MOSCOW, 18 October 2021, (TON): A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet has been scrambled to escort a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber over the Sea of Japan, TASS news agency reported on Sunday citing the Russian military, just days after an incident with a U.S. naval destroyer in the same region.

It said “the bomber had not breached the Russian border.”

Russia said that one of its military vessels chased away a U.S. destroyer that attempted to violate Russian territorial waters during Russian-Chinese naval drills in the Sea of Japan, something Washington said was false.

TEHRAN, 18 October 2021, (TON): Iran is to resume nuclear negotiations with world powers on October 21 that were suspended in June, an Iranian lawmaker said after a meeting with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The minister said that "talks with the 4+1 Group will restart on Thursday in Brussels", Ahmad Alirezabeigui told the ultra-conservative news agency Fars.

The lawmaker was referring to four UN Security Council permanent members -- Britain, China, France and Russia -- along with Germany.

Iran and these five nations opened talks in Vienna in April with the European Union (EU) also attending while the United States has taken part in indirect negotiations.

ISLAMABAD, 18 October 2021, (TON): Ambassador of Sweden to Pakistan Henrik Parson urged the need to meet environmental challenges by making changes in various areas, including business strategy, for an environment-friendly and conducive life.

He said "the world will face environmental challenges by reviewing all plans and policies, including business and industry, for an environment-friendly and sustainable life.”

The Swedish envoy said this while launching a seven-day awareness campaign on the topic of sustainable living standards and better living in accordance with the environmental standards at his residence for creating awareness on ‘Eat, Move and Live sustainability’ jointly organised by the Sweden Embassy in Islamabad and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

He said “we have to make good changes in our lives according to the environment and change things that are not compatible with the environment.”

NAYPYITAW, 18 October 2021, (TON): ASEAN leaders have decided to block Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s attendance at the upcoming Brunei summit due to his “non-cooperative stance” on the bloc’s Five Point Consensus plan, according to a report by Japan’s news network.

DVB notes that if this news is confirmed to be true, it means that members of the bloc have managed to reach an unanimous decision on the point.

Whilst nations had been debating the motion earlier in the day, the Foreign Minister of the Phillippines, Teddy Locsin, told Reuters that blocking Min Aung Hlaing’s attendance was vital to show to world that ASEAN was not simply “a bunch of guys who always agree with each other on the worthless things, things that don’t count in the world.”

DVB claims that the move will undoubtedly be a huge dent to the pride of the Tatmadaw, who had been regular attendees at ASEAN meets since the February coup.

Indeed, a move to block an entire group from representation at an ASEAN summit would be without precedent. NHK did, however, report that a “senior foreign office official” will be invited to take the place of the junta head at the summit. Reuters, on the other hand, have claimed that sources suggest that a “non-political figure” will be invited.

NAYPYITAW, 18 October 2021, (TON): The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), one of Myanmar’s oldest and strongest political parties, was notably absent on October 9 when the country’s coup regime made a bid to restart a peace process that has been put on hold since it seized power in February.

As one of 40 parties invited to a meeting organized by the junta’s National Solidarity and Peace Negotiation Committee, the SNLD opted along with 22 others not to attend.

A day after the meeting, however, the party’s general secretary, Sai Leik, sat down with media to discuss the peace process and a number of other subjects related to the regime’s efforts to reshape Myanmar’s politics.

Sai Leik said that they did invite us. However, it was not as part of the “peace process executive team,” but under the “political parties” category. We held an internal party meeting and came to the decision that we weren’t ready to attend.

He also said that as I’ve said before, the country is in a very unstable state these days. This isn’t the time [to restart] the peace process.

This meeting organized by the military council was not as inclusive as previous peace talks. In my opinion, it is very unlikely they will be able to come up with a viable plan to achieve “peace” with everything that is going on right now. 

NEW DELHI, 18 October 2021, (TON): At least 18 people have officially died and another 12 are missing after the southern Indian state of Kerala was hit by flooding. Flash floods and landslides followed downpours that left rescue services scrambling to help.

Among those whose bodies were recovered in Koottickal, in Kottayam, were two women and a child and at least five houses were washed away, media sources reported.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the Indian army and navy were deployed in Kottayam and Idukki. Those two districts and four others were reported to have been put on red alert after at least one of them saw more than 12cm of rain by 8.30 p.m. local time.

Officials said that the intense rainfall has subsided, but they fear the death toll could rise as relief and rescue operations continue.

Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah said the federal government was monitoring the situation in Kerala and would provide any necessary support to the state. He said on Twitter "praying for everyone's safety."

In a statement released on his official Twitter account, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said “my heartfelt condolence to the bereaved families. I request people to be vigilant, pay heed to warnings & cooperate with rescue teams.”

In 2018, 223 people died and hundreds of thousands were driven from their homes when Kerala suffered catastrophic floods during monsoon season.

DHAKA, 18 October 2021, (TON): The envoy said “the two countries are passing 50 years of their diplomatic relations.”

Germany on Sunday expressed its interest to cooperate with Bangladesh on climate and energy issues.

"We want to cooperate with Bangladesh in the climate and energy sectors," said newly appointed German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Troester while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official  Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed newsmen after the meeting, reports media.

The envoy said that the two countries are passing 50 years of their diplomatic relations.

He appreciated overall Bangladesh’s  development and the mechanism to tackle the Covid-19 situation aptly.

The envoy said “the death rate is relatively very low in comparison with the other countries.”

On the climate change issue, Sheikh Hasina said “Bangladesh has started adaptation and mitigation programs with its own resources."

DHAKA, 18 October 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called the displaced Rohingyas and stranded Pakistanis "a burden for Bangladesh", saying they are putting pressure on the country's economy.

She said "three years have already passed after Rohingya influx in Bangladesh and it's a burden for us.”

The prime minister said “this while newly appointed Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh Anne Gerard Van Leeuwen paid a courtesy call on her at her official residence the Gono Bhaban.”

She added that the Rohingyas are also destroying the environment and forest resources of Cox's Bazar.

She also talked about the stranded Pakistanis, saying, "They [Rohingyas and stranded Pakistanis] are creating economic pressure on Bangladesh."

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the newsmen after the meeting.

Talking about the Rohingya issue, the Netherlands envoy was apprised of his talking about the issue with the refugees and NGO activists.

He expressed his realisation that the solution is rooted in sending back the Rohingyas to their native land Myanmar.

ISLAMABAD, 17 October 2021, (TON): Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, Major General Mohammad Bagheri said that Pakistani and Iranian forces will hold joint naval exercise in the future.

He stated this in an interview with Iranian media outlet at the end of his second official visit to Pakistan. He expressed confidence in the outcome of his visit during which he held high-profile meetings with civil and military leadership of the country.

Gen Bagheri said that Pakistan being an important Muslim neighbor has a special place for the people of Iran, especially for the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the Iranian Armed Forces.

He said that Iran have had educational cooperation with each other in the past and the navies of the two countries regularly visit each other's ports.

He added that constructive agreements were reached, including that in the future both sides will hold joint naval exercises in the waters of Pakistan and Iran.

KABUL, 17 October 2021, (TON): Amnesty International issued a statement saying that Afghan girls “must be allowed” to return to secondary school and continue their education.

Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general said “at present, girls in Afghanistan are effectively barred from returning to secondary school. Across the country, the rights and aspirations of an entire generation of girls are dismissed and crushed.”

However, Afghan educational officials have repeatedly said that they are working on plans to reopen the girls’ schools.

Amnesty International called on the international community to facilitate appropriate funding for Afghanistan’s education sector to enable schools to continue functioning, through organizations such as the UN or NGOs.