WASHINGTON, 14 February 2020: The Congress has been communicated by President Trump’s administration of its determination to sell Harpoon Block II surface to air launched missiles and torpedoes worth $155 million to India.

As per the details the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in two separate notifications to the Congress that the sale of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles is estimated to cost $ 92 million, while 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes and three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes are estimated to cost $ 63 million.

According to the Pentagon, these missile systems will were vital for balance of power and defence of sea lanes by United States and other allied forces in the Indian ocean and pacific.

According to the Pentagon, this proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defensive partner, which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.

Spokesperson of Indian Navy confirming the deal disclosed that these missiles will be absorbed into Indian armed forces and collectively used by US and allies Navies during security operations to protect trade and passages on high seas.

JAMMU, 13 April 2020, TON: A Special Police Officer (SPO), who was working as an agent to move across Line of Control (LoC) to carryout terrorism on the both sides, was killed and his accomplice injured on Monday in an attack in Kishtwar district of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, an Inspector at Jammu police station said.

The unnamed Inspector of Jammu police said that a combined party of security personnel along with two SPOs, who had been working for Indian agencies and one UGW deputed to identify suspected Kashmiri protesters who pelted stone on Indian Army personnel were attacked in Tandar village of Dachan post. In the cross firing an SPO was killed and an OGW was critically injured.

The security personnel including Indian Army personnel later claimed that Kashmiris fled the scene taking along two service rifles of the Army soldiers. The area has been cordoned with additional reinforcements. An Army source reveled that on night 13/ 14 April an intense operation in the village has been planned. Further details were not immediately known.  

NEW YORK, 11 April 2020, TON: Secretary-General António Guterres said in a special message to religious leaders, “Today, I want to make a special appeal to religious leaders of all faiths to join forces to work for peace around the world and focus on our common battle to defeat COVID19. I do so at a special time on the spiritual calendar. For Christians, it is the celebration of Easter. Jews are marking Passover. And soon, Muslims will begin the holy month of Ramadan. I extend my warmest wishes to all those observing these important MOMENTS. We have always known these occasions to be moments of community. Of families coming together. Of hugs and handshakes and the gathering of humanity. But this is a time like no other. We are all seeking to navigate a strange, surreal world. A world of silent streets. Shuttered storefronts. Empty places of worship. And a world of worry. We are worried about our loved ones who are equally worried about us. How do we celebrate at a time like this? Let us all take inspiration from the essence of these holy occasions as moments for reflection, remembrance and renewal. As we reflect, let us spare a special thought for heroic health workers on the frontlines battling this awful virus – and for all those working to keep our cities and towns going. Let us remember the most vulnerable of the vulnerable around the world. Those in war zones and refugee camps and slums and all those places least equipped to fight the virus. And let us renew our faith in one another and draw strength from the good that is gathering in troubled times as communities of diverse faiths and ethical traditions unite to care for one another. Together, we can and will defeat this virus – with cooperation, solidarity, and faith in our common humanity.”

It is important to mention here that this month the holy month of Ramadam is commencing. The Muslims have been ordered to offer prayers in the Mosques, especially the 'Tarawi' are offered during Isha Prayers in which all the the whole Holy Quran is recited in the presence of the Muslims attending the prayers within the month time. The is followed by the Eid celebrations.

SANA, 9 April 2020, TON: The Saudi-led coalition, in an announcement on Wednesday declared a “ceasefire” with Yemen. Riyadh announcement came in support of UN efforts to end its five-year conflict, which has killed hundreds. Saudi authorities in  statement on Thursday said that Saudi Arabia is still holding ceasefire in effort to help Yemen in difficult situation. 

Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki explaining the ceasefire said, the decision has been taken to avoid a potential outbreak of the new coronavirus in Yemen.

The spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces has categorically dismissed a claim by Saudi-led military coalition that it was observing a two-week ceasefire and suspension of hostilities in its devastating war against Yemen. In a Twitter post on Thursday, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces said that the Saudi-led forces had stepped up their offensives and attacks across various parts of the country over the past few hours. The Tweet said, “Saudi and Emirati forces have carried out at least five large-scale airstrikes on Yemeni areas near the kingdom's southwestern border region of Najran since the early hours of this morning.” 

A Saudi Arabian officer disclosed that they have not attacked Yemen since the announcement of ceasefire and this has been done by some other country intentionally so that peace should not be restored. Media reports claimed that coalition’s warplanes struck positions at several Yemeni regions, including Al-Bayda and Sa’ada, Amran. Other media reports said, Yemeni army forces and their allies fired US ballistic missiles at their camp in the southern Yemeni provinces of Abyan.

The UN says over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger.

SRINAGAR, 8 April 2020, TON: More than 2568 Kashmiri Muslim political and civil rights inmates including 18 Kashmiris imprisoned on the charges of carrying out terrorism against Indian Army deployed in Jammu and Kashmir were shifted to unidentified locations on Tuesday, 7 April 2020. The decision to transfer the prisoners was taken after the inmates held a protest due to lack of health facilities and the possibility of the novel Coronavirus outbreak.Indian Inspector of prisons revealed that they have strict orders not to release any Kashmiri.  

Jammu and Kashmir Prison Department official disclosed that last month too on 31 March some 1240 Kashmiris prisoners, especially the young, who could turn to more violent in the wake of international pressure to free prisoners amidst spread of Coronavirus have been moved to three detention centers in neighbouring Punjab province including Lucknow.  Most of them were pro-freedom Kashmiri, who were alleged to have links with Pakistan.

If we recall, there was tremendous pressure from Organization of Islamic Conference to free all political pressure and quite recently, international human rights organizations in a joint statement urged Government of India to release all unjustly detained prisoners in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir in an effort to contain the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The statement was issued by Amnesty International India, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, International Commissions of Jurists (ICJ), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA),  World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

QUETTA, 7 March 2020, TON: Provincial Police resort to baton charge to disperse the protesters in provincial capital Quetta on Monday. The protest was launched by Pakistani doctors and medical staff against a lack of protective gears to guard against Coronavirus. The Government of Balochistan had given an undertaking of to provide masks and gloves but so far nothing has been supplied at the hospitals.Despite efforts, TON could not approach representatives of National Disaster Management Authority for their comments. 

On Tuesday, doctors across the province went on strike in non-critical care wards to protest against the Monday arrests and lack of equipment. However, those on emergency and Corona wards did not participate in the protest. Spokesman of Young Doctors Association (YDA) confirmed that over 50 doctors were arrested on Monday, 6 April 2020. They highlighted that so far, at least 18 doctors have been infected with the Coronavirus in Balochistan due to lack of provision of safety gears. They demanded that military doctors and paramedics must also join them in fight against Coronavirus.

Doctor  Nasir, one of the protester  disclosed that the incident  took place due to non provision of  safety gear by the Government, putting lives of doctors and paramedics at risk. He said that a number of doctors and paramedics had been injured in the baton charge by Police.

A statement issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday said, “Emergency supplies of medical equipment including PPEs being dispatched to Quetta on orders of COAS to help medical staff fight Covid-19 effectively in Balochistan.

As per the details after government failed to deliver the promised supplies, hundreds of doctors and paramedics chanted slogans demanding safeguards items. Polices used force to disperse the protesters in which some of the doctors and paramedic staff were dragged off by the police equipped with rifles and batons.

Police authorities said, they arrested 30 protesters who were defying a ban on public gatherings imposed during a lockdown in connection with efforts to check spread of Coronavirus.  Doctors threatened to stop working unless the detained protesters were released.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Zaireen who visited Iran from Pakistan or were residing there from some years were expelled by the Iranian Government and forced to crossover to Pakistan through FIA Gate Taftan, Mand and Rabat area. Pakistan has reported a total of 3,352 cases of the Coronavirus and majority of the cases as well as initial spread was from the Iranian border.

AWANTIPUR, 7 April 2020, TON: The Indian Army announced conclusion of operation against the Kashmiri innocent villagers after The Orient News (TON) reported Indian brutal adventures aganst the innocent Kashmiris. A statement issued by India Defence spokesperson said, “Indian Army Infantry Battalion Commanding Officer deployed in Keran sector on LoC. They had launched Operation Rangduri Behak on April 1 after detecting terrorist infiltration against terrorists who may have caused mayhem in hinterland in Kashmir valley. The operation was conducted over 5 days. On operation Rangdouri Behak in which 5 Pak-backed terrorists were killed.” 

If we recall TON reported on 5 April 2020 that elements of 3 Division, 70 Infantry Brigade and other Infantry Battalions were reported to have also deployed at Kupwara district for special operations. Despite bad weather, operations against Kashmiri youth continued on Saturday, 4 April 2020. A defence spokesperson later on Sunday, claimed that troops carried out combing operation and killed five Kashmiris militants. However, a villager who was an ex-serviceman and also witness to the operation said, he saw eight dead bodies of the civilian youth being evacuated by Indian Army to Base hospital. He claimed that that some soldiers told him that they have come from Leh and Karu have joined the security forces to eliminate all those who dare to violate curfew.

It is an open secret now that about 33 kilometers south of Srinagar, Awantipora is located, where the headquarters of Victor Force is engaged in terrorist activities against the Kashmiri masses and neighbouring Pakistan. The present General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) 15 Corps, Lieutenant General BS Raju spent tenure here as commander of  Victor Force that performs counter-terrorism operations in the area of responsibility. The strategy adopted is that anyone who talks about joining on the basis of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution is operated upon, isolated, either eliminated or isolated through series of operations and if apprehended tortured to joing Indian intelligence service as Special Police Officers (SPOs) and Under Ground Workers (UGW) for the Indian Army and Delta Company of Border Security Force (BSF). Hundereds and thousands of innocent Kashmiris have been so far recruited and forced to join peaceful protesters as militant cadres to approach local populations to convince them that to target Indian Army and security forces. In case any odd person joins them, an operation is launched to misguide international media about terrorist activities by Kashmiris. In order to accelerate the recruitment of Kashmiris, Indian Army runs projects like schools and colleges, and a Military hospital has been established to target Kashmiris in the guise of COVID-19 treatments.

AMMAN, 6 April 2020, TON: His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordon on Sunday directed the government to examine the gradually resumption of operations in productive sectors, especially in the export sector to support the economy.
 
Chairing a National Policies Council (NPC) meeting which was also attended by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein, adviser to the King, urged creative solutions that create balance between public health and economic plans. He stressed on studying small and medium sized enterprises with focus on  public-private partnerships.  
King Abdullah also discussed progress of remote learning and the measures being taken to sustain the educational process.

ISLAMABAD, 6 April 2020, TON: Pakistan’s Ministry of Health released latest figure of COVID-19 positives and deaths. It has been reported that the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is 3,059 including 45 deaths in Pakistan. However, the officials at provincial hospitals claimed that the figures are exaggerated as they have admitted many cases who had fever and some of the symptoms with the apprehension that they are COVID-19 positive. Dr Naveed disclosed that the list prepared in each hospital show names of many individuals who had previous history of multiple respiratory diseases and presently some hospitals show admissions and deaths to have occurred due to COVID-19 but actually, no tests have been carried out to confirm they actually contracted the viral disease.  

The Heath Ministry’s statistics presented by the ministry showed that at least 512 people were tested positive while eight deaths were registered from Friday to Sunday.

In Punjab province 1,319 confirmed cases were reported while in Sindh province 881 cases have been reported. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province 372 cases were reported while 206 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 189 Balochistan and 78 in the capital Islamabad. The death gigures show that 12 people died in Punjab, 15 in Sindh, 14 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 4 elsewhere. Overall, 170 people across the country recovered.

BANDIPORA, 5 April 2020, TON: Another Indian Army soldier committed a suicide. A case has been registered against unknown persons. As per the initial reports the ill-fated Soldier belonged to 14 Rashtriya Rifles at Army camp in Pannar, and had brawl with his Commanding Officer over leave but later declined and sent him to operation area,

As per Police authorities, he committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle at an Army camp in Bandipora district of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Police has claimed that they have registered a case, however, cause of suicide could not be ascertained.