NEW DELHI, 10 January 2022, (TON): Former naval chief and senior military commander Arun Prakash has warned that India could descend into civil war as political leadership of the country had failed to condemn the recent genocide calls against Muslims by Hindu hardliners.

Leaders of several far-right Hindu groups had called for genocide of minorities in India, particularly country's 200-million-strong Muslim community at a three-day ‘hate speech conclave’ organised by the controversial Hindutva leader Yati Narsinghanand in December, 2021.

In an interview with The Wire, former admiral Arun Prakash said “the silence of the country’s political leadership over calls for Muslim genocide and ethnic cleansing is ominous and there should be outright condemnation and firm action.”

He added that if this continues “there’s bound to be a counter” and “the next step could be conflict”. Asked if this meant India could face a civil war, the former admiral replied “yes, indeed”.

Prakash along with three other former Naval chiefs and a former Indian Air Force chief wrote an open letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 31 about the calls for genocide and ethnic cleansing.

When asked if he received any response from either, he replied, “None so far (and) it’s futile to expect one”.

KABUL, 10 January 2022, (TON): Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan met with Wafa Khadzhiev, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan.

In the meeting, Khadzhiev expressed satisfaction with the overall security situation in Afghanistan.

He said “Turkmenistan would start work on TAPI project in September, 2022, stressing the importance of joint Afghan-Turkmenistan work in this area.”

During the meeting, Stanekzai thanked Turkmenistan for its humanitarian aid to the Afghan people said, the transit route between Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan was important for connecting Central Asia with South Asia, assuring cooperation thereof.

KABUL, 10 January 2022, (TON): Hours after Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s arrival in Tehran, Iran on Sunday underlined the need for robust economic and trade relations with Afghanistan.

The Foreign Ministry in Tehran said that Iran had always emphasised strong economic and trade relations with Afghanistan in the interests of the peoples of the neighbouring country.

In a statement issued, the ministry said “the visiting delegation would discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.”

The two sides are set to sign agreements on cooperation in areas of banking, cross-border markets, mining, trade and sports, according to news agency.

NEW YORK, 09 January 2022, (TON): The UN appealed to all those involved in the unrest in Kazakhstan to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and resolve their grievances through peaceful means.

The country is experiencing the worst street protests it has witnessed since the nation gained independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago, and dozens reportedly have been killed.

Reporters told at the UN headquarters in New York “it’s important that there be a stop to the violence” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres."

“The killing of police officers is unacceptable; the killing of protesters is as well. There is a clear need in any situation to respect human rights and international standards while we reestablish public order.”

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has referred to demonstrators as “terrorists.” On Friday, he authorized security forces to shoot to kill when responding to anti-government protests.

The demonstrations began on Jan. 2, following a near-doubling of fuel prices, and quickly spread across the country.

TEHRAN, 09 January 2022, (TON): Iran has added 51 officials to the list of US citizens who have been sanctioned in connection with the assassination of the commander of the Al-Quds Special Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC, elite units of the Iranian Armed Forces) General Qasem Soleimani and the deputy head of the Iraqi Shiite militia.

Al-Hashd al-Shaabi Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. This was reported on Saturday by the Iranian Mehr agency, citing a statement from the country’s foreign ministry.

The sanctions list was supplemented, in particular, by the head of the US National Security Agency, General Paul Nakasone, the chairman of the Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Mark Milli, and former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien (served in 2019-2021).

Previously, the list included former US President Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and CIA Director Gina Haspel and other high-ranking American officials, but their exact number was not specified.

WASHINGTON, 09 January 2022, (TON): The foreign and defence ministers of the United States and Japan voiced concerns about what they said was China's ongoing efforts to undermine the rules-based order, as they look to cooperate more on emerging defence threats.

The officials from the two allies met virtually to discuss modernizing and strengthening their security alliance at a time when concerns about China and increasing tension over Taiwan have put Japan's security role in greater focus.

According to a joint statement following the talks “the ministers resolved to work together to deter and, if necessary, respond to destabilising activities in the region.”

The ministers said they had "serious and ongoing concerns" about human rights issues in China's Xinjiang and Hong Kong regions and underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the two countries would sign a new defence collaboration deal to counter emerging threats, including hypersonics and space-based capabilities.

ANKARA, 09 January 2022, (TON): Greece should refrain from testing Turkey’s patience with provocations, including with a threat to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean, Turkey’s defense minister warned.

Speaking to a group of journalists in Ankara, Hulusi Akar also said Turkey wanted to resolve disputes with neighbor and fellow NATO member Greece through dialogue and turn the Aegean into a “sea of friendship” but accused Athens of pressing ahead with what he said were provocative actions, including militarizing islands close to mainland Turkey, in breach of international agreements.

Akar said “they (Greece) should not miscalculate and think it’s the right time (to extend the territorial waters to) 12 miles.”

“They should not test us in any way, and should not embark on such an adventure. I hope they don’t make such a mistake.”

He added “let the two sides benefit from the riches, let both the Turkish people and the Greek people live happily and prosperously.”

Greece and Turkey have long been at odds over a series of disputes, including territorial rights in the Aegean Sea and energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Tensions flared in the summer of 2020 over exploratory drilling rights in areas in the Mediterranean where Greece and Cyprus claim their own exclusive economic zone.

KABUL, 09 January 2022, (TON): A high-ranking delegation from Turkmenistan has come to Kabul and discussed issues related to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.

The Turkmen delegates included deputy Foreign Minister Wafa Khadzhieve and Mohammad Murad Amanov, the chief of the TAPI company, as well as other officials.

Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said they agreed with the Turkmen delegates to resume the TAPI project construction in Afghanistan in the near future.

Shahabuddin Dilawar, acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum “we will try to start it soon and its implementation phase will start by the second half of this year.”

Meanwhile, the Turkmen delegates met with Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi and talked about bilateral relations, the implementation of regional projects, and the resumption of the TAPI project in Afghanistan.

KABUL, 09 January 2022, (TON): The Taliban's foreign minister visited Iran to discuss Afghan refugees and a growing economic crisis, in the first such trip to the neighbouring country since the hardline Islamists seized power.

Iran, like other nations, has so far not recognised the new government formed by the Taliban after it took power amid a hasty withdrawal by US-led foreign forces in August.

The Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Twitter "the visit aims at discussions on political, economic, transit and refugee issues between Afghanistan and Iran.”

Already host to millions of Afghans and fearing a new influx, Tehran has sought to sketch a rapprochement with the Taliban.

He said “the Taliban delegation led by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has already held a preliminary meeting with Iranian officials.”

MOSCOW, 09 January 2022, (TON): Russia’s Foreign Ministry hit back at the United States after its Secretary of State Anthony Blinken ridiculed the deployment of Russian troops in Kazakhistan in the wake of massive anti-government protests.

According to media, Kazakhistan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made the request for assistance after protesters stormed the mayor's office in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, and overran the city's airport.

However, Blinken, while addressing reporters at a State Department briefing, warned that "one lesson of recent history is that once Russians are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave".

Blinken said "it would seem to me that the Kazakh authorities and government certainly have the capacity to deal appropriately with protests to do so in a way that respects the rights of protesters while maintaining law and order.”

"So it's not clear why they feel the need for any outside assistance. So we're trying to learn more about it."

In a statement, Russia lambasted Blinken, saying he “tried to make a funny joke today about the tragic events in Kazakhstan”.