NEW DELHI, 09 November 2021, (TON): As the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak approaches, thousands of Sikh pilgrims await the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor by the Indian government.

The corridor was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 9, 2018, allowing visa-free access to pilgrims from India to visit their holy shrine.

The establishment of the corridor reflected Islamabad’s commitment to facilitating the community and it is in line with the government’s efforts to promote religious tourism.

The founder of the Sikh religion Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji is believed to have spent the last 18 years of his life at Kartarpur. The temple is considered to be the most sacred shrine of the Sikh religion.

Since 1947, the Sikh community of India and across the world was desirous of access to the temple it is just about four to five kilometres from the border. The corridor functions under an MoU under which 5,000 pilgrims are allowed Pakistan to enter from the Indian side on a daily basis.

Recently sworn-in Indian Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, in a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asked him to immediately reopen the corridor.

A senior Indian journalist Parmjeet Singh said on Twitter “Government of India opens India for foreigners. Tourist visas from October 15 but Kartarpur Corridor remains closed from Indian side despite being already opened from Pakistan side and repeated calls for reopening by Sikh community from Punjab and India.”

NAYPYITAW, 09 November 2021, (TON): The rebel group has said “some 271 junta soldiers and allies died last month in clashes in southeastern Myanmar with the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), which suffered just a handful of casualties while defending its territory.”

The KNU clashed with junta-backed forces on 275 occasions throughout October despite the junta’s announcement of a ceasefire from October 1, said Colonel Saw Kler Doh, spokesperson for the KNU’s Brigade 5.

He said “we had to defend our territory according to how serious their attacks were. There were several clashes but we can’t say all of them were very serious. There were multiple clashes taking place in different areas on a given day.”

He added that Myanmar military battalions under the command of southeastern military headquarters were still operating in Brigade 5 territory.

Like newer armed groups across the country, the KNU has been using guerilla-style tactics against the junta to minimise casualties on its side.

The statement added that a large number of the junta soldiers–95–were killed in Mon State’s Thaton, where another 80 were injured, a KNU statement on November 5 said. Ninety three died and 96 were injured in Karen State’s Hpapun district.

NAYPYITAW, 09 November 2021, (TON): Guerilla fighters working under the shadow National Unity Government (NUG) attacked a military vehicle in Yangon Region, killing seven junta soldiers and injuring 13, a spokesperson for the NUG’s armed wing.

Some 25 soldiers were travelling in the army truck at around 10pm in the Kungyangon Township village of Ingalone, about 70km south of the city of Yangon, when resistance forces attacked them with guns and explosives.

NUG Yangon Regional Command’s Information and Psychological Warfare officer said “we couldn’t stop the car but there was a clash,”

He said “they only managed to shoot back at us two to three times and then drove away.”

The resistance fighters, a coalition of local guerrillas and the NUG’s own forces, suffered no casualties in the clash, he added. The NUG learned about the military’s casualties via informants, who said that some of the injured soldiers may also die.

The officer said “more attacks were being planned in Yangon Region and junta soldiers should defect to the Civil Disobedience Movement as soon as possible.”

The attack is among the first to go ahead under the direct control of the NUG. So far since the February coup, the vast majority of armed resistance to the junta has come from self organising groups of civilians-turned-fighters, as well as from established ethnic rebel groups.  

DHAKA, 09 November 2021, (TON): A 15-member delegation led by Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque is set to leave Dhaka for the Netherlands on an official visit to increase exports of agricultural products in the European market.

Later, the delegation team, comprising government officials and top officials of private companies, will visit the UK on November 13.

The delegation is scheduled to return to the country on November 18.

During the visit, they will hold discussions with heads of various government departments and agencies as well as leading private businesses.

At the same time, the minister will visit agricultural exchange firms, research centres, accreditation labs, post-collection technology, etc. and exchange experiences to increase the processing of agricultural products in the country.

The delegation includes officials of the ministry as well as representatives of the country's leading agricultural exporters and food processing companies.

DHAKA, 09 November 2021, (TON): A team of the United Nations is on a second visit to Bhashan Char to continue assessing needs prior to the global body's operational engagement with the island developed to relocate Rohingyas from Cox's Bazar.

"This week, a second mission is taking place to continue assessments on additional aspects such as nutrition and education, among others," Regina De La Portilla, communications officer of the Bangladesh chapter of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told meida.

She said "the combined results will help to define future UN activities and support the government-led humanitarian response on Bhasan Char.”

As asked when the UN would begin working in Bhashan Char, the UNHCR official said "so far, we have no specific date for the comprehensive start of protection services and activities.

"As crucial needs are identified, the UN will provide support as required."

On the first visit, Regina De La Portilla said: "A UN team of UNHCR and WFP experts in various areas, including logistics, site management, health and community protection, went to Bhasan Char between November 1 and 4.”

KABUL, 08 November 2021, (TON): Afghan foreign ministry’s spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi Tweeted “Chinese ambassador to Kabul Wang Yu met with Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Motaqi discussing bilateral in particular trade relations.”

The meeting that was focused on bilateral ties, recent Afghan-Chinese foreign ministers meeting, joint trade, and especially the export of pine Afghan pine nuts to China was carried out in the Afghan foreign ministry.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi in another Tweeter post said that the Chinese ambassador pledged to be facilitating urgent Chinese visas for Afghan traders.

The meeting on trade comes days after the first shipment of Afghan pine nuts shipped to China this year.

China has been one of the closest and friendliest countries to the Taliban since they took over Afghanistan on August 15.

WASHINGTON, 08 November 2021, (TON): The climate front lines are not just Tuvalu or the Maldives: they are Tokyo, Brussels, New York, and the world’s economic heartlands.

Therefore, it beggars belief that as the world comes together for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), its largest economies, which emit 80 percent of all greenhouse gases – continue to have such stilted and sluggish commitments to staving off climate risk.

The reality is that all G20 nations face a full-frontal tide of climate impacts that will rip through their economies within 30 years.

These are the findings of the new “G20 Climate Impacts Atlas”, a study based on the most recent science.

Heatwaves, droughts, fires and floods will increase in severity and frequency, creating risk and instability for today’s G20 growth models.

Most G20 countries share one trait: long and densely populated coastlines, replete with vital infrastructure that will, over time, stand in the way of dangerous turbulence.

In Australia, floods, hurricanes and rampant bushfires will raise insurance costs and strike several hundreds of billions of dollars from the property market by the mid-century.

India, currently the fastest growing G20 economy, faces acute economic stress by 2050, with climate shocks leaving its millions of farmers significantly poorer, while up to 18 million people will face a permanent danger of river flooding, and heatwaves that last 25 times longer.

WASHINGTON, 08 November 2021, (TON): White House said “U.S. President Joe Biden will visit the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday to discuss how the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Congress helps the American people by upgrading ports and strengthening supply chains.”

Biden called the bill a once-in-a-generation investment. The House of Representatives approved the package on Friday after months of bitter fighting among Democrats.

The bipartisan infrastructure bill, which had passed the Senate in August, would fund a massive upgrade of America's roads, bridges, airports, seaports and rail systems, while also expanding broadband internet service.

Biden said “the bill will create jobs by modernizing roads and bridges and transforming the transportation system.”

The bill's approval in the House was delayed as progressive and moderate Democrats fought over the size of Biden's bigger proposal for expanding the safety net and tackle climate change and what exactly it should include.

Biden is still urging the House to pass his $1.75 trillion Build Back Better plan.

LONDON, 08 November 2021, (TON): British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss traveled to Malaysia as part of a week-long visit to Southeast Asia aimed at deepening economic and security ties in the region, her office said.

Truss will also visit Thailand and Indonesia, chosen to reflect their “growing economic and diplomatic heft,” as post-Brexit Britain looks to strengthen relations with nations and regions beyond Europe.

Truss said in a statement “I want to position Britain where the future growth is and to think about who our major partners will be in 2050 and beyond.”

“Southeast Asia will be the engine of the global economy and I want Britain to be part of that, upgrading our economic and security relations with the region to reflect its growing importance.”

The Foreign Office said “Truss would look to build closer ties on infrastructure investment into the region.”

She will meet with the leaders and foreign ministers in Malaysia and Thailand, with topics for discussion including defense cooperation and trade, as well as deeper digital and tech investment and security collaboration.

Truss will also hold talks on foreign policy issues such as Myanmar and Afghanistan with her Indonesian counterpart, and seek closer ties on counterterrorism and cybersecurity.

SANAA, 08 November 2021, (TON): The Arab coalition said on Sunday that 138 Houthis had been killed during air strikes on two districts near the central Yemeni city of Marib.

The coalition added that 17 military vehicles had also been destroyed in the 29 strikes carried out on Juba and Al-Kasarah during the last 24 hours.

Juba is some 50 km south of Marib, whilst Al-Kasarah is 30 km northwest of the city.