YANGON, 30 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, a local monitoring group of Myanmar affirmed that more than 500 people have been killed in the Myanmar junta’s brutal crackdown on protests against the 1 February coup arrest of the elected leader Suu Kyi.

The toll passed as the world powers stand against and ramped condemnation of the military’s ruthless campaign.

The protest movement demanded restoration of democracy and release of the leader.

However, U.S., Russia, and other countries stood up against the brutal junta crackdowns as the UN SG Antonio Gueterres called for united  global front to pressurize the junta as the killings increased with each passing demonstration.  

RIYADH, 30 March, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia congratulated Egypt for their efforts in re-floating the stranded giant container ship in the Suez Canal.

The Ever Green ship blocked the international waterway since 23 March that got free after several days huge operation involving 30 tugboats.   

The Kingdom said in a statement, “The Kingdom particularly appreciates the leadership of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for these efforts in dealing with the accident, and the high efficiency of the Egyptian people their dedication to restore international maritime traffic to its normal course.”

However, Saudi Arabia renewed its support for Egypt and its efforts to ensure the flow of navigation, maritime trade and global supply in the Suez Canal, while, the Suez Canal authorities extended gratitude towards the countries, Saudi Arabia, UAE, U.S. China and France, that helped in succeeding the operation.  

MUZAFFARABAD, 30 March, 2021 (TON): The President of the Azad Jamu and Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan has urged the U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration to intercede in rectifying the Kashmir conflict.

In a statement, Khan called upon the new US administration to play its role in ending plights of the people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK).

India is to be compelled to cease and reverse illicit transfer of the Indian Hindu population, Khan said.

“Washington has to revise its brief on Kashmir. It thinks that 900,000 Indian military and para-military troops are fighting terrorists in Kashmir. But this is a false premise constructed by India to delude the world,” he said in a statement.

However, he clearly stated that despite asking for assistance and being a promoter of the right to self-determination throughout the last century, the U.S. should not stand in the way of Kashmiris’ freedom of choice for their political identity as envisaged and mandated by the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

PANAJI, 30 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, W.V. Ramanamurthy State Election Commissioner said that the on 23 April, five municipal councils in Goa will go to polls.

The Goa municipal polls with be the second round of elections.

Six municipal councils and one municipal corporation had gone to polls on 20 March.

"Elections to these five municipal bodies will be held on April 23 and the counting of votes will be carried out on April 26," Ramanamurthy said.

However, the elections to the five municipal councils, namely Mapusa, Mormugao, Margao, Quepem and Sanguem had been postponed following a High Court order earlier this month, which had faulted the procedures followed for reservation of municipal poll constituencies for women, SC, ST and OBCs.

DHAKA, 30 March, 2021 (TON): The Royal Bhutan Embassy in Dhaka will soon have a new chancery with Bhutanese traditional architecture, as the Bangladesh government is allocating a plot at the diplomatic enclave at Baridhara, 10-minute walk away from the present embassy at Gulshan-2.

The plot for the construction is located next to the Indian Embassy.

The officials at the Bhutan Embassy said the works and the human settlement and foreign ministry have approved the drawing. Cabinet is yet to endorse it.

Officials highlighted that construction will be started as soon as the Foreign Ministry gives a green signal saying, “A Bhutanese project engineer will be deputed to ensure Bhutanese architecture and quality of the construction.”

“With the chancery construction, all the embassy staff can move in. Chancery with Bhutanese architecture can also provide better visibility,” an official said.

However, as of now, the staff lives in rented apartments around the embassy. It is likely that the present embassy will be turned in to ambassador’s residence and the government will not have to pay ambassador’s house rent thereafter.

BRASILIA, 30 March, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the Brazilian Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva announced his resignation.

The departure was announced in a statement by the Ministry of Defense without specifying the reasons for his decision.

Meanwhile, Azevedo e Silva expressed thanks in a note to President Jair Bolsonaro for the opportunity to serve the country.

Before heading the defense ministry, Azevedo e Silva had served as the Army Chief of Staff and Special Advisor to Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court.

However, Brazilian government approved a military career and welfare reform during his tenure,  also, several favorable negotiations for the servicemen were carried out.

KABUL, 30 March, 2021, (TON): The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met with his Tajik partner, Imam Ali Rahman, focused on the need to additional development of participation in different fields between the two nations, the Presidential Palace said Monday. Heartily invited in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, the two chiefs met at the Millat Palace of the Presidential Palace of the facilitating country, during an authority service where, the public songs of the devotion of the two check ries were played, the castle said in a proclamation.

In a bilateral meeting, the two nations leaders discussed the expansion of relations and co-operation between the two countries’ in various fields. During the meeting, the President of Tajikistan greeted President Ghani and his accompanying delegation to their second home in Tajikistan, adding that he was pleased to meet the Afghan leader during the ancient Nawruz festival, the statement said.

According to the statement, Imam Ali Rahman said that cooperation and relations between the two countries, which have a common language, culture and civilization, are based on the principle of brotherhood and good neighborliness.

Deeply thanking the Tajik President for his hospitality, the country’s president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said that coming to Tajikistan is always a renewal of a thousand-year-old relationship and a broad vision of cooperation, the statement added.

He added that Tajikistan plays a key role in Afghanistan’s five foreign policy circles in three areas, such as its neighbor, the Islamic country and a key country in the changing Asia.

The country's leader noticed that Afghanistan and Tajikistan don't have any key contrasts and we need the line between the two nations to turn into a boundary of participation, coordination and sympathy, the statement quoted. President Ghani likewise underlined the requirement for advancement of exchange and travel relations and participation in the fields of safety, culture, energy, fortifying the coasts between the two nations, and said, we welcome your pointing to the Tajik leader position for an honorable and enduring harmony in Afghanistan inside the system of the republic.

NAYPYITAW, 30 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, more than a dozen people have escaped the Myanmar chaos and allowed to cross the Thailand border.

The people were sent to the Thailand for medical treatment at a border village, the media reported.

Activists on Monday accused Thailand of pushing would-be refugees back into Myanmar.

Meanwhile, according to the health official in Mae Sam Laep village, the people arrived on boats across the river were ethnic Karen who opposed the 1 February coup of the elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

ISLAMABAD, 30 MARCH, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the Prime Minister of Pakistan removed the Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh from his office amid rising inflation.

After the move, the Information Minister Shibli Faraz stated that Industries and Production Minister Hammad Azhar will be leading the finance team.

According to Faraz, Khan decided to bring in a new finance team in view of the inflation that had taken place.

According to the Constitution, the premier can appoint any unelected representative as a minister for six months only.

However, this has seemingly come weeks after Shaikh, a former IMF employee, conceded a surprise defeat at the hands of a former prime minister and a joint opposition candidate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.

BAGHDAD, 30 March, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the Egyptian and Jordanian ministers of foreign affairs arrived in Baghdad to meet the Iraqi counterpart.

The meet up was planned to prepare for the summit expected to gather top leaders of the three countries.

After the meeting, at a joint press conference, the Iraqi FM said, "We discussed various topics, including electricity interconnection and the project of an oil pipeline from the Iraq's oil-hub of Basra to Jordan's port of Aqaba."

"Projects to be implemented by the three countries in the fields of economy, energy, electricity, health, agriculture, industry, food, and construction," said FM Egypt Sameh Shoukry.

The understandings reached by the governments of the three countries will be sent to the three leaders in the upcoming summit, he said.

The meeting reviewed developments in the Arab region, especially the Palestinian issue, the crises in Syria, Libya, and Yemen, as well as cooperation in the field of combating terrorism and extremism, according to Shoukry.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, "We stand with all our capabilities with the Iraqi government in its efforts to enhance security, stability, reconstruction and provide a better life for the Iraqi people. The support for Iraq, its security, and stability is fundamental to the security and stability of the entire region."

He added, "The support for Iraq, its security, and stability is fundamental to the security and stability of the entire region."

Meanwhile, the summit announced on 27 March was postponed after the tragic trains’ collision in Egypt that killed and injured dozens.