THIMPHU, 16 September 2021, (TON): As recommended in the Royal Civil Service Commission’s (RCSC) organisational development exercise, the Royal Education Council will again be merged with the Ministry of Education (MoE).

The REC will now function as a Department of Curriculum and Professional Development and no longer be an autonomous agency. It has remained an autonomous agency under the RCSC since 2014.

Although staff of REC office located in Paro were asked to move to the capital, an official from the REC said that they have requested the ministry to consider and allow them to move after December.

Officials said that the decision was an outcome of organisational development exercise and there was no option than to merge with the education ministry after having delinked from the same ministry seven years ago.

However, it was learnt that it was not a recent development.

An official said they were informed about the merger in January this year and were told to move to Thimphu in April.

TEHRAN, 16 September 2021, (TON):  Iran has resumed passenger flights to Afghanistan, Iran’s state-run TV channel reported Wednesday.

It said “an Iranian Mahan aeroplane landed on Wednesday in Kabul with 19 passengers on board, coming from the city of Mashhad.”

Regular passenger services to Kabul had stopped after the Taliban captured the Afghan capital last month, as the Iranian civil aviation agency announced interruption of flights to Kabul for security reasons.

KATHMANDU, 16 September 2021, (TON): A cargo train of the private sector has arrived in Nepal from India for the first time. The cargo train arrived in Birgunj after 17 years of operations of the Nepal-India rail service.

The one-rack cargo train of Hind Terminal Pvt Ltd arrived at Birgunj-based dry port at 10:00 am, according to Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Committee.

Executive Director of the Committee, Ashish Gajurel, said that the train carrying 90 containers of foodstuffs from Haldiya arrived at the dry port.

Gajurel shared that the Hind Terminal Pvt Ltd would import cargo twice a week while the other four companies have also shown their interest in cargo transportation.

JERUSALEM, 16 September 2021, (TON): According to a lawyer affiliated with the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) “Palestinian prison escapee Mohammed al-Arida was reportedly subjected to torture following his recapture by Israeli authorities.”

Khaled Mahajna made a statement to the official Palestinian television after meeting with al-Arida, saying the prisoner underwent harsh torture and was badly beaten. The lawyer said al-Arida has severe wounds all over his body but has still not received any treatment and has barely slept.

Al-Arida denies all accusations, Mahajna said, “noting the prisoner opted to remain silent during the interrogation despite the torture and pressure.”

The PPS said “it would talk to all four of the caught escapees on Sept. 20.”

Six Palestinian inmates tunneled out of the high-security Gilboa prison in northern Israel on Sept. 6. Israeli forces, however, have managed to capture four of them after a manhunt. The remaining two are still in hiding.

KATHMANDU, 16 September 2021, (TON): The World Bank (WB) has agreed to provide additional financial assistance of US Dollar 50 million each to enhance education and health sectors in Nepal.

The WB said in a press statement “the financing agreements aim to support the implementation of the government’s flagship School Sector Development Programme in the education sector and public management reforms in the health sector.”

Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini and WB Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, signed the agreements on behalf of their respective sides.

On the occasion, Secretary Marasini insisted that strengthening education and health systems was an essential element of ‘building back better’ from the pandemic.

“The reform agenda championed by the Nepal Health Sector Programme for sesults is critical to Nepal’s vision of an efficient, effective, transparent and accountable health system, and together with the School Sector Development Programme.”

COLOMBO, 16 September 2021, (TON): State Minister of Regional Co-operation Tharaka Balasuriya undertook an official visit to Ukraine from 8 – 10 September 2021, to participate in a Sri Lanka tourism promotion campaign and to discuss the potential for enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries.

During the visit, the State Minister participated at a media and tour operator networking session. The event, organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, attracted representatives from leading media and travel organizations in Ukraine and provided an important opportunity to highlight Sri Lanka’s tourist attractions, particularly emerging sights and travel experiences the country had to offer tourists from Ukraine.

State Minister Balasuriya also met Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dymtro Senik, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Taras Kachka and the President of the Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Gennediy Chyzhykov and members of the Chamber and discussed means of further enhancing economic relations between the two countries, particularly in areas such as agriculture, ICT and tourism.

RABAT, 16 September 2021, (TON): Morocco’s King Mohammed VI appointed a prominent general in charge of operations in the disputed Western Sahara as his deputy in command of the armed forces.

A statement carried by the official told media “King Mohammed, who is supreme commander of the North African country’s military, named Lt. Gen. Belkhir El-Farouk as Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces.”

El-Farouk “was selected for this post in light of his professional abilities and the high level of responsibility he has shown in the various missions with which he has been charged,” it said.

It said “he will continue to carry out his mission as commander of the southern zone.”

Morocco sees the former Spanish colony as an integral part of its territory, but the armed Polisario movement, backed by the kingdom’s arch-rival Algeria, seeks an independence referendum there.

Tensions rose sharply in November after the separatists blocked a key road in the Guerguerat area leading to neighboring Mauritania, arguing it violated a 1991 cease-fire deal.

El Farouk commanded an operation sending troops in to reopen the road.

WASHINGTON, 16 September 2021, (TON): A spokesman for the State Department told media “the United States administration condemns new missile launches by the DPRK and calls on the official Pyongyang for diplomatic cooperation.”

An American diplomat told media “the United States condemns the North Korean missile launch. It violates a number of UN Security Council resolutions and poses a threat to North Korea’s neighbors and the world community.”

He assured that Washington “remains committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK and calls on the country to dialogue.”

“Our commitment to the protection of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains unshakable,” the US diplomat said.

The DPRK on Wednesday launched two ballistic missiles from Yandok County in Pyongannam-do province towards the Sea of Japan. The missiles flew about 800 kilometers at an altitude of 60 kilometers or more.

MALE, 16 September 2021, (TON): Fuad Thaufeeq has been appointed chairman of Elections Commission.  Fuad was voted the chairman of Elections Commission in a meeting.

Elections Commission’s deputy chairman Ismail Habeeb Abdul Raheem told media Fuad secured the seat with the unanimous consensus of all Elections Commission members.

The position of chairman of Elections Commission had been vacant since the resignation of former chairman Ahmed Shareef back in June.

Fuad had served as a member of Elections Commission during the transitional period, and as chairman during the first term of the commission.

NAYPYITAW, 16 September 2021, (TON): Clashes between the Myanmar army and local resistance forces have been intensifying in the Yaw area of Magway Region since the National Unity Government (NUG) declared war on the coup regime.

A spokesperson for the Yaw People’s Defence Force (YDF) told media at least 70 junta troops have been killed since the September 7 announcement, but that his forces had endured no casualties, only injuries.

Fifteen soldiers are said to have died on September 9 and 10 alone in Gangaw, one of three townships that comprises the Yaw region; the other two townships are Htilin and Saw. The area borders Sagaing Region and Chin State.

“You could say that there are battles in every corner of the Yaw region. The situation has been tense,” the spokesperson said.

In order to crush armed resistance and local support for the PDF groups, the junta has been systematically burning down residents’ homes in the area, according to the YDF.