JERUSALEM, 12 August 2021, (TON): A lawyer said Wednesday a Jerusalem court ruling that dozens of home demolitions in a flashpoint Palestinian neighborhood should be frozen for six months was “progress,” but not “victory.”

Israel had ordered the demolition of around 100 homes in Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood on the edge of the Old City in east Jerusalem, claiming they were built illegally on public land.

Monday’s court order froze most of those demolition orders until February 2022, while also allowing 16 homes to be razed immediately.

Judge Sigal Albo of the Jerusalem Court for Local Affairs wrote in the decision “I have reached the conclusion that there is space to grant a specific extension.”

Kawar said his clients were applying for retroactive permission for their homes, which he said they built on their own private property without permission.

“It is not possible to get permits there,” Kawar said. Palestinians say the city rejects nearly all of their building permit applications.

Israel captured east Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six-Day War in 1967, and later annexed it in a move not recognized internationally.

Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

KATHMANDU, 12 August 2021, (TON): Eight villages in Doti district are at a high risk of being swept away by Seti River. Although walls with gabion wire are built along the river, the erosion has not stopped.

The human settlements of Barpata, Ghopghat, Kalaghad, Sirkholi Sain, Dipayal, Gholtada and Naridhang are at high risk of being washed away by the river. Due to the risk of erosion, the villagers of the risky areas are forced to keep vigil throughout the night to avoid possible danger, claimed locals.

Water-induced Disaster Control Office, Dipayal, spends a huge budget every year to manage levee with gabion wire to control the river, but in vain, said Dil Bahadur Bhandari of Pipalla from Silgadhi Municipality-4.

"Millions of budget is spent every year, but the structures are swept away by the flood every time, cutting the land. It is worrying to all villagers here.

"Every year, the Seti River changes its course during monsoon floods, alarming the settlements nearby. When the Seti river is raging the locals cannot but worry about their wellbeing, informed Laxman Saud, a local from Sirkholi of Silgadhi-1.

Similarly, the locals from Banleg from Shikhar Municipality-10 and 11 are also anxious during the monsoon and they have to remain alert all night.Ram Bahadur Karki from Kalgadh of Shikhar Municipality-2 complained as the concerned bodies failed to control the river erosion, the settlements of Dipayal, Banidugrisain, Sirkholisain, Kalagadh, Rampur, Gerupani, Gholtada Nadirang were facing the continued threat.

He shared "the land near the river is eroded every time the river changes its course. But there are no concrete steps taken to address this serious issue.”

DHAKA, 12 August 2021, (TON): Use of virtual platforms would get priority in holding the Mourning Day programs.

The government has taken elaborate programs to observe the 46th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Mourning Day on August 15 with due respect.

An official release said “as part of the program, the national flag will be hoisted at half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous buildings, educational institutions and private offices on the day.”

Floral wreaths will be placed at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the city and a doa mahfil will be held there at 6:30 am on August 15.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to the architect of the independence by placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital.

Guard of honour will be provided by the Armed Forces and prayers will also be offered.

WASHINGTON, 12 August 2021, (TON): The Pentagon said that the United States conducted a test launch of a nuclear-capable Minute-man III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The US Defense Department said on its Twitter account “the 576th Test Squadron pilots worked with our Space Delta 30 mission partners to conduct a working test launch of the Minuteman III missile.”

The Pentagon expressed confidence that such tests would track the readiness of such weapons systems and “convince our country’s allies that our nuclear deterrent is safe, reliable and effective.”

MALE, 12 August 2021, (TON): Former Tourism Minister Ali Waheed has been sentenced to two months in prison for contempt of court, after failing to appear before the Supreme Court for his appeal hearing.

The first hearing in the appeal lodged by the Prosecutor General’s Office over the decision to allow online hearings in the criminal case against Ali Waheed was originally scheduled for August 2, but was later rescheduled to 01:00 pm this Wednesday.

However, Ali Waheed, who left for UK after the Criminal Court allowed a temporary ease in the travel ban order against him in February, was a no-show at the hearing.

The Supreme Court treated his failure to appear in court as contempt of court, and sentenced him to two months and 12 days in prison for the offense.

The sentence was issued by Justice Husnu Al-Suood, who presides over the bench looking into the case, citing failure to appear before the court two times despite receiving the court summons.

Suood said that no one has the right to disrespect Maldivian courts in that manner, and that Ali Waheed therefore should be punished in accordance with the law.

NAYPYITAW, 12 August 2021, (TON): The Chinland Defence Force (CDF) announced that they will be rewarding soldiers defecting from the Myanmar military with 5 million kyat (around US$3,000) in return for “standing with the people” and handing over their arms to the anti-dictatorship resistance.

In exchange for surrendering their weapons, ex-soldiers will receive a cash reward and safe transportation to the location of their choice, according to the CDF.

A CDF spokesperson told media “we’re not doing this because we’re rich. This is what must be done to weaken the military’s arms strength. Think of it as us giving back what we can to the people for their support.”

The Mindat-based CDF chapter made a similar statement, saying that they will welcome troops who wish to leave the junta and help overthrow the military dictatorship.

The announcement said “we will be rewarding the soldiers who surrender all of their equipment with 5 million kyat, as well as arranging transportation for them to go where they want, even if it’s another country.”

Around 20 soldiers in Chin State have surrendered to the anti-coup armed resistance in recent weeks, the CDF spokesperson said, adding that the number may be higher if there are defectors who have not been accounted for. The CDF has arranged safehouses for some and others are reportedly fighting alongside them against the coup council’s forces.

RIGA, 12 August 2021, (TON): The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that the Latvian government has approved the allocation of funding for the construction of infrastructure necessary to protect the eastern border of the republic and prevent illegal migration. Among the measures taken is the installation of a barbed wire fence on the border with Belarus worth € 1.7 million.

As noted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Cabinet of Ministers allowed the department to carry out the necessary purchases to ensure the construction of the infrastructure necessary to protect the Latvian-Belarusian border, including barbed wire fencing.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said “in 2021, it is planned to purchase and install a barbed wire fence. For these purposes, an additional required amount of funding is forecasted in the amount of € 1,729,421.”

In general, according to the calculations of the Ministry, for the construction of border infrastructure in 2022, an additional € 14 million will be required, in 2023, almost € 19 million, and in 2024, more than € 6 million. For these purposes, the Latvian government has created a new budget program “Creation of infrastructure on the border of the state.

Latvia, following Lithuania, faced illegal migration from the territory of Belarus. In the period from 6 to 10 August alone, 295 people were detained, and in total since the beginning of the year, 355. The Latvian authorities have introduced increased control to guard the border and mobilized the resources of the border guard and the army.

The Prime Minister of the Republic Krisjanis Karins announced last week his intention to accelerate the construction of infrastructure on the border with Belarus. The Latvian government also introduced a border emergency by November 10 to increase the ability of border guards to send migrants back to Belarus.

In order to combat illegal migration, Latvia several years ago announced its intention to equip 173 km of the border with Belarus, including erecting a 135 km long fence.

NAYPYITAW, 12 August 2021, (TON): According to eyewitnesses “five young people involved in the anti-coup movement fell from the roof of a three-storey apartment building in downtown Yangon’s Botahtaung Township on Tuesday afternoon, with two confirmed dead on Wednesday. They were attempting to escape a military raid and allegedly jumped from the building.”

Around 20 junta personnel, including police officers and both uniformed and plainclothes soldiers, stormed an apartment on the lower block of 44th Street, while the people in question, one woman and four men were inside.

A resident who witnessed the incident, said “they ran up to the roof to escape, I think they decided that there was no other way out and jumped into the back alley behind the building.”

The eyewitness estimated that the building from which they are believed to have jumped was more than 50 feet tall.

He said that at least two people initially survived the fall and were conscious, moaning in pain and asking for water. No one was able to help them, he explained, since the soldiers at the scene threatened to shoot anyone who approached. Eventually, the two individuals stopped moving, he said.

ISLAMABAD, 12 August 2021, (TON):  President Dr Arif Alvi said that Pakistan would provide 100 scholarships for students of Niger in 2021-22.

He said that Pakistan attached great importance to its brotherly relations with Niger and wanted to further broaden the scope of cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

The President was talking to the visiting Speaker of the National Assembly of Niger, Seyni Oumarou, who along with members of his delegation, called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

He said that both countries enjoyed excellent relations and had unanimity of views on various issues at the international fora. Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser also attended the meeting, a press release issued by the President’s Media Wing here said.

Welcoming the Speaker of the National Assembly of Niger, President Arif Alvi said the entire scope of bilateral cooperation between the two countries needed to be further augmented through the regular exchange of political, parliamentary and commercial delegations.

He said that Pakistan accorded great significance to its ties with Niger under its ‘Look Africa’ policy and wished to sign a Preferential Trade Agreement with Niger that would help enhance economic and business cooperation between the two countries.

Welcoming the recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Parliamentary Cooperation, the President expressed the hope that the MoU would bring the two countries further closer.

BERLIN, 12 August 2021, (TON): Interior Ministry spokesman Steve Alter, said that German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has ordered the temporary suspension of the forced expulsion of Afghan refugees due to the situation in Afghanistan.

The Netherlands made a similar decision earlier Wednesday .

Alter wrote on Twitter “the Federal Minister of the Interior, taking into account the evolving security situation, has decided to temporarily suspend the deportation (of refugees) to Afghanistan.”

This decision became known shortly after Alter announced at a briefing on Wednesday that the expulsion of Afghan refugees denied asylum by the German authorities is still possible, but decisions will be made on an individual basis, including taking into account the situation in Afghanistan.

The issue of forced ex-pulsion of Afghan refugees who are not entitled to asylum is actively discussed in the European Union and Germany against the background of the onset of the radical Taliban movement in Afghanistan after the start of the withdrawal of the international coalition troops. Six countries of the European Union called on the European Commission not to stop the deportation of Afghan citizens who did not receive the right to stay in the EU, even despite the onset of the Taliban movement.

Sami Mahdi, Belgium’s Secretary of State for Migration and Asylum, said that in addition to him, representatives of Germany, Austria , the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece signed an appeal to the European Commission . He stressed that the fact that some regions in Afghanistan are unsafe “does not mean that every citizen of the state has the right to protection.”