LONDON, 14 August 2021, (TON): Britain will not abandon Afghanistan, Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed on Friday, even as he confirmed the imminent withdrawal of most embassy staff in the face of a rapid Taliban onslaught.

With the Islamists seizing control of more Afghan cities, Britain is deploying around 600 troops to help evacuate its roughly 3,000 nationals from the country, and Johnson said the “vast bulk” of remaining embassy staff in Kabul would return to the UK.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said “President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw US troops, forcing Nato allies to follow suit, “leaves a very big problem on the ground” and handed momentum to the Taliban.

He predicted it would benefit Al-Qaeda, who were given safe haven by the Taliban before the September 11, 2001 attacks that prompted the West's 20-year involvement in Afghanistan.

Johnson, however, said after convening crisis talks with senior cabinet colleagues that the West retained a strategic interest in backing the beleaguered Kabul government.

He told reporters “I think we have got to be realistic about the power of the UK or any power to impose a military solution, a combat solution, in Afghanista.”

What we certainly can do is work with all our partners in the region, around the world, who share an interest with us in preventing Afghanistan once again becoming a breeding ground for terror.

He stressed “what we must do now is not turn our backs on Afghanistan, Britain could be “extremely proud” of its role in the country, especially in advancing girls' education, gains that are now imperilled by the Taliban advance.”

The prime minister added that UK interior ministry officials were flying out to Kabul to help Afghan interpreters who served with the UK military to apply for resettlement in Britain.

WASHINGTON, 14 August 2021, (TON):  The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), designated individuals and businesses involved in an international oil smuggling network that supports Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Senior IRGC-QF officials use proceeds from their involvement in Iranian oil exports to help fund the group’s destabilizing regional activities.

OFAC’s action targets a foreign broker, Mahmood Rashid Amur Al Habsi, who has partnered with senior IRGC-QF officials and used several companies to facilitate shipments of Iranian oil to foreign customers, including buyers in East Asia.

Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki said “the IRGC-QF is using revenues from its Iranian petroleum sales to fund its malign activities at the expense of the Iranian people.”

“These sales rely on key foreign intermediaries to obscure the IRGC-QF’s involvement, and Treasury will continue to disrupt and expose anyone supporting these efforts.”

Today’s action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority, Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. The IRGC-QF was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 in 2007 for support to numerous terrorist groups.

 NEW DELHI, 14 August 2021, (TON): At least 2,000 people were evacuated yesterday after a massive landslide in India's ecologically fragile Himalayan north blocked a major river.

The people were evacuated from 13 villages in the Lahaul area of Himachal Pradesh state as a "preventative measure" in case of flash floods, a senior district official told media.

Hundreds of tonnes of rocks and other debris slid into and partially blocked the Chenab, one of the biggest rivers in the region, blocking the flow of water for a few hours.

This is the second landslide to hit the northern state bordering Tibet this week.

On Wednesday 12 people were killed after a bus and other vehicles travelling on a road were buried by rocks and mud.

Sixteen people are still unaccounted for, according to local media reports. Thirteen others were pulled out of the rubble.

Landslides are a regular danger in the region, particularly in the monsoon season, but experts say they are becoming more common.

NAYPYITAW, 14 August 2021, (TON): On August 1, the United League of Arakan (ULA), the political wing of the Arakan Army (AA), announced that it would be establishing its own judiciary in areas under its control.

The move, which comes just months after the Myanmar junta removed the group from its list of terrorist organizations, and less than a year into a ceasefire with the military that ended two years of fierce fighting, is just the latest evidence of its rapidly growing influence over life in northern Rakhine State.

Indeed, some observers say that much of the state is now under de facto ULA/AA rule, or something approaching it.

Dr. Aye Maung, the chairperson of the Arakan Front Party (AFP) said “as I said in another interview, the AA can now be assumed to have control over three-quarters of the entire state.”

Since his release from prison on February 12, Aye Maung has travelled extensively around his home state. During this time, he said, he has noticed a greatly expanded AA presence.

“I have come to the realization that in every place that I have visited during these months, there were just as many AA security forces as there were Myanmar Army forces,” he told media.

The AA can now be assumed to have control over three-quarters of the entire state – Dr. Aye Maung

He noted, however, that it is only recently that the group has become more prominently involved in non-military matters.

WASHINGTON, 14 August 2021, (TON): The US embassy in Kabul has directed its personnel to destroy sensitive materials "which could be misused in propaganda efforts."

The notice comes as the US decided to dramatically scale down its embassy in Kabul and send about 3,000 troops temporarily to aid the evacuation of staff amid rapid military gains by the Taliban.

Intelligence assessment indicates that Kabul could be isolated by Taliban within a week, possibly within the next 72 hours.

The notice said facilities would provide "destruction support" daily and called on personnel to "take advantage and reduce the amount of sensitive material on the property," including papers and electronics.

It said "please also include items with embassy or agency logos, American flags, or items which could be misused in propaganda efforts.”

The US State Department said that this was part of the standard procedure applied when minimising the US footprint.

A government official confirmed that Kandahar, the economic hub of the south, was under Taliban control.

NAYPYITAW, 14 August 2021, (TON): At least four people have died in the ruby-mining town of Mogok as a result of flooding and landslides caused by days of heavy rain.

Casualties were reported in both the eastern and western parts of the town, while rural areas of the township in Mandalay Region have also been severely affected, according to local sources.

Houses located near a stream in the eastern part of Mogok were so badly flooded that a number of them collapsed or were washed away, rescue workers told media.

Hein Htet Maung of the Myanmar Social Welfare Organization (Mogok) said “we managed to save six of the seven people who were in one house that came down. Unfortunately, one lady died.”

He added “the rain has been very heavy. The whole town is flooded, and there have also been landslides in rural areas.”

The collapse of a stone wall in Kyat Pin, in the western part of the town, killed two women and a 5-year-old child, other sources reported.

Residents of Mogok said that the rain, which has been falling almost continuously since early July, grew much heavier over the past two days.

DHAKA, 14 August 2021, (TON): Bangladesh always maintains excellent relations with Russia and Germany, says the president.

Envoys of Russia and Germany to Bangladesh separately presented their credentials to President M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban.

The resident envoys in Dhaka are Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation Alexander Vikentyevich MANTYTSKIY and Ambassador (designate) Achim Tröster of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Welcoming the new envoys, the President said Bangladesh always maintains a very excellent relations with Russia and Germany and the ties are gradually expanding in various fields, particularly in trade and investment, with the countries, President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told media.

Abdul Hamid urged the new Ambassador to take initiatives to harness the immense potentials for trade and investment between Bangladesh and Russia.

ISLAMABAD, 14 August 2021, (TON): Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that the government of Pakistan had decided to relax its visa policy for journalists and media workers stranded in Afghanistan keeping in view the changing situation there.

According to a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, all international journalists and media workers who want to exit Afghanistan through Pakistan have been asked to apply for Pakistani visa.

The minister said “the government would issue visa to these international journalists and media workers on priority.

DHAKA, 14 August 2021, (TON): Canadian Minister of International Development Karina Gould has said that she is impressed by the resilience and the remarkable progress taking place in Bangladesh.

She said "Canada has been a friend and development partner to Bangladesh for nearly 50 years.”

She further added that they are committed to continuing to tackle the challenges together, including to support the needs of refugees and people living in extreme poverty, reports UNB.

The minister said “it was important for her, as Minister of International Development, to undertake this virtual visit at this particularly difficult moment marked by challenges ranging from public health, to the economy, climate change, and the continued Rohingya crisis.”

On Thursday, Karina Gould ended a "successful" three-day virtual visit to Bangladesh.

ISLAMABAD, 14 August 2021, (TON): Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi, Ambassador of United Arab Emirates to Pakistan has extended his heartiest congratulations to Pakistani government and people on the occasion of the country’s 75th Independence Day on August 14, 2021.

To pay his tribute to the founding father of Pakistan, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, Al Zaabi visited the Mazar (mausoleum) of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi - where he recited Surah Al Fatihah.

He also visited the museum that houses the collection of items used by Jinnah.

H.E. Hamad Obaid Alzaabi, the UAE Ambassador in Islmabad: celebrating Pakistan’s 74th independence anniversary, we recall with respect the Great Leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his great effors & achievements, express our respect for the people and leadership of this great country.

During his visit, Al Zaabi expressed his respect for the people and leadership of Pakistan, and addressed the late Jinnah as ‘a great leader’ and Pakistan as ‘a great country’.

The mission in UAE took to Twitter to post pictures and details of the visit in Karachi.