On Thursday, the Punjab Police arrested five in relation to three low-intensity blasts that occurred in succession in Amritsar since Saturday. While the police highlighted that those arrested had no known terror links, the blasts were conducted to disturb the peace.
The Bangladeshi government has hired four chartered flights to repatriate its citizens who were rescued from Sudan and brought to Jeddah. The government has also provided its mission in Jeddah with financial support to provide food and other necessities to its stranded nationals.
UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned of a devastating locust outburst in North and Northeast Afghanistan, the country’s wheat basket. FAO said that the large-scale outbreak of Moroccan locust across eight provinces in the country could damage up to 1.2 million metric tonnes of wheat this year, which accounts for a quarter of the total annual harvest. The outburst will be an enormous threat to the farmers and worsen the food insecurity in the country.
The 35th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT) was held from 3 to 10 May. India’s INS Kesari and Thailand’s HTMS Saiburi participated in the CORPAT with Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies. The two countries held the exercise along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea. The CORPAT exercise is held bi-annually to reinforce maritime linkages between both countries and keep the Indian Ocean safe for international trade.
A Ukrainian battalion stated on Wednesday that it routed a Russian brigade near the embattled city of Bakhmut. Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of Ukraine’s ground troops, claimed Russian units in certain portions of Bakhmut had withdrawn by up to two kilometres (1.2 miles) due to counterattacks.
Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Syria, Russia and Iran met in Moscow on Wednesday for the highest-level negotiations on rebuilding ties between Ankara and Damascus after years of hostility during Syria’s civil war. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu tweeted that he highlighted the need for “cooperation in the fight against terrorism and working together to establish the basis for the return of Syrians” during the discussion.
High-level talks to extend the Black Sea grain deal, including facilitating grain and fertiliser deliveries, involving Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN commenced in Istanbul on 10 May, the Turkish Defense Ministry confirmed. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin is attending, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres may also participate. Moscow has put forth a long list of demands that must be met if it is to comply and extend the grain deal for Kyiv’s benefit.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said on Thursday that the five-point consensus (5PC) that the grouping had drafted for peace in Myanmar had not made any “significant progress.” He thus concluded that “ASEAN unity is required to decide on the next steps.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin expressed hope during his press conference on Wednesday that Afghanistan would make further progress in “adopting moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies” and “protecting the rights and interests of women and children,” to “win the understanding and trust of the international community.”
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that Islamic Jihad terrorists launched almost 300 rockets at Israel from Gaza, with over a fifth of the projectiles falling within the coastal enclave itself. One of the rockets, which entered Israel and was on its way to Tel Aviv, was successfully intercepted by the David’s Sling medium range air defence system for the first time. The IDF launched ‘Operation Shield and Arrow’ earlier this week to target Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza. Since Sunday, Israeli jets have been attacking Gaza, which has been under an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since 2007. At least 25 Gazans, including several Islamic Jihad commanders, have been killed.