Monday 28 December, 2020 | 5:29 PM
NEW DELHI: On December 17, Ron Malka ‘officially’ announced that the Jewish nation would provide whatever ‘friend’ India needs to defend itself. The announcement assumes significance in view of the emerging geopolitical scenario during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First, it was the UAE, then Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco followed by establishing their full diplomatic ties with Israel. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is likely to follow suit. Pakistan has desisted and is isolated from the Arab states, which are all soon to embrace Israel.
Pakistan is having a sword of Damocles hanging on it as it faces a veiled threat from the KSA of curtailment of job visas to its citizens in the same manner as the UAE has already done. India has proposed a ‘replacement’ by its workforce. Israel wants Pakistanis to be shunted out of the KSA and the UAE. China too has been forced to ‘cut a sorry figure’ as now the whole Middle-East market
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Burial of COVID-19 victims in Maldives reflects badly on Sri Lanka View(s):
Last week’s announcement that the Maldivian Government was considering allowing the burial of Muslim victims of COVID-19 in the Maldiveson a request by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came as a surprise to many. The fact that the small country in the Indian Ocean was looking at the request favourably was a testimony to the strong bonds that have existed between the two countries for hundreds of years.
The Sri Lankan Government has by its continued disregard of WHO guidelines permitting victims of COVID-19 to be buried has shown scant regard to the request of a section of its citizenry, namely the Muslims, to bury those who died as a result of being infected with the COVID-19 virus. It has not even made an official announcement as to the reasons for such a refusal except to take refuge behind an anonymous expert technical committee who themselves have not officially given the reasoning behind
‘Indian Chronicles’ – a New War of Narratives Between India and Pakistan?
A new report highlighting India’s disinformation campaign against Pakistan could help rebuild Pakistan’s international image. However, that is a tall order.
By
December 18, 2020
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A European non-governmental organization (NGO), EU DisinfoLab, has unearthed a sophisticated disinformation campaign originating from India which has been targeting Pakistan since 2005. EU DisinfoLab labelled the campaign “Indian Chronicles.” Allegedly, a major player in the campaign is India’s largest wire service, ANI, which has been amplifying content produced on fake media outlets.
Last year, EU DisinfoLab uncovered 256 pro-Indian websites operating across 65 countries and traced them back to a New Delhi-headquartered Indian holding company, the Srivastava Group. A think tank affiliated with the Srivastava Group organized a visit by 27 Members of the European Parliament
Describing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a devout Muslim, the prime minister said on Tuesday no government other than the Awami League has worked more for the Muslims.
“But a section of the defeated forces of 71 are now trying to mislead devout Muslims with false, fictitious and imaginary statements. They are out to create anarchy in the society,” she said in a televised speech greeting the nation on the eve of the Victory Day.
“In 1972, the Father of the Nation asked everyone not to use religion as a political weapon. But the accomplices of the defeated forces dream to push the country 50 years backwards,” Hasina said.