By Tushar Ranjan Mohanty, Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
Peshawar (SAIR) - At least nine persons, including six students, were killed and 37 were injured when Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists attacked the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), on December 1, 2017. At least four attackers wearing suicide jackets under burqas (veils) reached the compound in a rickshaw. Their first target was the security guard, after which they headed inside towards the ATI students' hostel. Two soldiers were also injured in the rescue operation.
NEW YORK (IDN) – India has scored a "historic" victory over Britain, one of the five permanent members (P5) of the Security Council, with the re-election of Justice Dalveer Bhandari to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The win is historic because it’s the first time since 1946 that no judge from a P5 member is a part of the ICJ, which has its seat in The Hague, the Netherlands.
After Britain pulled out its candidate Christopher Greenwood before the 12th round of voting on November 20, Justice Bhandari won the last of five seats for which elections were held. He received 183 votes in the 193-member General Assembly and secured all the 15 votes in the Security Council after separate and simultaneous elections were held at the UN headquarters in New York.
Islamabad (Modern Diplomacy) - “Control of the sea is the key to world dominance”. Alfred Thayer Mahan was very right while emphasizing on the importance of the maritime security. Future wars will be fought over sea as oceans cover 75% part of the earth and the remaining one third land mass depends heavily on the 75% percent water.
Among the major oceans of the world, Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean covering approximately 73.3 million square kilometer. It is the triad of world’s most important choke points; the Straits of Hormuz, Bab-al-Mandeb and Malacca. The most significant sea lines of communications also pass through the Indian Ocean.
By Jason von Meding, Hari Darshan Shrestha, Humayun Kabir and Iftekhar Ahmed
Kathmandu (The Wire) - In April 2015 the Gorkha earthquake brought Nepal’s vulnerability sharply into focus. Alongside massive damage to the built environment, the terrible impact on the people of Nepal sent shockwaves around the world.
Despite good intentions to rebuild Nepal to be more resilient, 30 months on little progress has been made. Of more than 400,000 homes that were earmarked for reconstruction, only 12% have been rebuilt. Little of the US$4.4 billion in aid pledged for reconstruction has been disbursed.
New Delhi (The Wire) - Britain is discussing with Narendra Modi’s government how India how could play a leading role in revamping the Commonwealth when the international organisation of 52 countries holds its summit in London next April. One idea being considered is that administration of the grouping should be de-centralised with specific subjects being run from other countries, breaking the ponderous grip of the imperial style Marlborough House headquarters in London near the royal family’s homes of St. James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to be interested in India taking on the larger role – and maybe responsibility for trade and investment. He discussed this with Prince Charles when the heir to the British throne visited Delhi on November 8 and 9 at the end of a ten-day tour that included Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia.
Washington DC (ANI - The Economic Times) - The Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Heather Nauert, on Thursday said that the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) held in India was a "tremendous success".
At a press conference in the national capital, Nauert said, "I am so proud that the US and India held the global entrepreneurship summit in Hyderabad. I think it's a tremendous success when we bring in 1500 entrepreneurs from around the world."
When asked by ANI on Ivanka Trump leading the US delegation in the summit, she said, "We are also proud that Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and one of his most trusted and closest adviser, led the US delegation over there. I, personally, think of no better representative of a woman entrepreneur in the US than her to go over there."
When asked by ANI on Ivanka Trump leading the US delegation in the summit, she said, "We are also proud that Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and one of his most trusted and closest adviser, led the US delegation over there. I, personally, think of no better representative of a woman entrepreneur in the US than her to go over there."
When asked by ANI on Ivanka Trump leading the US delegation in the summit, she said, "We are also proud that Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and one of his most trusted and closest adviser, led the US delegation over there. I, personally, think of no better representative of a woman entrepreneur in the US than her to go over there."
When asked by ANI on Ivanka Trump leading the US delegation in the summit, she said, "We are also proud that Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump's daughter and one of his most trusted and closest adviser, led the US delegation over there. I, personally, think of no better representative of a woman entrepreneur in the US than her to go over there."
New York - First released in 1965, Shakespeare Wallah – the film – has now been released as a new 4K scan and restoration from the original camera negative and magnetic soundtrack that featured a new 5.1 audio mix from the stereo 35 mm mags – all approved by director James Ivory.
Indophiles and those who came of age in the 50’s and 60’s would know of Geoffrey Kendal, an English actor-manager and his wife Laura Lidell who owned a traveling repertory company Shakespeareana. The theater troupe used to perform Shakespeare in the presence of Indian royalty, as also among villagers in India. Included in the audience were families of rural folk and school children who had no inkling of the English language.
By Tushar Ranjan Mohanty, Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
New Delhi (SAIR) - Five bullet-riddled bodies of ethnic Punjabis were recovered by Levies Force personnel in the Tajaban area of Turbat tehsil (revenue unit) in the Kech District of Balochistan on November 18, 2017. The Levies Force disclosed that all the victims had received multiple bullet injuries and belonged to the Gujrat District of Punjab.
Three days earlier, 15 bullet-riddled bodies were recovered by Levies Force personnel in the Buleda area of Turbat tehsil in the Kech District on November 15, 2017. Makran District Commissioner Bashir Ahmed Bangulzai said that all the victims apparently belonged to various districts of Punjab, and were allegedly en route to Iran through an infrequent route illegally. Each of them received multiple bullets wounds from a close range.
By S. Binodkumar Singh, Research Associate; Institute for Conflict Management
Dhaka (SAIR) - On November 16, 2017, Police raided a house at Nawduli village in the Naogaon District (in Northern Bangladesh) and arrested five cadres of the Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (Neo-JMB). Police recovered two foreign-made pistols, 13 rounds, electronic devices, explosives and grenade making materials from their possession.
On November 7, 2017, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two cadres of Ansar al-Islam from the Narayanganj District’s Siddhirganj area in Bangladesh. RAB recovered local weapons, jihadi literature and leaflets from their possession.
United Nations (IDN) - Sri Lanka is known, perhaps mostly, as the place where Ceylon Tea originates from, or as the land which was torn by conflict for several years, or the country where the famous science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke lived.
But, we are also so much more, and our history also has a bearing on current peacebuilding in our country.
Located, right in the middle of the Indian Ocean, we are approximately 65,610 square kilometres in size, with a coastline of 1700 kilometres, and located just 32 kilometres away from the southernmost tip of India.
