Author: Viplavi Vinod Joshi

After Sweden, the government of Denmark is also tightening its border controls to increase security and prevent unwanted people from slipping into the country through its borders after the recent Quran burnings. Stringent border controls will initially be placed until August 10.  Increased Security on the Borders of Denmark The Danish Ministry of Justice said in a statement on Thursday that it is crucial for them to focus on who is entering Denmark in order to respond to current threats. The authorities fear revenge attacks from the outraged Muslim world after the recent anti-Islam activities in Denmark and Sweden. Several…

Pakistan’s cabinet has discreetly approved the signing of new security pacts with the United States. The move comes after years of estranged relations between the two over the Afghanistan issue. This marks a fresh start in military bilateral relations between the two countries and may open new channels for Islamabad to acquire military equipment from Washington. Renewal of Ties The Express Tribune reported on Thursday that Pakistan’s cabinet approved the Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CIS-MOA) with the US. However, there is no official announcement from either side. It has come to notice that the Federal Minister…

Shortly before midnight on August 1, the President of Tunisia Kais Saied removed Prime Minister Najla Bouden from office while replacing her with a former central bank human resource director-Ahmed Hachani. Hachani has been tasked with overcoming “colossal challenges” that have cash-strapped the North African country of Tunisia.  Bouden Removed from Office Najla Bouden Romdhane was the first female Prime Minister of the country and also the first female Prime Minister of the Arab World. She took office in 2021. Prior to becoming the Prime Minister, she held senior roles at The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. In…

The United States has taken a decisive step of blacklisting 20 individuals and 29 companies accused of financing terror operations of ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Maldives. Mathew Miller, the spokesperson of the US State Department said the aim of such sanctions is to terminate and disrupt financial flow of funds to terror groups operating in the Maldives. Links with ISIS, Al-Qaeda The sanctions were announced on Monday by the US Department of State and Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The list includes 18 facilitators associated with ISIS and ISIS-Khorsan (ISIS-K) and two al-Qaeda groups, along with 29…

China’s Deputy Premier He Lifeng is visiting Islamabad on July 31 for a three-day visit. He will be meeting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other officials. Pakistan is undertaking strict security measures upon He Lifeng’s arrival. It has restricted movements across the capital city and the Ministry of Interior has proposed that 31st July and 1st August be declared local holidays.  Imposing Holiday an Unnecessary Measure While the office workers are happy to enjoy an extended weekend, traders and businesses of Islamabad have been opposing the Interior Ministry’s decision and are demanding permission to open their shops. They refused to…

India and Brazil have been expressing their contempt against China’s efforts to swiftly expand the BRICS block of emerging markets to include Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. It has been anticipated by experts that China is trying to increase its political clout in order to counter the US. In the preparatory discussions for an upcoming BRICS Summit which will be held next month in Johannesburg, South Africa, countries have raised objections regarding the proposal of China to include Saudi Arabia and Indonesia in the group. According to an anonymous official, China has been persistently advocating for expansion in these discussions. Dozens…

The White House reported on Wednesday that a US drone was struck down by Russian fighter jets in Syrian airspace. This is the sixth such incident this month and the second in 24 hours. The US Government has expressed anger over the Russian jets for targeting their drones and interfering in their anti-ISIS workings over Syria. Attacks on American Drone and Aircraft Two anonymous US Officials have confirmed the damage to an MQ9 Reaper drone. The drone sustained damage to its wings but managed to return to its base. On Tuesday Russians fired flares on a drone, destroying its propellers.…

As India becomes the most populated country in the world, Japan on the other hand is going through a major population crisis. According to a government data source released on Wednesday, the Japanese population is experiencing a rapid decline all across the nation. As a result, Foreign nationals are filling in for the declining population.  The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications recently released resident registration data which highlights the worrisome condition of the country. The population of Japanese nationals fell by 800,000 people, now bringing to a total of 122.42 million as of January 1, 2024. The Japanese…

United States Special Presidential Envoy, John Kerry is set to visit India on a 5-day trip from 25 to 29 July. As informed by the US State Department, Kerry will meet senior government officials in Delhi. Kerry will also visit Chennai where he will attend the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministers (ECSM) Meeting on July 28.  The main objective of Kerry’s visit includes shared interests in advancing renewable and clean energy and promoting mutual efforts to build platforms for investment in renewable energy and storage systems. Moreover, the two countries also aim to support the deployment of zero-emission buses…

The United States has deployed another nuclear submarine, USS Annapolis which docked on the Jeju Island of South Korea. This is in response to the nuclear arms firing tests conducted by North Korea. Kentucky was the first nuclear sub to come to the Korean Peninsula, the first one since 1989.  Strained US-North Korea Relations Aggravated by USS Kentucky’s arrival on July 18 at the mainland port of Busan, North Korea started test-firing ballistic and cruise missiles as a show of force, indicating that it could strike South Korea and US vessels with nuclear weapons.   In between missile launches, the North…