BEIJNG, 7 May 2021, (TON): Beijing has "indefinitely" suspended all activity under a China-Australia strategic economic dialogue.This has created a serious blow to already strained relations between the two countries.

The National Development and Reform Commission said, "Recently, some Australian commonwealth government officials launched a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of a Cold War mindset and ideological discrimination. ".  

Meanwhile, Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said it was a "necessary and legitimate" response to Australia "abusing" the concept of national security to pressure cooperation with China.  

Australia was the first country to publicly ban Chinese Huawei from its 5G network. Relations worsened last year when Australia called for an independent investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus, prompting trade reprisals from China.

Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan said the commission's decision was disappointing because the economic dialogue was "an important forum for Australia and China to work through issues relevant to our economic partnership."

Australia has, however, declined to sign agreements on direct participation in China's flagship foreign policy initiative. And last month Canberra canceled two Belt and Road cooperation deals struck by the state of Victoria, prompting the Chinese embassy to warn that ties were bound to worsen.

It is likely that Chinese company's controversial 99-year-lease on Darwin Port will be put under review for tougher measures but cannot be scrapped immediately.  Darwin is the most important port on Australia's north coast, the closest to Asia and a base for US Marines who rotate in and out of the country.

KABUL, 07 May, 2021 (TON): The US military has deployed more heavy bombers and fighter jets to protect withdrawing American and coalition troops from Afghanistan, which have so far sustained no direct attacks, the Pentagon said Thursday.

"Less than one week in, the drawdown is going according to plan," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said while talking to reporters.

Pentagon Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley said that to defend the departing troops, six B-52 long range bombers and 12 F-18 fighters have been ordered to supply contingency support.

He added that while the Taliban insurgents groups launch between 80 and 120 attacks every day against Afghan government targets, since the withdrawal began on May 1 "there have been no attacks against US and coalition forces."

Austin and Milley underscored that although the US continues to work closely with the Afghan security forces, the relationship will shift with the pull-out.

US support will continue via funding and "over the horizon logistics" -- military support from US bases and ships located hundreds of miles away, Austin said.

Milley stressed that, amid widespread expectations that the Taliban could seize power from the government in the wake of the US pullout, the demise of Afghan forces should not be presumed.

"The Afghan National Security Forces and the Government of Afghanistan at this time remain cohesive," Milley said. "The president of the United States' intent is to support both."

The military of the United States has formally begun its withdrawal from Afghanistan after almost 20 years in the country.

Last month, US President Joe Biden ordered the final withdrawal of 2,500 US service members and 16,000 civilian contractors.

WASHINGTON, 07 May, 2021 (TON): Ross Wilson, US Charge d' Affaires to Afghanistan has expressed shock over the murder of high-profile Afghan journalist Nemat Rewan and called for an immediate stop to the attacks on the press.

"Shocked by the murder of Afghanistan of employee & former TOLO news anchor Nemat Rewan. The campaign of violence against Afghan media is despicable. We condemn this attack and call for an immediate stop to the attacks on the press. Our condolences to Nemat's family and friends," Wilson tweeted.

Nemat Rewan was shot dead in Afghanistan's Kandahar city on Thursday. , a day after the Taliban issued a threat against the media persons.

Nemat Rawan, a former anchor of the country's leading broadcaster and a media official at the Ministry of Finance. Nemat Rewan was shot dead in Afghanistan's Kandahar city on Thursday in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Kandahar.

Earlier, the Taliban spokesperson Zabullah Mujahid had said that "media must be aware" to maintain their neutrality, and that in such a sensitive situation media should avoid becoming the Kabul administration's propaganda tool.

No group immediately claimed responsibility but government officials and Western powers blame Taliban.

MALE, 07 May 2021, (TON): Maldives’ first democratically elected president and current Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed was injured in a blast Thursday near his home. He was rushed to the hospital where his condition is stable.

Indian and other foreign agencies have taken the lead and investigating the blast. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in a tweet described the blast as an attack on Nasheed and offered assistance in the probe. However, Maldivian police cis not clear if the blast was accidental or was an assassination attempt.

Maldives is a peace loving countries and New Delhi intend sending its intelligence apparatus to announce already decided plan to link the blast with the religious Islamic groups. So that onwards peace could not prevail in the tourist destination.

CANBERRA, 07 May 2021 (TON): Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced lifting of ban on its citizens returning from coronavirus ravaged India from next week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison took a decision to impose a biosecurity order last month barring all travel to and from India but had to take back due to heavy criticism from lawmakers and the Indian diaspora. Morrison imposed jail terms and financial penalties for anybody who attempted to violate the ban and tried entering via a third country.

As per the official announcement. Australia will charter three repatriation flights between 15 May and 31 May 2021, to airlift around priority one 900 people deemed most vulnerable in India.

SANA’A, 07 May, 2021 (TON): With 20 million Yemenis in need of assistance in the face of conflict and COVID-19, "the humanitarian situation is falling off a cliff," UN humanitarians said on Thursday. 

Of those, more than 16 million people are going hungry this year, tens of thousands of people are already living in famine-like conditions, and 5 million more are just one step away, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.  

COVID-19 infections are surging, with hospitals and health facilities reportedly turning away patients due to lacking treatment resources. 

Conflict has been escalating, particularly in Marib, where an offensive by Houthi forces has so far displaced nearly 20,000 people and threatens the safety of millions. 

Further complicating the situation, the rain season is underway, with more than 22,000 people affected by floods. Most of those victims are displaced people living in inadequate shelters. 

Aid agencies are seeking 3.85 billion U.S. dollars to block a massive famine, respond to the COVID-19 surge and meet other critical needs this year, OCHA said. However, the response plan is only 34 percent funded. 

The aid operation in Yemen previously was able to help nearly 14 million people a month. Now it's down to about 10 million people a month, mainly because of funding cuts, the humanitarians said. Last year, aid agencies received only half of the funds needed, forcing them to cut back aid and shut down programs. 

Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels are fighting for control, with a Saudi-led military coalition backing the government. 

The country’s humanitarian crisis is said to be the worst in the world, due to widespread hunger, disease, and attacks on civilians.  

WASHINGTON, 07 May, 2021 (TON): The US State Department senior official said on Thursday that the United States and Iran could achieve a mutual return to compliance with the Iran nuclear deal in the coming weeks if Tehran makes a "political decision." 

In a phone briefing the senior official said that the last three rounds of indirect talks between the United States and Iran in Vienna "helped crystallize the choices," but noting "nothing has been agreed" on how to revive the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 

"If Iran makes the political decision that it genuinely wants to return to the JCPOA as the JCPOA was negotiated, then it could be done relatively quickly and implementation could be relatively swift," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. "But we don't know if Iran has made that decision." 

"There's still a lot of work to do in terms of agreeing on the sanctions, nuclear steps, but also the sequencing and the timetable for implementation of the steps that both sides are going to need to take," he added. 

The official suggested that it is possible for Washington and Tehran to achieve a mutual return to compliance in the next few weeks, while stressing "this is ultimately a matter of a political decision that needs to be made in Iran." 

Abbas Araqchi, Iran's senior negotiator in Vienna talks, said last week that negotiating parties have reached "common ground in many cases," but there are still differences. 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the United States knows that it has to return to law and assume its obligations pertaining to the nuclear deal. 

Reviving the deal has proved complicated, however, with both sides insisting the other make the first move. Iran has said it will not return to compliance with the deal until the US lifts sanctions, while the Biden administration has maintained there will be no sanctions relief until Tehran shows it's adhering to the pact.  

Iranian and US officials traveled to Vienna in early April to participate in indirect talks on restoring the deal, communicating through European intermediaries. Vienna meeting signals new push to revive Iran nuclear deal.  

KABUL, 07 May, 2021 (TON): Nemat Rawan, a former Afghan television journalist, was shot dead in southern Kandahar city on Thursday, officials said, becoming the fifth journalist to have been killed this year. 

Newat Rawan was “assassinated by unknown gunmen”, Kandahar city police spokesman Jamal Nasir Barekzai said.  

He was a popular talk show host with the country's leading broadcaster, Tolo News, before joining the ministry of finance last month as a communications specialist. 

No group immediately claimed responsibility but government officials and Western powers blame Taliban.  

At least 11 Afghan journalists were killed in 2020, with four more reportedly murdered this year, according to a recent toll from Amnesty International. 

In early March, three female media workers were gunned down in the eastern city of Jalalabad. 

Afghanistan has long been ranked as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. 

ISLAMABD, 07 May, 2021 (TON): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to begin his high-profile official visit on today, as per a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Thursday. 

According to Pakistan Foreign Office, Imran Khan will embark on a three-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from May 7 to 9 on the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz. 

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Foreign Minister and other members of the Cabinet. 

“During the visit, the prime minister’s consultations with the Saudi leadership will cover all areas of bilateral cooperation including economic, trade, investment, energy, job opportunities for Pakistani workforce, and welfare of Pakistani Diaspora in the Kingdom,” the communiqué stated. 

The two sides would also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. A number of bilateral agreements/MoUs (memorandum of understanding) are expected to be signed during the visit as well. 

“The Prime Minister will also meet the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, the Secretary-General of the World Muslim League, Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa and the Imams of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Medina,” the press release stated. 

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa has already reached Saudi Arabia on May 5. 

The relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is indeed a strong one that goes back decades. Pakistan maintains close military ties with Saudi Arabia, providing extensive support, arms and training for the Saudi armed forces. 

NAYPYIDAW, 07 May 2021 (TON):The Myanmar State Administration Council imposed ban on Satellite-TV to discourage anti-state foreign propaganda, however, internet service remained available without interuption. The announcement said that anyone using satellite dishes to watch television will face up to one year in prison or a fine of 500,000 kyat ($320).

The ban is basically to discourage India state machinery engaged in attempt to bring dangerous civil war in Myanmar. New Delhi has created hundreds of news outlets that led to civil violation and subsequent crackdown on law violators.

The announcement claimed that “illegal organisations and news agencies” were broadcasting programs via satellite that threaten state security.