PAKISTAN - AFGHANISTAN
At least nine children and one woman were killed in a Pakistani armed attack on Afghanistan, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. The provinces of L'host, Munari and Paktika were targeted. This is likely a response to a double suicide bombing in Peshawar in recent days.
INDIA - FRANCE
The Indian state-owned company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the French company Safran Electronics and Defence (SED) have signed a joint venture agreement for the production of HAMMER air-to-surface missiles in India. The weapon systems will then be mounted on Rafael fighter jets already in service with the Indian Air Force and Navy.
CHINA - JAPAN - TAIWAN - USA
US President Donald Trump said he has accepted an invitation from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to visit Beijing in April. The news was announced after a phone call between the two in which they discussed various topics, from fentanyl to tensions over Taiwan, which Trump did not mention in his post on the social media platform Truth. China has said that the island's return to Beijing's control is essential, while for the Taiwanese government “it is not an option”, the government reported. In this regard, Trump also called the Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, who had initially commented on the possibility of military intervention if China were to reclaim Taiwan.
USA - MYANMAR
The Trump administration has said it will end temporary protection for Myanmar citizens in the United States, arguing that they can safely return to their country, given that elections will be held in the coming months which, according to Washington, will lead to an improvement in the situation. In reality, these elections have been condemned as a sham by several international organisations.
NEPAL
Over 800,000 young men and women who have never participated in an election have registered to vote in Nepal's upcoming elections, which will be held on 5 March. These are the first elections since a large youth uprising in September deposed the government.
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia plans to open two new liquor stores, including one exclusively for non-Muslim foreign staff working for Aramco. Other stores, part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to open up the country, are expected to open in the eastern province of Dhahran and in Jeddah.
RUSSIA
The new State Russian Language Dictionary has been published in Russia and will be mandatory for all official documents, schools and all forms of expert assessment. The Moscow Patriarchate also collaborated in its drafting, and many terms have been introduced based on current political circumstances, such as the definition of “democracy” as “a form of government in the interests of the ruling class”.
ARMENIA
Two large shopping centres in Yerevan will open “super-modern” offices for migrant services and Interior Ministry checks, with self-service biometric data collection equipment, children's rooms and international service standards. This was announced by Minister Arpine Sarkisyan, who said, “To turn the page on the outdated and ineffective structures of the passport system, we want to break stereotypes”.
