SRINAGAR, 24 November 2021, (TON):  The United Nations have strongly criticised the arrest of a prominent activist in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) on terror charges, saying he is “not a terrorist”.

Khurram Parvez was arrested by India's federal National Investigation Agency (NIA), an Indian official briefed on the situation told Reuters.

He added that his residence and office were searched and a mobile phone, laptop and books seized.”

A spokesperson for the NIA confirmed Parvez's arrest on Tuesday.

Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, called Parvez's arrest "disturbing".

She said in a tweet “he's not a terrorist, he's a human rights defender.”

ISLAMABAD, 24 November 2021, (TON): Pakistan has adamantly repudiated the groundless Indian claims that a Pakistani F-16 aircraft was shot down by an Indian pilot before he was captured by Pakistan in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued the statement that Abhinandan Varthamanm, is a “classic case of Indian fabrications and pure fantasy to appease the domestic audience and hide embarrassment.”

International experts and US officials have already confirmed that no Pakistani F-16 was shot down on the day after taking stock of Pakistani F-16 aircraft.

The statement said “India’s insistence on propagating a lie that has been thoroughly exposed is ludicrous and nonsensical.”

It added that granting military honours for imaginary feats of gallantry is contrary to every norm of military conduct.

The statement said “by giving such an award, also as an afterthought, India has only made a mockery of itself.”

NEW DELHI, 24 November 2021, (TON): Sources confirmed that the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the long-pending proposal for a deal with Russia to manufacture 6 lakh AK 203 assault rifles for the Army in India.

The deal had been struck over several points for nearly two years, including negotiations over technology transfer.

The DAC also cleared a proposal to acquire two satellites for the Indian Air Force to help them communicate beyond the line of sight.

The deal for the assault rifles, to be manufactured by Amethi-based Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited, is expected to be worth around Rs 5,000 crore, and the final approval comes ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in the first week of December.

It is likely to be signed in Putin’s is presence.

The deal is part of the Inter-Government Agreement with Russia, under which the first 70,000 rifles will be off-the-shelf, after which the transfer of technology for the guns to be made in India will begin.

The sources said “Russia had earlier demanded royalty over each gun to be manufactured in India but later it waived the clause. There were a few other issues that had been stuck in negotiations, which have largely been sorted out.”

NAYPYITAW, 24 November 2021, (TON): Six regime soldiers were killed and three others, including a police chief, were injured in Tanintharyi Region’s Launglon Township after fighting broke out following an attack by local resistance forces.

The leader of the Launglon People’s Defence Force (PDF) said “the group also lost one of its members in the clash, which took place near Gawtinn, a village about 26km from Dawei.”

The group’s leader told media “the exchange of fire began after the Launglon PDF used handmade RPGs and small arms to launch an attack on a military vehicle carrying 10 soldiers and police.”

He added that Nyein Chan Aung, a 23-year-old engineer from Dawei, was killed instantly after soldiers returned fire with automatic weapons.

The leader of the resistance group said “one of the shots fired by the soldiers hit him in the forehead. They had a lot of weapons. We decided to retreat when they started firing automatic weapons.”

He added “it was the first time the Launglon PDF had lost a member.”

In July, the Launglon PDF seized an M16 rifle and a pistol following a clash with military-backed Pyu Saw Htee members in Pyinhtein, another village in Launglon.

NAYPYITAW, 24 November 2021, (TON): Resistance fighters said “they attacked a military convoy and a police station in the Yaw area of Magway Region on Sunday, killing at least 11 junta soldiers.”

The group said “the Yaw Defence Force (YDF) ambushed a convoy of five vehicles near Khaukku village in the southern part of Gangaw Township using 12 handmade bombs.”

Later, at 9pm, it launched an attack 35 miles north on the police station in Kan village.

A YDF spokesperson said “there was a small clash after we attacked them with explosives, which have been our weapon of choice for a while now.”

The junta soldiers are expected to march to the town of Kalay but have not yet left Gangaw, he added. “All of the junta soldiers are now in Gangaw Township.”

The YDF said “two military vehicles were destroyed during the first attack, which killed 11 soldiers including a lieutenant and severely injured 20 others.”

The added that it seized more than 400 bullets, two military uniforms with Light Infantry Division 33 badges, and other supplies after the clash.

The resistance fighters used homemade mortars and traditional muskets during the attack on the police station but were unsure how many casualties they inflicted in that attack.

DHAKA, 24 November 2021, (TON): President said that Bangladesh is now focusing on export of skilled manpower.

President M Abdul Hamid said “Bangladesh and Maldives would jointly work to tackle the adverse effects of climate change and disasters.”

President's Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin said “the head of the state said this as visiting Maldivian Vice President Faisal Naseem paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban in the evening.”

Welcoming Faisal Naseem, Abdul Hamid said an excellent bilateral relation exists between Bangladesh and Maldives and it is gradually expanding in various fields, including trade and investment.

He said it contributed to advancing Bangladesh-Maldives bilateral tie to a great extent “Recalling the state visit of Maldives president on the Birth Centenary Celebration programme of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangladesh Independence's Golden Jubilee last March.”

Hamid hoped that the visit of the vice president of Maldives would further enhance the existing bilateral relations of Male with Dhaka.

DHAKA, 24 November 2021, (TON): After nearly a six-month pause, the government will resume the relocation of Rohingyas from the camps in Cox’s Bazar to Bhashan Char Island in the Bay of Bengal from Thursday.

On Wednesday, 1,800 to 2,000 Rohingyas will be transported from Cox’s Bazar to Chittagong, officials concerned told Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.

After the overnight stay in Chittagong, the displaced people from Myanmar would make their way to Bhashan Char in ships belonging to the Bangladesh Navy on Thursday morning.

The last relocation voyage took place on April 21, 2021.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch, a New York-based international rights body, has called for halting the relocations to Bhashan Char until freedom of movement and other rights of Rohingyas are protected.

ISLAMABAD, 23 November 2021, (TON): Islamabad and Moscow agreed to further expand cooperation in countering international terrorism and other security challenges following the ninth meeting of the Russian-Pakistani Working Group on Countering International Terrorism and Other Security Challenges held in Moscow, which was co-chaired by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov and his Pakistani counterpart Nabil Munir.

“As part of the current strategic dialogue, Russia and Pakistan exchanged assessments of global and regional terrorist threats (in particular, in Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Africa, Central and South Asia).

An agreement was reached on further expanding cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Of the Republic of Pakistan on countering international terrorism and other security challenges, “the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

As the ministry stressed, both sides highly appreciated the efforts undertaken by Russia and Pakistan in the fight against international terrorism, and reaffirmed their commitments to combat the spread of terrorist propaganda in the information space, in particular on the Internet, as well as the “phenomenon of foreign terrorists.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry said “they especially noted that the spread of terrorist ideology and the emergence of new forms of terrorism pose a serious threat.”

“The parties also confirmed their intentions to continue the dialogue on combating the financing of terrorism.”

AMMAN, 23 November 2021, (TON): Jordan, Israel, and the UAE signed a declaration of intent to begin deliberations over the feasibility of an energy-for-water project.

Omar Salameh, spokesperson of the Jordanian Water Ministry said that the signing of the declaration was “neither a technical nor legal agreement” and it only means that the three sides will start the feasibility studies for the mega project as of the beginning of 2022.

Stopping short from giving further details, Salameh only said that resource-poor Jordan is to receive 200 million cubic meters of water annually under the project, adding that the joint venture will not be implemented without obtaining the stipulated amount of water.

The spokesperson explained that Jordan is among the poorest countries in the world for water, with a water deficit expected to hit 45 million cubic meters in 2022.

He added that Jordan’s annual water resources are less than 80 cubic meters per person, below the international threshold of 500 cubic meters per person.

Salameh also said that Jordan obtains a total of 35 million cubic meters of water from Israel under the 1994 Wadi Araba Peace Treaty and another 10 million cubic meters outside the peace deal between the two countries.

Jordan signed an agreement with Israel in October to purchase an additional 50 million cubic meters of water outside the framework of the peace agreement and what it stipulates in regard to water quantities.

KHARTOUM, 23 November 2021, (TON): Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said that maintaining the economic gains from the past two years was among the reasons he had decided to return to his post, under a deal with the military nearly a month after he was removed in a coup.

In an interview at the Khartoum residence where he had been held under house arrest following the Oct. 25 military takeover, Hamdok said he believed a technocratic government he is expected to appoint would have a chance to improve living standards.

Prominent political parties and Sudan’s powerful protest movement have opposed Hamdok’s decision to sign the agreement with the military on Sunday, with some calling it a betrayal or saying it provided political cover for the coup.

Hamdok said “among the reasons for my return is preserving the economic gains and the economic opening to the world.”

Since Hamdok was first appointed prime minister in 2019 under a power sharing deal following the overthrow of Omar Bashir, Sudan has carried out economic reforms including the lifting of fuel subsidies and a managed float of its currency.

The reforms, monitored by the International Monetary Fund, won Sudan approval for forgiveness on much of its more than $50 billion in foreign debt — a deal that was thrown into doubt by the coup.