LONDON, 18 August 2021, (TON): Britain will launch a new resettlement scheme for Afghans who are most in need of help, especially women and girls, after the Taliban seized control of the country, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce.

British soldiers are working amid chaotic scenes in Kabul to help evacuate UK nationals and those Afghan citizens who worked for the British government, after thousands descended on the airport in a bid to flee the country.

Johnson says international partners need to come together to help prevent a humanitarian crisis, after he pulled Britain’s remaining troops out of Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal by President Joe Biden.

A spokesperson for Johnson’s Downing Street office said “the UK team in Afghanistan is working around the clock in incredibly difficult circumstances to help British nationals and as many others as we can get to safety as soon as possible.”

Britain’s government has been criticised in the past by opposition politicians, aid agencies and some members of the judiciary for failing to take in what they say is enough refugees during earlier migrant crises in Europe.

His office said that the government is now expected to set out plans for a resettlement scheme for Afghanistan that will be separate from the UK’s asylum system. It is likely to be similar to a programme that brought Syrians from refugee camps to Britain.

The government spokesman said “Johnson was also working to rally the international community to prevent a humanitarian crisis engulfing Afghanistan.”

TEHRAN, 18 August 2021, (TON): Iran has made progress in its work on enriched uranium metal, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a report to member states on Monday seen by Reuters, despite Western warnings that such work threatens talks on reviving the Iran nuclear deal.

“On 14 August 2021, the Agency verified that Iran had used 257 g of uranium enriched up to 20% U-235 in the form of UF4 (uranium tetrafluoride) to produce 200 g of uranium metal enriched up to 20% U-235,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said,

It added that this was step three in a four-step plan by Iran. The fourth includes producing a reactor fuel plate.

Iran’s work on enriched uranium metal has angered Europe’s three top powers and the United States because that technology, and knowledge of how to produce it, can be used to make the core of a nuclear bomb. Iran insists its aims are entirely peaceful and it is developing a new type of reactor fuel.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement “Iran has no credible need to produce uranium metal, which has direct relevance to nuclear weapons development.”

KATHMANDU, 18 August 2021, (TON): President Bidya Devi Bhandari has appointed Hari Shankar Mishra of Mahottari as the governor of Province 2.

The Head-of-the-State, on the recommendation of the government, appointed Mishra in the post of Province Governor in accordance with Article 163 (2) of the Constitution.

The August 16 meeting of the Council of Ministers decided to recommend Mishra for the post of Province 2 Governer.

Prior to this, the President relieved Rajesh Jha from the post of provincial Governor of Province 2, as per the government’s recommendation. Jha was removed from the post in accordance with Article 165 (1) (B) of the Constitution.

KATHMANDU, 18 August 2021, (TON): The government has begun rescuing Nepalis in Afghanistan after Taliban insurgents took over the Afghan capital, Kabul.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) “a total of 118 Nepalis were flown home in a chartered flight from Kabul to Nepal via Kuwait.”

The MoFA, taking to Twitter today, shared that it was the first phase of rescue operation for the Nepalis in Afghanistan.

The government of Nepal had directed the concerned authorities to make coordinated efforts to safely rescue the Nepalis in Afghanistan at the earliest.

The meeting of the Council of Ministers had, on Monday, taking the decision towards this effect. A task force was also formed last Saturday in convenorship of the joint-secretary of the MoFA to take stock of the Nepalis in Afghanistan and to rescue them in the wake of the turn of the events there.

WASHINGTON, 18 August 2021, (TON): The US has reached out to Pakistan and half a dozen other countries it believes can influence the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban appear to be consolidating their hold after capturing Kabul.

The statement added  that the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, Russia, India and Turkey and the foreign secretary of Britain were among the top diplomats the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with, his office announced in a statement. He also spoke with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's secretary general and European Union’s (EU) high representative.

Pakistan shares a 2,252-kilometre-long border with Afghanistan, while China shares a shorter but sensitive border along the Wakhan corridor — a narrow strip of territory in Afghanistan.

Russia does not share any border with Afghanistan but has built a close relationship with Afghan insurgents since the withdrawal of its troops from the war-torn country in 1989.

Turkey, too, has traditionally maintained good relations with Afghanistan and Britain has leverage there as well.

LONDON, 18 August 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Khan received telephone calls from his British counterpart Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and they exchanged views on the latest situation in Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Khan underscored the paramount importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for Pakistan and the region. He stressed that safety and security as well as protection of the rights of all Afghans was critically important.

The prime minister underlined that an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward.

He said “Pakistan was reaching out to all Afghan leaders. The international community must also stay engaged, particularly to support the people of Afghanistan economically.”

He highlighted the positive role that Pakistan played in facilitating the evacuation of diplomatic personnel and staff of international organisations and others from Afghanistan.

Mr Johnson and Ms Merkel agreed to remain in touch with Mr Khan with respect to the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

DHAKA, 18 August 2021, (TON): The equipment are part of a program announced by the Indian prime minister during his Dhaka visit in March.

India has gifted 31 life support ambulances and other medical equipment to Bangladesh.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami formally handed over the equipment and ambulances to Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen during a program at the state guesthouse Padma.

The ambulances are the first of a total 109 life support ambulances to be supplied as part of a program announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bangladesh in March this year.

The remaining units will be delivered soon, according to the Indian High Commission.

NAYPYITAW, 18 August 2021, (TON): Around 1,500 soldiers have now defected from the Myanmar military to join the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) against the junta, a former Tatmadaw captain who is helping fellow deserters told media.

The new figures from Lin Htet Aung, who abandoned his post at the 528th Light Infantry Battalion in eastern Shan State in April, indicate that soldiers are now defecting faster and in greater numbers than before.

The number of deserters has almost doubled in a little over two months. In early June, four months after the military seized power, around 800 soldiers had defected. 

Among the defectors, about 1,000 hold ranks ranging from private to sergeant while hundreds more are majors, Lin Htet Aung told Myanmar Now.

He said “most have arrived in areas controlled by rebel groups but have yet to fully earn the trust of others involved in the movement against the junta.”

“We’re still in the process of monitoring and assessing them, so we can’t go on the offensive now,” he added, referring to plans for defected soldiers to wage war against the junta.

NAYPYITAW, 18 August 2021, (TON): According to local sources “a security checkpoint set up by the junta in Magwe Region’s Salin Township was bombed at around 10am on Tuesday, killing one police officer and severely injuring two more.”

A local man said “it’s on the Minbu-Salin highway. We still don’t know for sure who perpetrated the attack. The bomb hit three out of seven officers on duty. One died on the spot and the other two are not in very good shape either.”

He said that the bomb had completely destroyed the checkpoint.

“Explosions have been taking place in the Minbu, Salin and Pwintbyu areas but bomb was particularly powerful,” he said, referring to three Magwe Region townships.

Minbu and Pwintbyu are more than 60km and 30km southeast of Salin, respectively.

NEW DELHI, 18 August 2021, (TON): An Indian air force plane has evacuated more than 170 people from Kabul, including India's ambassador to Afghanistan, a government official says,

As diplomats and civilians scramble to leave the country. The flight landed in the western Indian city of Jamnagar for refuelling on the way to the capital New Delhi, Jamnagar collector Sourabh Pardhi told media.