Matteo Savio

A devastating roadside bomb attack struck a convoy of foreign diplomats in Pakistan's Swat Valley on Sunday, killing a police officer and injuring four others. The diplomats, nearly a dozen in number, were visiting the area at the invitation of the local chamber of commerce, and thankfully, all the ambassadors remained safe and were swiftly relocated to a secure location before departing for Islamabad. The attack highlights the ongoing security concerns in the Swat Valley, which has long been plagued by Islamist militant insurgency. Pakistani counter-terrorist forces maintain a strong presence in the region, but militants have escalated their attacks since breaking a ceasefire with the government in late 2022. The valley has witnessed several high-profile attacks, including the 2012 shooting of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but authorities suspect the involvement of militant organizations, particularly Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Read full news at https://lnkd.in/dtX4qP4U #Pakistan #SwatValley #RoadsideBomb #DiplomaticConvoy #Terrorism #MilitantInsurgency #CounterTerrorism #PakistaniGovernment #TehrikITalibanPakistan #MalalaYousafzai #IslamistMilitancy #SouthAsia #GlobalSecurity #TerrorAttack #DiplomaticSecurity #PakistanNews #SwatValleyAttack #PoliceOfficerKilled #Injury #Taliban #WarOnTerror #InternationalRelations

South Korea has warned North Korea that any harm to its citizens would result in the "end of its regime." This follows threats from North Korea, conveyed by Kim Yo-jong, of a "horrible disaster" in response to alleged drone flights over Pyongyang. South Korea's Defense Ministry criticized North Korea's provocations, calling them hypocritical amid its recent failures in military and state affairs, including spy satellite launches. In response, North Korea has threatened strong counteractions if anti-Pyongyang materials are flown into its territory again, asserting that the situation has been precipitated by South Korean actions. The ruling People Power Party reinforced the Defense Ministry's message, stating that South Korea's security is bolstered by its military capabilities and alliance with the United States. North Korea accused South Korean activists of sending anti-Pyongyang flyers and balloons, which South Korea's Defense Ministry dismissed as a tactic to deflect blame. The South criticized the North's recent actions, such as sending trash-filled balloons into its territory. There has been ongoing friction, with North Korea claiming multiple airspace intrusions by South Korean drones, which the South denies. The North’s propaganda emphasizes anger towards South Korea, prominently featured in state-run media. #AsiaRisk #NorthKorea #SouthKorea https://lnkd.in/gq4Q-9uQ Crisis Management Planning for an NK Crisis Get the Erudite Risk NK Crisis Toolkit https://lnkd.in/gSGK9_fS

Japan's Defence Ministry says missiles believed to have already landed at sea and there were no immediate reports of damage. North Korea on Tuesday fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, the South Korean military said, as the country continued its weapons demonstrations hours before the US presidential election. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately specify the number of missiles detected or how far they flew. Japan’s Defence Ministry said the missiles were believed to have already landed at sea and there were no immediate reports of damage. Follow us for more OnlineHyderabad.in #onlinehyderabad #hyderabad #hyderabadi #NorthKorea #missilelaunch #japandefenseforce #southkorea #eastasiasecurity #ballisticmissiles #uspresidentialelection #AsiaPacificNews #internationalrelations #militarytensions #eastsea #globalsecurity #defenseupdates

New Post: Solomon Islands: The Pacific election being closely watched by China and the West -3 hours ago Image source, Getty Images Image caption, A voter casts her ballot in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara In the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil’s Night. Political candidates offer bribes – handing out everything from cash to sacks of rice and Chinese-made solar panels to secure votes... 3 hours agoImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A voter casts her ballot in the Solomon Islands capital HoniaraIn the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil's Night.Political candidates offer bribes - handing out everything from cash to sacks of rice and Chinese-made solar panels to secure votes last minute. Vote-buying has been a common tactic in the Pacific nation's elections - hard to stamp out, despite toughened electoral laws.But that is not why some of the world's biggest powers are paying such close attention to Wednesday's vote.This remote island nation plays a crucial role in the jostling between China and the US - with its ally Australia - for influence in the region.Back on the ground, however, voters will mainly be focused on their immediate needs. More than 80% of the 700,000 population live outside the capital Honiara - most without access to basic services like electricity, medical aid, schools and transport.Why China is an election issueWednesday's election - delayed from last year - is the first time citizens will be able to vote since the Solomon Islands pivoted from the West towards Beijing. As a result, the vote could be seen as "a referendum" on incumbent leader Manasseh Sogavare's embrace of China, says researcher Edward Cavanough, who travelled across the country for his book 'Divided Isles' documenting the nation's turn to Beijing."The PM has been very adept at leaning into the and playing each of these major and regional powers off each other to gain incredible concessions," he says.Located about 1,600km (900 miles) north of Australia, the Solomon Islands is one of the poorest countries in the region due to decades of tribal conflict.Up until 2017, Australia led a peacekeeping mission here.Then two years after the mission withdrew, Prime Minister Sogavare chose to drop his country's decades-long diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in favour of Beijing. Then, in 2022, he signed a security pact with China - the details of which are still not publicly known.That set off major alarm bells for Australia and other Pacific neighbours. At one point, there was talk the treaty could allow a Chinese naval base to be established in the US-dominated Pacific region - rumours dismissed by Mr Sogavare. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Solomon Islands' PM Sogavare (3rd left) in a meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st right) in Beijing in 2019However if he win again, the PM has pledged to only deepen ties- he sees Beijing as the provider of his country's future prosper

New Post: Solomon Islands: The Pacific election being closely watched by China and the West -3 hours ago Image source, Getty Images Image caption, A voter casts her ballot in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara In the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil’s Night. Political candidates offer bribes – handing out everything from cash to sacks of rice and Chinese-made solar panels to secure votes... 3 hours agoImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A voter casts her ballot in the Solomon Islands capital HoniaraIn the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil's Night.Political candidates offer bribes - handing out everything from cash to sacks of rice and Chinese-made solar panels to secure votes last minute. Vote-buying has been a common tactic in the Pacific nation's elections - hard to stamp out, despite toughened electoral laws.But that is not why some of the world's biggest powers are paying such close attention to Wednesday's vote.This remote island nation plays a crucial role in the jostling between China and the US - with its ally Australia - for influence in the region.Back on the ground, however, voters will mainly be focused on their immediate needs. More than 80% of the 700,000 population live outside the capital Honiara - most without access to basic services like electricity, medical aid, schools and transport.Why China is an election issueWednesday's election - delayed from last year - is the first time citizens will be able to vote since the Solomon Islands pivoted from the West towards Beijing. As a result, the vote could be seen as "a referendum" on incumbent leader Manasseh Sogavare's embrace of China, says researcher Edward Cavanough, who travelled across the country for his book 'Divided Isles' documenting the nation's turn to Beijing."The PM has been very adept at leaning into the and playing each of these major and regional powers off each other to gain incredible concessions," he says.Located about 1,600km (900 miles) north of Australia, the Solomon Islands is one of the poorest countries in the region due to decades of tribal conflict.Up until 2017, Australia led a peacekeeping mission here.Then two years after the mission withdrew, Prime Minister Sogavare chose to drop his country's decades-long diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in favour of Beijing. Then, in 2022, he signed a security pact with China - the details of which are still not publicly known.That set off major alarm bells for Australia and other Pacific neighbours. At one point, there was talk the treaty could allow a Chinese naval base to be established in the US-dominated Pacific region - rumours dismissed by Mr Sogavare. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Solomon Islands' PM Sogavare (3rd left) in a meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st right) in Beijing in 2019However if he win again, the PM has pledged to only deepen ties- he sees Beijing as the provider of his country's future prosper

New Post: Solomon Islands: The Pacific election being closely watched by China and the West -3 hours ago Image source, Getty Images Image caption, A voter casts her ballot in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara In the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil’s Night. Political candidates offer bribes – handing out everything from cash to sacks of rice and Chinese-made solar panels to secure votes... 3 hours agoImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A voter casts her ballot in the Solomon Islands capital HoniaraIn the Solomon Islands, the night before an election is known as Devil's Night.Political candidates offer bribes - handing out everything from cash to sacks of rice and Chinese-made solar panels to secure votes last minute. Vote-buying has been a common tactic in the Pacific nation's elections - hard to stamp out, despite toughened electoral laws.But that is not why some of the world's biggest powers are paying such close attention to Wednesday's vote.This remote island nation plays a crucial role in the jostling between China and the US - with its ally Australia - for influence in the region.Back on the ground, however, voters will mainly be focused on their immediate needs. More than 80% of the 700,000 population live outside the capital Honiara - most without access to basic services like electricity, medical aid, schools and transport.Why China is an election issueWednesday's election - delayed from last year - is the first time citizens will be able to vote since the Solomon Islands pivoted from the West towards Beijing. As a result, the vote could be seen as "a referendum" on incumbent leader Manasseh Sogavare's embrace of China, says researcher Edward Cavanough, who travelled across the country for his book 'Divided Isles' documenting the nation's turn to Beijing."The PM has been very adept at leaning into the and playing each of these major and regional powers off each other to gain incredible concessions," he says.Located about 1,600km (900 miles) north of Australia, the Solomon Islands is one of the poorest countries in the region due to decades of tribal conflict.Up until 2017, Australia led a peacekeeping mission here.Then two years after the mission withdrew, Prime Minister Sogavare chose to drop his country's decades-long diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in favour of Beijing. Then, in 2022, he signed a security pact with China - the details of which are still not publicly known.That set off major alarm bells for Australia and other Pacific neighbours. At one point, there was talk the treaty could allow a Chinese naval base to be established in the US-dominated Pacific region - rumours dismissed by Mr Sogavare. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Solomon Islands' PM Sogavare (3rd left) in a meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping (1st right) in Beijing in 2019However if he win again, the PM has pledged to only deepen ties- he sees Beijing as the provider of his country's future prosper

Pakistan's Defense Minister confirms ongoing airstrikes in Afghanistan to combat terrorism. Operations are conducted without informing the Afghan Taliban for tactical advantage. Tensions rise over Pakistani Taliban sanctuaries despite requests for action. The campaign, "Resolve for Stability," focuses on internal security and aims to reduce violence. Chinese concerns may influence, but Asif denies direct pressure. The Taliban criticizes Pakistan for violating Afghan sovereignty.#PakistanDefence #MilitaryOperations #TerrorismInAfghanistan #SecurityThreats #ChineseInvestment #RegionalTensions #SovereigntyDebate#PakistanMilitary #AfghanistanConflict #Taliban #Counterterrorism #KhawajaAsif #ResolveForStability #PakistaniTaliban #ChineseProjects #SovereigntyIssues

FBR's Rs1 Point-of-Sale fee, intended for documentation and customer rewards, lacks transparency and accountability, raises concerns Read: https://lnkd.in/d5muN-AS

A North Korean defectors' group may pause scattering anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border if Kim Jong-un apologizes for North Korea sending trash-filled balloons to South Korea. This move comes after North Korea retaliated against Seoul activists' leaflet campaigns by sending nearly 1,000 balloons carrying trash to the South. The Fighters for a Free North Korea group stated they would resume leaflet operations if winds blow in a northern direction but could consider a temporary halt if there is an apology. South Korea mentioned it might activate loudspeaker broadcasting along the border as a response to North Korea's recent actions. North Korea stated it would temporarily stop sending trash-filled balloons to the South but threatened to resume if anti-Pyongyang leaflets are dispersed by South Korea. #AsiaRisk #NorthKorea #SouthKorea Follow us for daily updates on risk and operations in Asia! https://lnkd.in/geAUwkgq

Web Technology - Images Posted 240724-02 #images #technology Oh no not another image format to make life more complicated. We have JPEG and PNG already which is bad enough. So Google has come up with WebP. Why cannot the industry through the World Wide Consortium (W3C) just come up with one open standard for image files. Why allow chaos to commence again with different organisations trying to impose their own standards on the back of claiming improvements. With the Alliance for Open Media, whoever they are, coming up with AVIF. We don’t want it. We want a single standard that is progressively and slowly improved through agreed processes by the W3C. Google and whoever Alliance for Open Media are, stop it immediately and work through the W3C. Rant over. Banno My best book on Multimedia below. Third Edition (2009). Still the last edition published. But it is brilliant possibly the best oracle on Digital Multimedia. On sale at Amazon for £56.93 in Paperback. What ChatGPT says about WebP………… WebP is a modern image format developed by Google that provides superior lossless and lossy compression for images on the web. Key features of WebP include: 1. Compression Efficiency: WebP images are significantly smaller in size compared to JPEG and PNG images without compromising on quality. 2. Lossless and Lossy Compression: WebP supports both types of compression. Lossy WebP compression typically results in smaller files than JPEG at equivalent quality, while lossless WebP compression often produces smaller files than PNG. 3. Alpha Channel: WebP supports transparency (alpha channel) in both lossy and lossless modes, making it a versatile format for a wide range of image needs. 4. Animation: WebP supports animated images, providing a potential alternative to GIFs with better compression. 5. Wide Browser Support: WebP is supported by most modern web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. However, some older browsers may not support it without additional configuration or fallbacks. The format aims to make the web faster by reducing image sizes, which can lead to faster page load times and lower bandwidth usage.

Russia's foreign ministry has warned South Korea of potential "security consequences" if it engages in the Ukraine conflict. This statement comes after South Korea announced "phased" countermeasures in response to North Korea's plan to send around 10,000 soldiers to support Russia, including 1,500 troops already deployed. Spokesperson Maria Zakharova highlighted the risks facing South Korea if it aligns with Kyiv. Zakharova described the Ukrainian government as a "terrorist regime" and advised South Korea to avoid collaboration with Ukraine. She emphasized the importance of common sense and pointed to past humanitarian and economic cooperation despite political differences. Additionally, she dismissed claims regarding North Korea's troop movements as "fake" and suggested South Korea's concerns are exaggerated propaganda. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the presence of North Korean troops in Russia, though their specific mission remains unclear. Zakharova defended the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, asserting it complies with international law and does not threaten South Korea. #AsiaRisk #GeopoliticalConflictandDisputes #SouthKorea Get a full accounting of the security situation in Asia by subscribing to Security Asia. Subscribe now--free of charge--at https://lnkd.in/g7Cs8Gkf https://lnkd.in/gtdB5hm3

Ending an extended chill between the two militaries, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with China’s defence minister, Admiral Dong Jun, on April 16. It marked the first such communication with his Chinese counterpart in over two years and follows a protracted period of tension, diplomatic snubs and near misses in the South China Sea. On the same day, Treasury chief Janet Yellen attended exchanges in Washington marking the fourth meeting of bilateral economic and financial working groups. “I continue to believe that addressing overcapacity and broader macroeconomic imbalances can help China’s own economy,” she said. As we wrote in a recent Enodo Economics report, the recent cordial tone of US-China relations belies the underlying fragility of the relationship. The depth of difference across three crucial vectors – technology, economics and the military – has been on full display, and none of these issues has an obvious solution. Neither side will back down, and the upcoming US election will further destroy the tentative cordiality, so investors should prepare for impact that goes well beyond the borders of either country. Continued divergence seems inevitable. #China #US #USChinaRelations #TheGreatDecoupling