NAYPYITAW, 04 July (TON): Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing’s July 3 birthday could have signified the end of the widely despised junta leader’s inglorious military career.

On Saturday he turned 65: the age that he had himself once declared as that of mandatory retirement for the role of military commander-in-chief.

Five months ahead of the day, he gifted himself an indefinitely extended tenure when he removed this age limit after overthrowing the country’s elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government in a coup on February 1.

Min Aung Hlaing deposed the Aung San Suu Kyi-led civilian administration over the allegation—for which no credible evidence has surfaced—that fraud was committed in the November 2020 general election. The NLD, her party, won the vast majority of seats. 

Prior to the coup, the Union Election Commission, which has since been dismantled, had dismissed the military’s claims that electoral fraud had taken place.

Min Aung Hlaing has attempted to justify his takeover of government as being in line with the military-drafted 2008 Constitution. The general public and the interim National Unity Government, made up of cabinet members appointed by the ousted elected lawmakers, have declared the charter void. 

Warnings of an impending coup were apparent even before elections were held last year, when the army began questioning the credibility of the upcoming poll.

NAYPYITAW, 04 July (TON): The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on 22 individuals including four Myanmar government ministers in response to the February military coup and attacks against the country’s pro-democracy movement.

In a two-pronged action, the Treasury and Commerce Departments announced the punishments as part of Washington’s continued response to the overthrow of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement “the new sanctions were levied in response to the brutal campaign of violence perpetrated by the Burmese military regime and to continue imposing costs in connection with the military coup.”

Blinken said “the sanctions do not target the Myanmar people, but are aimed at pressuring the military to immediately restore Burma’s (Myanmar’s) path to democracy.”

The sanctions target Myanmar’s minister of information Chit Naing, minister for investment Aung Naing Oo, labour and immigration minister Myint Kyaing, and Thet Thet Khine, the minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement.

Three members of the powerful State Administrative Council were also hit with sanctions, as were 15 spouses and adult children of officials, in an expansion of US punishments imposed in February, March and May following the coup.

Under the sanctions, all US property in the name of the individuals are blocked, and Americans or people in the US are prohibited from conducting property or interest transactions with them.

BRUSSELS, 04 July 2021,  (TON): The European Union welcomes the US moratorium on the death penalty and continues to fight for its complete abolition in the world, said “in a statement by the representative of the EU’s foreign policy service (EMU).”

Earlier, US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a moratorium on the execution of death sentences at the federal level while reviewing the relevant procedures of the Department of Justice.

The release said “The European Union welcomes Thursday’s anno-uncement.”

It was also reported that US President Joe Biden is in favor of abolishing the death penalty in the country and considers the moratorium announced on the eve of an important step.

EMU said “This is a promising first step that we hope will finally put an end to this practice at the federal level and pave the way for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States.”

DHAKA, 04 July (TON): Police in Dhaka have continued to make arrests for breach of stay-at-home orders on the third day of the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb a surge in coronavirus infections and deaths.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said at the end of Saturday they arrested 621 people for leaving their homes without valid reasons.

Mobile courts slapped fines on 346 others for violating the restrictions, DMP Additional Commissioner Iftekharul Islam told the media.

In the three days of the strict lockdown since Thursday, law enforcers have arrested nearly 1,500 people in the capital.

The army has been called in to assist the civil administration in enforcing the restrictions. As many as 106 executive magistrates are conducting mobile courts across the country.

MOSCOW, 04 July 2021, (TON): Russian warplanes practiced bombing enemy ships in the Black Sea during training exercises, Russia said, amid friction with the West over NATO drills in the region and following a recent incident with a British warship.

Moscow last week challenged the right of HMS Defender to pass through waters near Crimea, something London said it had every right to do.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 but most of the world still recognises it as part of Ukraine.

Russia said “the vessel had illegally entered its territorial waters and accused London of a provocation.”

Moscow has said “it could bomb British naval vessels if there are more such actions by the British navy off Crimea.”

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet said warplanes from its aviation units and those of the southern military district had taken part in training drills.

The drills involved aircraft including Sukhoi Su-30SM multi-purpose fighters, Sukhoi Su-24M bombers, Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers and Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets, the report said.

The exercise comes as NATO, Ukraine and allies conduct their large-scale Sea Breeze drills in the region.

MALE, 04 July 2021, (TON): Police have arrested a man for threatening to bomb the Indian High Commission in Male’.

The suspect, identified as a 42-year-old Maldivian male, was arrested under court order.

The arrest comes amid heightened security at the Indian High Commission and the Chinese Embassy following threats on social media to bomb the Indian High Commission and demonstrate in front of the Chinese Embassy.

The threat to bomb the Indian High Commission is under investigation by the Serious and Organized Crime Department.

In a statement announcing the arrest, police warned that incitement to violence and destruction of property are criminal offenses, and will be investigated and taken action against.

Police also expressed concern some online media outlets were disseminating information in a manner that defends and encourages threats to security of foreign diplomatic missions and disrupts diplomatic relations.

DHAKA, 04 July 2021, (TON): Bangladeshi nationals who are stranded in India will be able to return home on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday of every week.

To curb the spread of coronavirus the Ministry of Home Affairs had previously shut off the land borders for travellers between the neighbouring countries.

Media reports quoted immigration Officer-in-Charge Ahsan Habib saying that the ministry concerned had sent a notice in this regard to the Benapole office on Saturday.

On June 30, the Bangladesh Government had extended the restriction on land ports with India till July 14. No one would be allowed to travel to and from India using the land ports.

GAZA, 03 July 2021, (TON): The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said that it has intercepted and destroyed a bomb-laden drone fired by Houthi rebels towards the kingdom, the third such attack within 48 hours.

A coalition statement, cited by Saudi state news agency SPA, said “a drone heading towards the southwest Khamis Mushait region was shot down by its air defence.”

The statement said “the Houthi militia continues to target civilians and civilian objects, and the coalition is taking operational measures to protect civilians and deal with the imminent threat.”

The Houthis have yet to comment on the coalition’s statement.

The US State Department said the United States is beyond fed up with Houthi attacks in Yemen, adding that the assaults were exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the country.

According to a Yemeni government official “the comments came after the Houthis fired two missiles at Yemen’s government-held city of Marib, killing at least three people, including a child.”

In recent weeks, the Saudi-led coalition announced it intercepted dozens of drones fired by Houthi rebels towards Saudi territories.

GAZA, 03 July 2021, (TON): Israel said that its fighter jets targeted a weapons manufacturing site in the Gaza Strip overnight in the latest unrest since a ceasefire ended May’s attacks.

Security sources with Hamas said the raids hit training sites and no casualties were reported.

The Israeli army spokesperson stated that the air raid came in response to the launching of incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip towards the surrounding Israeli settlements.

The statement said “in response to the arson balloons fired towards Israeli territory today, [military] fighter jets struck, a weapons manufacturing site belonging to the Hamas terror organization.”

There was no immediate indication as to which Gaza-based group was responsible for the balloon launch, but Israel holds Hamas responsible for any action.

It was the third time Israel has carried out air attacks in Gaza since the end of the 11-day offensive it launched in the blockaded territory in May this year.

According to Gaza authorities “the conflict killed at least 256 Palestinians, including 66 children.”

THIMPHU, 03 July 2021, (TON): Unable to bring their goods stuck in Jaigaon into Phuentsholing, importers in Phuentsholing and Thimphu are frustrated.

According to sources, there are more than 8,000 vehicles stuck across the border due to the increased backlog.

They said if not resolved, it could lead to inflation, which is already on the rise since the pandemic started and the border gates closed in March 2020.

Initially, it was the trade office that handled the registration. Importers from across the country would register their details prior to importing. Trade office would then accept it, depending on a first-come-first basis and the importance of the goods.

It was then handed over to the customs office. Then a google document registration system was used, but importers were finding the registration increasingly difficult.

With importers desperate to get their consignments into Bhutan, but unable to get it done, some people, allegedly from across the border, hacked into the registration system and made a ‘pay and register system’ without the government agencies knowing it.

Importers who made the payments got their registration done.

An importer paid Nu 1,000 each as registration fee for the consignment.

An importer said “he received the registration confirmation message immediately after paying. I paid through MBOB.”