TEL AVIV, 25 October 2021, (TON): Final approval is expected from the defence ministry this week for those homes.

Israel plans to build more residences for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, a government ministry said on Sunday, adding to those announced in August by the new ruling coalition.

"Tenders for 1,355 homes in Judea and Samaria have been published," a construction ministry statement said, referencing the biblical names used widely in Israel for the West Bank.

The new accommodation adds to the more than 2,000 residences which defence sources said in August would be authorized for settlers in the West Bank.

Final approval is expected from the defence ministry this week for those homes.

About 475,000 Israeli Jews live in settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law, on land Palestinians claim as part of their future state.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War of 1967 and exercises full administrative control across much of the territory, where more than two million Palestinians live.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, the former head of a settler lobby group, opposes Palestinian statehood and has ruled out formal peace talks with the Palestinian Authority during his tenure, saying he prefers to focus on economic improvements.

ISLAMABAD, 25 October 2021, (TON): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed a condition on Pakistan to close all the bank accounts maintained by public sector entities and the defence ministry in commercial banks, the money should be transferred to the central bank’s account.

The demand is aimed at bringing back hundreds of billions of rupees under the government’s control that are currently placed with the commercial banks in violation of various instructions by the finance ministry.

Sources told media that one of the reasons behind a delay in reaching a staff-level agreement was the IMF’s insistence to roll out the treasury single account –II system within this fiscal year.

The global lender also wanted that instead of promulgating a presidential ordinance, the government should introduce a finance bill in parliament to withdraw tax exemptions and slap more taxes.

The finance ministry sources said that there were roughly 50,000 bank accounts maintained by the defence ministry, the armed forces and public sector entities including the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and National Highway Authority (NHA) that have to be closed under the second phase of the financial management reforms.

The IMF wants a framework to be put in place by December this year to close all the remaining commercial bank accounts that are funded through government money.

ISLAMABAD, 25 October 2021, (TON): Pakistan has accused the United States of colluding with its longtime rival India to sabotage the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

The rare direct charge came from Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs Khalid Mansoor at a seminar organised by the prestigious Institute of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi.

Washington has long opposed the $64 billion project, calling it a "debt trap" for Pakistan, but this is the first time Islamabad has reacted this bluntly.

New Delhi, an archrival of Beijing and Islamabad, has also opposed the project, which is part of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), viewing it as against its strategic interests in the region.

Mansoor said "from the point of view of the emerging geostrategic situation, one thing is clear: the United States supported by India is inimical to CPEC. It will not let it succeed. That’s where we have to take a position.”

"There’s no way Pakistan will forgo any of its benefits. It has more than once burnt its fingers in (the Western) alliance in the past,” he said, adding that attempts to dilute Beijing's strategic influence in the region will not succeed.

The West, he went on to say, views CPEC as a symbol of China’s political ambition. “That’s the reason CPEC is seen suspiciously by both the United States and Europe… They view CPEC more as a move by China to expand its political, strategic, and business influence,” Mansoor added.

KABUL, 25 October 2021, (TON): Afghanistan's Taliban government launched a programme to tackle hunger on Sunday, offering thousands of people wheat in exchange for labour.

The scheme will be rolled out around Afghanistan's major towns and cities and employ 40,000 men in the capital alone, the Taliban's chief spokesman said at a press conference in southern Kabul.

“This is an important step for fighting unemployment,” Zabihullah Mujahid said, adding that the labourers must “work hard”.

Afghanistan, which is already suffering from poverty, drought, electricity blackouts and a failing economic system, is now facing the onset of what may be a harsh winter.

The Taliban's food-for-work scheme will not pay labourers, targeting those who are currently unemployed and most at risk of starvation during the winter.

The two-month programme will see 11,600 tons of wheat distributed in the capital, with about 55,000 tons for elsewhere in the country, including Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif and Pol-i-Khomri.

Work for the labourers in Kabul will include digging water channels and catchment terraces for snow in the hills to combat drought.

KABUL, 25 October 2021, (TON): Casualty figure in Afghanistan fell to its lowest level or nine people in the past week, when some countries stressed aid to Afghanistan at a summit in Moscow and the Afghan government said it was ready for any civilized interaction with the world.

According to reports, six people were killed and three others wounded in different attacks last week.

Three children were killed and one was injured in a roadside bomb blast in Mata Khan district of Paktika province. A man was found stabbed to death and unidentified gunmen killed a former border policeman in Khost city, capital of Khost province. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Casualties were also low six weeks ago when eight people were killed and one was wounded.

Last week’s death toll was 16 times lower than the previous one

DHAKA, 25 October 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the United Nations should be a voice of all the countries, not just the mouthpiece of a few countries.

“There’s a need for a change in this situation,” he said while addressing a discussion at the National Press Club in Dhaka marking the UN Day.

He said “Bangladesh will be the candidate for UNGA president in 2026 and insisted that the next UN secretary general, if it is from Asia, should be from Bangladesh.”

Momen said “it is regrettable that there is no significant number of Bangladeshis in the UN leadership positions.”

“Now, the time has come for increasing our representation in the UN.”

The foreign minister appreciated the UN role in many areas saying there was no third World War because of the UN, though it has failed to resolve problems in many countries.

He said “we want peace in the world and the UN was established in search of peace. We recognize UN contributions.”

Momen said “Bangladesh will host a world peace conference in December as peace is imperative for development.”

DHAKA, 25 October 2021, (TON): The foreign secretary said “the countries share a golden era under the visionary leadership of Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina.

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has said that India-Bangladesh relations today are deeper than any other strategic partnership and it is a "role model" for relations between two neighbouring countries.

He said "contemporary India-Bangladesh relations have taken great strides forward, especially in recent years... Two major pillars of Indian diplomacy --Neighbourhood First and Act East Policies -- find expression in India's vibrant ties with Bangladesh.”

Shringla, the former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, made the remarks at the Swarnim Vijay Varsh Conclave on "Humanitarian, Political and Diplomatic Facets of the 1971 War.”

He said “the spirit of friendship, understanding and mutual respect engendered during the liberation of Bangladesh continues to permeate different aspects of this relationship.”

He added that India and Bangladesh share a "Sonali Adhyay" or golden era under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for bringing stability and prosperity to people on both sides of the border.”

Shringla added "realizing the full potential of this partnership would require the continued convergence of strategic, economic and political outlook on both sides as was the case 50 years ago.”

NAYPYITAW, 25 October 2021, (TON): According to military sources “Myanmar’s military is increasingly relying on retired soldiers to replenish its ranks, as months of conflict take a heavy toll on troops and recruitment efforts.”

In an effort to bolster its strength in restive regions, the regime has started offering incentives to former military personnel to return to uniform, one ex-soldier who retired in 2012 told media.

Retired soldiers willing to return to active duty have been told that they can keep their pensions and will be restored to their former rank and salary if they rejoin the army, according to the ex-soldier, who said he served on the frontlines in Kayin State and Ayeyarwady Region for 13 years.

He said “in Sagaing Region’s Katha Township, at least 50 retired soldiers have already been redeployed as part of the junta’s push to regain control over the area.”

He added “but the offer is not open to everybody. While even soldiers in their sixties are welcome to return to the ranks, those known to support the ousted ruling party, the National League for Democracy, need not apply.”

NAYPYITAW, 25 October 2021, (TON): Kyaw Min Yu, a veteran pro-democracy activist also known as Ko Jimmy, was arrested by junta forces on Saturday night in Yangon’s North Dagon Township, according to his wife.

Nilar Thein confirmed to media that her husband had been arrested and wrote on Facebook that his life was in danger.

She wrote “the military council must take responsibility for anything that may happen to him after the arrest.”

It was unknown at the time of reporting where he was being held. Spokespersons for the military junta could not be reached for comment.

According to the pro-regime news outlet People Media, Ko Jimmy was arrested in connection with a shootout that took place in a residential neighbourhood in North Dagon on Saturday night.

It added that citing a resident of the area, People Media said the clash began when regime forces entered Pinlon Housing to conduct a raid. Several other people were also arrested, and a number of weapons were seized.

NEW DELHI, 25 October 2021, (TON): A 19-year-old civilian has been shot dead in Indian-administered Kashmir in what his family called “cold-blooded murder” by Indian forces.

It was the 12th civilian killing this month in the region either by rebel fighters or security forces.

Authorities said the teenager was on Sunday caught up in “cross-firing”, a term used by police to describe a gun battle between Indian forces and rebels, in Shopian in south Kashmir.

The young man was identified as Shahid Ahmad Rather, a college student, who also worked as an apple-picking labourer.

His brother Zubair Ahmad told media that Shahid had not been home for the last four days as it was the harvest season in Shopian.

Zubair said “I spoke to him last night and we decided that we will go home together today. I had informed my mother as well. But when I called him this morning no one responded. I got a call then that he was killed by the paramilitary forces near the camp for no reason when he was just walking.”

The family has not been given the body yet for the last rites, he added.