NAYPYITAW, 05 November 2021, (TON): Locals in northern Rakhine State fled their homes to hide in bunkers as several large explosions rocked a nearby military base, followed by the sound of guns and sightings of flames and smoke.

The villagers from Kyauk Yan Thazi, Rathedaung Township, thought that fighting had erupted again between the military and the Arakan Army (AA) almost exactly a year after the two sides reached an unofficial ceasefire.

But a junta official reportedly said “the explosions were caused by a fire. The base is situated in the hills near Manyintaung village, about a mile north of Kyauk Yan Thazi.”

A local from Kyauk Yan Thazi said “we heard five explosions and several gunshots and we saw that there was a fire at the military base.”

“The fire started right after the first explosion. It was so bright.”

There are several military bases in Manyintaung and the surrounding hills, he added. Residents from Kyauk Yan Thazi packed their things and hid in bunkers that had been prepared during previous fighting between the military and the AA.

After the explosions, a military official called a village administrator and told him that artillery shells at the base had exploded after the place where they were stored caught fire, according to a resident of Pyeintaw village, which is also a mile from the base. 

DHAKA, 05 November 2021, (TON): Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to visit Bangladesh on December 16 and 17.

Officials said “Bangladesh and India are working together eyeing two mega events next month, Maitri Diwas and Victory Day of Bangladesh, on December 6 and December 16 respectively with exchange of high-level visits.

Bangladesh is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of its Independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The two countries decided to commemorate December 6 as Maitri Diwas (Friendship Day), the day when India recognized Bangladesh in 1971.

A diplomatic source said “Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to visit Bangladesh on December 16 and 17 at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid to attend the Victory Day celebrations apart from his other key engagements.”

DHAKA, 05 November 2021, (TON): Bangladesh stayed away from the deforestation deal signed at COP26 summit arguing that the country’s constitution already provides clear and specific guidelines on the preservation of forests.

Bangladesh is weighing options on whether to express solidarity with the pledge 124 countries have made at the climate change summit in Glasgow to end and reverse deforestation by 2030, several delegates indicated.

They also said “Bangladesh stayed away from the deforestation deal signed at the COP26 summit arguing that the country’s constitution already provides clear and specific guidelines on the preservation of forests.”

On the third day of the climate conference, the topic of discussion focused on protecting the forest of the planet.

It has received commitments from leaders representing more than 85% of the world’s forests to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Among them are several countries with huge swathes of forests, including Brazil, China, Colombia, Congo, Indonesia, Russia and the United States.

Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, said “Bangladesh representatives have raised the points on industrialization without harming the environment at the discussion.”

ISLAMABAD, 04 November 2021, (TON):  A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan Lieutenant General Viktor Mahmudov visited the Torkham border and the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Kakul.”

National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood accompanied the visiting dignitary.

The ISPR said that the delegation was briefed on the Pak-Afghan border management mechanism including fencing and establishment of border terminals to check illegal movement on both sides of the border.

The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for peace and stability in the region, measures to counter terrorism and socio-economic uplift of tribal districts.

Later, the delegation visited PMA Kakul where they were briefed on the training regime of PMA including visits to various training and sports facilities.

ISLAMABAD, 04 November 2021, (TON): Pakistan dispatched another 21 trucks, carrying 28 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan as part of its efforts to avert humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country.

The latest consignment was sent under the auspices of Pak-Afghan Cooperation Forum (PACF) and Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT) via the Kharlachi border crossing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Kurram district.

The consignment had trucks loaded with rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil, pulses and medicine were handed over by PACF Chairman Habib Ullah Khan, KORT Chairman Choudhry Muhammad Akhter (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz) and Additional Assistant Commissioner Kurram Asmat Ullah Wazir to IGP Paktia Molvi Umer Mukhlis.

Afghan counterparts gratefully accepted the aid and prayed for better relationships with each other in future.

Last month, Pakistan donated 16 truckloads of relief goods to Afghanistan which were handed over to Afghan Minister for Refugees Haji Khalil Ur Rehman Haqqani and Deputy Minister for IDPs.

RIYADH, 04 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji met with Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Center and the Office of Counter-Terrorism Dr. Jehangir Khan in the capital, Riyadh.

During the meeting, they reviewed the efforts between the Kingdom and the UN in many fields, including combating terrorism and extremism.

The two sides also discussed the importance of strengthening joint efforts to dry up the sources financing terrorism and extremist ideology, which threaten international security and stability.

Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir also met with Khan, where talks also focused on efforts to combat the sources of terrorism funding, and enhance international peace and security.

WASHINGTON, 04 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Britain urged the restoration of the civilian government in Sudan.

A joint statement released by the US State Department “we call for the full and immediate restoration of its civilian-led transitional government and institutions.”

The statement said “we encourage the release of all those detained in connection with recent events and the lifting of the state of emergency.”

“Violence has no place in the new Sudan, on this point we encourage an effective dialogue between all parties, and we urge all to ensure that the peace and security for the people of Sudan is a top priority.”

NEW YORK, 04 November 2021, (TON): UN human rights experts condemned the recent approval by the Israeli government of plans to build several thousand new housing units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, reiterating that settlements are a presumptive war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and should be treated as such by the international community.

The experts said “Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory are a “flagrant violation under international law (and the) illegality (is) one of the most widely-accepted issues in modern international law.”

In the first move of its kind since Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett came to power in June, the Israeli government advanced plans last week to build more than 3,000 new settlement units, most of them deep inside the occupied West Bank.

The experts said “the very raison d’être of the Israeli settlements in occupied territory, the creation of demographic facts on the ground to solidify a permanent presence, a consolidation of alien political control and an unlawful claim of sovereignty, tramples upon the fundamental precepts of humanitarian and human rights law.”

Michael Lynk, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory since 1967, and Balakrishnan Rajagopal, of the US and special rapporteur on adequate housing, were among the experts.

RIYADH, 04 November 2021, (TON): Iraqi’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia reviewed the work of the global anti-terror center in Riyadh.

Abdul Sattar Al-Janabi toured the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, known as Etidal, which is based in Riyadh.

He was told of the strategies and efforts of Etidal in confronting and combating extremist ideology.

He was briefed by Mansour Alshammari, the secretary-general of the center, on the mechanism for monitoring, analysing, and dismantling extremist discourses.

Al-Janabi said “the Kingdom has established this important center to be the first important imprint in the Middle East to spread the ideology of moderation against extremism, which has claimed the lives of many of our children and affected our economy and our future. I wish the Kingdom continued stability and progress.”

PARIS, 04 November 2021, (TON): The British trawler that was detained by France during the post-Brexit fishing row has been released by the French authorities.

The Scottish-registered scallop dredger Cornelis Gert Jan left the northern French port of Le Havre on Wednesday evening.

The trawler's owner, Macduff Shellfish, said it was "delighted" that the crew and vessel could return home.

French authorities held the boat last week, saying it did not have a licence.

Menna Rawlings, the UK's ambassador to France, welcomed the news, tweeting "glad to hear the Cornelis is free to leave Le Havre and that the Brits on board are on their way home tonight."

The dispute over post-Brexit fishing licences flared up last month, after the UK and Jersey denied fishing permits to several French boats.

France then threatened a series of measures against the UK unless more licences were granted by 2 November.

But French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the threats at the 11th hour ahead of more talks between UK and French ministers.