COLOMBO, 24 August 2021, (TON): The Pakistan High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Major General Muhammad Saad Khattak (Retd.) called on the new Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris on 20 August 2021 at the Foreign Ministry.

Having congratulated Foreign Minister Peiris on his appointment, the Pakistan High Commissioner briefed him on the situation in Afghanistan. He emphasized that the Taliban has assured the safety of foreign nationals in Afghanistan and has also made a pledge that rights of women and children would be protected.

The High Commissioner also said Pakistan hopes that Afghanistan would soon establish a peaceful government structure and integrate with the rest of the world.

Foreign Minister Peiris informed High Commissioner Khattak that Sri Lanka is closely monitoring the developments in Afghanistan and making arrangements in coordination with other friendly nations and international organizations to evacuate Sri Lankans from that country.

Minister Peiris also sought assistance from the Government of Pakistan to evacuate Sri Lankan nationals from Afghanistan, to which High Commissioner Khattak responded by assuring that the fullest support would be extended by his government in that context.

Foreign Minister Peiris and the Pakistan High Commissioner Khattak discussed further scope for enhancing trade and investment opportunities between both countries under the bilateral Free Trade Agreement as well as through joint initiatives aimed at promotion of investments.

Foreign Minister Peiris appreciated the training opportunities provided by the Pakistan government for the Sri Lanka defence forces and scholarships for Sri Lankan students for their higher studies, and stressed that those opportunities and cooperation in defence matters should be further increased in the coming years.

BERLIN, 24 August 2021, (TON): A firefight broke out between unidentified gunmen, Western security forces and Afghan guards at the North Gate of Kabul airport on Monday, Germany's armed forces said, as thousands of Afghans and foreigners thronged the airport, seeking to flee Taliban rule.

One Afghan guard was killed and three others were injured in the battle, which also involved US and German forces, the German military said, without specifying whether the dead Afghan was one of the Taliban fighters deployed to guard the airport.

The airport has been a scene of chaos since the Taliban seized the Afghan capital on August 15 as US and international forces try to evacuate citizens and vulnerable Afghans.

Taliban fighters beat back crowds at the airport a day after seven Afghans were killed in a crush at the gates as the deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops approaches.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan just over a week ago as the United States and its allies withdrew troops after a 20-year war aimed at overthrowing the Taliban and hunting down Al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks.

Foreign forces were working towards the end-August deadline agreed with the Taliban to leave the country and had not sought to extend it yet, a senior legal adviser to the Taliban leadership told media.

WARSAW, 24 August 2021, (TON): Poland intends to build a twisted barbed wire fence on the border with Belarus. This was stated at a briefing by the Minister of Defense of the Republic Mariusz Blaszczak.

He said “the decision to strengthen the border is based on the construction of a fence to be installed along the military wire.”

Blashchak said “work on the construction of the wall will begin this week. Its height will be 2.5 meters. It will be created from twisted wire, laid one on top of the other”

“It will be a solid fence,” he added, without disclosing the cost of the project and its scale.

The total length of the Polish-Belarusian border is 418 km. As reported last week by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic, until now the barbed wire fence has been used to guard almost 100 km of the border in the area guarded by the Podlaska Border Guard Service.

Against the background of the current migration crisis, the authorities announced their intention to further fence off another 50 km of the border section.

DHAKA, 24 August 2021, (TON): The severity of the erosion seems to have reached an all-time high in the past few days.

Over 100 families have been rendered homeless in a matter of one week due to severe erosion along the Teesta riverbank areas in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram.

Daldalia union's Arjun village and Thetrai union's Gorai Pier, Dalal Para, Hokdanga and Doctor Para villages were the hardest-hit areas in the upazila.

Local people said “five educational institutions, two community clinics, roads and one hundred acres of arable land is currently at risk of plunging underwater.”

At least 500 families of the region have become destitute after losing their homes and land in this year's monsoon season, a UNB correspondent reported after visiting the areas.

Zia, a resident of Arjun village in Daldalia union, said, "Although most parts of the village was devoured by the river, no visible steps were taken by the authorities concerned in this regard."

Similar allegations were made by the residents of other affected villages.

Ayub Ali, Thetrai union chairman, said the severity of erosion seems to have reached an all-time high in the past few days.

COLOMBO, 24 August 2021, (TON): Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, who assumed duties on Wednesday, met Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka Denis Chaibi at the Foreign Ministry on Friday 20 August. Minister Peiris discussed Sri Lanka’s wide-ranging cooperation with the EU in the political and economic spheres.

EU Ambassador Chaibi apprised Foreign Minister Peiris on EU support and collaboration in the aftermath of the X-Press Pearl marine environmental disaster off the coast of Sri Lanka, as well as in enhancing Sri Lanka’s disaster preparedness in the future.

Sri Lanka’s regular engagement within the EU-Sri Lanka Joint Commission framework, as well as constructive cooperation existing under the EU GSP Plus monitoring process, including action underway by the Government on issues of relevance, were also discussed. Reference was made in this regard to upcoming EU missions to Sri Lanka, and to the convening of relevant working groups under the Joint Commission umbrella.

Foreign Minister Peiris reiterated the significance of EU-Sri Lanka trade relations which continues to be mutually beneficial with potential for further expansion. Matters related to cooperation in the fishery sector were also discussed.

DHAKA, 24 August 2021, (TON): Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said that his country is ready to strengthen military and military-technical cooperation with Bangladesh.

The Russian deputy defence minister said “Cooperation between our states is developing, including in the sphere of military and military-technical cooperation. We are ready to develop and strengthen it further in the interests of boosting the defense capability of our states for the sake of peace on the planet.”

Russian News Agency reported from Kubinka that the deputy minister made the remarks following his meeting with Bangladeshi Armed Forces Division Principal Staff Officer Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Ibn Zaid, the director of the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate, declined to make any comment on the high-profile visit.

Waker-Uz-Zaman also heads the Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention as its chairman.

The report said that Waker-Uz-Zaman emphasised the need for developing bilateral interaction, including Bangladeshi military personnel training at higher educational institutions in Russia.

NAYPYITAW, 23 August 2021, (TON): Myanmar's military government has arrested two more local journalists, army-owned television reported, the latest among dozens of detentions in a sweeping crackdown on the media since a February 1 coup.

Sithu Aung Myint, a columnist for news site Frontier Myanmar and commentator with Voice of America radio, and Htet Htet Khine, a freelance producer for Media Action, were arrested on August 15.

TRIPOLI, 23 August 2021, (TON): A spokesman for the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls that area, said that a suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint into the Libyan town of Zella, killing himself but causing no other casualties.

Libya has endured a decade of violence and chaos since the 2011 uprising against Muammar Qaddafi, but there have been only sporadic attacks by militant groups in recent years, mostly in remote desert areas.

Zella is a small oasis town in the desert south of Sirte located near an oilfield of the same name.

LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said ‘the attacks bore the hallmark of Daesh.”

In a separate development, authorities said “mains water was being restored to western Libya after a week-long cut prompted by sabotage threats from loyalists of a jailed Qaddafi-era official.”

KUWAIT CITY, 23 August 2021, (TON): The foreign ministry said that Kuwait has approved the passage of 5,000 Afghans who will be evacuated to the United States.

The ministry said “the move was ordered by Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and is in appreciation of the strategic ties between Kuwait and the US.”

The UAE, Qatar and Bahrain are also helping transit evacuees from Kabul through their airports.

Kuwait called for the need to ensure safe passage for diplomats and foreign nationals and facilitating evacuations from Afghanistan.

Last month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “the subject of relocating Afghan interpreters came up during meetings he held in Kuwait.”

DHAKA, 23 August 2021, (TON): Some 30,000 people in 50 villages are marooned by flood-water, caused by heavy rains and downpours, as the water level of Padma in Faridpur rises.

Flood-water has now entered the North Channel, Dikrirchar, Charmadhabdia Union of Sadar upazila of the district, and more than 100 villages of Charbhadrasan, Sadarpur, and Bhanga upazila. Several roads have also been submerged.

Faridpur Water Development Board Executive Engineer Sultan Mahmud said that in the last 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday, the water level of Padma at Goaland Point has increased by 7cm and now flows at 48cm above the danger level.

He added “from Thursday, August 26, floodwaters will begin to recede.”

Acting Chairman of Charbhadrasan Upazila Parishad Motaleb Hossain Mollah said “15,000 families from 26 villages in Jhaukanda, Harirampur, and Charbhadrasan Sadar Union of the upazila are now stranded. All three of the four unions of the upazila are situated on the banks of Padma river.”

Five thousand families have been waterlogged in 15 villages in three unions, Sadarpur, Diaranarkel Baria, Charnachirpur, and Charmair.

Chairman of Dikrirchar Union Parishad Mehedi Hasan Mintu said “12 villages in my union are flooded. The shelter is ready, and the waterlogged people will be brought to shelters if the water level continues to rise."