KABUL, 16 November 2021, (TON): Mawlavi Abdul Jalil Shahidkhel, director of education in Balkh said that the school building in Vali-e-Asr town of Mazar-e-Sharif will be built in one floor in three months at a cost of one hundred and sixty thousand US dollars.

He said “the building has eight classrooms and four office rooms.”

ISLAMABAD, 16 November 2021, (TON): Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar encouraged the Chinese investors to explore more investment opportunities in industrial, agricultural, and information technology areas under the umbrella of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said that due to special relationship between Pakistan and China, the government and people of Pakistan would wish to see much greater investment from China. He solicited the support of Chinese companies working in Pakistan to attract more foreign direct investment from China in the country.

 Chairing a meeting of Chinese investors working in Pakistan hosted by the CPEC Authority here, the minister asked the Chinese investors to seek help from the Authority in case of any issue. He said a facilitation center had also been set up in the Authority to provide help to the Chinese investors.

Further, he said “a CPEC Cabinet Committee had also been set up to resolve the highest level policy issues besides establishing a Pak-China relationship Steering Committee to resolve the day-to-day CPEC related issues. The minister informed that the Prime Minister Imran Khan was taking keen interest in the CPEC projects and was convening regular meetings in this regard.”

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on CPEC Affairs Khalid Mansoor, Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) Azfar Ahsan, and Ambassador of China to Pakistan Nong Rong attended the meeting which was participated by CEOs and representatives of over 70 Chinese companies. A number of companies joined through video link as well.

ISLAMABAD, 16 November 2021, (TON): Over 8,000 Sikh yatrees (pilgrims) from across the world are visiting Pakistan to celebrate the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

Pakistan has given special permission to the Sikh pilgrims from India, US, UK, Afghanistan and Canada among other counties to attend the celebrations from November 17 to 26.

Sikhs from Afghanistan have arrived through the Torkham border while Indian yatrees will be arriving on November 17 through the Wagah border. During the celebrations, Sikh pilgrims will also visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

Last week, Pakistan issued around 3,000 visas to the Indian Sikh pilgrims on the eve of the 552nd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

During their stay in Pakistan, the statement added, the Sikh pilgrims would pay obeisance at different Gurdwaras including Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

DHAKA, 16 November 2021, (TON): Lord Ahmad is scheduled to visit Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar today.

The United Kingdom announced to provide Bangladesh an assistance of £54 million to help the country mitigate the pandemic-induced disruption in its education sector and help return half a million children back to schools.

The UK Minister of State for South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth, Lord Tariq Ahmad, made the announcement at an event in Dhaka.

Tariq Ahmad, now on a visit to Bangladesh, was delivering talks on “Bangladesh-UK: Partners in Progress” at the Foreign Service Academy with Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen in the chair.

Highlighting salient features of Bangladesh-United Kingdom relationship over the past five decades, Lord Ahmad lauded tremendous successes that Bangladesh achieved in recent decades in the areas of girls’ education, poverty alleviation and climate change adaptations.

He also reiterated his country’s last week’s pronounced commitment of providing Bangladesh with £120 million worth of assistance over the next six years to help the country become more resilient against climate change vulnerabilities.

DHAKA, 16 November 2021, (TON): A Foreign Ministry press release said “the observation was made as Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen held a bilateral meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof Gamini Lakshman Peiris at state guest house Padma in the capital.”

Dhaka and Colombo are eyeing to strengthen air and maritime connectivity for the greater benefit of the people of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

A Foreign Ministry press release said “the observation was made as Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen held a bilateral meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof Gamini Lakshman Peiris at state guest house Padma in the capital.”

The Sri Lankan foreign minister is visiting Dhaka to attend the 21st meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)'s Council of Ministers (COM).

During the meeting, the two ministers also emphasized expeditious conclusion of preferential trade agreement (PTA) and enhancement of bilateral trade.

They also agreed to explore possible collaboration between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University of Bangladesh and National Institute of Oceanographic Marine Sciences of Sri Lanka.

Both the ministers noted the ongoing cooperation under the IORA, maritime cooperation, maritime security, blue economy, climate change and prevention of over-exploitation of marine resources.

NAYPYITAW, 16 November 2021, (TON): A chapter of the Chinland Defence Force (CDF) in southern Chin State’s Paletwa Township launched its first ever attacks against junta forces last week, using explosives to kill 11 soldiers as they travelled along a road towards the town.

A military unit of 60 soldiers left the town of Matupi last Monday in two trucks and headed toward Paletwa. But the CDF fighters slowed their advance by attacking them three times on the way.

Six soldiers died in an hour-long battle near Kantaung village, at the border between Matupi and Paletwa, on November 9. Another five died during a battle near the village of Pauksin the following day.

A spokesperson for the Paletwa CDF, who goes by the name Paul, said the group attacked the soldiers with a series of explosions using a method they called “mine galore” and learned about the number of deaths thanks to “accurate intel.”

Paul said that while the CDF has been active across Chin State in recent months, last week’s ambushes were the first time the Paletwa branch has clashed with the junta. “I don’t think they even knew we existed.”

A third clash took place near Waryon village on Thursday and lasted the whole day. The Paletwa CDF was forced to retreat after the military employed heavy weapons.

Because of the ambushes, the junta soldiers took five days to complete their 70-mile journey. They arrived in the town of Samee on Friday and camped in the local police station.

NAYPYITAW, 16 November 2021, (TON): People’s Defence Force (PDF) fighters last week badly injured two junta soldiers in an attack in Kawhmu, the Yangon Region township where detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi held her parliamentary seat before the February 1 coup.

The resistance forces opened fire on two vehicles and the two soldiers who were hit are in a critical condition, said “the information and psychological warfare officer of the National Unity Government’s (NUG) Yangon Regional Command.”

He said “Judging from the extent of their injuries, there’s no way they could survive.”

The information officer said “the soldiers were on patrol in a small military vehicle and a civilian vehicle when they were attacked on Kyaik Taw road in the village of Magyikan. The patrol vehicles sped up and drove away without returning fire.”

Local news sources reported that the junta soldiers did fire and three civilians were injured in the fighting, but Myanmar Now was unable to confirm this. Calls to a junta spokesperson went unanswered. 

ISLAMABAD, 15 November 2021, (TON): United States of America (USA) Navy ship USS PEARL HARBOR visited Karachi port and conducted naval exercise with Pakistan Navy.

A Pakistan Navy media release said “on arrival the Ship was received by officials of US Embassy and Pakistan Navy.”

Pakistan and US Navy are partners in peace and striving to achieve safe and secure maritime milieu and trade. The visit of US Ship included harbour and sea phases. In harbour phase table top discussions on professional matters and bilateral interactions were held. Whereas sea phase included various seamanship and warfare drills.

BRUSSELS, 15 November 2021, (TON): Thousands of migrants from the Middle East are camped out on the EU-Belarus border, creating a stand-off between the EU and US on one side and Belarus and its ally Russia on the other

Warsaw said “dozens of migrants have been detained after crossing into Poland from Belarus, warning of a possible larger breakthrough ahead of an EU meeting to widen sanctions on Belarus.”

Police said on Twitter that 50 migrants had crossed the heavily-guarded EU and Nato border near the village of Starzyna "by force".

They were all later detained, the border guard said, adding that they could see signs of "a bigger attempt at crossing the border .”

Thousands of migrants from the Middle East are camped out on the EU-Belarus border, creating a stand-off between the EU and US on one side and Belarus and its ally Russia on the other.

Western countries accuse Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's regime of deliberately engineering the crisis by encouraging migrants to come to Belarus and then taking them to the border.

Belarus denies the charges and blames the West.

WASHINGTON, 15 November 2021, (TON): The top diplomats from China and the United States have exchanged stern warnings over the flashpoint issue of Taiwan, ahead of today's hotly awaited summit between their leaders.

The virtual meeting of presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping comes against a backdrop of rising tensions, in part over Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy claimed by Beijing, but also over trade, human rights and other issues.

In a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss preparations for the summit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns over Beijing's "military, diplomatic, and economic pressure" on Taiwan.

Wang warned of the dangers of US actions that might seem supportive of "Taiwan independence."

Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but an act of Congress passed that year requires the United States to provide weapons to Taiwan for self-defense.

China has ramped up military activities near Taiwan in recent years, with a record number of planes intruding into the island's air defense identification zone in early October.