KUALA LUMPUR, 20 March, 2021 (TON): In response to Pyongyang’s announcement to sever ties with Malaysia, Malaysia said on Friday, it will expel all North Korean diplomatic staff in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia’s foreign ministry said in a statement, “The government will issue an order for all the diplomatic staff and their dependents at the North Korean Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to leave Malaysia within 48 hours from today, March 19, 2021.”

It added, in response to “North Korea’s accusation that the extradition of its national to the US was a nefarious act and unpardonably heavy crime and in defiance of the acknowledged international law, Malaysia said it was conducted in accordance with the principles of justice, rule of law and independence of judiciary.”

“The extradition was carried out only after the due legal process had been exhausted,” the ministry said.

“The rights of Mun Chol Myong while in custody in Malaysia were also guaranteed and fulfilled, including his access to his own defense counsel, as well as to consular assistance and visits by his family,” it further added.

In 2019, the North Korean businessman was arrested on charges of money laundering and violating UN sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. Malaysian authorities said he was deported on Wednesday.

While the Malaysian foreign ministry said it “deeply regrets” North Korea’s decision to sever diplomatic ties, it denounced the move as “unfriendly and unconstructive.”

Malaysia was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with North Korea in the early 1970s. Relations soured after Kim Jong Nam, the estranged brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed at a Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017 with a nerve agent.

KATHMANDU, 20 March, 2021, (TON): The 33% portrayal of ladies on the whole state organs visualized by the constitution has not been implemented in the Council of Ministers and the initiative of ideological groups, says the National Human Rights Commission. It adds that victimization ladies keep on existing in each circle.

Ladies have endured more because of hurtful social practices, separation, abuse, treachery, and rejection, said a yearly report as of late distributed the NHRC. This has influenced the political, monetary, social, social, and instructive areas and ladies have been deceived.

As per the NHRC, even the evil practices, for example, jhuma, deuki and chhaupadi keep on exiting in Nepali society. Likewise, share, youngster marriage, and marriage without assent are as yet pervasive and ladies are obliged to acknowledge the claim of black magic. Actual attacks from the relatives for not bringing settlement, setting burning, banishing from home, and killings are additionally predominant in either structure.

There is a change in the forms and nature of discrimination and violence against women with the changes brought about by technology and development. "Cases of sex-selective abortion have increased and women continue becoming the victims of rape, sexual abuses, and acid attacks," reads the report.

Women's rights have been promoted through laws and policies, but practically gender-based violence is still rampant.

"Women-friendly laws have been formulated, but have not been implemented effectively. Hence, the government and other stakeholders should focus on effective implementation of laws for true empowerment," the rights body suggested.

MALE, 20 march, 2021 (TON): Maldives won the titles of Best Island Presentation and Bright Exhibiting Award at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (MITT) that is Russia’s biggest B2B tourism exhibition.

From March 16 – 18, latest edition of MITT was held in Moscow.

Maldives won the awards at MITT for the attractive presentation of Maldives’ stand and overall effort in the promotion of the destination at the fair, according to Visit Maldives.

Maldives has recorded 40,698 tourist arrivals from the Russian region so far this year which makes for 21.5 percent of total arrivals.

Many believe that Russia is one of the top source markets for tourist arrivals to Maldives, and the awards indicate Russia’s trust in Maldives as a tourist destination.

MOSCOW, 20 March, 2021, (TON): Russia has delayed the dispatch of its Soyuz-2.1a rocket to Sunday, state news organization RIA cited Roscosmos space office Director General Dmitry Rogozin as saying on Saturday.

Rogozin said the choice to defer from Saturday was made after a voltage spike in front of the arranged dispatch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, detailed.

The Soyuz-2.1a rocket, which is expected to deliver 38 satellites that are mostly made outside Russia into open space, is now set to be launched at 0607 GMT on Sunday, the source said.

ISTANBUL, 20 March, 2021 (TON): On Friday, the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called the U.S.’s President Biden’s comments about Russia’s President Vlamdrmir Putin “unacceptable” and unfitting of a U.S. President.

U.S. President said “I do” when in a TV interview was asked if he believed Putin was a killer, prompting US-Russia ties to sink to a new low. Putin later responded that “He who said it, did it.”
In reaction to this, Turkish President said, “Mr. Biden’s statements about Mr. Putin are not fitting of a president, and a president coming out and using such remarks against the president of a country like Russia is truly unacceptable, not something that can be stomached.”

He added saying, “In my opinion, Mr. Putin has done what is necessary by giving a very, very smart and elegant answer.”

However, the ties between the NATO allies, Turkey and the U.S. have been stained over multiple issues in recent years. But Turkey and Russia have longed developed strong strategic partnership despite supporting opposite sides in Syrian and Libyan conflicts.  

RIYADH, 20 March, 2021 (TON): On Friday, Army Chief of Staff of Saudi Arabia, General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili met the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff Lt. Genral Konstantinos Floros to discuss the mutual cooperation and bilateral defense relations.

Al-Ruwaili attended a flight demonstration by combat aircraft taking part in the “Falcon Eye 1” exercises at the Souda Air Force Base in Greece and met with the participants.

The Saudi Royal Air Force’s F-15C aircraft and the Hellenic Air Force’s F-16, Mirage 2000, and F-4 Phantom aircraft performed sorties and implemented training scenarios, including counter-insurgency and air support operations, and the destruction of ground targets.

Saudi Royal Air Force’s participation in the “Falcon Eye 1” exercise in Greece comes as part of King Salman’s eagerness to provide unlimited support for the development of the armed forces.

The major aim of the exercise is to exchange the military expertise between the two counties to strengthen and enhance the mutual cooperation between the armed forces.

COLOMBO, 20 March, 2021 (TON): On Saturday, a passenger bus plunged off a road killing 14 people and more than 30 injuries.

The incident happened about 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Colombo near the town of Passara, police said.

Till now no other casualties are reported, however, the bus was carrying more than 70 passengers.

KATHMANDU, 20 March, 2021, (TON): The parliamentary party and focal advisory group gatherings of CPN-UML are to occur today.

UML's parliamentary gathering meeting is being held at the Prime Minister's official home in Baluwatar, as indicated by UML Office Secretary Ishwari Rijal.

Similarly, the twelfth focal advisory group meeting of the gathering will be held after the parliamentary party meeting. Both the gatherings are probably going to examine contemporary policy-centered issues just as about contrasts inside the gathering.

The parliamentary party meeting today is relied upon to change the sculpture of the parliamentary party. The taskforce framed to revise the resolution will introduce its report today. UML's parliamentary gathering meeting on March 18 had shaped a three-part resolution correction team drove by Chief Whip Bishal Bhattarai.

Likewise, the central committee is expected to form the General Convention Organizing Committee, Secretary Rijal said. CPN-UML's 10th general convention has been scheduled for November later this year.

MAHARASHTRA, 20 March, 2021 (TON): Fire broke out at a chemical factory in Maharashtra that caused at least 4 workers dead and one other injured, police said.

The blaze, the cause of which is not clear, was reported at around 9.15 a.m. at the Gharda Chemicals Ltd. factory in Lote-Parshuram MIDC complex.

Statement from an official of the Khed police station said, “The five persons were trapped inside, and the firemen managed to rescue one. The charred bodies of four others were later found in the operation.”

However, immediately the injured worker was taken to a nearby government hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the four deceased were sent to a morgue for autopsy and other formalities.

ANKARA, 20 March, 2021 (TON): Turkey’s decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention on women’s rights, has been published in the country’s official gazetter on Saturday.

The convention established in 2011, a treaty developed by the non-EU organization Council of Europe that aimed to protect violence against women while creating legal frameworks.

President Erdogan had personally signed the convention in Istanbul when he was Prime Minister that was later ratified in Turkey, but according to the country's 'We Will Stop Femicide Platform', it was never applied.

However, following the decision to withdraw from the convention, 'We Will Stop Femicide's' leader took to Twitter to call for protests as the organization's general secretary, Fidan Ataselim, said the government is endangering the lives of millions of women by leaving. And called on Turkish leaders to reverse the decision and apply the convention.