BEIJING, 05 October 2021, (TON): The United States must strictly adhere to the principle of “one China”, as well as stop supporting “separatist forces advocating the independence of Taiwan,” according to a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying, published on the agency’s website.

The message says “The United States must strictly adhere to the one China principle and abide by the three Sino-US joint communiqués, and address Taiwan- related issues with thoughtfulness and appropriateness. The United States must stop supporting the pro- Taiwan separatist forces and take concrete action to maintain peace. and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

Hua Chunying stressed that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely suppress any intentions of Taiwan’s independence, and that “China’s determination and will to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity is unshakable.”

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the US administration is concerned about China’s “provocative” military activity near Taiwan and intends to continue to support the island province in providing the necessary self-defense capabilities.

The People’s Liberation Army of China ( PLA ) sent more than 50 military aircraft to the shores of Taiwan, updating the record set on Saturday, follows from a statement published earlier on the island’s defense ministry website.

LONDON, 05 October 2021, (TON): The UK government on Monday said it stood ready to abandon a post-Brexit trading accord for Northern Ireland soon, unless the EU agreed to wholesale changes.

Speaking at the annual conference of the ruling Conservative party, Brexit minister David Frost said he anticipated a response from Brussels “over the next couple of weeks” regarding the province.

That would then trigger what Frost said should be a short period of negotiations that could lead to the government invoking a suspension clause, Article 16, of the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.

“Will it be over by Christmas? I think something will be over by Christmas,” he said on the conference fringes, referring to the possible triggering of Article 16.

He added “but the UK would give due notice to avoid destabilising Northern Ireland further.”

“I assume if we do use Article 16, the EU will look to retaliate” through trade tariffs on UK-wide goods, he added. “I hope they don’t. “The unity of the country is paramount, obviously, and we have to proceed on that basis.”

MUSCAT, 05 October 2021, (TON): Seven more people were killed in Oman as heavy winds and rain swept through the country after tropical storm Shaheen made landfall, the national emergency committee said on its official Twitter account.

Four people had been killed on Sunday including a child.

Latest data showed that the storm had subsided, the civil aviation authority said, warning that scattered rainfall was still expected.

It urged citizens to be careful crossing valleys and avoid low lying areas.

Read Cyclone Shaheen approaches Oman, three killed, flights delayed

When its eye crossed land, Shaheen was carrying winds of between 120 and 150 km per hour (75-93 mph), Omani authorities said. It was throwing up waves of up to 10 metres (32 feet).

Video footage from Omani broadcasters showed vehicles submerged as people tried to make their way through muddy brown floodwater. State TV showed people in flooded areas being rescued by helicopter.

STOCKHOLM, 05 October 2021, (TON): Police said “Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who stirred worldwide controversy in 2007 with blasphemous sketches of Holy Prophet (PBUH) was killed in a car crash near the southern town of Markaryd.”

Vilks, 75, who had been living under police protection since the blasphemous drawings were published, was travelling in a police vehicle which collided with a truck. Two police officers were also killed.

"This is a very tragic incident. It is now important to all of us that we do everything we can to investigate what happened and what caused the collision."

"Initially, there is nothing that points to anyone else being involved."

Since the publication of the blasphemous drawings, Vilks had been living under round-the-clock police guard following threats against his life.

RIYADH, 05 October 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia has confirmed that it had held its first round of direct talks with Iran's new government last month, part of a process begun earlier this year to reduce tension between the Gulf's rival powers.

Both nations severed ties in 2016 and began talks in April, at a time when Washington and Tehran were discussing reviving a nuclear pact that Riyadh and its allies had opposed.

Three rounds of Saudi-Iranian talks were held in Iraq in the months before Iran's new president, Ebrahim Raisi, took office in August.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said “the latest round had taken place on September 21. He did not give the location of the meeting. The date coincides with a speech by Raisi at the UN General Assembly in New York.”

He told a joint news conference "these discussions are still in the exploratory phase. We hope they will provide a basis to address unresolved issues between the two sides and we will strive and work to realise that."

Riyadh and Tehran have both said they hope the talks can ease tensions, while playing down expectations of a major diplomatic breakthrough. Iran did not immediately comment on the September 21 round of talks. Riyadh has said it would judge the government of Raisi by the reality on the ground.

NEW YORK, 05 October 2021, (TON): The United Nations chief informed Ethiopia that it has no legal right to expel seven U.N. officials and warned that severe restrictions on desperately needed aid to the conflict-wracked Tigray region have created a humanitarian and human rights crisis that is “spiraling out of control.”

Tigray is facing a near-blockade by the government on deliveries of food, fuel and other humanitarian supplies, and children are reportedly dying of famine.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at least 5.2 million people in the region need humanitarian assistance including at least 400,000 “living in famine-like conditions.” Child malnutrition levels are now at the same level as they were at the start of the 2011 famine in Somalia, he warned.

Ethiopia announced the expulsions on Thursday, accusing the seven officials of “meddling” in the country’s affairs and giving them 72 hours to leave. In a new statement, Ethiopia’s foreign ministry accused some U.N. staff of failing “to fulfill their mission independently and impartially” and listing “grave violations” including the alleged diversion of humanitarian assistance to Tigray forces fighting government troops.

LONDON, 05 October 2021, (TON): Hundreds of protesters marched through Manchester to support the political struggle of both Kashmiris and Palestinians on the occasion of UK’s Conservative Party's annual conference.

The march began at Whitworth Park and made its way through the city before finishing at the Manchester Central convention centre.

The protesters were chanting slogans “stop arming India”, “stop arming Israel”, “end Indian occupation of Kashmir."

The demonstrators also distributed thousands of pamphlets titled “Kashmir under Indian siege knocking at world conscience.”

Afzal Khan MP, Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, joined the march and showed his solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and Palestine.

Tehreek-e-Kashmir (TeK) UK chapter President Fahim Kayani said that it was a great opportunity to raise the Kashmir issue and expose the atrocities of the Indian army in IIOJK in front of thousands of people who came to protest on various local issues of the United Kingdom under the umbrella organisation people’s assembly during the annual Conservative Party Conference 2021.

White British people and others belonging to different ethnic minorities joined the protest and showed solidarity with the people of IIOJK and carried the placards “end Indian occupation of Kashmir” and “stop killings in Kashmir".

MOSCOW, 05 October 2021, (TON): Russia said “it had launched a new hypersonic cruise missile from a submarine, the latest test of emerging weapons President Vladimir Putin has dubbed "invincible".

Moscow has in recent years touted the development of weapons that it hopes will give it the edge in any arms race with the United States at a time of growing tensions with the West.

Hypersonics can travel more than five times the speed of sound and manoeuvre in mid-flight, making them much harder to track and intercept than traditional projectiles.

The military said on Monday it had fired a Zircon missile from the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine and hit a test target in the Barents Sea in Russia's Arctic.

The defence ministry said in a statement "the test launch of the Zircon missile from a nuclear submarine was considered successful."

The ministry released grainy video footage showing missile flares illuminating the night sky.

The Zircon had already undergone several tests in recent years, including a launch from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate.

Putin used his state of the nation address in 2018 to reveal new hypersonic weapons, including the Zircon, saying it could hit targets at sea and on land with a range of 1,000 kilometres.

DHAKA, 05 October 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen congratulated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and her party Trinamool Congress, for a resounding victory in the by-polls.

In a message to Mamata Banerjee, the Foreign Minister hoped that Bangladesh's relations with West Bengal would be closer and complementary in the days to come.

Dr Momen said “landslide victory in the Bhabanipur constituency for the third consecutive term is reflective of the people of West Bengal's continued confidence and deep faith in Mamata Banerjee's leadership.”

He wished the people of West Bengal all prosperity under the able leadership of Mamata Banerjee.

The Foreign Minister wished the Chief Minister of West Bengal good health and continued success, and greeted her ahead of Durga Puja.

Mamata Banerjee won the Bhabanipur Assembly by-polls on Sunday by a record margin of 58,832 votes against Priyanka Tibrewal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

NAYPYITAW, 05 October 2021, (TON): Junta troops shot and killed a six-year-old girl and four other people during a raid on a village in Sagaing Region last week, locals told media.

Around 100 soldiers arrived at Pyin Htaung village, Khin-U Township at 4am on Friday and began shooting. Myo Thandar Hlaing lived in the village with her aunt and was shot trying to escape the raid.

Locals said “her father was a soldier serving under the junta and was stationed in Kanbalu, though they did not know his rank.”

They added that her mother lives in military housing.”

They said “the girl was buried on Saturday and her father did not attend the funeral.”

Locals said “thirty-year-old Tun Si was also shot dead in the village, while Aung Tun Oo, 38, Ma Pu, 35, and Than Htike, 30, were shot dead in nearby paddy fields. A sixth person who suffered from health problems died of shock during the attack.”

Around 400 people live in Pyin Htaung. When the raid began most fled in panic as soldiers fired their guns, said one of the villagers.

“They started firing shots randomly as soon as they entered the village,” he said. “Those who ran into the soldiers ended up getting shot.”