KHATMANDU, 5 April, 2021 (TON): The Nepal Airlines have decided to lease out its six Chinese-made aircrafts.

Dim Prasad Poudel, managing director of Nepal Airlines said, "Out of the two options recommended by the Finance Ministry; dry lease or outright sale, Nepal Airlines will try the first one."

“We have constituted a committee to determine the lease rate. The panel will submit a report within a week, and we will show it to the board for its go-ahead,” he told the media.

“If there are no takers, we will go for the second option sale. Both options seem difficult, but we don’t have any alternative,” said Poudel.

The move came following Nepal Airlines repeated assertions that Chinese-made planes were causing heavy losses ever since they were acquired between 2014 and 2018, and that it wants to remove them to stop further losses.

However, the officials decided that the planes will be given on dry lease, which means the owner will provide the aircraft only, without crew or ground staff.

KABUL, 5 April, 2021 (TON): On Monday morning, an IED explosion caused one security force member killed and four more were wounded.

In the morning, the explosion targeted an army vehicle in Qarabagh district in Kabul, police said in a statement. 

The incident happened at around 7:00 am local time in Sabz Sang village in Qarabagh district, police said.

Police said, “Another mine was seized and defused by the security forces team.”  

No group including the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the blast. 

Media collected data that shows, at least 307 Afghans were killed, and 350 others were wounded in a series of explosions and targeted attacks in March. 

However, based on the media findings, there has been a 20-percent increase in the number of explosions and targeted attacks in the country in March compared to February. 

BEIJING, 5 April, 2021(TON): The Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi warned the U.S. about refraining from presuming to have a final say in global affairs.

Wang was speaking about his recent meetings in Fujian province with foreign ministers from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Korea.

China would not accept a list from Washington of unilateral demands for negotiations with Beijing, he said, “The door for dialogue with China is open. But the dialogue should be done on equal basis and with mutual respect.”

“China will not accept that there is any nation in the world that [can] put itself superior to the others, and that any nation will have a final say on world affairs. If the US continues to confront, China will take it calmly without fear.”

He said he had briefed them on the Alaska summit between US and China diplomats, telling them it was “reasonable for regional nations to be concerned about China-US relations”.

However, he clearly stated that China will not shy away from competition. But competition should be fair and just, and follow market rules. No one else should deprive others of their legitimate right to seek development.

JERUSALEM, 5 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, the Israeli air force received a new intelligence aircraft provided with unprecedented reconnaissance capabilities, said the Defense Ministry.

According to the statement by the ministry, the so-called "Oron" airplane landed on Sunday in the Nevatim airbase in southern Israel after more than nine years of developments by the Defense Ministry, the Israeli Air Force, the Intelligence Directorate, the Israeli Navy, and the Israel Aerospace Industries.

The "Oron" is based on the Gulfstream G550, a business jet manufactured by the U.S.-based General Dynamics Company.

The "Oron" is equipped with an advanced radar system and data processing algorithms based on advanced data science and artificial intelligence capabilities.

The statement read, “These systems would enable the military to generate an unprecedented depth and scope of intelligence in real-time, in any weather or visibility conditions, during routine operations and conflict.”

Moreover, IDF (Israel Defense Forces) affirmed that the craft’s artificial intelligence technology would enable automated and efficient data processing, thus will enhance operational activities.

TIGRAY, 5 April, 2021 (TON): The military troops from neighboring Eritrea have “started to evacuate” the conflict-hit Tigray region, Ethiopia announced.

The tweet said, “#Ethiopia says #Eritrea troops have started withdrawing from Tigray region. The #US has been in the frontline pushing for removal of Eritrea troops from the region. The soldiers are accused of overseeing genocide during their clash with #TPLF.”

The G7 group of leading nations had called for their rapid withdrawal.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have accused Eritrean troops of massacring hundreds of people in the Tigrayan town of Axum in November for Abiy sent troops into Tigray in November, in response to TPLF-orchestrated attacks on federal army camp.

THIMPHU, 5 April, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, the Home Minister Sherub Gyeltshen tendered his resignation from the Cabinet to Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering.

Lyonpo declined to comment when asked about the details.

However, the Minister was convicted in prison for two months by the larger bench of the HC.

The conviction claimed his false vehicle insurance worth Nu 226,546 that took place after he superannuated from the civil service and before he joined Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa to contest in the third parliamentary elections. 

According to the reports, Lyonpo has appealed to the Supreme Court.  

KARACHI, 5 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is entering an important phase as the projects to be built under it pertain not just to infrastructure but other vital areas as well.

The minister spoke at a ceremony held at the port, marking the arrival of equipment and machinery for setting up a steel mill in the Rashakai Special Economic Zone, where the minister termed the occasion another manifestation of the exceptional relations between Pakistan and China.

He stressed that just as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government worked day and night to contain the spread of Covid-19 it would strive to make every project launched under the umbrella of CPEC a success.

The Chinese consul general, Mr Bajwa, representatives of Century Steel, and officers of the Karachi Port Trust were present on the occasion.

CRBC, a Chinese firm, had entered into an agreement with the government for attracting foreign investment for development and marketing of the Rashakai economic zone, he asserted.

However, the arrival of equipment and machinery for the Century Steel’s plant at Rashakai was just a beginning as several more projects were in the pipeline, said the sources.  

MALE, 5 April, 2021 (TON): Through State Trading Organization (STO), the Maldivian government has taken a USD 25 million loan, announced STO.

On Sunday, STO said, “STO has secured a working capital of USD 25 million from Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) to assist during the pandemic.”

STO said the fund will be allotted and managed by the Finance Ministry.

However, the loan comes after the government issued sovereign guarantee back in 31 January for a USD 25 million loan from HSBC to import pharmaceuticals and staple food products required by Maldives.

COLOMBO, 5 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, the national "Aluth Sahal Mangalyaya" (New Rice Festival) was held under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Aluth Sahal Mangalyaya is the annual ritual of dedicating the year’s first harvest of rice to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Services for the 54th time under the guidance of Chief Incumbent of Atamasthana Ven. Prof. Pallegama Sirinivasa Nayaka thero.

A large number of farmers from different parts of the country were present at the traditional ceremony.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa performed the traditional custom of filling the bowl with fresh rice amidst the chanting of Seth Pirith by the Maha Sangha led by Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Nayaka Thero. And later, the Ministers and MPs as well as a large number of farmers from different parts of the country filled the bowl with fresh rice.

NEW DEHLI, 5 April, 2021 (TON): The Delhi Metro is undertaking the conversion of its remaining fleet of six coach trains into eight coach trains by adding 120 additional coaches on routes such as Red, Yellow and Blue Line of the metro network.

The conversion is expected to be completed by the end of this year after which all the trains running on these Lines will be eight coaches only, a senior DMRC official said, adding that by the end of this month, the process of converting all twelve six coach trains on Yellow Line into eight coaches will be completed thereby taking the total number of eight coach trains on this line to 64.

He said, remaining nine six coach trains on Blue Line and thirty nine six coach trains on Red Line will be converted into eight coach trains by the end of this year taking the total number of trains on these lines to 74 and 39 respectively.

Out of these 120 coaches, 40 coaches have been procured from M/s Bombardier and 80 coaches from Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). “This activity is being carried out to increase the carrying capacity of the three main corridors of the Delhi Metro i.e. Red (Line-1), Blue (Line-3/4) and Yellow (Line-2) Lines which contribute to almost 40-50 per cent of passenger utilization every day. It is noteworthy to mention that these Lines which were initially made operational under Phase-I were built on Broad Gauge having provision of running trains up to eight-coach formation,” he added.