WASHINGTON, 10 August 2021, (TON): International pressure mounted on Iran over a deadly attack on an Israeli-operated tanker off the coast of Oman.

A special UN Security Council session on maritime security was told that Iran was responsible for the attack, and would be held to account.

The tanker, the MT Mercer Street, was on its way from Tanzania to the UAE on July 29 when it was targeted by three Iranian-made drones laden with explosives. The attack killed the vessel’s Romanian captain and a British security guard.

The vessel is Liberian flagged, Japanese owned, and operated by Zodiac Maritime, a ship management company based in London and run by billionaire Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer.

The attack caused international outrage. Iran denied responsibility, but a report by US military experts concluded that the drones were Iranian.

The US investigation found that the Mercer Street was targeted unsuccessfully on July 29 by two drones, both of which were reported by the crew via distress calls.

A third drone attack, on July 30, significantly damaged the ship and caused the two deaths. The investigation found the third drone was loaded with military-grade explosives, which created a 2-meter hole in the vessel’s crew accommodation.

COLOMBO, 10 August 2021, (TON): Four suspects including two members of Sri Lanka Air Force and the Navy have been arrested over the theft of explosives from the Welisara Air Force explosive storage.

Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said “the Director of the Disciplinary Wing of Sri Lanka Air Force had made a complaint to the police that ammonium nitrate explosives which is used for explosions in granite quarries were stolen from the wearhouse.”

Accordingly, the Divisional Crime Detective Bureau of Kelaniya has arrested for suspects including a seargent of the Airforce, a petty officer of the Navy and two outsiders following an investigation.

The spokesman further said “the police also found 70kg of ammonium nitrate and a three wheeler with the suspects. The suspects would be produced in court.”

RIYADH, 10 August 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan made a phone call to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

During the call, they reviewed strategic relations between Riyadh and Washington and ways to enhance them in all fields.

They also discussed the most prominent developments in the region.

Earlier, Prince Faisal received a call from his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba where they discussed ways of strengthening joint coordination in regional and international issues, and developing cooperation in various fields.

BAMAKO, 10 August 2021, (TON): At least 51 people were killed when militants raided three villages in central Mali near the border with Niger, a district administrator said.

According to a note from the Asongo district administrator to the governor of Gao region “the towns of Ouatagouna, Karou and Deouteguef were simultaneously attacked at around 6pm on Sunday.”

Houses were ransacked and burned to the ground and herds of livestock carried away, said the note, which was seen by media.

It said "provisional toll is 51 killed, several other injured."

No group has yet taken responsibility for the attacks in the area where Malian troops, French and European forces.

Mali's army spokesman Colonel Souleymane Dembele confirmed the attacks but gave no further details.

NAYPYITAW, 10 August 2021, (TON): Junta authorities last week forced a lawyer representing Aung San Suu Kyi to sign a non-disclosure agreement, in an apparent bid to stop statements from the detained civilian leader reaching the public.

Police came to the Yangon home of one of the lawyers from Suu Kyi’s five-member defence team and forced them to sign a form promising not to talk to local or international media, a source familiar with the incident told media.

The lawyer was taken to a local General Administration Department office to sign the pledge, said the source, who is also a lawyer.

The source said “the administrator accused the lawyer of having connections with the international community and forbade them to disclose any information to anyone. They were released shortly after.”

It is understood that the lawyer who signed the pledge was San Marlar Nyunt. Myanmar Now was unable to confirm if more than one of the lawyers was made to sign the same pledge.

Among Suu Kyi’s lawyers, Khin Maung Zaw, Min Min Soe and Thae Maung Maung live in Naypyitaw, while Kyi Win and San Marlar Nyunt live in Yangon.

Suu Kyi has now been in detention for more than six months and faces 11 separate charges that could see her sentenced to more than four decades in prison.

KATHMANDU, 10 August 2021, (TON): Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Purna Chandra Thapa has handed the command of Nepali Army to Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Prabhu Ram Sharma. CoAS Rana handed the responsibility of the organisation command to Sharma amidst a programme at the NA Headquarters, Bhadrakali.

It may be noted that President Bidya Devi Bhandari has already, on the recommendation of the government, designated Sharma as the Acting CoAS with effect from Today. As per the NA tradition, CoAS Thapa will be staying on home leave from Today, one month before the expiry of his three-year term. Sharma will be taking the charge of NA as the 44th CoAS from coming September 10.

NAYPYITAW, 10 August 2021, (TON): Myanmar saw a series of bomb blasts and other attacks on regime forces over the weekend and on Monday, as anti-junta groups commemorated the 33rd anniversary of the 1988 pro-democracy uprising with nationwide protests.

There were at least four incidents in Yangon Region, including reports of gunfire near the compound of the junta-controlled Myanmar Radio and Television studios on Saturday night.

Residents who live near the compound in Sanchaung said they heard  “continuous” shooting at around 9pm. Local media released a video of the incident in which loud bangs could be heard for several seconds.

A document believed to be a police report that circulated on social media an hour after the incident said a group of gunmen in a Toyata Mark II vehicle exchanged gunfire with security forces at the compound.

DHAKA, 10 August 2021, (TON): Rohingyas have no desire to be citizens of Bangladesh and their only goal is to go back to Myanmar, said Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights in response to recent World Bank report that suggested refugee integration in 14 of the host countries.

In a statement, it said “they have been informed about the World Bank proposal for integrating Rohingyas into Bangladesh as part of their global Refugee Policy Review Framework.”

"We understand that this proposal includes the suggestion that Rohingya be given citizenship by the government of Bangladesh."

The Refugee Policy Review Framework, a global refugee document that the World Bank is preparing for assessing the effectiveness of its funding to the refugee-hosting countries, was sent to Bangladesh and 13 other countries for opinions.

It said “the framework believes in the principle that different countries can have different policies regarding the refugees and can be negotiated by the UN Refugee Agency with the governments concerned.”

The Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPHR) said that the World Bank suggestion will only create more problems for the Rohingya that temporarily live here.

"Our goal is to go back to native motherland with dignity, safety and security," said the statement signed by the ARSPHR Chairman Mohib Ullah based in Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar.

 BERLIN, 10 August 2021, (TON): Germany’s defence minister rejected calls for its soldiers to return to Afghanistan after Taliban insurgents took Kunduz city where German troops were deployed for a decade.

Germany had the second largest military contingent in Afghanistan after the United States, losing more troops in combat in Kunduz than anywhere else since World War Two.

The Taliban overran three provincial capitals including Kunduz at the weekend as it pressed an offensive since foreign troops began a withdrawal.

Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Twitter “the reports from Kunduz and from all over Afghanistan are bitter and hurt a lot.”

“Are society and parliament prepared to send the armed forces into a war and remain there with lots of troops for at least a generation? If we are not, then the joint withdrawal with the partners remains the right decision.”

Some within her own conservative party want German troops to participate in an intervention against the Taliban, but Kramp-Karrenbauer said defeating them would require a long and hard campaign.

Since the US announced plans in April to pull out troops by Sept. 11, and the transatlantic alliance NATO followed suit, violence has escalated as the Taliban seize territory.

KATHMANDU, 10 August 2021, (TON): US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry called on Minister for Energy and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar. According to the secretariat of the Minister, both held discussions on matters of bilateral relations and mutual benefit.

On the occasion, Ambassador Berry shared that the US was providing financial and technical support to the energy sector of Nepal and will be continued in the days to come.

Ambassador also opined to further work together in the areas of climate change adding the US was active in human resources development through multilateral cooperation.

He also urged Minister Bhusal to forward the MCC project as it was an important bid in the development of the energy sector in Nepal. He further shared that the US was ready to clarify every issue regarding the MCC as it had only the purpose of skill and knowledge transfer in the domain.

In response, Minister Bhusal extended thanks to the US for its support to the development endeavours of Nepal and even in tough times caused by the disasters.

She also said that the MCC project will be accepted in the interest of the State and people. She said that the party, government, and the parliament will decide on MCC and discussions would be held at the appropriate times to this end.