KABUL, 29 April 2020, As pressure is mounting on President Ashraf Ghani to include Abdullah Abdullah in his Government, suicide attacks have taken frequency to attract attention of international community.  On 29 April, a suicide bombing close to Afghan capital Kabul killed three people and wounded 14 others.

In a statement the Interior Ministry said, "A suicide bomber detonated his explosives among civilians in the Reshkhor area of Char Asiab district of Kabul on Wednesday morning."  

The attack was close to Afghan security forces’ special operations facility, 11 kilometers from Kabul.

It was not immediately known who was responsible for the blast, as reportedly Taliban neither target civilians nor carryout proactive attacks during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Taliban spokesman has denied that its fighters were behind the bombing. It is in the interest of Taliban that cease-fire and reduction in violence should continue as agreed upon.

KABUL, 28 April 2020, TON: Deborah Lyons, the UN Secretary General's special representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA said, Anti-government forces including the Taliban, Islamic State, and other unidentified groups were responsible for 55 per cent of all the casualties during timeframe; 1st January and 31st March 2020, but Afghan government forces and international troops caused more child casualties than anti-government armed groups.

More than 500 civilians, almost a third of them children, were killed and 760 were wounded due to the fighting in Afghanistan in the first three months of this year, the UN said in a report on April 27, stressing the need to better protect civilians amid the threat posed to all Afghans by the coronavirus outbreak.

Those figures included 152 dead children and 265 wounded, as well 60 women killed and 108 wounded from January 1 to March 31, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

WASHINGTON, 28 April 2020, TON: US military delegation as a part of the Pentagon’s military engagement strategy on Tuesday, met an Afghan faction known as Afghan Taliban leaders in Doha in an undisclosed location. The visit was aimed to “Reduce Violence”. Spokesman for the US military, Sonny Leggett could not be approached for comments. If we recall, NATO commander of US origin in Afghanistan, Austin Miller met with representatives of Afghan faction Taliban’s political office in Doha on 10 April, to discuss the reduction of violence. 

In the past Afghan Taliban published video footage claiming to show a house bombarded by US forces in Badakhshan Province on 10 April. Its authenticity could not be independently verified at that time but after the publication of report by UN Secretary General's special representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA the report supports Taliban claims. The UN Report says that during timeframe; 1^st January and 31^st March 2020, Afghan government forces and international troops caused more child casualties than anti-government armed groups.

 BRUSSELS, 28 April 2020, TON: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg clarification hardly impressed anyone regarding the organization’s response to elderly people about coronavirus pandemic as disinformation, “try to portray NATO allies as if we are unable to, for instance, protect our elderly people or that we are not able to work together. We are working together. That's exactly what we do.” Till to-date, the ground facts remains that NATO allies were absent in providing airlifts, medical support, and transportation to the patients.

It has been noted that NATO’s military alliance’s working together as member countries disappeared and more regional collaborations are emerging and that too in combat operations during the so called Coronavirus pandemic.

There is a perception that Coronavirus is a biological weapon created in the United States to bring down opponents and that China, Iran, and Russia “are doing much better than the West” in fighting the epidemic.

CAPE TOWN, 27 April 2020, TON: South Africa celebrates its National Freedom Day on Monday, 27 April. The day commemorates with the first democratic elections held in South Africa on 27 April 1994.  These were the first post-apartheid national elections in which anyone could vote regardless of race. The 2020 National Freedom Day marks 26 years of freedom and democracy and getting rid from colonial and apartheid oppression, spanning over 400 years.

The year 2020 shepherded in with the COVID-19 challenge that has transformed things differently than what was practiced before.

Freedom Day 2020 is being reflected upon during a live stream today. The theme for this year’s Freedom Month celebrations is, “Solidarity and triumph of human spirit in this challenging times”. The President of South Africa is expected to address the nation.

WASHINGTON, 27 April 2020, TON: The US Army has moved its combatants for a news role to confront threats in the Sahel. In the recent decision from Pentagon, the US personnel and helicopters available for casualty evacuation flights and medical aid in Africa would end mission. But this withdrawal would be redeployed in Sahel region including Niger to join local combat forces to defeat rebels. According to a report US has deployed Bell 214ST and H225 Super Puma helicopters for new joint combat role with the regional forces in Niger.

If we recall back in 2017, the US forces carried out similar operations against Boko Haram.  US Commander in Niger claimed that their fight is against mix of Islamic State and Al Qaida fighters in tri-border region of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The decision was taken after last month Diffa Operation on border with Nigeria in which a number of residents in the border area were killed on the suspicion of links with extremists. 

ROME, 25 April 2020, TON: Every year tens of thousands of people take to the streets of Italy's main cities, including Rome, Milan and Bologna, to mark the day. On Saturday, Italians waving national flags and singing the national anthem “Bella Ciao,” Sergio Mattarella, were seen in Rome and other cities. Italian President said while the Coronavirus had forced Italians to celebrate in their homes, remembering Italy’s partisans meant “reaffirming the values of freedom, justice, and social cohesion.

This year was different, though, as all public events were canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak and estimated 195,000 COVID-19 positives cases, 26,000 deaths and 63,000 recoveries in Italy as on 25 April 2020, Italians celebrated the 75th anniversary of Liberation Day and the end of World War II fascist rule under a national lockdown. Stranded at home, they went out on their balconies waving flags, singing, clapping and cheering. Among them were Italians leaders who participated in the resistance struggle movement in the 1940s against German occupation and fascist forces.

Some Italians celebrated the Feast of St Mark (La Festa di San Marco). In some Churches there were assemblies on Saturday, although the attendances were thin.  

TEHRAN, 22 April 2020, TON: In a latest tweet, US President Donald Trump said, “I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea”.

The instructions are Trump's reaction to a recent confrontation between US warships and Iranian boats in the Arabian Gulf and launch of multiple purpose satellite on 22 April 2020.  A video was also  released by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on Sunday shows the IRGC Navy warning off a flotilla of US warships in Arabian Gulf as they try to approach the Iranian territorial waters.

US President Donald Trump is stepping up his anti-Iran threats by claiming that he has instructed the US Navy to destroy Iranian boats. Washington is aiming at regime change in Iran to pave way for ultra modern leadership to emerge as a joint collation representing all sections of the Iranian society. . 

TEHRAN, 22 April 2020, TON: Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully launched country’s first military satellite into the orbit on Wednesday 22 April 2020.

The elite force fired the satellite ‘Nour’ - 1 through ‘Qased’ satellite carrier from Dasht-e Kavir site in Iran’s Shahroud region.

Speaking on the occasion, Major General Hossein Salami of IRGC congratulated Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the Iranian people on the achievement and said that the new satellite could now assist Iran in “Intelligence Warfare.”

Analysts are of the view that launch was not possible during US’s tough sanctions so either US is collaborating with Tehran or it is the achievement from neighbourhood.

SRINAGAR, 22 April 2020, TON: Indian Army is all set to establish 100-bed COVID-19 care centre at the Army Public School Domana within the next two to three day. Another 250-bed hospital will be established at Rangreth in Srinagar.The step has been appreciated by foreign governments too.

Major General Hari Mohan Iyer of Indian Northern Command was on visit to the hospitals and was satisfied with the pace on which the hospitals were coming up. The spokesman at Army Public School said that Iran has pressurized the Indian government to accommodate over 1,000 people including students studying in Iranian universities and religious schools as well as those who visited Iran for pilgrimage and were COVID-19 positive. These individuals are being flown back to Jammu and Kashmir from Iran in Indian Air Force (IAF) CI-17 aircrafts. He added that Major Gen Hari Mohan Iyer visited the school to review the arrangements for setting up the hospitals.