COLOMBO, 20 April, 2021 (TON): An income of 349 million rupees had been earned from expressways during the past 11 days of the festive season, Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando said.

His remarks came after .N. Lodwick, Acting Director, Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division handed over a detailed report on the revenue generated from the entire expressway system and on traffic accidents to the Minister on Monday.

According to the report, more than 1,236,288 vehicles have traveled on the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, Outer Circular Highway and Southern Expressway during the relevant period.

However, the highest number of 141,187 vehicles on the expressways during this period was reported on 10 April.

KABUL, 20 April, 2021 (TON): On Monday afternoon in a cabinet meeting chaired by President Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan government’s preparations for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country were discussed.

The President said the decision to pull the troops out of Afghanistan does not mean a cut in Afghanistan-U.S. ties but opens a new chapter in relations.

The Presidential Palace said, the implementation of bilateral as well as multilateral agreements after the withdrawal of U.S. forces was also discussed in the meeting.

The Afghan government discussed preparing for the withdrawal of US forces by empowering security and defense forces.

However, also, recent remarks by Muslim countries’ scholars calling the Afghanistan war illegitimate were also discussed in the meeting. 

NEW DELHI/COLOMBO, 20 April, 2021 (TON): India’s Foreign Minister stated that India supports the call of international community for the Sri Lankan government to fulfill its commitments on devolution of political authority including through early holding of elections to provincial councils.

Dr. Jaishankar has stated in his letter sent recently to the AIADMK’s Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) M. Thambi Durai that this also covers the commitment of ensuring that all the provincial councils are able to operate effectively in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka,

The Minister’s reply was in the context of the AIADMK leader raising last month’s Sri Lankan Tamil issue in the Rajya Sabha relating to the resolution adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

However, he urged the Sri Lankan government “to carry forward the process of reconciliation, address the aspirations of the Tamil community and continue to engage constructively with the international community.

DHAKA, 20 April, 2021 (TON): In a pre-recorded speech marking the founding anniversary of Bangladesh Krishak League, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stressed the importance of developing the agriculture economy.

The Pm urged everyone to be attentive saying the government is also putting a special focus on industries to take the country forward.

Her speech became public on Monday evening, marking the founding anniversary of Bangladesh Krishak League, the ruling Awami League's affiliated body for farmers.

“We are putting special emphasis on the agriculture of the country. Agro-based economy will push us forward. Along with agro-economy, we are also paying special attention to our industries,” Hasina said.

She added that her government is helping the farmers to market their products and export these overseas.

Hasina congratulated all members of the Krishak League and paid tribute to the founder of the association the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In the end, she expressed her gratitude and mentioned the farmers’ critical role in fulfilling the demand for food.

ISLAMABAD, 20 April, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, Pakistan's government will seek a vote in parliament to expel the French ambassador after violent anti-France protests by Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), the interior minister Sheikh Rasheed said.

The minister said in a recorded statement, "After long negotiations with TLP, this has been agreed that we will table a resolution in parliament today to expel French ambassador."

However, the expulsion of the French ambassador is one of the main four demands of a radical Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) group that has been protesting for over a week over blasphemous act.

As per the reports, Pakistan opened talks with the group on Monday.

NEW YORK, 20 April, 2021 (TON):  The cooperation between China and the United States is important, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on while expressing hope that big countries will commit to net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by the middle of this century.

Antonio remarked at a press conference to launch the State of the Global Climate in 2020 Report when responding to a question regarding the joint statement issued Sunday by China and the United States on coping with climate change after talks in Shanghai.

He said, "The China-U.S. cooperation is vital. It was vital for the Paris Agreement. It remains vital today, together with other important partners."

The statement was issued after talks between Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate change affairs and U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry from Thursday to Friday in Chinese city of Shanghai.

MOSCOW, 20 April, 2021 (TON): On Monday, a Russian fighter jet intercepted and escorted U.S. and Norwegian patrol aircraft over the Barents Sea.

The incident over the body of water north of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia involved a MiG-31 fighter jet, said the Russian Defense Ministry.

"Intercept activity is not unusual. The majority of these are considered safe. However, we don’t get into details of the interactions themselves,” the official of the Pentagon.

According to the media, a Russian MiG-31 last week escorted a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft along the country’s far northeast Kamchatka Peninsula over the Pacific Ocean.

Moscow in the past month has heightened its military presence in the region, particularly at its border with Ukraine and in the Black Sea, with Russian jets and bombers frequently flying near allied airspace.

However, fighting has increased in eastern Ukraine with pro-Russian separatists. Biden administration officials have confirmed that Russia now has more troops on the border with Ukraine than at any time since 2014, when it annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

COLOMBO, 19 April, 2021 (TON): The Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga affirmed that their government has decided to introduce new tourist zones for local and foreign tourists.

The process of identifying those new tourist zones is underway, he added.

Once these zones are identified, they are expected to be published in the gazette as new tourist zones and 07 tourist zones are currently in operation in the country.

These tourist areas are Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Kalpitiya, Yala and Bentota.

A program to identify and declare these tourist zones, to expand their infrastructure development and tourism investment opportunities will be implemented in line with the Vision of Prosperity Policy Statement targeting Sri Lanka's tourism industry to generate US $ 10 billion in revenue to the national economy by 2025.

CAIRO, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, that at least four train wagons ran off the tracks at the city of Banha in the province that killed eleven people were killed and about 100 injured.

Egypt's Health Ministry said in a statement that at least 100 others were injured while around 60 ambulances were sent to take the injured from the scene to nearby hospitals.

It added, the train was travelling to the Nile Delta city of Mansoura from the Egyptian capital.

Sunday's train accident came three weeks after two passenger trains collided in the province of Sohag, killing at least 18 people and injuring 200 others, including children.

However, Egypt has a history of train wrecks and mishaps. The railway system has a history of badly maintained equipment and mismanagement.

Accordingly, the government assured that it has launched a broad renovation and modernization initiative to cope with it.

KATHMANDU, 19 April, 2021 (TON): Telemedicine service was launched in 42 health institutions of six districts of Karnali Province.

Currently, district hospitals and health posts in Jajarkot, Humla, Mugu, Surkhet and Dolpa are providing telemedicine services.

Telemedicine services were introduced in the District Hospital of Dolpa a month ago. Before the introduction of the service, people in far-flung villages of the district were compelled to visit city areas to seek medical help, as the district hospital did not provide specialist services.

Health workers say that in a country like Nepal, where ensuring affordable and accessible community health care is a major challenge, telemedicine service could be a game changer.

Doctors deployed at telemedicine centers would collect cases, which would be monitored by specialists. Moreover, the specialists would then advise doctors serving in remote districts on medication and treatment of patients through electronic communication means.