NEW DELHI, 22 September 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron reviewed the bilateral collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region and discussed regional issues including recent developments in Afghanistan.

In a telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the important role that the India-France partnership plays in promoting stability and security in the region.

"The leaders agreed to maintain close and regular consultations, in the spirit of the India-France Strategic Partnership, which both countries cherish deeply."

Both the leaders also shared their concerns about the possible spread of terrorism, narcotics, illicit weapons and human trafficking, as well as the need to ensure human rights, rights of women and minorities.

French President Macron also discussed co-operating over the Indo-Pacific region with PM Modi, as France deals with the fallout from Australia's cancellation of a $40 billion French submarine order.

NEW DELHI, 22 September 2021, (TON): Government announced that Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, a fighter pilot and top instructor with wide experience in key appointments over almost 39 years, will be the next chief of the Indian Air Force.

Commissioned in the IAF fighter stream in December 1982, current IAF vice chief Air Marshal Chaudhari has a flying experience of over 3,800 hours on a wide variety of fighters and aircraft.

He commanded the critical Western Air Command (WAC), which stretches from Bikaner to Ladakh, from August 2020 to July 2021 amidst the ongoing military confrontation with China.

He was earlier also the second-in-command of the Eastern Air Command (EAC) at Shillong, which again oversees the Line of Actual Control with China, and has also handled the entire modernization of the force in a previous appointment as the deputy IAF chief.

A senior officer said "Air Marshal Chaudhari is a professional with all-round experience, having worked in virtually every major department in the force. Moreover, having been the WAC chief and SASO (senior air staff officer) of the EAC.”

It first appointed General Bipin Rawat as the new Army chief in December 2016 by superseding two Lt-Generals (Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz) senior to him.

WASHINGTON, 22 September 2021, (TON): US President Joe Biden said that a sovereign and democratic Palestinian state is the “best way” to ensure Israel's future.

Biden said in a speech to the UN General Assembly “we must seek a future of greater peace and security for all people of the Middle East.”

He said “the commitment of the United States to Israel's security is without question and our support for an independent Jewish state is unequivocal.”

He further said “but I continue to believe that a two-state solution is the best way to ensure Israel's future as a Jewish democratic state, living in peace alongside a viable, sovereign and democratic Palestinian state.”

“We're a long way from that goal at this moment but we should never allow ourselves to give up on the possibility of progress. “

In his speech, Biden mapped out a new era of vigorous competition without a new Cold War despite China's ascendance, promising military restraint and a robust fight against climate change.

The US will help resolve crises from Iran to the Korean Peninsula to Ethiopia, Biden told the annual UNGA gathering.

OTTAWA, 22 September 2021, (TON): According to projections by television networks “Canadians returned Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to power in hotly contested elections against a rookie conservative leader, but he failed to gain an absolute majority.”

After a bumpy five weeks of campaigning, his voice was raspy and he appeared set for a repeat of the close 2019 general election that resulted in the one-time golden boy of Canadian politics clinging to power yet weakened after losing his majority in parliament.

At 49, Trudeau had faced tougher political bouts and still came out unscathed.

After six years in power, however, his administration is showing signs of fatigue, and it was an uphill battle for him to convince Canadians to stick with his Liberals after falling short of high expectations set in his 2015 landslide win.

Canadian Prime Minister leader Justin Trudeau (C) watches election results with wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and children, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien, at Liberal headquarters in Montreal on Sept 20, 2021.

Throughout the day, long lineups outside polling stations were observed by journalists in several major cities.

Douglas O'Hara, 73, casting a ballot in Trudeau's Montreal electoral district of Papineau, said earlier that he was “very disappointed” with the prime minister.

Although he believes Trudeau “did a half-decent job” managing the pandemic, he recalled that the leader had pledged not to go to the polls until the outbreak had subsided.

DHAKA, 22 September 2021, (TON): UN-sponsored Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has conferred Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with "SDG Progress Award" for Bangladesh's steady course in responding to the universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity for all.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said "the honorable Prime Minister accepted the award saying she is dedicating it to the people of Bangladesh.”

Momen called the event a significant international acknowledgment of the country's success in spearheading the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) after achievements in the fields of Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Led by prominent economist and development strategist Professor Jeffrey D Sachs, SDSN was set up in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary General.

The platform aims to mobilise global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development and gauge the country-specific competitiveness in development performances.

According to Momen, Sachs said, "Bangladesh is doing miracle" while one of the international reports suggested the country secured the third position among the nations in achieving SDG targets.

NAYPYITAW, 22 September 2021, (TON): A military council court in Naypyitaw indicted detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi for incitement under Section 505b of the Penal Code, according to her legal defence team.

Judge Maung Maung Lwin, who presides over the court in Naypyitaw’s Zabuthiri Township created by the junta specifically to process cases against the deposed leader, formally announced the charge against Suu Kyi, as well as against President Win Myint and Naypyitaw mayor Myo Aung.

It was the first formal indictment out of several charges levied against the State Counsellor by the military since the February 1 coup.

A conviction for violating Section 505b carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment.

The head of their defence team Khin Maung Zaw told media ‘the three leaders pleaded “not guilty” at Tuesday's court hearing.”

The junta’s charges were based on sentiments expressed in statements released by the central executive committee of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party on February 7 and 13 following the coup that ousted the elected NLD-led government.

The next hearing for those cases is scheduled for October 4.

DHAKA, 22 September 2021, (TON): Foreign minister said that Bangladesh expects the new Kabul regime to be 'inclusive and progressive.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said “Dhaka is gauging the situation in Afghanistan ahead of taking any stance regarding ties with the new Taliban regime there but decided to offer humanitarian assistance to Afghan people under the "UN umbrella".

"We are watching the developments there," he told a media briefing in New York, as asked what was Bangladesh stance on the Afghan issue while it was likely to dominate largely the weeklong UN General Assembly debate starting on Tuesday.

Momen said “Dhaka preferred to wait to observe the nature of the new government and see what policies they would take and "on the basis of that we will make the decision what we will do".

But, he said “Dhaka by now decided to offer humanitarian assistance to Afghan people sending materials like medicines responding to a call by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.”

Momen said that other than only three, no Bangladeshis were stranded in Afghanistan, "which is an issue of great relief for us.”

He added that the three voluntarily preferred to stay there for personal reasons while at least one of them married an Afghan.

The minister said "Bangladeshis in Afghanistan left that country as Dhaka issued an advisory that the situation there appeared unsafe.”

NAYPYITAW, 20 September 2021, (TON): Soldiers shot and killed a Baptist pastor then cut off his finger, apparently to steal his wedding ring, amid clashes between anti-junta fighters and the military in the Chin State town of Thantlang. 

Pastor Cung Biak Hum, 31, was among a group of residents who came outside to put out fires that started when junta troops shot artillery shells at the town.

He was shot twice in the chest and his body was found an hour later with his left ring finger missing, said Reverend Dr Lal Uk, the chair of the Thantlang Association of Baptist Churches.

“We believe they cut off the finger to get his ring but we are not exactly sure of it,” the reverend said. “I think it is his wedding ring. The finger was cut off from near the base. Otherwise the ring couldn’t be taken easily.”

Cung Biak Hum’s funeral was held on Sunday morning. He is survived by his wife and two young sons.

Residents said “the fires he was trying to put out destroyed at least 18 homes and a government building.”

The killing happened on the same day that the Thantlang branch of the Chinland Defence Force (CDF), along with forces from the Chin National Army (CNA) clashed with junta soldiers.

The CDF said “in a statement that it killed 30 soldiers and suffered no casualties on its side.” Media sources was unable to verify this with residents.

Junta forces have been attacking civilian targets since September 11, when a joint force of the CNA and the CDF overran a military outpost in the village of Lungler in Thantlang Township, a Thantlang local told media.

WASHINGTON, 20 September 2021, (TON):  United Sate has said that the September 17-19 Duma elections in the Russian Federation took place under conditions not conducive to free and fair proceedings.

According to the press release issued by the US State Department, the Russian government’s use of laws on “extremist organizations,” “foreign agents,” and “undesirable organizations” severely restricted political pluralism and prevented the Russian people from exercising their civil and political rights.

It added that Russian government restrictions, which were preceded by widespread efforts to marginalize independent political figures, also prevented the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and its Parliamentary Assembly from observing the elections, constricting transparency that is essential to fair elections.

These actions contradict Russia’s obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as its commitments to the OSCE and other international and regional bodies.

CAIRO, 20 September 2021, (TON): Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has stressed the need to revive negotiations over Palestine and create a political climate that avoids escalation of tensions, during a telephone conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

Ambassador Ahmed Hafez, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shoukry outlined Egypt’s position and how it was continuing its efforts to restart negotiations.

Hafez said that the phone call also discussed moves for reconstruction in Palestine and the provision of aid and development support to the occupied Palestinian territories, in coordination with the Palestinian National Authority.

During his meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi affirmed Egypt’s support for efforts to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East and to work in compliance with international legitimacy resolutions.