YANGON, 27 February 2021, (TON): Myanmar military announced on Friday the all operations against the militant and armed groups would remain suspended for another one month. The suspension period of its operation against armed groups was to the end on 1 March.

During the period, the military's operation will be suspended across the country,

The military authorities in a statement said, “All military operations will be suspended excluding state defence and administrative measures in the country to enable ethnic armed organizations to continuously join the dialogue, according to the statement.”

Myanmar’s military has seized power on 1 February 2021 and declared a state of emergency for one year following days of escalating tension over the result of November’s parliamentary elections. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, citing “huge irregularities” in November’s vote took over the control of the country. Political leader Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other senior members of the National League for Democracy were placed on preventive custody.

TOKYO, 19 February 2021, (TON):  Seiko Hashimoto has taken over as new Tokyo Olympic President after removal of Yoshiro Mori, existing President Olympic, who passed obnoxious unethical comments about women. 83 years old Yoshiro Mori also remained as former Japanese prime minister.

Seiko Hashimoto appeared in seven Olympics and has made a history as in Japan, women are rarely appointed on top positions. As per the details, 56 year-old Hashimoto was named as president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee after a meeting of its executive board. Hashimoto had been serving as the Olympic minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. She also held a portfolio dealing with gender equality and women's empowerment.

The Olympics are scheduled to open on 23 July with 11,000 athletes, followed by the Paralympics on 24 August with 4,400 athletes. The International Olympic Committee s said it will not require participants to be vaccinated. In addition to the athletes, tens of thousands of officials, media, sponsors and broadcasters are also likely to visit Japan. The pulling off the torch relay would begin on 25 March in northeastern Japan. It will crisscross the country with about 10,000 runners, and end at the opening ceremony in Tokyo.

KATMANDU, 18 February 2021, (TON):  China has announced it decision to provide 500,000 doses of BBIBP-CorV vaccine, developed by Sinopharm, under grant assistance programme.

The Nepalese Department of Drug Administration, The National Drug Regulatory Authority, has granted emergency use approval to a COVID-19 vaccine, “Sinopharm” developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd (BIBP) in China. India had also submitted two applications for the approval of its vaccine but it has been rejected.

Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) is granted for some drugs and vaccines by authorities for temporary period during a emergency so that authorities gain time to test and make a judgment to  establish its electiveness, safety and side effects. Such a decision is normally taken when there are evidences to support that patients have recovered from the drug/vaccine.

We cannot ignore to investigate that there is also a general perception that Coronavirus is a biological weapon created to achieve some objectives. Although real, the Coronavirus has been exaggerated manifolds and its spread is intentional against the human rights and other international laws to implement the new strategies of the bankers and businessmen. The package for world governments to introduce smart and strategic technologies based applications and national plans to build future of education, health, economy, services etc. on digital lines, using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics solutions with focus on operating from home. In the first step old systems, applications, software as well as hardware will be no more compactable and new versions of 5G would be prerequisite to enter into the future. This is aimed to achieve objectives ranging from new businesses to control over the day to day affairs of the whole world.

By Afshain Afzal

WASHINGTON, 23 January 2021, (TON): The latest revelation by the former acting US Defense Secretary Christopher Miller did not surprise anyone claiming that when he took the office in November 2020, he had three goals: “No Major War, No Military Coup and No Troops on the Street.” All these orders were also earlier passed by the Commander of Chief of US Forces, President Donald Trump but pressure from the “War Veterans” and members of “LGBT community” reversed orders including, “No Major War, No Military Coup and No Troops on the Street.”

On 3 September 2019, US President Donald Trump tweeted that he believed Democrats initiating an impeachment inquiry were staging a coup but the impeachment inquiry is a baked-in process of the government, not a tool of hostile takeover. On 28 August 2020, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley ensured Congress that US military will not play a role in November’s election and won’t help settle any disputes if the results are contested.  General Milley said, the Constitution and the laws of the US will govern elections and “in the event of a dispute over some aspect of the elections, by law US Courts and the US Congress are required to resolve any dispute and not the US military.”

We should not forget that six month ahead of Election 2020, Biden said pointing towards Pentagon, "I promise you, I am absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch." If we recall, President Donald Trump had tweeted that transgender people would no longer be allowed to serve in the military, as the armed forces needed to focus on decisive and overwhelming victory and in the same context in January 2019 the US Supreme Court allowed the Pentagon’s transgender limits to take effect, which were implemented in April 2019. But Joe Biden promised to reverse everything to make USA most attractive place for unnatural crimes and sins.  

Meanwhile, the Department of Defence officials claim that they are not allowed to speak about the policy being followed US military; however, it is unusual and illegitimate. Not many people in the government departments speak openly about President Trump but at least one person, on the condition of anonymity, said “he is not free man in Florida resort”. Supporters of President Trump said, “Trump’s second trial scheduled to begin on 8 February 2021, is a treacherous drama to blame innocent with the help of handful of paid-witnesses.” One wonders, it seem true that President Trump might have not stopped his supporters from protesting at Capitol Hill but can these less than half a dozen witnesses take oath on Bible that President directly ordered them to play foul that led to deaths of innocents. The witnesses are naming secret service personnel to have asked them to play havoc but why do not they name them?

The other day, US Army National Guard’s helicopter, UH-60 was carrying heavy loads and personnel crashed in Mendon, approximately 20 miles south of Rochester in Monroe County. It is not yet clear what caused the crash but indirect indications revealed that a sabotage attempt cannot be ruled out. The National Guard and Federal Aviation branch are investigating the cause of the crash as sabotage attempt is being suspected. Meanwhile, 102nd Military Police Battalion HQ in Auburn deployed on support security operations in Washington since Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony claimed that there is a feeling of uncertainty and suspicion amongst the Army personnel as anything may happen anytime. Sources quoting Pentagon said US troops will remain deployed upto April 2021 and may be longer. The developments suggest that game is not over and may take an ugly turn anytime.

NEW DELHI, 15 January 2021, (TON): Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali arrived here on yesterday on a three-day visit to India. Pradeep Kumar is schedule to attend the India-Nepal Joint Commission meeting in which boundary dispute between India and Nepal will be discussed with Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.

Meanwhile, Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli said Nepal will get back every inch of its territory. If we recall a border row triggered last year after Indian forces refused to withdraw from Nepalese territory and Kathmandu was forced to publish a new political map that showed the three Nepalese territories; Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh which were illegally occupied by India as its own territories. The joint commission is the highest mechanism between the two countries to discuss the entire gamut various issues relating to bilateral relations.

The sixth joint commission meeting was held today on Friday "to discuss the whole gamut of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including territorial dispute, trade, transit, energy, infrastructure, connectivity, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture and other others".  

UNITED NATIONS, 5 January 2021, (TON):  At a flag ceremony on Monday India took its place on UN Security Council important decision-making body. On the occasion India’s Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti pledged that India would “not shy away from raising our voice against the common enemies of humanity like terrorism,” He said, “We will use our tenure to bring human-centric and inclusive solutions to matters of international peace and security. India will be a voice for the developing world.” He added, “From Kashmir to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu), we stand united as one, bound by our ethos of democracy, pluralism and commitment to fundamental rights.”

The 15-member Council has ten non-permanent elected members and five permanent members, who have veto powers. India officially assumed its role in the Council on 1 January 2021 but as due to holidays the first session was held on 4 January. India was elected last June to its two-year tenure on the Council.

 While India is striving for its strong commitment to reformed multilateralism in the UN and quest for permanent seat in a reformed UN system, it own human rights record is poor inside India as well as sometimes outside, when assigned international role as UN observers and police force.

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JAMMU AND KASHMIR , 3 January 2021, (TON): Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat along with Indian Army Chief paid Saturday a visit to prime strategic Air Bases in the Western Air Command and 14 Corps Headquarters. All Corps and Divisional Commanders of the respective commands were also present there. CDS was briefed about the existing security situation at Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC) and border with Bangladesh.  He was also briefed about the new Indian Air Force Base near Leh, where foreign personnel are also based; emphasizing that India has strategic edge over Pakistan in terms of fighter squadrons. On the occasion General Rawat took stock of Regular Army, Special Frontier Force (SFF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deployed in the forward posts.

General Rawat was briefed about operational readiness of Indian Airforce Forces elements at  Srinagar, Bhatinda, Halwara, Leh Thoise, Nyoma , Nimu, Chabua, Tezpur, Hashimara and Ambala as well as Army Aviation and Air Defence setups. There are reports that briefing included general layout of site selection for deployment of launcher of Agni – II and Agni – III missiles. During the briefing General Rawat said “Our Electronic Warfare Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Communications Intelligence (COMINT) setups in freezing winter are there to deter eye on Pakistan, Bangladesh and China to deter Pakistan-trained terrorists which are threat to India,” He said, “India and Pakistan go to war over Kashmir or a there has to be a continuous pro-active approach for the adversary to realize the costs of supporting a proxy war,” He added, “Nothing can deter the Indian Armed Forces from remaining steadfast in their call to duty.”

Meanwhile, an officer from 3341 Missile Group operating Agni missiles informed pointing on map, on the condition of anonymity, “India’s missile forces are located closer to Pakistan than China at Kamptee and Pune in Western India, Secunderabad in Central India, and Rajasthan in North-Western India,” He also said, “We have already issued launchers and stocks since early July last year to respective formations but these are not for imposing war.”

General Rawat would visit several other key bases on Sunday to gain first-hand experience of the security scenario, from where both China and Pakistan can be targeted. He was informed that most of locations are currently in the grip of a severe cold due to heavy snow with temperatures dropping below zero hence the weather conditions may hinder prolong operations. It has been reported the visit is to boost the morale of personnel deployed who are normally withdrawn during winters.