China launches massive military drills around Taiwan
Beijing/Taipei, April 1: China on Tuesday ratcheted up tensions in the Taiwan Strait by launching massive joint military exercises, consisting of multiple forces around beleaguered Taiwan, prompting Taipei to deploy military aircraft, naval vessels, and missiles to counter PLA drills. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command started to conduct joint exercises around Taiwan Island, a spokesperson of the Command said. The Theatre Command organised its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to close in on Taiwan Island from multiple directions, its spokesperson Senior Colonel Shi Yi was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its mainland, has conducted similar military exercises in the recent past, but this is the first major military exercise around Taiwan since US President Donald Trump assumed power for a second tenure. (PTI)
South Korea’s court will rule Friday on Yoon’s impeachment
Seoul, April 1: South Korea’s Constitutional Court will rule Friday on whether to formally dismiss or reinstate impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol – a decision that either way will likely deepen domestic divisions. The court has been deliberating on Yoon’s political fate after the conservative leader was impeached in December by the National Assembly, which is controlled by the liberal opposition, over his brief imposition of martial law that triggered a massive political crisis. Millions of people have rallied around the country to support or denounce Yoon. Police said they’ll mobilize all available personnel to preserve order and respond to possible acts of vandalism, arson and assault before and after the court’s ruling. The Constitutional Court said in a brief statement Tuesday that it would issue its ruling at 11 am Friday and allow TV stations to broadcast it live. (AP)
US court rejects Khalistani separatist Pannun’s claim
New York, April 1: A US court has said that no complaint was delivered to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during his visit to Washington in February, dismissing a claim by Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun that court documents, including a summons, had been served on the top Indian official. “The Court has reviewed the above letter and attached exhibits… and finds that service was not completed. The Complaint was not delivered to a member of the hotel management or staff or any officers or agents providing security for Defendant, as required by the Court’s Order,” US District Judge Katherine Polk Failla said in the recent order. Pannun has filed a civil lawsuit against Doval and another Indian national Nikhil Gupta. Gupta has been accused by federal prosecutors of working with an Indian government employee in a foiled plot to kill Pannun on American soil. Pannun claimed in court papers that when Doval was in Washington, accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the visit to meet US President Donald Trump on February 12-13, he had “hired two process servers and one investigator” to serve the complaint on the National Security Advisor (NSA). (PTI)