KABUL, 23 May 2021, (TON): The United States and its NATO allies are exploring a possible international effort to help secure the airport in Afghanistan’s capital after American troops withdraw from the country, said US Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to General Milley a secure airport would be essential to ensuring that the United States and European allies could maintain embassies in Afghanistan.

He said, “We are working out the details of how to secure the airport, how to support the Afghan military securing the airport, and what countries are willing to contribute to do that.”

NAYPYIDAW, 23 May 2021, (TON): Myanmar’s military leader General Min Aung Hlaing in his first interview to a Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster Phoenix Television said that the country’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi would soon appear in court.
Suu Kyi had received the Nobel Peace Prize for standing up to previous military rulers in the country. Since the coup began over 4,000 people have been detained. Suu Kyi faces multiple charges including illegal possession of walkie-talkies to violating a law pertaining to state secrets.
General Min Aung Hlaing confirmed, "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days,"
The 75-year-old Suu Kyi is highly revered across the country which is home 53 million people. Suu Kyi had brought democratic reforms to the country.

WAZIRISTAN, 23 May 2021, (TON): At least one Pakistan soldier was killed when a Pakistani military post came under firing from across the border in Afghanistan. The terrorists fired on a Pakistani military post from the Afghan side of the border in North Waziristan district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said late Saturday night.

As per the statement of Military spokesperson the Pakistani troops responded in a befitting manner and a soldier was killed during an exchange of fire.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Saturday a soldier was martyred after terrorists opened fire from the Afghanistan border near North Waziristan.

The statement said. the Pakistani troops responded to the firing on a military post in a befitting manner, but Sepoy Umar Daraz, 32, resident of Jhang, received a bullet injury and embraced martyrdom.

The statement added, "Pakistan has consistently asked Afghanistan to ensure effective management and control on their side of the Pak-Afghan Border," and "Pakistan strongly condemns terrorists' continuous use of Afghan soil for activities against Pakistan, the military's media wing added.

Pakistan has consistently asked Afghanistan to ensure effective management and control on their side of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border."

NAYPYITAW, 22 May, 2021, (TON): Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing in his first interview since overthrowing Aung San Suu Kyi in February 1 coup, said deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi was healthy at home and would appear in court in a few days.  

“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health. She is at her home and healthy. She is going to face trial at the court in a few days,” Min Aung Hlaing said by video link with the Hong Kong-based Chinese language broadcaster.  

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party first came to power after a landslide 2015 election victory, and won an even greater majority in last November's general election. It was set to start a second term in February when the military seized power in a coup, arresting her and dozens of top government officials and party members.  

The army seized power alleging fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. The then electoral commission had rejected its accusations. 

Suu Kyi’s next court appearance is due on Monday in the capital Naypyidaw. So far, she has appeared only by video link and as yet to be allowed to speak directly to her lawyers.   

KABUL, 22 May, 2021, (TON): In two separate incidents at Takhar and Helmand provinces, at least three civilians were killed after mortar shells fell on civilian homes. 

In Takhar, one child was killed and two more, including a woman, were wounded when a mortar shell hit a civilian home in Pul-e-Shash Metra area on the outskirts of Taluqan city on Friday evening, Takhar police said in a statement.  

Early on Saturday morning in Helmand, two children were killed and two women were wounded when a mortar shell hit a civilian home in the city of Lashkargah, the center of the province.  Helmand officials so far have not commented on the incident. 

NEW DELHI, 22 May, 2021, (TON): A major cyber-attack has hit Air India, in which personal data of millions of customers has been compromised. 

India's national airline Air India has said a cyber-attack on its data servers affected about 4.5 million customers around the world. 

The national carrier issued a statement on Friday informing its passengers that its SITA PSS server, which is responsible for storing and processing the personal information of fliers, was subject to a cybersecurity attack. The resultant data breach involved personal data registered between August 26, 2011 and February 20, 2021.    

The breach was first reported to the company in February. Details including passport and ticket information as well as credit-card data were compromised.  

Personal data — including name, date of birth, contact information, passport information, ticket information, and credit card data — which was registered between August 11, 2011, and February 3, 2021, has been leaked of a certain number of Air India’s passengers, the statement issued by the airline said. 

Air India said no subsequent unauthorized activity had been detected. 

It is not immediately clear who was behind the attack. 

Last year, British Airways was fined £20m ($26m) for a data breach that affected personal and credit card data of more than 400,000 customers in 2018.  

The cyber-attack has also affected passengers of other airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, Finnair, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Cathay Pacific. 

NAYPYITAW, 22 May, 2021, (TON): Military positions were attacked on Saturday at the northwestern jade mining town of Hkamti by forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the ethnic factions opposed to Myanmar’s coup, local media reported.   

KIA fighters attacked an army post at Hkamti township in the Sagaing region early on Saturday, the Irrawaddy and Mizzima online publications according to the media report.  

The KIA in Kachin state near the border to China has been in conflict with Myanmar's military rulers for decades, seeking an independent state, with the conflict largely unconnected to February's coup. 

The army has carried out numerous bombing attacks on KIA positions in recent weeks and has also clashed with ethnic armies in the east and west of Myanmar. 

The attack marks an advance into new territory by the KIA at a time Myanmar has been plunged into chaos since the army seized power on February 1, detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cut short a decade of democratic reforms. 

WASHINGTON, 22 May, 2021, (TON): South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a joint press conference with President Joe Biden that the United States agreed to end the flight range guidelines that limited South Korea's missiles to 800 kilometers (450 miles). 

"It is also with pleasure that I deliver the news on the termination of the revised missile guidelines," South Korean President said during press conference at the White House on Friday. 

The two sides also agreed to further reinforce their combined defense posture, Moon said. 

South Korea first agreed to the missile guidelines in 1979 in return for American technological aid in developing its first ballistic missiles. After the South’s repeated requests for a revision, American officials agreed to extend the range to 300 kilometers from 180 kilometers in 2001. Another revision in 2012 followed a 2001 extension of the original 180-kilometer range limit to 300 kilometers and then 800 kilometers. 

American restrictions on ballistic missiles do not apply to South Korean cruise missiles. 

NEW DELHI, 22 May, 2021, (TON): The Indian Navy and Coast Guard officials on Friday, May 21, recovered two more bodies from Arabian Sea days after a powerful cyclone sank a barge P305 off the country's west coast. 

A total of 51 bodies have been recovered from the Arabian Sea since a barge sank after being hit by a cyclone earlier this week, the Indian Navy said on Friday. 

According to Indian Navy officials 24 people were still missing and 188 survivors have been rescued so far.   

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police registered an FIR against the captain of barge P-305 and some other persons after it sank in the Arabian Sea during cyclone Tauktae. 

On Monday, the barge P305 was hit by Cyclone Tauktae and sank 35 nautical miles off the coast of the commercial capital Mumbai. 

The Indian military is continuing search and rescue operations, after a deadly cyclone left scores missing and stranded at sea. 

“Indian Navy is coordinating search and rescue operation with ships and aircraft for the remaining (missing) crews,” the Indian Navy statement said. 

truction. 

Cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful storm to barrel into the west coast in two decades, has so far killed at least 51 others after wreaking havoc in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala

KABUL, 22 May, 2021, (TON): The establishment of the Supreme State Council is important for accelerating the peace process and that the final list for members of the body will be announced Monday, said Mohammad Ismail Khan, a former mujahedeen leader and former minister of energy and water on Friday.  

“If consensus is achieved, of course, the Taliban will also accept it to enter into dialogue with such people,” Ismail Khan said and added that “At the same time, the knowledge of these people (members of state council) can be a guiding principle for the government.” 

Earlier, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah said that the Taliban hasn’t been serious about engaging in the peace process and that the group still maintains ties with al Qaeda. 

Based on the political agreement signed last year between President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the Supreme State Council is established to ensure political consensus in the country. Political leaders and national figures will be members.