COLOMBO, 24 May, 2021, (TON): Sri Lanka’s naval and fishing department warned about the rapid developing storm in the Bay of Bengal.

Sri Lanka’s Meteorology Department warned the Naval and fishing communities not to venture in to the sea around the island as a cyclonic storm is strengthening.

The Weather forecast for sea areas around the island at 05.30 a.m. on 23 May said the low-pressure area located in East Central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression.

The system is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by 24th and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and reach near west Bengal coasts around 26th May, the Meteorology Department said.

The Department advised the naval and fishing communities not to venture into the East Central Bay of Bengal and adjoining area until further notice.

The cyclone season has turned very active over the warm North Indian Ocean over the past ten days. Less than a week after the powerful Cyclone Tauktae battered the west coast of India, another low-pressure system is brewing over the Bay of Bengal and is set to intensify into a powerful cyclone.

ISLAMABAD, 24 May, 2021, (TON): The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office for the eastern Mediterranean has announced the World No Tobacco Day 2021 Award for Pakistan for its effective anti-tobacco campaign.

Former technical head of the Health Ministry’s Tobacco Control Cell (TCC) and Focal Person for WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Dr Ziauddin Islam said the award had been given to Pakistan due to efforts made during the last decade said Dr Ziauddin Islam, Focal Person for WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the former technical head of the Health Ministry’s Tobacco Control Cell (TCC).

Pakistan is being lauded for implementing the ‘M’ measures (monitoring of tobacco use policies) in the MPOWER package to the highest level.

The health ministry had been facing criticism over disbanding the TCC whereas a parliamentarian, who defended tobacco companies in parliamentary committee meetings, became a member of the policy board of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

According to a statement issued by the health ministry, the TCC is working better under the director general (health wing) since July 2020. It has been organising smoke-free initiatives, acknowledged by WHO. Furthermore, it must be pointed out that NHS promulgated a statutory regulatory order (SRO), through which all types of tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorship (TAPS) were banned on point of sale even on social media.

“Pakistan has grabbed the global award after the significant work on tobacco control through policy making as the country has set a target of reducing the number of persons consuming tobacco products by up to 30 per cent by 2025,” the statement said, adding the country also successfully implemented the model of Tobacco-Smoke Free City project under which health authorities established monitoring cells on the district level to implement steps for reducing tobacco consumption.

According to the statement Pakistan has made 304 localities and parks smoke-free in 12 different districts and became the first country to declare smoke-free Public parks.

WHO was asked to nominate individuals or organisations from each of the six WHO regions for their accomplishments in controlling tobacco use.

The international award will be given to the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) on ‘World No Tobacco Day – Commit to Quit’ which will be observed on May 31 across the globe.

KABUL, 23 May 2021, (TON): The United States and its NATO allies are exploring a possible international effort to help secure the airport in Afghanistan’s capital after American troops withdraw from the country, said US Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to General Milley a secure airport would be essential to ensuring that the United States and European allies could maintain embassies in Afghanistan.

He said, “We are working out the details of how to secure the airport, how to support the Afghan military securing the airport, and what countries are willing to contribute to do that.”

NAYPYIDAW, 23 May 2021, (TON): Myanmar’s military leader General Min Aung Hlaing in his first interview to a Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster Phoenix Television said that the country’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi would soon appear in court.
Suu Kyi had received the Nobel Peace Prize for standing up to previous military rulers in the country. Since the coup began over 4,000 people have been detained. Suu Kyi faces multiple charges including illegal possession of walkie-talkies to violating a law pertaining to state secrets.
General Min Aung Hlaing confirmed, "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days,"
The 75-year-old Suu Kyi is highly revered across the country which is home 53 million people. Suu Kyi had brought democratic reforms to the country.

WAZIRISTAN, 23 May 2021, (TON): At least one Pakistan soldier was killed when a Pakistani military post came under firing from across the border in Afghanistan. The terrorists fired on a Pakistani military post from the Afghan side of the border in North Waziristan district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said late Saturday night.

As per the statement of Military spokesperson the Pakistani troops responded in a befitting manner and a soldier was killed during an exchange of fire.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Saturday a soldier was martyred after terrorists opened fire from the Afghanistan border near North Waziristan.

The statement said. the Pakistani troops responded to the firing on a military post in a befitting manner, but Sepoy Umar Daraz, 32, resident of Jhang, received a bullet injury and embraced martyrdom.

The statement added, "Pakistan has consistently asked Afghanistan to ensure effective management and control on their side of the Pak-Afghan Border," and "Pakistan strongly condemns terrorists' continuous use of Afghan soil for activities against Pakistan, the military's media wing added.

Pakistan has consistently asked Afghanistan to ensure effective management and control on their side of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border."

NAYPYITAW, 22 May, 2021, (TON): Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing in his first interview since overthrowing Aung San Suu Kyi in February 1 coup, said deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi was healthy at home and would appear in court in a few days.  

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days,” Min Aung Hlaing said by video link with the Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster.  

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party first came to power after a landslide 2015 election victory, and won an even greater majority in last November's general election. It was set to start a second term in February when the military seized power in a coup, arresting her and dozens of top government officials and party members.  

The army seized power alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. The then electoral commission had rejected its accusations. 

Suu Kyi’s next court appearance is due on Monday in the capital Naypyidaw. So far, she has appeared only by video link and as yet to be allowed to speak directly to her lawyers.   

KABUL, 22 May, 2021, (TON): In two separate incidents at Takhar and Helmand provinces, at least three civilians were killed after mortar shells fell on civilian homes. 

In Takhar, one child was killed and two more, including a woman, were wounded when a mortar shell hit a civilian home in Pul-e-Shash Metra area on the outskirts of Taluqan city on Friday evening, Takhar police said in a statement.  

Early on Saturday morning in Helmand, two children were killed and two women were wounded when a mortar shell hit a civilian home in the city of Lashkargah, the center of the province.  Helmand officials so far have not commented on the incident. 

NEW DELHI, 22 May, 2021, (TON): A major cyber-attack has hit Air India, in which personal data of millions of customers has been compromised. 

India's national airline Air India has said a cyber-attack on its data servers affected about 4.5 million customers around the world. 

The national carrier issued a statement on Friday informing its passengers that its SITA PSS server, which is responsible for storing and processing the personal information of fliers, was subject to a cybersecurity attack. The resultant data breach involved personal data registered between August 26, 2011 and February 20, 2021.    

The breach was first reported to the company in February. Details including passport and ticket information as well as credit-card data were compromised.  

Personal data — including name, date of birth, contact information, passport information, ticket information, and credit card data — which was registered between August 11, 2011, and February 3, 2021, has been leaked of a certain number of Air India’s passengers, the statement issued by the airline said. 

Air India said no subsequent unauthorized activity had been detected. 

It is not immediately clear who was behind the attack. 

Last year, British Airways was fined £20m ($26m) for a data breach that affected personal and credit card data of more than 400,000 customers in 2018.  

The cyber-attack has also affected passengers of other airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Cathay Pacific. 

NAYPYITAW, 22 May, 2021, (TON): Military positions were attacked on Saturday at the northwestern jade mining town of Hkamti by forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the ethnic factions opposed to Myanmar’s coup, local media reported.   

KIA fighters attacked an army post at Hkamti township in the Sagaing region early on Saturday, the Irrawaddy and Mizzima online publications according to the media report.  

The KIA in Kachin state near the border to China has been in conflict with Myanmar's military rulers for decades, seeking an independent state, with the conflict largely unconnected to February's coup. 

The army has carried out numerous bombing attacks on KIA positions in recent weeks and has also clashed with ethnic armies in the east and west of Myanmar. 

The attack marks an advance into new territory by the KIA at a time Myanmar has been plunged into chaos since the army seized power on February 1, detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cut short a decade of democratic reforms. 

WASHINGTON, 22 May, 2021, (TON): South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a joint press conference with President Joe Biden that the United States agreed to end the flight range guidelines that limited South Korea's missiles to 800 kilometers (450 miles). 

"It is also with pleasure that I deliver the news on the termination of the revised missile guidelines," South Korean President said during press conference at the White House on Friday. 

The two sides also agreed to further reinforce their combined defense posture, Moon said. 

South Korea first agreed to the missile guidelines in 1979 in return for American technological aid in developing its first ballistic missiles. After the South’s repeated requests for a revision, American officials agreed to extend the range to 300 kilometers from 180 kilometers in 2001. Another revision in 2012 followed a 2001 extension of the original 180-kilometer range limit to 300 kilometers and then 800 kilometers. 

American restrictions on ballistic missiles do not apply to South Korean cruise missiles.