NEW DELHI, 25 November 2021, (TON): The Indian government is preparing to ban private cryptocurrencies and allow the country’s central bank to launch an official digital currency.

The proposed legislation follows a crackdown on cryptocurrencies in China, where financial regulators and the central bank have made all digital currency transactions illegal.

The Indian proposals were flagged in a parliamentary bulletin listing upcoming legislation which included one paragraph on “the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021”.

The accompanying description of the bill appeared to leave some room for using cryptocurrencies, however.

It read “to create a facilitative framework for creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India.”

“The bill also seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, however, it allows for certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses.”

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, said last week that cryptocurrencies could “spoil our youth” and the country’s central bank has repeatedly warned, in line with other central banks, they could pose “serious concerns on macroeconomic and financial stability”.

In September, El Salvador became the first country to accept a cryptocurrency, bitcoin, as legal tender. But major economies have generally been wary of digital currencies, with the deputy governor of the Bank of England, Sir Jon Cunliffe, warning that they could cause financial meltdown.

Nonetheless, the BoE and the Treasury are to launch a formal consultation into a UK central bank digital currency next year.

NEW DELHI, 25 November 2021, (TON): The Indian Cabinet today approved a bill to repeal the three contentious farm sector reform laws which triggered major protests by thousands of farmers.

The development was announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Thakur said “the Cabinet completed the formality of approving the repeal of three farm laws, as announced by the Prime Minister earlier on November 19, reports our New Delhi correspondent.”

In a televised address to the nation, Modi had made the surprise announcement about his government's decision to scrap the three laws.

The new bill repealing the three legislations would be introduced in the Indian parliament for passage in the upcoming winter session, beginning November 29.

DHAKA, 25 November 2021, (TON): US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said “Washington and Dhaka share similar views on global norms regarding access to space, exploration and research.”

US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has praised the Bangladesh Army’s peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

He also said the US and Bangladesh share similar views on global norms regarding access to space, exploration and research.

The US Air Force Secretary made the remarks at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC recently, celebrating the 50th Armed Forces Day.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, now on an official visit to the US, was present as chief guest at the event.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M Shahidul Islam paid tribute to the architect of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and recalled the bravery and supreme sacrifice of the valiant freedom fighters -- both military and civilian.

DHAKA, 25 November 2021, (TON): Maldivian vice president  said “whenever my country fell in crisis, Bangladesh supported it."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid emphasis on the necessity for strengthening connectivity between Bangladesh and Maldives to further boost trade and commerce between the two countries.

She said at a meeting with visiting Maldives Vice President Faisal Naseem at her official residence Ganabhaban "if the connectivity is strengthened, the bilateral trade and commerce would be developed further between the two countries.”

Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. 

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh can extend technical support to the Maldives on human resources development and healthcare. 

She added "we can share our health sector experiences with the Maldives as Bangladesh has set up community clinics to ensure primary healthcare services. So, Bangladesh can help the Maldives in this regard.” 

Sheikh Hasina also offered the Maldives to use the services of Bangladesh's Bangabandhu-I satellite. 

The prime minister informed the Maldivian vice-president that she often highlights the Maldives as a climate-vulnerable country in different international forums. 

NAYPYITAW, 25 November 2021, (TON): Resistance fighters have clashed with Myanmar military units on several occasions in Sagaing Region’s Kalay Township in recent days, as the junta’s forces try to retake control of a strategic road.

The Kalay People’s Defence Force (PDF) intercepted a column of 25 soldiers as they marched along the Kalay Gangaw road near the village of Man Taw.

The PDF said “five junta soldiers died in the clash, which lasted for 20 minutes.”

It added that its own troops retreated without suffering casualties as junta soldiers launched artillery at them from Hantharwadi village in Gangaw Township.

Fighters from a chapter of the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) said they attacked the same column of troops on Tuesday at 8:30am.

A military spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

ISLAMABAD, 24 November 2021, (TON): President Arif Alvi said “amid the global challenges of cyber attacks, it is important for Pakistan to build national capabilities in cyber security to protect its important systems and data.”

The remarks came during the inauguration ceremony of Pakistan's first-ever National Cyber Security Academy, at the second annual International Conference of Cyber Warfare and Security in Islamabad.

President Alvi said “preparing indigenous professionals and solutions was vital to reduce the risk of cyber attacks, particularly against the country’s defence, energy, and financial infrastructures.”

The two-day event organized by the National Centre of Cyber Security, Air University discussed ways to build to strengthen cyber security and neutralize advanced threats.

Cyber security significant for both defensive and offensive strategies

President Alvi said “the attainment of strong capacity in cyber security was significant for both defensive and offensive strategies as the world witnessed rapid technological advancement.”

He said “a national vision of a secure and robust digital ecosystem would lead the country to socio-economic development.”

The president mentioned that cyberspace had recently attracted the attention of many developed and developing countries with reports of government websites being hacked and sensitive data stolen by foreign groups.

WASHINGTON, 24 November 2021, (TON): Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov spoke on the phone with the chairman of the Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Mark Milley, they discussed international security issues, the Russian Defense Ministry reports.

The message said “a telephone conversation took place between the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov, and Chairman of the Committee of the Chiefs of Staff of the United States of America, General Mark Milley.”

VILNIUS, 24 November 2021, (TON): The Lithuanian authorities sent Belarus a note of protest in connection with the planned physical launch of the second unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant (BelNPP) located at the Lithuanian border and 50 km from Vilnius by the end of this year.

According to the Foreign Ministry of the Baltic Republic, the note was presented to the representative of the Belarusian Embassy in Lithuania.

The text of the document is quoted in the message “with the start of operation of the second unit of the BelNPP, threats in the field of nuclear safety and environmental protection for Lithuania and other countries of the region will double, therefore we demand that Belarus refrain from this irresponsible and increasing danger decision.”

At the same time, Vilnius demanded to stop the operation of the first unit of the BelNPP until “until all the requirements of nuclear safety are taken into account.”

MOSCOW, 24 November 2021, (TON): Trilateral talks between Russian President Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the signing of the statement on a ceasefire and all hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone on November 9, 2020, will be held in Sochi on November 26 at the initiative of the Russian leader.

This was reported by the Kremlin press service.

“It is planned to consider the implementation of the agreements of the leaders of the three countries dated November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, as well as outline further steps to strengthen stability and establish a peaceful life in the region,” the message says. -economic and transport links “.

It is noted that separate conversations between Putin and Aliyev and Pashinyan are also envisaged.

WASHINGTON, 24 November 2021, (TON): Former President Donald Trump is slamming President Joe Biden’s order to release 50 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve to bring down energy costs.

Trump said, in a statement released “for decades our country’s very important Strategic Oil Reserves were low or virtually empty in that no President wanted to pay the price of filling them up.”

I filled them up three years ago, right to the top, when oil prices were very low. Those reserves are meant to be used for serious emergencies, like war, and nothing else.

He said “now I understand that Joe Biden will be announcing an ‘attack’ on the newly brimming Strategic Oil Reserves so that he could get the close to record-setting high oil prices artificially lowered.”