medieval mindset, which may turn out to be a probable cause of nemesis for their ambitions. China has embarked upon BRI scheme to take care of their economic insecurities and increase their political influence world over. Chinese military overtures in the South China Sea and “Strings of Pearls” in the Indian Ocean are operative part of their expansionist strategy. China, in pursuit of their economic colonisation, intends investing in the improvement of logistics infrastructure as well as establish industrial and power corridors in impoverished countries of Chinese interests. On the Western flank, the CPEC scheme seems to be running into rough weather due to Chinese insensitivity in trespassing Indian sovereignty and security situation in Af-Pak region which happens to be the most disturbed areas as on date. Geopolitical interests coupled with the physical presence of extra-regional powers in Afghanistan have further complicated the political situation which is unlikely to be resolved in near future. Within Pakistan also, there is a political dissent in face of Chinese hegemonic tendencies. Rebellious Baluchistan and Northern Areas add to the friction areas for smooth operation of the scheme. On the Eastern flank, China has chosen to use military overtures in staking their claims over the South China Sea(SNS) based on unsubstantiated historical linkages. They have also refused to obey directives of international court on the law of seas at Hague. It has led to militarisation of the South China Sea with an occasional show of force and coercive military diplomacy. It surely has increased political opposition amongst the larger part of international community impinging on Chinese credibility as a responsible emerging power. There have been scathing diplomatic statements targeting China from various world forums in favour of a free flow of trade in international waters. Naval exercises the Malabar and Quad consisting of US, India, Australia and Japan are part of military diplomacy to convey coercive political signals to China. On Southern flank, though much away from their mainland, Chinese expansionist pattern is reflective in the desire to come up with a “Strings of Pearls” in the Indian Ocean region, the latest one being reported to be on Pakistani coastline. In that, China has been exploiting small countries with a lure of economic goodies in return for permitting the establishment of Chinese military bases to safeguard their maritime interests. It has increased the military ante in the IOR as the region happens to be the link between two most frequented oceans for international trade and commerce. India, with her domination of the IOR, is a matter of concern for China. They see India as an impediment to their hegemonic intent of pushing their economic agenda. Hence, a deep set of insecurities have shaped Sino-Indian relations wherein China sees India as a rival who needs to be given a punch and not a handshake. Consequently, China has been indulging in military overtures against their regional rivals so to make them submit to their political dictates. The Doklam standoff followed by an increase in military incursions along the Sino-Indian LAC is part of their high handedness and coercive diplomacy. They keep issuing similar coercive warnings to countries in regions of the South China Sea and South East Asia. China, obviously, wants to keep the water warm but not boiling through such a politico-military psychological warfare. Overall the strategic audit is indicative of Chinese failure in “team building” due to their self-centered exclusivity, insensitive conduct and absence of political social grace expected of a responsible leader in making. Therefore, the Chinese vision does not seem to be in sync with appropriate strategic outlook. The rhythm of their ongoing political tango is not conducive towards achieving their aspirations. Hence, China needs an urgent mid-course correction. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: China's military adventures are not in sync with its political ambition

The military and police in the Maldives continue to manhandle Members of Parliament (MPs) as two MPs were stopped from entering the Parliament building on Thursday as well.

The two injured MPs, identified as Hassan Ali and Abdullah Mohamed were attacked and rushed to the hospital.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-amid-political-turmoil-military-throws-mps-out-of-the-parliament-32895" target="_blank">Maldives Army throws MPs out of Parliament&nbsp;</a>

&quot;We are deeply concerned that the military and police are still continuing the siege of the Parliament building and the Supreme Court,&quot; Spokesperson of Joint Opposition Ahmed Mahloof told ANI.

Earlier in the day, MP Abdulla Shahid alleged President Abdulla Yameen of inciting violence.Shahid on Twitter said, &quot;President Yameen speaking to his supporters last night incited them to violence by telling them that he believed they would have killed &amp; slaughtered the opposition if he had obeyed the SC Ruling of 1st Feb.&nbsp;

We have a THUG, not a President! #MaldivesInCrisis #StateOfEmergencyMV&quot; Yesterday, the military in the Maldives reportedly threw around 12 MPs from Joint Opposition out of the Parliament building.&quot;Parliament under military siege in #Maldives parliament today members were thrown out of the parliament building compound,&quot; Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Thilafaiy tweeted.

On Tuesday, the military blocked MPs from entering the Parliament building.

Earlier this month, the Maldivian Supreme Court acquitted former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement of the 12 other parliamentary members.

The Maldivian Supreme Court acquitted former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement of the 12 other parliamentary members

The military and police in the Maldives continue to manhandle Members of Parliament (MPs) as two MPs were stopped from entering the Parliament building on Thursday as well. The two injured MPs, identified as Hassan Ali and Abdullah Mohamed were attacked and rushed to the hospital. Also read: Maldives Army throws MPs out of Parliament "We are deeply concerned that the military and police are still continuing the siege of the Parliament building and the Supreme Court," Spokesperson of Joint Opposition Ahmed Mahloof told ANI. Earlier in the day, MP Abdulla Shahid alleged President Abdulla Yameen of inciting violence.Shahid on Twitter said, "President Yameen speaking to his supporters last night incited them to violence by telling them that he believed they would have killed & slaughtered the opposition if he had obeyed the SC Ruling of 1st Feb. We have a THUG, not a President! #MaldivesInCrisis #StateOfEmergencyMV" Yesterday, the military in the Maldives reportedly threw around 12 MPs from Joint Opposition out of the Parliament building."Parliament under military siege in #Maldives parliament today members were thrown out of the parliament building compound," Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Thilafaiy tweeted. On Tuesday, the military blocked MPs from entering the Parliament building. Earlier this month, the Maldivian Supreme Court acquitted former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement of the 12 other parliamentary members.

Maldives crisis: Military continues to manhandle MPs

The US&nbsp;military has put countering China and Russia at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled on Friday, the latest sign of shifting priorities after more than a decade and a half of focussing on the fight against Islamist militants.

In presenting the new strategy, which will set priorities for the Pentagon for years to come, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called China and Russia &quot;revisionist powers&quot; that &quot;seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models.&quot;

The &quot;National Defense Strategy&quot; represents the latest sign of hardening resolve by President Donald Trump&#39;s administration to address challenges from Russia and China, at the same time he is pushing for improved ties with Moscow and Beijing to rein in a nuclear North Korea.

&quot;We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists that we are engaged in today, but great power competition, not terrorism, is now the primary focus of US&nbsp;national security,&quot; Mattis said in a speech presenting the strategy document, the first of its kind since at least 2014.

It sets priorities for the US&nbsp;Defense Department that are expected to be reflected in future defence spending requests. The Pentagon on Friday released an unclassified, 11-page version of the document, which did not provide details on how the shift towards countering China and Russia would be carried out.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking through an interpreter at a news conference at the United Nations, said the United States was using a confrontational approach.

&quot;It is regrettable that instead of having a normal dialogue, instead of using the basis of international law, the US&nbsp;is striving to prove their leadership through such confrontational strategies and concepts,&quot; Lavrov said.

&quot;We&#39;re open for dialogue, we&#39;re prepared to discuss military doctrines,&rdquo; he added.

There was no immediate response from China.

Elbridge Colby, deputy assistant secretary of defence for strategy and force development, said at a briefing with reporters that Russia was far more brazen than China in its use of military power.

Russia annexed Ukraine&#39;s Crimean peninsula in 2014 and intervened militarily in Syria to support its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Still, Moscow was limited by its economic resources, Colby said.

China, on the other hand, was described as economically and militarily ascendant. China has embarked on a far-reaching military modernization that Colby said was in &quot;deep contravention to our interests.&quot;

Experts praised the document&#39;s targeting of the largest national security threats rather than the longer lists of risks in some previous strategies. But without knowing the budget commitments, it was difficult to assess if it was a sound strategy.

&quot;If we don&#39;t actually see where the money is, you know, there is the danger that it could become all words,&quot; said Mara Karlin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank and a senior defence official in the Obama administration.

The document also listed North Korea among the Pentagon&#39;s priorities, citing the need to focus US&nbsp;missile defences against the threat from Pyongyang, which beyond its nuclear weapons has also amassed an arsenal of biological, chemical, and conventional arms.

The document said that international alliances would be critical for the US&nbsp;military, by far the world&#39;s best-resourced. But it also stressed a need for burden-sharing, an apparent nod to Trump&#39;s public criticism of allies who he says unfairly take advantage of US&nbsp;security guarantees.

Trump has called the NATO alliance &quot;obsolete&quot;, but Mattis said the United States would strengthen its traditional alliances while building new partnerships and listening more to other nations&#39; ideas.

&quot;We will be willing to be persuaded by them, recognising that not all good ideas come from the country with the most aircraft carriers,&quot; Mattis said.

The Pentagon is also working on a policy document on the country&#39;s nuclear arsenal. While Mattis did not specifically address that review, he said the priority is deterrence.

&quot;How do we maintain a safe and effective nuclear deterrence so those weapons are never used? It is a nuclear deterrent, it is not a war fighting capability unless it is the worst day in our nation or the world&#39;s history,&quot; Mattis said.

Mattis had harsh words for the US&nbsp;Congress and its inability to reach agreement on budgets.

The US&nbsp;military&#39;s competitive edge has eroded &quot;in every domain of warfare&quot; he said, partly because of inconsistent funding. A bill to fund the government only through Feb. 16, approved on Thursday night by the House of Representatives, appeared on the verge of collapse in the Senate.

&quot;As hard as the last 16 years of war have been, no enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of the U.S. military than the combined impact&quot; of spending caps and short-term funding.

In sheer spending terms, the United States&#39; military outlay per year is still far more than China and Russia. The United States is spending $587.8 billion per year on its military, China $161.7 billion and Russia $44.6 billion.

In presenting the new strategy, which will set priorities for the Pentagon for years to come, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called China and Russia 'revisionist powers' that 'seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models'

The US military has put countering China and Russia at the centre of a new national defence strategy unveiled on Friday, the latest sign of shifting priorities after more than a decade and a half of focussing on the fight against Islamist militants. In presenting the new strategy, which will set priorities for the Pentagon for years to come, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called China and Russia "revisionist powers" that "seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models." The "National Defense Strategy" represents the latest sign of hardening resolve by President Donald Trump's administration to address challenges from Russia and China, at the same time he is pushing for improved ties with Moscow and Beijing to rein in a nuclear North Korea. "We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists that we are engaged in today, but great power competition, not terrorism, is now the primary focus of US national security," Mattis said in a speech presenting the strategy document, the first of its kind since at least 2014. It sets priorities for the US Defense Department that are expected to be reflected in future defence spending requests. The Pentagon on Friday released an unclassified, 11-page version of the document, which did not provide details on how the shift towards countering China and Russia would be carried out. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking through an interpreter at a news conference at the United Nations, said the United States was using a confrontational approach. "It is regrettable that instead of having a normal dialogue, instead of using the basis of international law, the US is striving to prove their leadership through such confrontational strategies and concepts," Lavrov said. "We're open for dialogue, we're prepared to discuss military doctrines,” he added. There was no immediate response from China. Elbridge Colby, deputy assistant secretary of defence for strategy and force development, said at a briefing with reporters that Russia was far more brazen than China in its use of military power. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014 and intervened militarily in Syria to support its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Still, Moscow was limited by its economic resources, Colby said. China, on the other hand, was described as economically and militarily ascendant. China has embarked on a far-reaching military modernization that Colby said was in "deep contravention to our interests." Experts praised the document's targeting of the largest national security threats rather than the longer lists of risks in some previous strategies. But without knowing the budget commitments, it was difficult to assess if it was a sound strategy. "If we don't actually see where the money is, you know, there is the danger that it could become all words," said Mara Karlin, a fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank and a senior defence official in the Obama administration. The document also listed North Korea among the Pentagon's priorities, citing the need to focus US missile defences against the threat from Pyongyang, which beyond its nuclear weapons has also amassed an arsenal of biological, chemical, and conventional arms. The document said that international alliances would be critical for the US military, by far the world's best-resourced. But it also stressed a need for burden-sharing, an apparent nod to Trump's public criticism of allies who he says unfairly take advantage of US security guarantees. Trump has called the NATO alliance "obsolete", but Mattis said the United States would strengthen its traditional alliances while building new partnerships and listening more to other nations' ideas. "We will be willing to be persuaded by them, recognising that not all good ideas come from the country with the most aircraft carriers," Mattis said. The Pentagon is also working on a policy document on the country's nuclear arsenal. While Mattis did not specifically address that review, he said the priority is deterrence. "How do we maintain a safe and effective nuclear deterrence so those weapons are never used? It is a nuclear deterrent, it is not a war fighting capability unless it is the worst day in our nation or the world's history," Mattis said. Mattis had harsh words for the US Congress and its inability to reach agreement on budgets. The US military's competitive edge has eroded "in every domain of warfare" he said, partly because of inconsistent funding. A bill to fund the government only through Feb. 16, approved on Thursday night by the House of Representatives, appeared on the verge of collapse in the Senate. "As hard as the last 16 years of war have been, no enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of the U.S. military than the combined impact" of spending caps and short-term funding. In sheer spending terms, the United States' military outlay per year is still far more than China and Russia. The United States is spending $587.8 billion per year on its military, China $161.7 billion and Russia $44.6 billion.

US military puts China, Russia at centre of new national defence strategy

Finance minister Arun Jaitley presented the much-anticipated Union Budget 2018 on February 1st.&nbsp;&nbsp;

One of the major takeaways from his speech was his high-profile plan to create the &ldquo;world&#39;s largest health insurance programme&rdquo;. The Budget allocated maximum resources towards the agriculture and rural sector in India.&nbsp;

This is also being seen as a test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain fiscal discipline without stifling economic growth ahead of general elections next year.&nbsp;

But, another key pointer in the finance minister&rsquo;s speech was the allocation towards the defence sector.&nbsp;

An outlay of Rs 2.95 lakh crore was set aside for the defence budget for the next fiscal which is an increase of 7.81% over last year&#39;s Rs 2.74 lakh crore.&nbsp;

With the ever-increasing number of ceasefire violations along the LoC, the capital outlay for the three defence services &ndash; Army, Navy &amp; Air Force -&nbsp; for purchase of new weapons, aircraft, warships and other military hardware has been pegged at Rs 99,947 crore making the total amount allotted towards defence at of Rs 2,95,511 crore from Rs 2,74,114 crore last year.&nbsp;

However, the Indian Air Force capital budget was 46% lower than its requirements, the Indian Army&rsquo;s was 41% and the Indian Navy&rsquo;s was 32%, reports said.&nbsp;

A measly revision in the defence sector, also considering the present situation with Pakistan and China, is a crushing reminder of the need for developing the military. Also, the defence outlay works out to just about 1.58% of the projected GDP for 2018-19 -&nbsp; the lowest figure since the 1962 war with China.&nbsp;

India is the fifth largest military spender in the world and also the largest importer of arms. About 13% of the world&#39;s total imports between 2012-2016 were by India, a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute stated.

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India fifth-largest military spender. Source: SIPRI (Twitter)
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&nbsp;

A throwback to 1961 - the year before the India-China war reveals India&rsquo;s defence expenditure was Rs 266.72 crores, however, in 1962 &ndash; the year of war - the defence services budget was only increased by Rs 1.7 crore.&nbsp;

The year after the Sino-India war, the then Finance Minister Morarji R Desai decided to allocate a whopping amount of Rs 708.51 crore in defence out of the total revenue expenditure of Rs 1852.40 crores.&nbsp;

Low spending on defence has often been cited as the main reason for India&#39;s lack of defence preparedness, leading to its defeat against China in 1962.&nbsp;

Cut to 1964, the year before Indo-Pakistan war, of the total revenue expenditure of Rs 2,041 crores, an amount of Rs 718 crores was allocated for the defence services.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 1965, the year of the war, the increase in revenue was Rs 29 crores from 1964 figure, this was the year when the National Defence Remittance Scheme was also introduced.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Honourable Members will also appreciate that while it has always been our policy to restrict expenditure on defence to the maximum extent possible so as to conserve all possible sources for securing the well-being of our people, we cannot afford to take any chances with the security of the nation, devoted though we are to the cause of peace&quot; the FM Sachindra Chaudhuri was quoted saying in his speech in 1966.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 1970, the military budget stood at 2.9% of the total GDP which drastically rose to 3.417% in 1971, the year of India-Pakistan war.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the preceding year, the military budget was 3.4% (a miniscule revision). In 1974 though, the budget drastically dropped to 2.995% of the total GDP.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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Military expenditure (% of GDP). Source: World Bank (Others)
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See a pattern?&nbsp;&nbsp;

The usual thinking in the government is that only when there is a war the defence budget should be increased. Otherwise, no focus is laid in this sector, it is not given much priority.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Moreover, since the last three years, there has actually been a decline in budget allocation for capital investments against requirements, or &ldquo;projections&rdquo; in the official sense, a factor that could delay procurement and modernization of the armed forces, according to a report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee On Defence 2017-18.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Funds allocated (each year) under the budget estimate have been reduced at the revised estimate stage by the ministry of finance, broadly on the pretext of trend of expenditure at that point of time,&quot; the defence ministry said in its response to questions by the Parliamentary committee.&nbsp;

&quot;Though there has been under-utilisation of capital budget with regards to budget estimate (except in 2016-17), there has been either excess expenditure or more than 99 percent utilisation when compared to final grant,&quot; it said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This even as India and China were close to a faceoff in Doklam. Moreover, deaths due to terrorist violence increased 30 per cent in Jammu &amp; Kashmir &mdash; from 267 in 2016 to 347 in 2017 (December).&nbsp;&nbsp;

With just a 7.81% increase in the defence budget, the modernisation of the services cannot be supported. It also means that the policy and acquisition decisions which have been taken will not be executed.
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Source: SIPRI (Twitter)
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The major worry for the army during a war would be a shortage of ammunition. The army faces 40% shortage of ammunition &mdash; 61 of 152 types of ammunition was in critical level &mdash; to fight a 10-day long war, according to a CAG report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&ldquo;Transformation in defence production requires higher allocation. If the government is keen on promoting &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; in defence production then there has to be a proper infrastructure creation for that and that requires huge money. When you are operating under a low budget then all your mega acquisition plans become severely constrained,&rdquo; said Vikram Mahajan, Director (Defence and Aerospace), US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
</div>

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Source: ChinaPower (Others)
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Experts added that what ultimately needs to be done is to ensure that India&#39;s military can face a high-tech Chinese Army, especially when China&#39;s 2017 defence budget stands at $152 billion (Rs 9.75 lakh crore).&nbsp;&nbsp;

This would naturally call for stricter action towards defence expenditure through the years but historical facts and the timelines have also proven that there has not been enough inclination towards India&rsquo;s defense needs.&nbsp;
</div>

An outlay of Rs 2.95 lakh crore was set aside for the defence budget for the next fiscal which is an increase of 7.81% over last year's Rs 2.74 lakh crore

Finance minister Arun Jaitley presented the much-anticipated Union Budget 2018 on February 1st. One of the major takeaways from his speech was his high-profile plan to create the “world's largest health insurance programme”. The Budget allocated maximum resources towards the agriculture and rural sector in India. This is also being seen as a test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain fiscal discipline without stifling economic growth ahead of general elections next year. But, another key pointer in the finance minister’s speech was the allocation towards the defence sector. An outlay of Rs 2.95 lakh crore was set aside for the defence budget for the next fiscal which is an increase of 7.81% over last year's Rs 2.74 lakh crore. With the ever-increasing number of ceasefire violations along the LoC, the capital outlay for the three defence services – Army, Navy & Air Force - for purchase of new weapons, aircraft, warships and other military hardware has been pegged at Rs 99,947 crore making the total amount allotted towards defence at of Rs 2,95,511 crore from Rs 2,74,114 crore last year. However, the Indian Air Force capital budget was 46% lower than its requirements, the Indian Army’s was 41% and the Indian Navy’s was 32%, reports said. A measly revision in the defence sector, also considering the present situation with Pakistan and China, is a crushing reminder of the need for developing the military. Also, the defence outlay works out to just about 1.58% of the projected GDP for 2018-19 - the lowest figure since the 1962 war with China. India is the fifth largest military spender in the world and also the largest importer of arms. About 13% of the world's total imports between 2012-2016 were by India, a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute stated. India fifth-largest military spender. Source: SIPRI (Twitter) × A throwback to 1961 - the year before the India-China war reveals India’s defence expenditure was Rs 266.72 crores, however, in 1962 – the year of war - the defence services budget was only increased by Rs 1.7 crore. The year after the Sino-India war, the then Finance Minister Morarji R Desai decided to allocate a whopping amount of Rs 708.51 crore in defence out of the total revenue expenditure of Rs 1852.40 crores. Low spending on defence has often been cited as the main reason for India's lack of defence preparedness, leading to its defeat against China in 1962. Cut to 1964, the year before Indo-Pakistan war, of the total revenue expenditure of Rs 2,041 crores, an amount of Rs 718 crores was allocated for the defence services. In 1965, the year of the war, the increase in revenue was Rs 29 crores from 1964 figure, this was the year when the National Defence Remittance Scheme was also introduced. "Honourable Members will also appreciate that while it has always been our policy to restrict expenditure on defence to the maximum extent possible so as to conserve all possible sources for securing the well-being of our people, we cannot afford to take any chances with the security of the nation, devoted though we are to the cause of peace" the FM Sachindra Chaudhuri was quoted saying in his speech in 1966. In 1970, the military budget stood at 2.9% of the total GDP which drastically rose to 3.417% in 1971, the year of India-Pakistan war. In the preceding year, the military budget was 3.4% (a miniscule revision). In 1974 though, the budget drastically dropped to 2.995% of the total GDP. Military expenditure (% of GDP). Source: World Bank (Others) × See a pattern? The usual thinking in the government is that only when there is a war the defence budget should be increased. Otherwise, no focus is laid in this sector, it is not given much priority. Moreover, since the last three years, there has actually been a decline in budget allocation for capital investments against requirements, or “projections” in the official sense, a factor that could delay procurement and modernization of the armed forces, according to a report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee On Defence 2017-18. "Funds allocated (each year) under the budget estimate have been reduced at the revised estimate stage by the ministry of finance, broadly on the pretext of trend of expenditure at that point of time," the defence ministry said in its response to questions by the Parliamentary committee. "Though there has been under-utilisation of capital budget with regards to budget estimate (except in 2016-17), there has been either excess expenditure or more than 99 percent utilisation when compared to final grant," it said. This even as India and China were close to a faceoff in Doklam. Moreover, deaths due to terrorist violence increased 30 per cent in Jammu & Kashmir — from 267 in 2016 to 347 in 2017 (December). With just a 7.81% increase in the defence budget, the modernisation of the services cannot be supported. It also means that the policy and acquisition decisions which have been taken will not be executed. Source: SIPRI (Twitter) × The major worry for the army during a war would be a shortage of ammunition. The army faces 40% shortage of ammunition — 61 of 152 types of ammunition was in critical level — to fight a 10-day long war, according to a CAG report. “Transformation in defence production requires higher allocation. If the government is keen on promoting ‘Make in India’ in defence production then there has to be a proper infrastructure creation for that and that requires huge money. When you are operating under a low budget then all your mega acquisition plans become severely constrained,” said Vikram Mahajan, Director (Defence and Aerospace), US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). Source: ChinaPower (Others) × Experts added that what ultimately needs to be done is to ensure that India's military can face a high-tech Chinese Army, especially when China's 2017 defence budget stands at $152 billion (Rs 9.75 lakh crore). This would naturally call for stricter action towards defence expenditure through the years but historical facts and the timelines have also proven that there has not been enough inclination towards India’s defense needs.

Jaitley's defence outlay in Union Budget is lowest since India-China 1962 war

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gunfire-and-explosions-at-marshal-fahim-military-university-in-kabul-31031" target="_blank">Military university in Kabul rocked by explosions and heavy gunfire: Reports</a>

The Marshal Fahim Military University in the Afghan capital of Kabul has come under attack on Monday morning with a series of explosions and heavy gunfire heard at the compound, according to local media.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/grammys-2018-live-ed-sheeran-wins-best-solo-performance-for-shape-of-you-31014" target="_blank">Grammys 2018, Live: Bruno Mars wins Song of The Year for &#39;That&#39;s What I Like&#39;</a>

Bruno Mars receives the Grammy for the Best Song of the year during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show on January 28, 2018, in New York.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/budget-2018-with-assembly-elections-lined-up-government-to-woo-rural-voters-in-budget-31027" target="_blank">Budget 2018: With assembly elections lined up, government to woo rural voters in budget</a>

The Modi government will be trying to woo back rural voters and small businesses when it announces the 2018/19 budget on Thursday and pick up economic momentum as it heads into a season of elections, officials said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/aap-leaders-to-march-to-parliament-today-urging-government-to-end-sealing-drive-in-delhi-31032" target="_blank">AAP leaders to march to Parliament today urging government to end sealing drive in Delhi&nbsp;</a>

AAP leaders will march to the Parliament today urging the Modi government to end sealing of markets in the national capital.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blasts-eu-trade-policy-with-us-as-very-unfair-31020" target="_blank">Trump blasts EU trade policy with </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blasts-eu-trade-policy-with-us-as-very-unfair-31020" target="_blank">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-blasts-eu-trade-policy-with-us-as-very-unfair-31020" target="_blank"> as &#39;very unfair&#39;</a>

The European Union`s trade policy with America is &quot;very unfair&quot;, President Donald Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday, warning that his many problems with Brussels &quot;may morph into something very big&quot;.

Military university in Kabul rocked by explosions and heavy gunfire: Reports The Marshal Fahim Military University in the Afghan capital of Kabul has come under attack on Monday morning with a series of explosions and heavy gunfire heard at the compound, according to local media. Grammys 2018, Live: Bruno Mars wins Song of The Year for 'That's What I Like' Bruno Mars receives the Grammy for the Best Song of the year during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show on January 28, 2018, in New York. Budget 2018: With assembly elections lined up, government to woo rural voters in budget The Modi government will be trying to woo back rural voters and small businesses when it announces the 2018/19 budget on Thursday and pick up economic momentum as it heads into a season of elections, officials said. AAP leaders to march to Parliament today urging government to end sealing drive in Delhi AAP leaders will march to the Parliament today urging the Modi government to end sealing of markets in the national capital. Trump blasts EU trade policy with US as 'very unfair' The European Union`s trade policy with America is "very unfair", President Donald Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday, warning that his many problems with Brussels "may morph into something very big".

WION Morning News Brief, January 29, 2018

In a bid to strengthen Afghanistan&rsquo;s air force, India is reportedly planning to purchase used Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships for the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF).

The purchase was considered at the special request of the Afghan government headed by Ashraf Ghani.

The move signals closer cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow to bolster Afghanistan&#39;s air capabilities.

It also highlights the growing military cooperation between India and Afghanistan.&nbsp;

An Indian Defence Ministry team is expected to travel to an East European country, possibly Serbia or Ukraine, that still operate Soviet-era aircraft, and an Afghan defence team is expected in Delhi shortly to follow up on the discussions.&nbsp;

As per media reports, there was heightened urgency for the helicopter transaction, as all seven of the old Mi-25/35 attack helicopters and Cheetal utility helicopters transferred by New Delhi to Kabul in 2016, have been grounded and need repairs.

NATO countries cannot purchase Russian-made hardware&ndash;including the parts needed to repair Soviet-era helicopters&ndash;due to Western-imposed sanctions on Russia.&nbsp;

As a result, the Indian initiative will be of particular importance.

If reports are to be believed, Russia has already agreed to take over maintenance of the Indian-supplied Mi-25s and M-17 transport helicopters.

The purchase was considered at the special request of the Afghan government headed by Ashraf Ghani

In a bid to strengthen Afghanistan’s air force, India is reportedly planning to purchase used Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships for the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF). The purchase was considered at the special request of the Afghan government headed by Ashraf Ghani. The move signals closer cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow to bolster Afghanistan's air capabilities. It also highlights the growing military cooperation between India and Afghanistan. An Indian Defence Ministry team is expected to travel to an East European country, possibly Serbia or Ukraine, that still operate Soviet-era aircraft, and an Afghan defence team is expected in Delhi shortly to follow up on the discussions. As per media reports, there was heightened urgency for the helicopter transaction, as all seven of the old Mi-25/35 attack helicopters and Cheetal utility helicopters transferred by New Delhi to Kabul in 2016, have been grounded and need repairs. NATO countries cannot purchase Russian-made hardware–including the parts needed to repair Soviet-era helicopters–due to Western-imposed sanctions on Russia. As a result, the Indian initiative will be of particular importance. If reports are to be believed, Russia has already agreed to take over maintenance of the Indian-supplied Mi-25s and M-17 transport helicopters.

Watch: India to buy Russian Mi-35 helicopters for Afghanistan

Pakistan&#39;s military has warned the United States against taking any &#39;unilateral action&#39; against it, adding that the country&#39;s respect and sovereignty come first.

&quot;The armed forces are working with friends and want to continue doing so, but there can be no compromise on our national honour. We do not want a conflict with our friends, but will ensure the security of Pakistan,&quot; The Dawn quoted the Pakistan military spokesperson Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor as saying in a media briefing.

On December 4, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo issued a stern warning to Pakistan that if it did not act against the alleged terrorist safe havens inside the country, then the United States would be forced to destroy them on its own.

The CIA director gave this warning at the Reagan National Defence Forum in California on Saturday, when he was queried about what Trump administration was doing to make Pakistan participate in its new Afghan strategy.

Pakistan has consistently denied claims of Afghanistan and United States with respect to the presence of the terror havens on its soil.

Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed that the majority of the attacks carried out in his country were coordinated from Afghanistan.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis has urged Pakistan to double its efforts to confront terrorists operating within the country.

He emphasised the vital role that Pakistan could play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan and bring back stability and security to the region, during his maiden visit to Pakistan since taking charge of the Pentagon.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share the strained bilateral relationship.

Both Kabul and Islamabad steadily purport that the attacks in the two countries were being plotted and carried out by the safe havens located in the two countries.&nbsp;

Pakistan has consistently denied claims of Afghanistan and United States with respect to the presence of the terror havens on its soil

Pakistan's military has warned the United States against taking any 'unilateral action' against it, adding that the country's respect and sovereignty come first. "The armed forces are working with friends and want to continue doing so, but there can be no compromise on our national honour. We do not want a conflict with our friends, but will ensure the security of Pakistan," The Dawn quoted the Pakistan military spokesperson Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor as saying in a media briefing. On December 4, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo issued a stern warning to Pakistan that if it did not act against the alleged terrorist safe havens inside the country, then the United States would be forced to destroy them on its own. The CIA director gave this warning at the Reagan National Defence Forum in California on Saturday, when he was queried about what Trump administration was doing to make Pakistan participate in its new Afghan strategy. Pakistan has consistently denied claims of Afghanistan and United States with respect to the presence of the terror havens on its soil. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif claimed that the majority of the attacks carried out in his country were coordinated from Afghanistan. US Defense Secretary James Mattis has urged Pakistan to double its efforts to confront terrorists operating within the country. He emphasised the vital role that Pakistan could play in working with the United States and others to facilitate a peace process in Afghanistan and bring back stability and security to the region, during his maiden visit to Pakistan since taking charge of the Pentagon. Pakistan and Afghanistan share the strained bilateral relationship. Both Kabul and Islamabad steadily purport that the attacks in the two countries were being plotted and carried out by the safe havens located in the two countries.

Pakistan military warns US against 'unilateral action'

Myanmar will delay a long-awaited reform that would open the door further to foreign investment, two officials told Reuters, a move likely to disappoint cash-starved businesses amid growing doubts over the management of the economy by the country&#39;s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

The postponement of the corporate reform, which would have allowed foreign companies to take up to a 35 per cent stake in Myanmar companies, will likely deal a fresh blow to investor confidence in Suu Kyi&#39;s administration.

 
Economic reform is a key goal for her to complete Myanmar&#39;s democratic transition after decades of isolation under military rule.

The delay underscores the daunting challenge facing Suu Kyi, whose promise of a reformist government that would attract foreign investment is under threat.&nbsp;Some aid to Myanmar is already being withheld and investors are concerned that the sanctions that long hobbled the country&#39;s economy will be reinstated over its treatment of its Rohingya minority.

A Myanmar companies law, which could bring much-needed foreign capital to the country after decades of mismanagement by the former military junta, was approved last week by President Htin Kyaw without a commencement date specified.&nbsp;

Aung Naing Oo, head of Myanmar&#39;s Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), told Reuters the authorities may not be ready to implement the new rules until as late as August 2018, after bylaws were prepared and a company registry that he said was vital to enforcement was completed.

&quot;We really want to implement the law as soon as possible but there are many things for us to do&quot;, he said, declining to elaborate what bylaws were needed. He said the government would make sure implementation would be no later than August 1. &quot;We have to make sure the reform is on the right track&quot;.

Myo Min, director of DICA, said the authorities needed up to eight months to &quot;work on the guidance and operating manual&quot; for the country&#39;s first modern online registry, an initiative driven by the Asian Development Bank to electronically revamp the country&#39;s company registry to boost transparency.

The law includes a first set of modern corporate governance regulations, in some parts replacing rules made over a century ago, to bring the country&#39;s business regulatory framework closer to international standards.&nbsp;At issue is a clause that allows foreigners to take up to a 35 per cent share in local companies, which would give local businesses access to a larger capital pool and open up the door for mergers and acquisitions in sectors that are in urgent need of an injection of cash from banking to property.

The delay of the much-anticipated reform comes as Suu Kyi faces criticism that she has neglected economic reforms. Growth in both foreign investment and gross domestic product have slowed since her National League for Democracy took office last year in one of the region&#39;s poorest countries.&nbsp;Htay Aung, president of the property-to-trading conglomerate Sakura Trade Center, said putting off implementation of the law &quot;was bad for business as it will bring delays and extra costs, which result in losses&quot;.

The company is seeking $100 million in over&shy;seas financing for a condominium development in Myanmar&#39;s commercial hub, Yangon. &quot;Foreign investment will be postponed and local businessmen will be disappointed.&quot;

Missed Opportunity

Investors have been waiting for the corporate reform, which was initiated by the former military-backed government in 2014. It establishes guidelines on how a company is run and governed, removing outdated rules on share transfers and offering greater protection to shareholders.&nbsp;But Chris Hughes, a lawyer with Berwin Leighton Paisner in Yangon who was commissioned to draft the rules, said it was a &quot;missed opportunity&quot; for Suu Kyi&#39;s administration.&nbsp;

&quot;I can&#39;t see a compelling economic reason or policy behind the delay. It seems more driven by technology or administrative factors&quot;.&nbsp;William Greenlee, managing director at law firm DFDL in Yangon, said the business community would struggle with the delay.

&quot;International investors are watching and it is wins like this that create a buzz and can materialize into a profound and sustained increase in foreign investment&quot;, he said. &quot;The euphoria will quickly turn to disappointment if it&#39;s not implemented quickly&quot;. Aung Naing Oo of DICA said there would be no negative impact on investment. &quot;Investors always need to take some time before they invest&quot;, he said. &quot;So this actually is the time for investors to make preparation to invest in Myanmar&quot;.

The Asian Development Bank, which gives financial and technical assistance to Myanmar, said &quot;it is ultimately the government&#39;s decision when the law comes into force&quot; and declined to comment further.

A clause which is likely to open doors for foreign investment leading to capital pool access for firms in urgent need of cash flow is likely tobe delayed

Myanmar will delay a long-awaited reform that would open the door further to foreign investment, two officials told Reuters, a move likely to disappoint cash-starved businesses amid growing doubts over the management of the economy by the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. The postponement of the corporate reform, which would have allowed foreign companies to take up to a 35 per cent stake in Myanmar companies, will likely deal a fresh blow to investor confidence in Suu Kyi's administration. Economic reform is a key goal for her to complete Myanmar's democratic transition after decades of isolation under military rule. The delay underscores the daunting challenge facing Suu Kyi, whose promise of a reformist government that would attract foreign investment is under threat. Some aid to Myanmar is already being withheld and investors are concerned that the sanctions that long hobbled the country's economy will be reinstated over its treatment of its Rohingya minority. A Myanmar companies law, which could bring much-needed foreign capital to the country after decades of mismanagement by the former military junta, was approved last week by President Htin Kyaw without a commencement date specified. Aung Naing Oo, head of Myanmar's Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), told Reuters the authorities may not be ready to implement the new rules until as late as August 2018, after bylaws were prepared and a company registry that he said was vital to enforcement was completed. "We really want to implement the law as soon as possible but there are many things for us to do", he said, declining to elaborate what bylaws were needed. He said the government would make sure implementation would be no later than August 1. "We have to make sure the reform is on the right track". Myo Min, director of DICA, said the authorities needed up to eight months to "work on the guidance and operating manual" for the country's first modern online registry, an initiative driven by the Asian Development Bank to electronically revamp the country's company registry to boost transparency. The law includes a first set of modern corporate governance regulations, in some parts replacing rules made over a century ago, to bring the country's business regulatory framework closer to international standards. At issue is a clause that allows foreigners to take up to a 35 per cent share in local companies, which would give local businesses access to a larger capital pool and open up the door for mergers and acquisitions in sectors that are in urgent need of an injection of cash from banking to property. The delay of the much-anticipated reform comes as Suu Kyi faces criticism that she has neglected economic reforms. Growth in both foreign investment and gross domestic product have slowed since her National League for Democracy took office last year in one of the region's poorest countries. Htay Aung, president of the property-to-trading conglomerate Sakura Trade Center, said putting off implementation of the law "was bad for business as it will bring delays and extra costs, which result in losses". The company is seeking $100 million in overseas financing for a condominium development in Myanmar's commercial hub, Yangon. "Foreign investment will be postponed and local businessmen will be disappointed." Missed Opportunity Investors have been waiting for the corporate reform, which was initiated by the former military-backed government in 2014. It establishes guidelines on how a company is run and governed, removing outdated rules on share transfers and offering greater protection to shareholders. But Chris Hughes, a lawyer with Berwin Leighton Paisner in Yangon who was commissioned to draft the rules, said it was a "missed opportunity" for Suu Kyi's administration. "I can't see a compelling economic reason or policy behind the delay. It seems more driven by technology or administrative factors". William Greenlee, managing director at law firm DFDL in Yangon, said the business community would struggle with the delay. "International investors are watching and it is wins like this that create a buzz and can materialize into a profound and sustained increase in foreign investment", he said. "The euphoria will quickly turn to disappointment if it's not implemented quickly". Aung Naing Oo of DICA said there would be no negative impact on investment. "Investors always need to take some time before they invest", he said. "So this actually is the time for investors to make preparation to invest in Myanmar". The Asian Development Bank, which gives financial and technical assistance to Myanmar, said "it is ultimately the government's decision when the law comes into force" and declined to comment further.

Myanmar to delay law that would have allowed more foreign investment

Zimbabwe&rsquo;s economic growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said.

Zimbabwe was once one of Africa&rsquo;s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as former President Robert Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation.

Mugabe, 93, resigned on Tuesday after nearly four decades in power following pressure from the military, the ruling ZANU-PF party, and the general population.

New ZANU-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in as Zimbabwe&rsquo;s president on Friday.

Zimbabwe has not been able to borrow from international lenders since 1999 when it started defaulting on its debt and has $1.75 billion rands in foreign arrears.

&ldquo;The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,&rdquo; Gene Leon, IMF&rsquo;s mission chief for Zimbabwe said in a statement to Reuters late on Wednesday.

&ldquo;Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support.&rdquo;

Leon said Zimbabwe should resolve arrears to the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank, among other reforms, for the IMF to consider future financing request from the country.

Zimbabwe should also be ready to implement strong macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to restore fiscal and debt sustainability, Leon said.

Zimbabwe was once one of Africa?s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as former President Robert Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation

Zimbabwe’s economic growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said. Zimbabwe was once one of Africa’s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as former President Robert Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation. Mugabe, 93, resigned on Tuesday after nearly four decades in power following pressure from the military, the ruling ZANU-PF party, and the general population. New ZANU-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president on Friday. Zimbabwe has not been able to borrow from international lenders since 1999 when it started defaulting on its debt and has $1.75 billion rands in foreign arrears. “The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,” Gene Leon, IMF’s mission chief for Zimbabwe said in a statement to Reuters late on Wednesday. “Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support.” Leon said Zimbabwe should resolve arrears to the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank, among other reforms, for the IMF to consider future financing request from the country. Zimbabwe should also be ready to implement strong macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to restore fiscal and debt sustainability, Leon said.

Zimbabwe's economic situation 'very difficult': IMF mission chief

A military aircraft with 11 people aboard has crashed into the Philippine Sea while en route to an aircraft carrier, the US said Wednesday, the latest accident to hit its armed forces in East Asia.

&quot;A United States Navy aircraft carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the ocean southeast of Okinawa,&quot; a statement from the Navy said.

&quot;Personnel recovery is underway and their condition will be evaluated by USS Ronald Reagan medical staff.

&quot;The aircraft was en route to the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which is currently operating in the Philippine Sea.

&quot;USS Ronald Reagan is conducting search and rescue operations. The cause of the crash is not known at this time.&quot;

The US military has a heavy presence in the western Pacific, with tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of pieces of hardware stationed in Japan and South Korea.

The USS Ronald Reagan last week was one of three American aircraft carriers that held rare joint drills in the region, joined separately by the Japanese navy and South Korean warships over the weekend.

The drills come as tensions persist between Washington and North Korea over its missile and nuclear programme.

US military vessels have been involved in a number of accidents in recent months in East Asia.

The USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker off Singapore in August, killing 10 sailors and injuring five others.

Two months earlier in June, the USS Fitzgerald and a cargo ship smashed into each other off Japan, leaving seven sailors dead.

There were also two more, lesser-known incidents. In January USS Antietam ran aground near its base in Japan, and in May, USS Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel.

'Personnel recovery is underway and their condition will be evaluated by USS Ronald Reagan medical staff,' a statement from the navy said

A military aircraft with 11 people aboard has crashed into the Philippine Sea while en route to an aircraft carrier, the US said Wednesday, the latest accident to hit its armed forces in East Asia. "A United States Navy aircraft carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the ocean southeast of Okinawa," a statement from the Navy said. "Personnel recovery is underway and their condition will be evaluated by USS Ronald Reagan medical staff. "The aircraft was en route to the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, which is currently operating in the Philippine Sea. "USS Ronald Reagan is conducting search and rescue operations. The cause of the crash is not known at this time." The US military has a heavy presence in the western Pacific, with tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of pieces of hardware stationed in Japan and South Korea. The USS Ronald Reagan last week was one of three American aircraft carriers that held rare joint drills in the region, joined separately by the Japanese navy and South Korean warships over the weekend. The drills come as tensions persist between Washington and North Korea over its missile and nuclear programme. US military vessels have been involved in a number of accidents in recent months in East Asia. The USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker off Singapore in August, killing 10 sailors and injuring five others. Two months earlier in June, the USS Fitzgerald and a cargo ship smashed into each other off Japan, leaving seven sailors dead. There were also two more, lesser-known incidents. In January USS Antietam ran aground near its base in Japan, and in May, USS Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel.

US Navy aircraft with 11 aboard crashes in Philippine Sea

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria.

The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that &quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State&quot; in the town on the Iraqi border.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago.

&quot;Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State,&quot; the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday.&nbsp;

&quot;IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city,&quot; the source added.

State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the &quot;Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town.&quot;

A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State.&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it.

A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal.&nbsp;

&quot;Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

&quot;There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal,&quot; he said.

The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists.&nbsp;

Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held.

The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group&#39;s reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.&nbsp;

Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago

The Syrian army and loyalist militiamen Sunday retook full control of Albu Kamal from the Islamic State group, a military source said, ousting the jihadists from their last urban stronghold in Syria. The military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP that "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State" in the town on the Iraqi border. Albu Kamal has changed hands several times, with government forces announcing its capture earlier this month but losing it to a blistering Islamic State counter-attack a week ago. "Syrian troops and allied forces took full control of Albu Kamal, and are removing mines and explosives left by Islamic State," the military source in Deir Ezzor told AFP on Sunday. "IS put up fierce resistance and tried to use explosives and suicide bombers, but besieging the city allowed the army to clinch the offensive and take full control of the city," the source added. State news agency SANA also reported the advance in Albu Kamal, saying the "Syrian army and its allies eliminated the last Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist pocket in the town." A string of territorial defeats across northern and eastern Syria had left Albu Kamal as the last significant Syrian town held by Islamic State. Syria's army announced on November 9 that it had ousted Islamic State from the town, but the jihadists launched a lightning offensive and retook it. A week later, the army and allied Iraqi, Lebanese, and Iranian fighters broke back into Albu Kamal and steadily advanced through the town. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed on Sunday that Syrian troops and their allies had captured Albu Kamal. "Islamic State fighters withdrew from the city towards the Euphrates River," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. "There is no more fighting in the town, but there are clashes around Albu Kamal," he said. The monitor said more than 80 fighters were killed in the three days of ferocious push to retake the town, including 31 pro-regime forces and at least 50 Islamic State jihadists. Islamic State seized large areas of both Syria and neighbouring Iraq in a lightning 2014 campaign, but this year has lost much of the territory it once held. The loss of Albu Kamal caps the group's reversion to an underground guerrilla organisation with no urban base.

Syria army, allies, retake Albu Kamal from Islamic State: Military source

An encounter broke out today between terrorists&nbsp;and security forces in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

One jawan was killed and a terrorist gunned down during the encounter in Pulwama&#39;s Samboora village.&nbsp;

Earlier, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Samboora village&#39;s&nbsp;Pampore area on Thursday evening following information about the presence of the terrorists&nbsp;there, an official said.

As the security forces were conducting the searches, terrorists opened fire ensuring a high-intensity gunbattle.

(With PTI inputs)

&nbsp;

The encounter began between government forces and militants at Samboora area of south Kashmir?s Pulwama district.

An encounter broke out today between terrorists and security forces in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. One jawan was killed and a terrorist gunned down during the encounter in Pulwama's Samboora village. Earlier, security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Samboora village's Pampore area on Thursday evening following information about the presence of the terrorists there, an official said. As the security forces were conducting the searches, terrorists opened fire ensuring a high-intensity gunbattle. (With PTI inputs)

J&K: 1 terrorist and Army soldier killed in Pulwama encounter

Iraqi forces said Thursday they had retaken the centre of Islamic State group stronghold Hawija and were pushing forward in their assault on one of the last IS enclaves in the country.

Troops, police and paramilitaries &quot;liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance,&quot; the operation&#39;s commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said.

Government and allied forces backed by a US-led coalition launched an offensive last month to oust IS from Hawija, a longtime insurgent bastion.

The town is among the final holdouts from the territory seized by the jihadists in 2014 and its recapture would leave only a handful of remote outposts in IS hands.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris later on Thursday for talks on the campaign against IS, which is backed by a US-led coalition including France.

The United Nations said on Tuesday that an estimated 12,500 people had fled Hawija since the launch of the offensive to retake the town and surrounding areas last month.

The UN&#39;s humanitarian affairs office said the number of people still in the town was unknown but could be as high as 78,000.

It said humanitarian agencies have set up checkpoints, camps and emergency sites capable of receiving more than 70,000 people who could flee.

Longtime insurgent bastion&nbsp;

Hawija, 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of just two significant areas of Iraq still held by IS, along with a stretch of the Euphrates Valley near the Syrian border which is also under attack.

It has been an insurgent bastion since soon after the US-led invasion of 2003, earning it the nickname of &quot;Kandahar in Iraq&quot; for the ferocious resistance it put up similar to that in the Taliban militia&#39;s citadel in Afghanistan.

The town&#39;s mainly Sunni Arab population is deeply hostile both to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad and to the Kurds who form the historic majority in adjacent areas.

Hawija lies between the two main routes north from Baghdad -- to second city Mosul, recaptured from IS in July, and to the city of Kirkuk and the autonomous Kurdish region.

Last year, government forces bypassed the area in their advance north to Mosul, which culminated in the jihadists&#39; defeat in their most emblematic bastion.

IS has been forced out of most of the territory it seized in Iraq and Syria during a lightning offensive in the summer of 2014 that was followed by its declaration of a cross-border &quot;caliphate&quot;.

The US-led coalition is also backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, that is battling to oust IS from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa.

The SDF has captured about 90 percent of Raqa and is fighting fierce battles with remaining IS jihadists.

IS&#39;s other main stronghold in Syria is the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, which borders IS-held territory in Iraq.

Two separate offensives are underway against the jihadists in Deir Ezzor -- one by the SDF, the other by government forces supported by Russia.

Troops, police and paramilitaries 'liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance,' the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said.

Iraqi forces said Thursday they had retaken the centre of Islamic State group stronghold Hawija and were pushing forward in their assault on one of the last IS enclaves in the country. Troops, police and paramilitaries "liberated the whole of the centre of Hawija and are continuing their advance," the operation's commander, Lieutenant General Abdel Amir Yarallah, said. Government and allied forces backed by a US-led coalition launched an offensive last month to oust IS from Hawija, a longtime insurgent bastion. The town is among the final holdouts from the territory seized by the jihadists in 2014 and its recapture would leave only a handful of remote outposts in IS hands. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris later on Thursday for talks on the campaign against IS, which is backed by a US-led coalition including France. The United Nations said on Tuesday that an estimated 12,500 people had fled Hawija since the launch of the offensive to retake the town and surrounding areas last month. The UN's humanitarian affairs office said the number of people still in the town was unknown but could be as high as 78,000. It said humanitarian agencies have set up checkpoints, camps and emergency sites capable of receiving more than 70,000 people who could flee. Longtime insurgent bastion Hawija, 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of just two significant areas of Iraq still held by IS, along with a stretch of the Euphrates Valley near the Syrian border which is also under attack. It has been an insurgent bastion since soon after the US-led invasion of 2003, earning it the nickname of "Kandahar in Iraq" for the ferocious resistance it put up similar to that in the Taliban militia's citadel in Afghanistan. The town's mainly Sunni Arab population is deeply hostile both to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad and to the Kurds who form the historic majority in adjacent areas. Hawija lies between the two main routes north from Baghdad -- to second city Mosul, recaptured from IS in July, and to the city of Kirkuk and the autonomous Kurdish region. Last year, government forces bypassed the area in their advance north to Mosul, which culminated in the jihadists' defeat in their most emblematic bastion. IS has been forced out of most of the territory it seized in Iraq and Syria during a lightning offensive in the summer of 2014 that was followed by its declaration of a cross-border "caliphate". The US-led coalition is also backing an Arab-Kurdish alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, that is battling to oust IS from its de facto Syrian capital Raqa. The SDF has captured about 90 percent of Raqa and is fighting fierce battles with remaining IS jihadists. IS's other main stronghold in Syria is the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, which borders IS-held territory in Iraq. Two separate offensives are underway against the jihadists in Deir Ezzor -- one by the SDF, the other by government forces supported by Russia.

IS bastion Hawija liberated: Iraq army

UN chief Antonio Guterres exhorted Myanmar&#39;s leaders to end the &quot;nightmare&quot; faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing an army campaign, after at least 19 people drowned with scores more feared dead when a boat carrying Rohingya families capsized off Bangladesh.&nbsp;

More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state.

Scores have drowned while trying to cross waters separating the two countries, while those who survive face new dangers as they cram into squalid refugee settlements where food and clean water are in short supply.

The billowing humanitarian crisis prompted the UN Security Council to hold its first meeting on Myanmar in eight years, though the member countries failed to arrive at a joint resolution.&nbsp;

The US slammed the army for trying &quot;to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority&quot;, while Beijing and Moscow offered support to Myanmar authorities who have vehemently rebuffed allegations that ethnic cleansing is underway.

Speaking to the 15-member council, Guterres urged Myanmar to halt military operations and open humanitarian access to the conflict-wracked western region.

&quot;The situation has spiralled into the world&#39;s fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare,&quot; he said while calling for those displaced by the conflict to be allowed to return home.

The UN chief noted that the &quot;systemic violence&quot; could cause unrest to spill south to the central part of Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state, threatening 250,000 Muslims with displacement.&nbsp;

Some of the strongest criticism came from US envoy Nikki Haley, who accused Myanmar authorities of waging a &quot;brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority&quot;.

&quot;It should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar,&quot; she added, in what appeared to be a rebuke to the country&#39;s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been battered by the crisis.

But Myanmar received strong backing from Russia and China, a close ally and key trade partner.&nbsp;

&quot;The international community must be aware of the difficulties faced by the Burmese government, be patient and provide its assistance,&quot; Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said.&nbsp;

&quot;We must be very careful when we talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide,&quot; added Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, taking the Myanmar government line as he blamed Rohingya militants for &quot;burning villages&quot;.

Fires have razed hundreds of communities in northern Rakhine over the past month, in what rights groups say is an army-led effort to drive out the stateless minority that has faced decades of persecution.&nbsp;

Myanmar, a mainly Buddhist country, has denied the allegation and defended its operations as a proportionate crackdown on the Rohingya militants whose deadly raids on police posts on August 25 sparked the military backlash.&nbsp;

Authorities have restricted access to the epicentre of the violence but agreed this week to allow a UN visit to the conflict zone.&nbsp;

The trip has been postponed to October 2 due to bad weather, state media reported Friday.&nbsp;

Boat tragedy&nbsp;

The drowning tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly accidents as desperate refugees surge into Bangladesh, where they are penned into ramshackle tent cities amid dire shortages of nearly all forms of aid.

Witnesses and survivors said the vessel that overturned Thursday was just metres from the coast in rough waters after it was lashed by torrential rain and high winds.

There are fears the death toll could rise sharply with the International Organization for Migration saying about 100 people, mainly children, were believed aboard the downed vessel.

The bodies of 16 people, mostly children, were found Thursday and brought to a local school, said coastguard commander Nasir Uddin.

Two more bodies of young boys were retrieved Friday morning, he added, while another woman was washed ashore in a separate location.

&quot;They drowned before our eyes. Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach,&quot; said Mohammad Sohel, a local shopkeeper.

One distraught survivor said&nbsp;that his wife and one of their children had been killed when the ship sank.

&quot;The boat hit something underground as it came close to the beach. Then it overturned,&quot; said Nurus Salam, who had set off for Bangladesh from a coastal village in Myanmar late Wednesday with his family.

More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state

UN chief Antonio Guterres exhorted Myanmar's leaders to end the "nightmare" faced by Rohingya refugees fleeing an army campaign, after at least 19 people drowned with scores more feared dead when a boat carrying Rohingya families capsized off Bangladesh. More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have poured into Bangladesh in the last month, fleeing a vicious Myanmar military crackdown on Rohingya rebels that has gutted villages across northern Rakhine state. Scores have drowned while trying to cross waters separating the two countries, while those who survive face new dangers as they cram into squalid refugee settlements where food and clean water are in short supply. The billowing humanitarian crisis prompted the UN Security Council to hold its first meeting on Myanmar in eight years, though the member countries failed to arrive at a joint resolution. The US slammed the army for trying "to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority", while Beijing and Moscow offered support to Myanmar authorities who have vehemently rebuffed allegations that ethnic cleansing is underway. Speaking to the 15-member council, Guterres urged Myanmar to halt military operations and open humanitarian access to the conflict-wracked western region. "The situation has spiralled into the world's fastest developing refugee emergency, a humanitarian and human rights nightmare," he said while calling for those displaced by the conflict to be allowed to return home. The UN chief noted that the "systemic violence" could cause unrest to spill south to the central part of Myanmar's Rakhine state, threatening 250,000 Muslims with displacement. Some of the strongest criticism came from US envoy Nikki Haley, who accused Myanmar authorities of waging a "brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority". "It should shame senior Burmese leaders who have sacrificed so much for an open, democratic Myanmar," she added, in what appeared to be a rebuke to the country's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been battered by the crisis. But Myanmar received strong backing from Russia and China, a close ally and key trade partner. "The international community must be aware of the difficulties faced by the Burmese government, be patient and provide its assistance," Chinese envoy Wu Haitao said. "We must be very careful when we talk about ethnic cleansing and genocide," added Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, taking the Myanmar government line as he blamed Rohingya militants for "burning villages". Fires have razed hundreds of communities in northern Rakhine over the past month, in what rights groups say is an army-led effort to drive out the stateless minority that has faced decades of persecution. Myanmar, a mainly Buddhist country, has denied the allegation and defended its operations as a proportionate crackdown on the Rohingya militants whose deadly raids on police posts on August 25 sparked the military backlash. Authorities have restricted access to the epicentre of the violence but agreed this week to allow a UN visit to the conflict zone. The trip has been postponed to October 2 due to bad weather, state media reported Friday. Boat tragedy The drowning tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly accidents as desperate refugees surge into Bangladesh, where they are penned into ramshackle tent cities amid dire shortages of nearly all forms of aid. Witnesses and survivors said the vessel that overturned Thursday was just metres from the coast in rough waters after it was lashed by torrential rain and high winds. There are fears the death toll could rise sharply with the International Organization for Migration saying about 100 people, mainly children, were believed aboard the downed vessel. The bodies of 16 people, mostly children, were found Thursday and brought to a local school, said coastguard commander Nasir Uddin. Two more bodies of young boys were retrieved Friday morning, he added, while another woman was washed ashore in a separate location. "They drowned before our eyes. Minutes later, the waves washed the bodies to the beach," said Mohammad Sohel, a local shopkeeper. One distraught survivor said that his wife and one of their children had been killed when the ship sank. "The boat hit something underground as it came close to the beach. Then it overturned," said Nurus Salam, who had set off for Bangladesh from a coastal village in Myanmar late Wednesday with his family.

UN chief tells Myanmar to end 'nightmare' as 19 drown in Rohingya boat capsize

For members of Europe&#39;s biggest Rohingya community in Bradford, Northern England, the news from Myanmar brings a mix of anger, fear and haunting memories of dramatic escapes from their homeland.

Some 300 members of the Muslim minority have settled in Bradford in recent years under a refugee programme and they are desperate to draw international attention to the plight of their brethren.

&quot;If I grew up in Myanmar&nbsp;I would be dead today,&quot; said Omme Kulsum Harun, a 17-year-old wrapped in a traditional long white and yellow robe with a thick grey veil covering most of her head of black hair.

Kulsum said she would like to study nursing in order to help fellow Rohingya, hundreds of thousands of whom have fled into Bangladesh in recent weeks following a crackdown by Myanmar&#39;s military.

Harun&#39;s mother Samuda saw her own aunt raped by a soldier when she was a little girl and was told by villagers that her sister suffered the same fate while the family were trying to flee Myanmar.

&quot;Today, I don&#39;t even know if my sister is alive,&quot; the mother of seven told AFP, holding back tears.

&quot;It makes me so sad and angry when I watch the news and see the situation in Myanmar,&quot; she said.

The contrast could not be bigger with her new life.

Harun shows off a picture of her son Ismail Mohamed, a student at Bradford University.

A former wool-making hub, Bradford is one of Britain&#39;s most diverse cities and around a quarter of the population is Muslim, according to the latest census figures.

We won&#39;t give up

In a city where Victorian-era terraced houses stand side by side with mosques and abandoned industrial plants, Nijam Uddin Mohammed said he has found freedom.

The 36-year-old arrived in 2008 after spending more than 18 years in a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

&quot;My life started in Bradford. In the refugee camps back in Bangladesh we couldn&#39;t do what we wanted.&quot;

&quot;If we wanted to go for a walk or see some friends in another camp we had to seek permission. It was like a mini-prison. It was not a life.&quot; he said.

During the day, the father of two young children works as an interpreter for the state-run National Health Service and at night he drives a minicab.

He also heads up the Rohingya association of Bradford, which holds meetings at the homes of local Rohingya families every Monday.

At these meetings, the Rohingyas share news about their loved ones and discuss how to put pressure on the British government to become more active.

They have started petitions, held public meetings and sent letters to politicians including Prime Minister Theresa May.

&quot;The (Myanmar) army wants to shut us down but here in Bradford we are free and we are not afraid,&quot; Mohammed said.

&quot;Even if they have never known their homeland, our kids will always raise their voices. We won&#39;t give up.&quot;

Suu Kyi &#39;betrayed us&#39;

Their anger has been stoked further by speeches from the head of Myanmar&#39;s civilian administration, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has refused to condemn the military.

&quot;She betrayed us. We had great expectations but instead of helping us she remained silent.&quot;

&quot;She&#39;s doing politics with our lives,&quot; Mohammed said.

Referring to Suu Kyi&#39;s comments about reports of Rohingya suffering as &quot;fake news&quot;, Harun said: &quot;Is it fake news that my sister was raped by the military?&quot;

Mohammed said he welcomed Britain&#39;s decision to suspend military assistance to Myanmar&#39;s army.

But the deputy head of the association, Nur Huda, said it was up to Muslim countries to take the lead and follow the example of Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned &quot;Buddhist terrorism&quot;.

But Mohammed said: &quot;It is not a Muslim issue. We are all human beings who share the same blood and want to live.&quot;

Some 300 members of the Muslim minority have settled in Bradford in recent years under a refugee programme and they are desperate to draw international attention to the plight of their brethren

For members of Europe's biggest Rohingya community in Bradford, Northern England, the news from Myanmar brings a mix of anger, fear and haunting memories of dramatic escapes from their homeland. Some 300 members of the Muslim minority have settled in Bradford in recent years under a refugee programme and they are desperate to draw international attention to the plight of their brethren. "If I grew up in Myanmar I would be dead today," said Omme Kulsum Harun, a 17-year-old wrapped in a traditional long white and yellow robe with a thick grey veil covering most of her head of black hair. Kulsum said she would like to study nursing in order to help fellow Rohingya, hundreds of thousands of whom have fled into Bangladesh in recent weeks following a crackdown by Myanmar's military. Harun's mother Samuda saw her own aunt raped by a soldier when she was a little girl and was told by villagers that her sister suffered the same fate while the family were trying to flee Myanmar. "Today, I don't even know if my sister is alive," the mother of seven told AFP, holding back tears. "It makes me so sad and angry when I watch the news and see the situation in Myanmar," she said. The contrast could not be bigger with her new life. Harun shows off a picture of her son Ismail Mohamed, a student at Bradford University. A former wool-making hub, Bradford is one of Britain's most diverse cities and around a quarter of the population is Muslim, according to the latest census figures. We won't give up In a city where Victorian-era terraced houses stand side by side with mosques and abandoned industrial plants, Nijam Uddin Mohammed said he has found freedom. The 36-year-old arrived in 2008 after spending more than 18 years in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. "My life started in Bradford. In the refugee camps back in Bangladesh we couldn't do what we wanted." "If we wanted to go for a walk or see some friends in another camp we had to seek permission. It was like a mini-prison. It was not a life." he said. During the day, the father of two young children works as an interpreter for the state-run National Health Service and at night he drives a minicab. He also heads up the Rohingya association of Bradford, which holds meetings at the homes of local Rohingya families every Monday. At these meetings, the Rohingyas share news about their loved ones and discuss how to put pressure on the British government to become more active. They have started petitions, held public meetings and sent letters to politicians including Prime Minister Theresa May. "The (Myanmar) army wants to shut us down but here in Bradford we are free and we are not afraid," Mohammed said. "Even if they have never known their homeland, our kids will always raise their voices. We won't give up." Suu Kyi 'betrayed us' Their anger has been stoked further by speeches from the head of Myanmar's civilian administration, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has refused to condemn the military. "She betrayed us. We had great expectations but instead of helping us she remained silent." "She's doing politics with our lives," Mohammed said. Referring to Suu Kyi's comments about reports of Rohingya suffering as "fake news", Harun said: "Is it fake news that my sister was raped by the military?" Mohammed said he welcomed Britain's decision to suspend military assistance to Myanmar's army. But the deputy head of the association, Nur Huda, said it was up to Muslim countries to take the lead and follow the example of Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned "Buddhist terrorism". But Mohammed said: "It is not a Muslim issue. We are all human beings who share the same blood and want to live."

'I would be dead': Britain's Rohingyas speak out

India and the US have just concluded a joint military training exercise to prepare for any threats that might be encountered during UN peace-keeping operations.&nbsp;

The training exercise, named Yudh Abhyas 2017 or War Practise 2017, was conducted at joint base Lewis McChord in Washington.

The two-week long exercise which began on September 14 and ended on September 27 witnessed soldiers from both countries honing their counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist skills under a joint brigade headquarter.

Both sides (together) trained, planned, and executed a series of well-developed tactical drills for the&nbsp;neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered during UN&nbsp;peace-keeping operations.

One of the largest joint military training and defence cooperation endeavours between India and the US, this year&#39;s Yudh Abhyas was the thirteenth edition of the joint exercise which is hosted alternately by the two countries.

Exercises like Yudh Abhyas provide an opportunity to the armed forces of both countries to train in an integrated manner at battalion level, with joint planning at brigade level.&nbsp;

Multiple scenarios were rehearsed during the joint exercise with a view to understanding&nbsp;each others organisational structures and battle procedures.

The exercise is aimed at a higher degree of what the armies called &quot;jointsmanship&quot;&nbsp;to further facilitate inter-operability between the armed forces of the two countries, and&nbsp;to meet any unforeseen contingency anywhere on the globe.

The exercise, the armies said, is also an ideal platform to learn from each other&rsquo;s experiences of the planning and execution of operations.

Towards the end, a joint exercise simulating operational settings under a UN mandate was undertaken by the two armies.

Experts from both sides also held academic and military discussions on varied topics to share with each other their experiences for mutual benefit.

This was the thirteenth edition of Yudh Abhyas or War Practise

India and the US have just concluded a joint military training exercise to prepare for any threats that might be encountered during UN peace-keeping operations. The training exercise, named Yudh Abhyas 2017 or War Practise 2017, was conducted at joint base Lewis McChord in Washington. The two-week long exercise which began on September 14 and ended on September 27 witnessed soldiers from both countries honing their counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist skills under a joint brigade headquarter. Both sides (together) trained, planned, and executed a series of well-developed tactical drills for the neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered during UN peace-keeping operations. One of the largest joint military training and defence cooperation endeavours between India and the US, this year's Yudh Abhyas was the thirteenth edition of the joint exercise which is hosted alternately by the two countries. Exercises like Yudh Abhyas provide an opportunity to the armed forces of both countries to train in an integrated manner at battalion level, with joint planning at brigade level. Multiple scenarios were rehearsed during the joint exercise with a view to understanding each others organisational structures and battle procedures. The exercise is aimed at a higher degree of what the armies called "jointsmanship" to further facilitate inter-operability between the armed forces of the two countries, and to meet any unforeseen contingency anywhere on the globe. The exercise, the armies said, is also an ideal platform to learn from each other’s experiences of the planning and execution of operations. Towards the end, a joint exercise simulating operational settings under a UN mandate was undertaken by the two armies. Experts from both sides also held academic and military discussions on varied topics to share with each other their experiences for mutual benefit.

WATCH: To better understand each other, Indian & US armies conduct joint military exercise

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today acknowledged <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-us-japan-set-for-malabar-naval-drill-in-bay-of-bengal-china-deploys-surveillance-ship-17774">India and Japan&#39;s military cooperation citing the Malabar</a> military exercise undertaken by the two countries including the US in July.

PM Abe in the joint statement said: &quot;It (joint naval exercise in Malabar) will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan, and the US.&quot;&nbsp;

He further added that &quot;India, Japan, and the US conducted joint maritime exercise Malabar for the first time, based on strong ties of trust between PM Modi and President Trump&quot;.&nbsp;

PM Modi<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ahmedabad-to-mumbai-bullet-train-route-20170"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ahmedabad-to-mumbai-bullet-train-route-20170">emphasised</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-ahmedabad-to-mumbai-bullet-train-route-20170"> on employing Japanese technology </a>to help India grow economically. &nbsp;

&quot;I urge Japanese business community to open a maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India,&quot; Modi said. 
 
Here is a look at the two countries and their military and economic alliance.&nbsp; 
 
Indian and Japan: Military ties 
 
The two nations have a history of close military ties. They have a&nbsp;common motive of maintaining security in sea-lanes in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region.

The two countries often hold cumulated military exercises and co-operate on technology.&nbsp;India and Japan concluded a security pact in 2008.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is frequently termed as an &quot;Indophile&quot; is taking closer security cooperation measures with India, in response to the rising tensions in territorial disputes with Japan&#39;s neighbour North Korea.

In July 2017, the Indian Navy took part in a week-long military drill&nbsp;with the Japanese and US navies called the Malabar naval exercise, realigning their common vision on the Indo-Pacific maritime security apparatus.

The move&nbsp;came amid&nbsp;the standoff between India-China over the Doklam issue&nbsp;and Japan&#39;s growing anxiety over North Korea&#39;s missile tests.

Indo-Japan ties turned into a &quot;substantial&quot;&nbsp;friendship on July 20 last year&nbsp;with the signing&nbsp;of the India-Japan civil nuclear agreement. The pact was signed in 2016&nbsp;during PM Modi&#39;s three-day visit to Japan.

This was the first time that Japan had signed a&nbsp;deal with a non-signatory of Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Indian and Japan: Economic ties

The agreement between India and Japan to build a bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai using Japan&#39;s Shinkansen technology was signed in December 2015.

The two nations are also working on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), which was unveiled on May 23, 2017.&nbsp;Japan also&nbsp;provided assistance and know-how for the first phase of Delhi Metro.

The Japanese are also involved in other mega infrastructure projects, such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor started a decade ago.&nbsp;Over the last fifteen&nbsp;years, investments from Japan have played a symbolic part in India&rsquo;s progress.

Over a span of seventeen years, beginning 2000, Japan has invested more than $25 billion across various sectors in India.&nbsp;Japan is among the top four largest investors in India, and investment from Japan increased substantially during 2016-17.

Japan invested 4.7 billion in 2016, which is 80 per cent higher than 2015-2016.

In fact, Japan has promised to invest roughly $35 billion for the period between 2014-19 to boost India&rsquo;s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.

 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oRe_4gOM8dk" width="560"></iframe> 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Japanese government even specially employed Mizuho Financial Group for discovering investment opportunities in India

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today acknowledged India and Japan's military cooperation citing the Malabar military exercise undertaken by the two countries including the US in July. PM Abe in the joint statement said: "It (joint naval exercise in Malabar) will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan, and the US." He further added that "India, Japan, and the US conducted joint maritime exercise Malabar for the first time, based on strong ties of trust between PM Modi and President Trump". PM Modi emphasised on employing Japanese technology to help India grow economically. "I urge Japanese business community to open a maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India," Modi said. Here is a look at the two countries and their military and economic alliance. Indian and Japan: Military ties The two nations have a history of close military ties. They have a common motive of maintaining security in sea-lanes in the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region. The two countries often hold cumulated military exercises and co-operate on technology. India and Japan concluded a security pact in 2008. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is frequently termed as an "Indophile" is taking closer security cooperation measures with India, in response to the rising tensions in territorial disputes with Japan's neighbour North Korea. In July 2017, the Indian Navy took part in a week-long military drill with the Japanese and US navies called the Malabar naval exercise, realigning their common vision on the Indo-Pacific maritime security apparatus. The move came amid the standoff between India-China over the Doklam issue and Japan's growing anxiety over North Korea's missile tests. Indo-Japan ties turned into a "substantial" friendship on July 20 last year with the signing of the India-Japan civil nuclear agreement. The pact was signed in 2016 during PM Modi's three-day visit to Japan. This was the first time that Japan had signed a deal with a non-signatory of Non-Proliferation Treaty. Indian and Japan: Economic ties The agreement between India and Japan to build a bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai using Japan's Shinkansen technology was signed in December 2015. The two nations are also working on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), which was unveiled on May 23, 2017. Japan also provided assistance and know-how for the first phase of Delhi Metro. The Japanese are also involved in other mega infrastructure projects, such as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor started a decade ago. Over the last fifteen years, investments from Japan have played a symbolic part in India’s progress. Over a span of seventeen years, beginning 2000, Japan has invested more than $25 billion across various sectors in India. Japan is among the top four largest investors in India, and investment from Japan increased substantially during 2016-17. Japan invested 4.7 billion in 2016, which is 80 per cent higher than 2015-2016. In fact, Japan has promised to invest roughly $35 billion for the period between 2014-19 to boost India’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.

Joint naval exercise in Malabar will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan & US: PM Abe

The United States wants to know if the United Nations atomic watchdog plans to inspect&nbsp;Iranian military sites to verify Tehran&#39;s compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal, the US&nbsp;ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday.

Haley will meet with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials in Vienna on Wednesday for what she described as a fact-finding mission, which is part of President Donald Trump&#39;s review of the deal&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;made with world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for the lifting of most sanctions.

&quot;If you look ... at past&nbsp;Iranian behavior, what you&#39;ve seen is there have been covert actions at military sites, at universities, things like that,&quot; Haley, a member of Trump&#39;s cabinet, told Reuters in an interview.

&quot;There were already issues in those locations, so are they including that in what they look at to make sure that those issues no longer remain?&quot; she said. &quot;They have the authority to look at military sites now. They have the authority to look at any suspicious sites now, it&#39;s just are they doing it?&quot;

She said she was traveling to Vienna to ask questions, not to push the IAEA to do anything.

A spokesman for the IAEA said it had no immediate comment and that there were no public statements planned on the meeting.

Iran&#39;s top authorities have flatly rejected giving international inspectors access to their military sites, and&nbsp;Iranian officials have told Reuters that any such move would trigger harsh consequences.

&quot;Why would they say that if they had nothing to hide? Why wouldn&#39;t they let the IAEA go there?&quot; Haley said.

Iran&#39;s atomic chief was quoted by state media as saying on Tuesday that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;could resume production of highly enriched uranium within five days if the nuclear deal was revoked.

In April, Trump ordered a review of whether a suspension of sanctions on&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;related to the nuclear deal - negotiated under President Barack Obama - was in the US&nbsp;national security interest. He has called it &quot;the worst deal ever negotiated.&quot;

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned last week that&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;could abandon the nuclear agreement &quot;within hours&quot; if the United States imposes any more new sanctions.

Most UN&nbsp;and Western sanctions were lifted 18 months ago under the nuclear deal.&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;is still subject to a UN&nbsp;arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal.

The IAEA polices restrictions the deal placed on&nbsp;Iran&#39;s nuclear activities and reports quarterly.

Haley said some of the questions she had were: &quot;Are you looking at everything? Are you looking at those places where there has been covert activity in the past? Are you able to get access to these areas? Or are you being delayed? Are you being shut out from those things?&quot;

Under US&nbsp;law, the State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of&nbsp;Iran&#39;s compliance with the nuclear deal. The next deadline is October, and Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;to be non-compliant.

&quot;We don&#39;t know if he&#39;s going to certify or decertify the deal,&quot; said Haley, adding that she would report back to Trump and the national security team.

The US&nbsp;review of its policy toward&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;is also looking at Tehran&#39;s behavior in the Middle East, which Washington has said undermines US&nbsp;interests in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.

UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes the&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;nuclear deal is &quot;one of the most important diplomatic achievements in our search for, for peace and stability,&quot; UN&nbsp;spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday

&quot;Everyone involved needs to do its utmost to protect and support that agreement,&quot; Dujarric told reporters.

Iranian military sites to verify Tehran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday

The United States wants to know if the United Nations atomic watchdog plans to inspect Iranian military sites to verify Tehran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday. Haley will meet with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials in Vienna on Wednesday for what she described as a fact-finding mission, which is part of President Donald Trump's review of the deal Iran made with world powers to curb its nuclear program in return for the lifting of most sanctions. "If you look ... at past Iranian behavior, what you've seen is there have been covert actions at military sites, at universities, things like that," Haley, a member of Trump's cabinet, told Reuters in an interview. "There were already issues in those locations, so are they including that in what they look at to make sure that those issues no longer remain?" she said. "They have the authority to look at military sites now. They have the authority to look at any suspicious sites now, it's just are they doing it?" She said she was traveling to Vienna to ask questions, not to push the IAEA to do anything. A spokesman for the IAEA said it had no immediate comment and that there were no public statements planned on the meeting. Iran's top authorities have flatly rejected giving international inspectors access to their military sites, and Iranian officials have told Reuters that any such move would trigger harsh consequences. "Why would they say that if they had nothing to hide? Why wouldn't they let the IAEA go there?" Haley said. Iran's atomic chief was quoted by state media as saying on Tuesday that Iran could resume production of highly enriched uranium within five days if the nuclear deal was revoked. In April, Trump ordered a review of whether a suspension of sanctions on Iran related to the nuclear deal - negotiated under President Barack Obama - was in the US national security interest. He has called it "the worst deal ever negotiated." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned last week that Iran could abandon the nuclear agreement "within hours" if the United States imposes any more new sanctions. Most UN and Western sanctions were lifted 18 months ago under the nuclear deal. Iran is still subject to a UN arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal. The IAEA polices restrictions the deal placed on Iran's nuclear activities and reports quarterly. Haley said some of the questions she had were: "Are you looking at everything? Are you looking at those places where there has been covert activity in the past? Are you able to get access to these areas? Or are you being delayed? Are you being shut out from those things?" Under US law, the State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal. The next deadline is October, and Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare Iran to be non-compliant. "We don't know if he's going to certify or decertify the deal," said Haley, adding that she would report back to Trump and the national security team. The US review of its policy toward Iran is also looking at Tehran's behavior in the Middle East, which Washington has said undermines US interests in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes the Iran nuclear deal is "one of the most important diplomatic achievements in our search for, for peace and stability," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday "Everyone involved needs to do its utmost to protect and support that agreement," Dujarric told reporters.

Iranian military sites asked, to be verified under nuclear deal, by US ambassador

The death rate among Afghan security forces is surging far above last year&#39;s levels, a US government watchdog said today, and slew of social gains in the war-torn nation is also eroding.

Afghan forces are nearing the end of their second year providing security across their war-torn country, after NATO moved into an advisory and training role, and the toll on the local forces has been devastating.

2015 was a terrible year, with an estimated 5,000 killed and another 15,000 wounded, primarily by the Taliban.

But the death toll this year is already much worse: From January 1 through August 19, a total of 5,523 Afghan service members were killed, according to a quarterly report from the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).

An additional 9,665 members were wounded during the same period, the report found.

Violence from the Taliban and other insurgent groups typically spikes over the summer during the &quot;fighting season.&quot;

But increasingly, militants continue launching attacks throughout the year, meaning the death rate will likely rise further still.

&quot;The most immediate challenge to the US reconstruction effort, and to the viability of the Afghan nation state, remains the armed insurgency pursued by the Taliban and other factions,&quot; the inspector general, John Sopko, said in the report.

US Army General John Nicholson, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, warned a week ago that basic leadership failures in many Afghan police and military units were helping drive casualty rates higher.

Still, SIGAR found, morale within the ranks appears good, with three-quarters of recruits saying they have received good care and 90 percent satisfied with their pay.

The report also found that gains in key social areas such as poverty, unemployment, women&#39;s rights and the education gender gap have all eroded this year.

&quot;Deep-rooted cultural traditions and a persistent insurgency continue to threaten the physical safety and health of Afghan women and hold them back from entering public life,&quot; the report states.

The Afghan government still only has full control of two-thirds of the country&#39;s population of 30 million.

Ten per cent is in Taliban hands, and the rest is still being fought over.

This summer&#39;s fighting saw the Taliban try at least seven times to seize a provincial capital, as they did in Kunduz last year.

The Afghans managed to repel these thanks to NATO support, easier rules for the United States to strike targets and the growing confidence of the Afghan air force.&nbsp;

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

A total of 5,523 service members have been killed between January 1 and August 19 this year, which is higher than the death toll of 2015

The death rate among Afghan security forces is surging far above last year's levels, a US government watchdog said today, and slew of social gains in the war-torn nation is also eroding. Afghan forces are nearing the end of their second year providing security across their war-torn country, after NATO moved into an advisory and training role, and the toll on the local forces has been devastating. 2015 was a terrible year, with an estimated 5,000 killed and another 15,000 wounded, primarily by the Taliban. But the death toll this year is already much worse: From January 1 through August 19, a total of 5,523 Afghan service members were killed, according to a quarterly report from the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). An additional 9,665 members were wounded during the same period, the report found. Violence from the Taliban and other insurgent groups typically spikes over the summer during the "fighting season." But increasingly, militants continue launching attacks throughout the year, meaning the death rate will likely rise further still. "The most immediate challenge to the US reconstruction effort, and to the viability of the Afghan nation state, remains the armed insurgency pursued by the Taliban and other factions," the inspector general, John Sopko, said in the report. US Army General John Nicholson, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, warned a week ago that basic leadership failures in many Afghan police and military units were helping drive casualty rates higher. Still, SIGAR found, morale within the ranks appears good, with three-quarters of recruits saying they have received good care and 90 percent satisfied with their pay. The report also found that gains in key social areas such as poverty, unemployment, women's rights and the education gender gap have all eroded this year. "Deep-rooted cultural traditions and a persistent insurgency continue to threaten the physical safety and health of Afghan women and hold them back from entering public life," the report states. The Afghan government still only has full control of two-thirds of the country's population of 30 million. Ten per cent is in Taliban hands, and the rest is still being fought over. This summer's fighting saw the Taliban try at least seven times to seize a provincial capital, as they did in Kunduz last year. The Afghans managed to repel these thanks to NATO support, easier rules for the United States to strike targets and the growing confidence of the Afghan air force. (AFP)

Afghanistan: Surge in military death rate erodes social gains

A sealed box bearing the name and logo of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was found at a farm in India&rsquo;s western state of Maharashtra 
 
The box was spotted on Sunday by Nandubhau Kakulte, a farmer, at his field in Kikwari Khurd around 70 km from Nashik city. 
 
The box carried instructions that it should be opened by DRDO scientists only and be kept away from electronic items, the police informed. 
 
&ldquo;After the farmer found the box, he approached the police. They informed the officials concerned, following which a DRDO team came and inspected the box,&rdquo; sub-divisional police officer (Malegaon rural) Ashok Nakhate told PTI. 
 
&ldquo;Investigation into the matter is on and only officials of the department concerned can tell properly about what is inside the box. We are questioning four to five people in this regard. However, we suspect that it is an act of mischief,&rdquo; he said. 
 
DRDO works in areas of military technology, including aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, missiles, naval systems, simulation and life sciences. 
 
(WION with inputs from PTI)

The box carried instructions that it should be opened by DRDO scientists only and be kept away from electronic items

A sealed box bearing the name and logo of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was found at a farm in India’s western state of Maharashtra The box was spotted on Sunday by Nandubhau Kakulte, a farmer, at his field in Kikwari Khurd around 70 km from Nashik city. The box carried instructions that it should be opened by DRDO scientists only and be kept away from electronic items, the police informed. “After the farmer found the box, he approached the police. They informed the officials concerned, following which a DRDO team came and inspected the box,” sub-divisional police officer (Malegaon rural) Ashok Nakhate told PTI. “Investigation into the matter is on and only officials of the department concerned can tell properly about what is inside the box. We are questioning four to five people in this regard. However, we suspect that it is an act of mischief,” he said. DRDO works in areas of military technology, including aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, missiles, naval systems, simulation and life sciences. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Sealed box with DRDO logo found abandoned at fields in India's Maharashtra

Pakistan has foiled Islamic State&#39;s plans to launch attacks in the country, its military establishment&nbsp;said. 
 
Pakistani authorities have so far arrested 309 extremists to nip terror attacks in the bud. 
 
&quot;They (the apprehended men) were involved in attacks on media and security personnel and were planning attacks on government, diplomatic and civilian targets,&quot;&nbsp;said&nbsp;Lieutenant-General Asim Bajwa, Pakistan&nbsp;military&#39;s top spokesperson.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They tried to make an ingress, and they failed, and they have been apprehended so far,&quot; he further said. 
 
Most of the arrested&nbsp;militants are Pakistani jihaidists who switched allegiances to the IS. There were a few foreign fighters&nbsp;including some from Afghanistan and Syria. 
 
Bajwa also said authorities have arrested a core group of 20 organisers. &quot;We have captured all of them, except for one who I am sure is not in Pakistan.&quot; 
 
The comments come a few days after a bomb explosion ripped through a Quetta hospital, killing 70. The attack was claimed by the IS, stoking fears that the West Asia-based jihadi&nbsp;militants were building up a presence in the country.&nbsp; 
 
A Pakistani Taliban splinter group also claimed responsibility for the attack. This prompted Bajwa to say IS&#39;s claims of perpetrating the bomb attack were false.&nbsp; 
 
Bajwa also said there were IS militants active in the Afghan provinces of&nbsp; Nangarhar, Khost and Kunar.&nbsp; 
 
The spokesman also responded to US secretary of state John Kerry&#39;s comment made in India that Pakistan was not doing enought to wipe out militants from their country. 
 
&quot;Terrorists&nbsp;of all organisations, including Haqqanis, including Afghan Taliban, have been killed and some apprehended ... so if you say that you know actions have not been taken or (are) not being taken, that is wrong,&quot; he said, referring to US concerns about the country being lenient towards certain jihadist groups. 
 
&quot;We have paid $106.9 billion (on) this war ... If anyone points a finger at Pakistan or casts an eye of suspicion on Pakistan, they need to know this cost,&quot; said Bajwa. 
 
(WION with added inputs from Reuters)

The country's military said over 300 Islamist militants, who were planning 'attacks on government and civilian targets', have been arrested

Pakistan has foiled Islamic State's plans to launch attacks in the country, its military establishment said. Pakistani authorities have so far arrested 309 extremists to nip terror attacks in the bud. "They (the apprehended men) were involved in attacks on media and security personnel and were planning attacks on government, diplomatic and civilian targets," said Lieutenant-General Asim Bajwa, Pakistan military's top spokesperson. "They tried to make an ingress, and they failed, and they have been apprehended so far," he further said. Most of the arrested militants are Pakistani jihaidists who switched allegiances to the IS. There were a few foreign fighters including some from Afghanistan and Syria. Bajwa also said authorities have arrested a core group of 20 organisers. "We have captured all of them, except for one who I am sure is not in Pakistan." The comments come a few days after a bomb explosion ripped through a Quetta hospital, killing 70. The attack was claimed by the IS, stoking fears that the West Asia-based jihadi militants were building up a presence in the country. A Pakistani Taliban splinter group also claimed responsibility for the attack. This prompted Bajwa to say IS's claims of perpetrating the bomb attack were false. Bajwa also said there were IS militants active in the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar, Khost and Kunar. The spokesman also responded to US secretary of state John Kerry's comment made in India that Pakistan was not doing enought to wipe out militants from their country. "Terrorists of all organisations, including Haqqanis, including Afghan Taliban, have been killed and some apprehended ... so if you say that you know actions have not been taken or (are) not being taken, that is wrong," he said, referring to US concerns about the country being lenient towards certain jihadist groups. "We have paid $106.9 billion (on) this war ... If anyone points a finger at Pakistan or casts an eye of suspicion on Pakistan, they need to know this cost," said Bajwa. (WION with added inputs from Reuters)

Pakistan has thwarted IS attacks in country: Military

Thai voters approved a junta-backed constitution in a referendum today, preliminary results showed, an outcome that paves the way for an election next year, but will also require future elected governments to rule on the military&#39;s terms. Final results are still awaited. 
 
Voters handed the junta led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a convincing win in its first major popularity test at the ballot box since it seized power in a 2014 coup. 
 
With 94 per cent of the vote counted, early results from the election commission showed 61.4 per cent of Thais had voted for the charter, while 37.9 per cent rejected it. Full results are due on Wednesday. 
 
The junta says the constitution is designed to heal more than a decade of divisive politics in Thailand that has dented economic growth and left scores dead in civil unrest. 
 
But Thailand&#39;s major political parties and critics of the government say the charter will enshrine the military&#39;s political role for years to come. 
 
The win was a blow to the powerful Shinawatra clan and their allies, whose populist politics are reviled by Thailand&#39;s military-royalist establishment. Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister in a coup in 2006 and his sister Yingluck&#39;s government was toppled by Prayuth in 2014. 
 
The acting head of the Peau Thai Party, which carried Yingluck to power, said Thais may have voted pragmatically for the charter as the fastest route to an election. 
 
&quot;The reason most Thais accepted the constitution is because they want to see a general election quickly,&quot; Wirot Pao-in told reporters at the Peau Thai&#39;s Bangkok headquarters on Sunday. &quot;All sides must now help move the country forward.&quot; 
 
Across town at the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship group, the tone was less conciliatory. 
 
&quot;What will we do next? Tell Prayuth that, although it seems he is winning, this is not a victory he can be proud of because his opponents have not been able to fight at their best due to threats and harassment,&quot; said Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of the pro-Shinawatra UDD. 
 
Some people wept as the result became clear at the UDD headquarters in Bangkok. 
 
Intimidation 
 
The junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), banned debate about the constitution and campaigning ahead of the vote. The authorities have detained and charged dozens of people who have spoken against it, including politicians and student activists. 
 
&quot;(It was) a one-sided campaign in which the junta indirectly encouraged &#39;yes&#39; votes and arrested or intimidated referendum opponents,&quot; said Paul Chambers, director of research at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs in the city of Chiang Mai. 
 
&quot;As a result many voters did not show up while others felt compelled to vote &#39;yes&#39;.&quot; 
 
Turnout of around 55 per cent was below the 80 per cent targeted by the Election Commission. That likely favoured the government, said Thithinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok&#39;s Chulalongkorn University. 
 
&quot;This is a hands-down convincing margin of approval for the military government,&quot; he said. &quot;This is going to give the junta a signal to go full steam ahead for elections next year. They will feel confident from this vote about rolling out their plans for the transitional period.&quot; 
 
Around 200,000 police were deployed for the referendum and voting passed without major incident. 
 
The yes vote will likely be cheered by Thai financial markets. 
 
&quot;The outcome is our best case scenario and investors should react positively as it&#39;s clear that the election will happen next year,&quot; said Kasem Prunratanamala, head of research at CIMB Securities. 
 
&quot;Foreign investors had been waiting for the vote and may invest more now.&quot; 
 
Decade of turmoil 
 
The vote comes amid concerns about the health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88. The military has for decades invoked its duty as defender of the deeply revered monarch to justify its interventions in politics. 
 
Critics say the charter is the military&#39;s attempt to make good on their failure to banish Thaksin from Thai politics after the 2006 coup. 
 
Senior army officers have told Reuters the new charter aims to make future coups unnecessary by weakening political parties and ensuring the military a role in overseeing Thailand&#39;s economic and political development. 
 
Under the constitution, which would be Thailand&#39;s 20th since the military abolished an absolute monarchy in 1932, a junta-appointed Senate with seats reserved for military commanders would check the powers of elected lawmakers. 
 
Thaksin called the charter a &quot;folly&quot;, saying it would perpetuate the junta&#39;s power and make it impossible to govern Thailand. 
 
Thaksin retains strong influence despite living in self-imposed exile. His support base in the rural northeast bucked the trend and voted against the charter on Sunday. 
 
Decha Shangkamanee, a day labourer in Khon Kaen, said he had voted against it because he disliked the junta, but did not expect the referendum to make much difference. 
 
&quot;I know that nothing really changes today with the way the country is ruled,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

With 94 per cent of the vote counted, early results from the election commission showed 61.4 per cent of Thais had voted for the charter

Thai voters approved a junta-backed constitution in a referendum today, preliminary results showed, an outcome that paves the way for an election next year, but will also require future elected governments to rule on the military's terms. Final results are still awaited. Voters handed the junta led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a convincing win in its first major popularity test at the ballot box since it seized power in a 2014 coup. With 94 per cent of the vote counted, early results from the election commission showed 61.4 per cent of Thais had voted for the charter, while 37.9 per cent rejected it. Full results are due on Wednesday. The junta says the constitution is designed to heal more than a decade of divisive politics in Thailand that has dented economic growth and left scores dead in civil unrest. But Thailand's major political parties and critics of the government say the charter will enshrine the military's political role for years to come. The win was a blow to the powerful Shinawatra clan and their allies, whose populist politics are reviled by Thailand's military-royalist establishment. Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted as prime minister in a coup in 2006 and his sister Yingluck's government was toppled by Prayuth in 2014. The acting head of the Peau Thai Party, which carried Yingluck to power, said Thais may have voted pragmatically for the charter as the fastest route to an election. "The reason most Thais accepted the constitution is because they want to see a general election quickly," Wirot Pao-in told reporters at the Peau Thai's Bangkok headquarters on Sunday. "All sides must now help move the country forward." Across town at the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship group, the tone was less conciliatory. "What will we do next? Tell Prayuth that, although it seems he is winning, this is not a victory he can be proud of because his opponents have not been able to fight at their best due to threats and harassment," said Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of the pro-Shinawatra UDD. Some people wept as the result became clear at the UDD headquarters in Bangkok. Intimidation The junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), banned debate about the constitution and campaigning ahead of the vote. The authorities have detained and charged dozens of people who have spoken against it, including politicians and student activists. "(It was) a one-sided campaign in which the junta indirectly encouraged 'yes' votes and arrested or intimidated referendum opponents," said Paul Chambers, director of research at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs in the city of Chiang Mai. "As a result many voters did not show up while others felt compelled to vote 'yes'." Turnout of around 55 per cent was below the 80 per cent targeted by the Election Commission. That likely favoured the government, said Thithinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "This is a hands-down convincing margin of approval for the military government," he said. "This is going to give the junta a signal to go full steam ahead for elections next year. They will feel confident from this vote about rolling out their plans for the transitional period." Around 200,000 police were deployed for the referendum and voting passed without major incident. The yes vote will likely be cheered by Thai financial markets. "The outcome is our best case scenario and investors should react positively as it's clear that the election will happen next year," said Kasem Prunratanamala, head of research at CIMB Securities. "Foreign investors had been waiting for the vote and may invest more now." Decade of turmoil The vote comes amid concerns about the health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88. The military has for decades invoked its duty as defender of the deeply revered monarch to justify its interventions in politics. Critics say the charter is the military's attempt to make good on their failure to banish Thaksin from Thai politics after the 2006 coup. Senior army officers have told Reuters the new charter aims to make future coups unnecessary by weakening political parties and ensuring the military a role in overseeing Thailand's economic and political development. Under the constitution, which would be Thailand's 20th since the military abolished an absolute monarchy in 1932, a junta-appointed Senate with seats reserved for military commanders would check the powers of elected lawmakers. Thaksin called the charter a "folly", saying it would perpetuate the junta's power and make it impossible to govern Thailand. Thaksin retains strong influence despite living in self-imposed exile. His support base in the rural northeast bucked the trend and voted against the charter on Sunday. Decha Shangkamanee, a day labourer in Khon Kaen, said he had voted against it because he disliked the junta, but did not expect the referendum to make much difference. "I know that nothing really changes today with the way the country is ruled," he said. (Reuters)

Thai junta passes ballot box test with referendum win in preliminary results

The Pentagon will not pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements after US secretary of defence Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network, a US official said. 
 
Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US&nbsp;officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad&#39;s unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. 
 
&quot;The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Wednesday. 
 
The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US defence department programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient. 
 
&quot;This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years,&quot; Stump said. 
 
According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002. 
 
The decision by the Pentagon is a sign that while it sees some progress by Pakistan in its military operations in North Waziristan, much work remains. 
 
Pakistan rejects harboring militants but says there are limits to how much it can do as it is already fighting multiple Islamist groups and is wary of a &quot;blowback&quot; in the form of more militant attacks on its soil. 
 
&quot;Pakistan does not draw any distinction between any terrorists and we have taken up the fight against terrorism and the terrorist elements within Pakistan,&quot; foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday. 
 
&quot;These reimbursements enable the United States to support Pakistan&#39;s ongoing counterterrorism efforts in a manner that serves shared interests of both the countries.&quot; 
 
Relations between the United States and Pakistan were tested in May by a US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistani soil. 
 
There has been growing resistance in the US Congress to sending money to Pakistan. Many lawmakers have expressed concern about its nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organisations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process. 
 
In March, Republican senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar any US funding for Islamabad&#39;s purchase of $700 million of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets. 
 
(Reuters)

US secretary of defence Ash Carter is not yet convinced that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network

The Pentagon will not pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements after US secretary of defence Ash Carter decided not to tell Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network, a US official said. Relations between the two countries have been frayed over the past decade, with US officials frustrated by what they term Islamabad's unwillingness to act against Islamist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. "The funds could not be released to the government of Pakistan at this time because the secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network," Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump said on Wednesday. The $300 million comes under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), a US defence department programme to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan is the largest recipient. "This decision does not reduce the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years," Stump said. According to Pentagon data, about $14 billion has already been paid to Pakistan under the CSF since 2002. The decision by the Pentagon is a sign that while it sees some progress by Pakistan in its military operations in North Waziristan, much work remains. Pakistan rejects harboring militants but says there are limits to how much it can do as it is already fighting multiple Islamist groups and is wary of a "blowback" in the form of more militant attacks on its soil. "Pakistan does not draw any distinction between any terrorists and we have taken up the fight against terrorism and the terrorist elements within Pakistan," foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday. "These reimbursements enable the United States to support Pakistan's ongoing counterterrorism efforts in a manner that serves shared interests of both the countries." Relations between the United States and Pakistan were tested in May by a US drone strike that killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour on Pakistani soil. There has been growing resistance in the US Congress to sending money to Pakistan. Many lawmakers have expressed concern about its nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorist organisations and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process. In March, Republican senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar any US funding for Islamabad's purchase of $700 million of Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets. (Reuters)

Pentagon not to pay Pakistan $300 million in military reimbursements

Canada said on Thursday its military is set to deploy up to 60 medical staff to Iraq to run a field hospital for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group. 
 
&quot;As part of our ongoing commitment, Canada will soon deploy up to 60 medical personnel who will be leading a medical facility alongside coalition partners in northern Iraq,&quot; defence minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement following a meeting in Washington with other coalition members. 
 
Foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion added: &quot;Canada is proud to be contributing to all military and civilian lines of effort of the coalition. This type of integrated approach is essential to help secure long-term stability in the region.&quot; 
 
The medical personnel will join Canadian special forces and trainers already deployed to Iraq as part of the fight against IS. 
 
Canada withdrew from the coalition&#39;s bombing campaign in March following the election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but Ottawa still provides CP-140 Aurora surveillance and CC-150T Polaris refueling aircraft to the effort. 
 
(AFP)

The medical personnel will join Canadian special forces and trainers already deployed to Iraq as part of the fight against IS

Canada said on Thursday its military is set to deploy up to 60 medical staff to Iraq to run a field hospital for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group. "As part of our ongoing commitment, Canada will soon deploy up to 60 medical personnel who will be leading a medical facility alongside coalition partners in northern Iraq," defence minister Harjit Sajjan said in a statement following a meeting in Washington with other coalition members. Foreign affairs minister Stephane Dion added: "Canada is proud to be contributing to all military and civilian lines of effort of the coalition. This type of integrated approach is essential to help secure long-term stability in the region." The medical personnel will join Canadian special forces and trainers already deployed to Iraq as part of the fight against IS. Canada withdrew from the coalition's bombing campaign in March following the election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but Ottawa still provides CP-140 Aurora surveillance and CC-150T Polaris refueling aircraft to the effort. (AFP)

Canada military to deploy up to 60 medical staff to Iraq

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Saturday called on young citizens to become reservists and help boost security forces in the wake of the country&#39;s latest terror attack. 
 
France&#39;s &quot;operational reservists&quot; include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers. 
 
&quot;I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve,&quot; said Cazeneuve.&nbsp;His call comes after the government has been criticised for not doing more to stop attacks.&nbsp; 
 
The Islamic State group has said it was behind Thursday&#39;s truck massacre in Nice which left 84 people dead and many more injured.&nbsp;It was the third major Islamist attack which France has suffered in the past 18 months. 
 
French President Francois Hollande said on Friday that the new reservists would be called upon to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes.&nbsp;Details of how to become a reservist were swiftly posted on the national gendarmerie&#39;s website. 
 
Volunteers must be between 17 and 30 years of age, have the right physical and moral aptitude and undergo military training.&nbsp;They will only be required during the summer period, while the regular reservists are on holiday, said Cazeneuve. 
 
The operational reserve is currently made up of 12,000 volunteers, 9,000 of whom are within the paramilitary police and 3,000 in the regular police force, said Cazeneuve. 
 
&quot;We are going to reinforce the presence of security forces across the country,&quot; he added. 
 
He said the number of security forces deployed to protect the population was nearly 100,000, including 53,000 police, 36,000 para-military police and 10,000 soldiers. 
 
(AFP)

New volunteers will only be required during the summer period, while the regular reservists are on holiday

French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Saturday called on young citizens to become reservists and help boost security forces in the wake of the country's latest terror attack. France's "operational reservists" include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers. "I want to call on all French patriots who wish to do so, to join this operational reserve," said Cazeneuve. His call comes after the government has been criticised for not doing more to stop attacks. The Islamic State group has said it was behind Thursday's truck massacre in Nice which left 84 people dead and many more injured. It was the third major Islamist attack which France has suffered in the past 18 months. French President Francois Hollande said on Friday that the new reservists would be called upon to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes. Details of how to become a reservist were swiftly posted on the national gendarmerie's website. Volunteers must be between 17 and 30 years of age, have the right physical and moral aptitude and undergo military training. They will only be required during the summer period, while the regular reservists are on holiday, said Cazeneuve. The operational reserve is currently made up of 12,000 volunteers, 9,000 of whom are within the paramilitary police and 3,000 in the regular police force, said Cazeneuve. "We are going to reinforce the presence of security forces across the country," he added. He said the number of security forces deployed to protect the population was nearly 100,000, including 53,000 police, 36,000 para-military police and 10,000 soldiers. (AFP)

France urges young citizens to join reservists after Nice attack

Turkish military forces on Saturday opened fire on crowds gathered in Istanbul following a coup attempt, causing casualties, an AFP photographer said.

The soldiers opened fire on grounds around the first bridge across the Bosphorus dividing Europe and Asia, said the photographer, who saw wounded people being taken to ambulances. 
 
(AFP)

There are an unconfirmed number of casualties

Turkish military forces on Saturday opened fire on crowds gathered in Istanbul following a coup attempt, causing casualties, an AFP photographer said. The soldiers opened fire on grounds around the first bridge across the Bosphorus dividing Europe and Asia, said the photographer, who saw wounded people being taken to ambulances. (AFP)

Turkey's military opens fire on crowd following coup attempt

The Pentagon is set to lift its ban on transgender troops within the coming weeks, US media reported&nbsp;Friday. 
 
The move would be another major milestone for America&#39;s vast military, which up until five years ago still banned gay troops from openly discussing their sexuality under a &quot;Don&#39;t Ask, Don&#39;t Tell&quot; policy. 
 
USA Today said the transgender announcement is expected&nbsp;July 1&nbsp;and the plan would require each branch of the military to phase in the new policy over a 12-month period. 
 
Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook declined to confirm reports, but said a decision was due &quot;soon.&quot; 
 
Currently, Pentagon rules allow transgender troops to be discharged from the military. 
 
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter last year ordered all military roles -- including combat positions -- to be opened to women. 
 
Maryland Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer welcomed the news. 
 
&quot;The reversal of the ban is a major step forward in the effort to secure the full rights and equality of LGBT people in our country, and it will strengthen our military by ensuring that talented, dedicated candidates are not turned away or discouraged from serving because of their gender identity,&quot; he said in a statement. 
 
The US military has about 1.3 million service members. 
 
(AFP)

Only five years ago the military was banning gay troops from openly discussing their sexuality under a 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy

The Pentagon is set to lift its ban on transgender troops within the coming weeks, US media reported Friday. The move would be another major milestone for America's vast military, which up until five years ago still banned gay troops from openly discussing their sexuality under a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. USA Today said the transgender announcement is expected July 1 and the plan would require each branch of the military to phase in the new policy over a 12-month period. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook declined to confirm reports, but said a decision was due "soon." Currently, Pentagon rules allow transgender troops to be discharged from the military. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter last year ordered all military roles -- including combat positions -- to be opened to women. Maryland Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer welcomed the news. "The reversal of the ban is a major step forward in the effort to secure the full rights and equality of LGBT people in our country, and it will strengthen our military by ensuring that talented, dedicated candidates are not turned away or discouraged from serving because of their gender identity," he said in a statement. The US military has about 1.3 million service members. (AFP)

US Army to lift ban on transgenders: Reports

Egypt&#39;s ousted Islamist President Mohamad Morsi was today sentenced to life imprisonment by a Cairo court in an espionage trial in which six co-defendants were handed death penalties for leaking state secrets on military intelligence to Qatar and a Doha-based TV network. 
 
The Cairo Criminal Court upheld the death sentences of the six Muslim Brotherhood members and awarded life imprisonment to two others. 
 
Life in prison in Egypt is 25 years. But Morsi, who received life in prison for leading an unlawful group, was given an additional 15 years for stealing documents related to national security, increasing his jail term to 40 years. 
 
The six co-defendants were Ahmed Abdo Ali Afifi, a documentary film producer (who is in jail), Asmaa el-Khateeb, a reporter with Rasd News Network which is widely suspected of links to Morsi&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood (sentenced in absentia). 
 
Two more included Al-Jazeera employees - news producer Alaa Omar Mohammed and news editor Ibrahim Mohammed Hilal (both sentenced in absentia). 
 
Qatar, a wealthy Gulf state, was the main backer of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood during his term in power between 2012 and July 2013, when the military overthrew and detained him.&nbsp;Today&#39;s verdicts are not final and can be appealed. 
 
Last month, the court ordered that case documents of the six defendants, excluding Morsi, be referred to the Grand Mufti, who according to Egyptian law must review all death sentences. His decision, however, is not binding. 
 
The co-defendents have been convicted for leaking classified documents to Qatar and selling them to Doha-based Al-Jazeera channel. The documents allegedly include information on general and military intelligence, the armed forces, its armaments and state policy secrets. 
 
Other charges include leading and joining the outlawed Brotherhood, that aims at changing Egypt&#39;s regime by force, and attacking army and police posts and public properties. 
 
Muslim Brotherhood&#39;s Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and 35 other members of the proscribed Islamist group were last month sentenced to life for committing violent acts after the ouster of country&#39;s first democratically-elected President in 2013. 
 
Badie and Morsi were also sentenced to life in prison in the espionage case. Their sentences are currently in appeal. 
 
Morsi, Badie and 100 other leaders were sentenced to death in June last year for escaping from prison in 2011. 
 
However, an Egyptian court later quashed the death sentence against Badie. Hundreds of other Muslim Brotherhood members were also sentenced for life in various cases. 
 
The Egyptian government has been cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters since Morsi&#39;s ouster. The Muslim Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist group in November 2013 by the government. 
(PTI)

Six other co-defendants, including three journalists, were handed death penalties for leaking military secrets to Qatar

Egypt's ousted Islamist President Mohamad Morsi was today sentenced to life imprisonment by a Cairo court in an espionage trial in which six co-defendants were handed death penalties for leaking state secrets on military intelligence to Qatar and a Doha-based TV network. The Cairo Criminal Court upheld the death sentences of the six Muslim Brotherhood members and awarded life imprisonment to two others. Life in prison in Egypt is 25 years. But Morsi, who received life in prison for leading an unlawful group, was given an additional 15 years for stealing documents related to national security, increasing his jail term to 40 years. The six co-defendants were Ahmed Abdo Ali Afifi, a documentary film producer (who is in jail), Asmaa el-Khateeb, a reporter with Rasd News Network which is widely suspected of links to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood (sentenced in absentia). Two more included Al-Jazeera employees - news producer Alaa Omar Mohammed and news editor Ibrahim Mohammed Hilal (both sentenced in absentia). Qatar, a wealthy Gulf state, was the main backer of Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood during his term in power between 2012 and July 2013, when the military overthrew and detained him. Today's verdicts are not final and can be appealed. Last month, the court ordered that case documents of the six defendants, excluding Morsi, be referred to the Grand Mufti, who according to Egyptian law must review all death sentences. His decision, however, is not binding. The co-defendents have been convicted for leaking classified documents to Qatar and selling them to Doha-based Al-Jazeera channel. The documents allegedly include information on general and military intelligence, the armed forces, its armaments and state policy secrets. Other charges include leading and joining the outlawed Brotherhood, that aims at changing Egypt's regime by force, and attacking army and police posts and public properties. Muslim Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and 35 other members of the proscribed Islamist group were last month sentenced to life for committing violent acts after the ouster of country's first democratically-elected President in 2013. Badie and Morsi were also sentenced to life in prison in the espionage case. Their sentences are currently in appeal. Morsi, Badie and 100 other leaders were sentenced to death in June last year for escaping from prison in 2011. However, an Egyptian court later quashed the death sentence against Badie. Hundreds of other Muslim Brotherhood members were also sentenced for life in various cases. The Egyptian government has been cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters since Morsi's ouster. The Muslim Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist group in November 2013 by the government. (PTI)

Egypt's ousted Islamist President Morsi sentenced to life in jail, plus 15 years

India and the US welcomed preparations that could lead to the building of six nuclear reactors in India by US-based Westinghouse, in what would be the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil-nuclear issues. 
 
The joint statement said India and the US&nbsp;Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project and that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Westinghouse had confirmed engineering and site design work would begin immediately. 
 
It said Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would work toward finalizing the contract by June 2017 - a year later than Westinghouse&#39;s chief executive&nbsp;Daniel Roderick&nbsp;said he had hoped for.&nbsp; 
 
The text of a logistics agreement, which will allow the countries&#39; militaries to&nbsp;use each other&#39;s land, air and naval bases, would be signed soon, a US&nbsp;official said. 
 
Modi&nbsp;told an event organized by the US&nbsp;India Business Council that relations between India and the United States were &quot;closer than ever&quot;. He said the planned reactor purchases would mark new era in nuclear and scientific cooperation. 
 
Modi&#39;s address to a joint session of Congress will be a significant personal step. Although this has become a&nbsp;tradition for Indian prime ministers, he was once banned from the United States for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. 
 
More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Modi&nbsp;had just become the state&#39;s chief minister.&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;has denied any wrongdoing, and India&#39;s Supreme Court in 2010 ruled there was no case. 
 
In the joint statement, the United States said it now recognized India as a &quot;Major Defence Partner&quot; and would work on technology sharing &quot;to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners&quot;. 
 
Tensions between the United States and Pakistan, as well as regional concerns about China,&nbsp;have served as a backdrop to increased security cooperation. 
 
Senator John McCain, chairman of the US&nbsp;Senate Armed Services Committee, said the address to Congress was &quot;entirely appropriate&quot; given the new partnership. 
 
&quot;There&rsquo;s no doubt there are significant tensions and challenges in the region, which argues for closer coordination between our militaries,&quot; he said. 
 
While&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;is generally popular with the US&nbsp;lawmakers, they criticize what they see as lingering unfriendliness to US&nbsp;firms and a stifling bureaucracy, in spite of&nbsp;Modi&#39;s pro-business image. They also question New Delhi&#39;s record on human rights. 
 
Modi&nbsp;got a boost on Tuesday when Amazon Inc&nbsp;Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said his company will&nbsp;invest an additional $3 billion in India, increasing&nbsp;its committed investment in the country to over $5 billion.

The US said it now recognized India as a "Major Defence Partner" and would work on technology sharing "to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners"

India and the US welcomed preparations that could lead to the building of six nuclear reactors in India by US-based Westinghouse, in what would be the culmination of some 10 years of work to resolve civil-nuclear issues. The joint statement said India and the US Export-Import Bank were working to complete a financing package for the project and that the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and Westinghouse had confirmed engineering and site design work would begin immediately. It said Westinghouse and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India would work toward finalizing the contract by June 2017 - a year later than Westinghouse's chief executive Daniel Roderick said he had hoped for. The text of a logistics agreement, which will allow the countries' militaries to use each other's land, air and naval bases, would be signed soon, a US official said. Modi told an event organized by the US India Business Council that relations between India and the United States were "closer than ever". He said the planned reactor purchases would mark new era in nuclear and scientific cooperation. Modi's address to a joint session of Congress will be a significant personal step. Although this has become a tradition for Indian prime ministers, he was once banned from the United States for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002 when Modi had just become the state's chief minister. Modi has denied any wrongdoing, and India's Supreme Court in 2010 ruled there was no case. In the joint statement, the United States said it now recognized India as a "Major Defence Partner" and would work on technology sharing "to a level commensurate with that of its closest allies and partners". Tensions between the United States and Pakistan, as well as regional concerns about China, have served as a backdrop to increased security cooperation. Senator John McCain, chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, said the address to Congress was "entirely appropriate" given the new partnership. "There’s no doubt there are significant tensions and challenges in the region, which argues for closer coordination between our militaries," he said. While Modi is generally popular with the US lawmakers, they criticize what they see as lingering unfriendliness to US firms and a stifling bureaucracy, in spite of Modi's pro-business image. They also question New Delhi's record on human rights. Modi got a boost on Tuesday when Amazon Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said his company will invest an additional $3 billion in India, increasing its committed investment in the country to over $5 billion.

Obama and Modi talks touch on nuclear power, military cooperation and Big Business

Japan&#39;s&nbsp;military&nbsp;on Wednesday joined the&nbsp;search&nbsp;for a seven-year-old&nbsp;boyabandoned&nbsp;in a dense northern forest by his parents as&nbsp;punishment&nbsp;for being naughty.

Seventy five members of the Self-Defence Forces joined 200 police and civilians beating their way through thick brush in the mountainous forest on Hokkaido island.

A local hunter was also added to the&nbsp;search&nbsp;for Yamato Tanooka after fresh bear tracks were found in the area where he vanished on Saturday, Jiji news agency said.

The&nbsp;boy&#39;s parents first said he disappeared while they foraged for edible plants, but later told police they had left him by the road to discipline him after he threw stones at people and cars.

They said when they drove back a few minutes later the&nbsp;boy&nbsp;had disappeared. The area is so remote that residents of the region say they rarely go through it.

Despite the larger&nbsp;search&nbsp;party no leads turned up on Wednesday, with many worrying the&nbsp;boymight not have survived heavy rains which fell on Tuesday night. He was last seen wearing a t-shirt and jeans in an area where the overnight temperatures can fall as low as 7 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit).

The&nbsp;search&nbsp;has gripped Japan, with news programmes offering hourly updates, and thousands have taken to the internet to both pray for the&nbsp;boy&#39;s survival and excoriate his parents for what is seen as neglect.

&quot;If I was a small child in this situation I would either run after the car or wait there until they came back. I just hope he is safely found,&quot; one person wrote.

Japan's?military?on Wednesday joined the?search?for a seven-year-old?boy abandoned?in a dense northern forest by his parents as?punishment?for being naughty

Japan's military on Wednesday joined the search for a seven-year-old boyabandoned in a dense northern forest by his parents as punishment for being naughty. Seventy five members of the Self-Defence Forces joined 200 police and civilians beating their way through thick brush in the mountainous forest on Hokkaido island. A local hunter was also added to the search for Yamato Tanooka after fresh bear tracks were found in the area where he vanished on Saturday, Jiji news agency said. The boy's parents first said he disappeared while they foraged for edible plants, but later told police they had left him by the road to discipline him after he threw stones at people and cars. They said when they drove back a few minutes later the boy had disappeared. The area is so remote that residents of the region say they rarely go through it. Despite the larger search party no leads turned up on Wednesday, with many worrying the boymight not have survived heavy rains which fell on Tuesday night. He was last seen wearing a t-shirt and jeans in an area where the overnight temperatures can fall as low as 7 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit). The search has gripped Japan, with news programmes offering hourly updates, and thousands have taken to the internet to both pray for the boy's survival and excoriate his parents for what is seen as neglect. "If I was a small child in this situation I would either run after the car or wait there until they came back. I just hope he is safely found," one person wrote.

Military joins search for Japanese boy abandoned as punishment

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