WASHINGTON, 9 April, 2021 (TON): Three retired senior officials of the U.S. State Department have called on the present Biden administration to pay the dues the country owes to the UN peacekeeping budget, the media reported on Thursday.

According to the writers, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, and former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering, the arrears have been accrued for four years with a net total of more than $1 Billion.

In the piece of writing titled "The United States Must Pay the United Nations What It Owes", the writers said, "In 1999, the United States' vote at the UN General Assembly was threatened because of lack of payment."

"US credibility was on the line; it appeared hypocritical to advocate for robust multilateral action while also withholding the dues to support such activities," it said.

However, this was published on the Foreign Policy website last week.

MOSCOW, 9 April, 2021 (TON): Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov affirmed on Thursday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin prefers to establish good relations with the United States despite Washington's aggressive policy.

He said, "In general, despite Washington's harsh and hostile statements, President Putin remains a strong advocate of building good relations with the United States, at least in those fields that are beneficial to us."

"We have never posed a threat to anyone. However, of course, we will never allow anyone, including the United States, to threaten us, dictate its terms and infringe on our interests," he said.

While commenting on the prospects for U.S.-Russia cooperation in the fields of culture and science, the official expressed regret that the United States is attempting to artificially hinder contacts between the two countries.

However, it is likely that Russia has to stand prepared for any scenario in compliance with Washington's unpredictable and unfriendly policy.

NEW DELHI, 9 April, 2021 (TON): India’s goal of generating 450 GW of renewable energy by 2030 has been welcomed by the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry.

On Thursday, while rounding up the three-day visit to India, Kerry told the media, "That's a terrific goal, we think that's a powerful goal, and "we want to make sure that we're facilitating the ability to reach that goal".

He added, “That's part of the partnership that we reached in discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders.”

While referring to Modi’s last year set target of 450 GW of green energy by 2030, Kerry said, "We intend to work very closely together, focusing on the deployment of 450 GW, on technology and on the finance components of that."

"There are lots of countries that would be willing to invest obviously with the right investment conditions," in India's green energy projects, he said.

After meeting the U.S. official, Modi tweeted on Wednesday: "Had an excellent discussion with US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. His passion and commitment to expedite climate action are commendable."

However, Kerry's visit to India comes ahead of the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate convened by President Joe Biden on 22 April and 23, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November.

PATNA, 9 April, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, in the Purnea district, the North Bihar Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (NBPDCL) in association with the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) inaugurated a 2x10 MVA GIS sub-station.

S.S. Rao, senior General Manager of PFC said, "2x10 MVA GIS sub-station for Purnea was sanctioned in 2018 under the IPDS scheme at the cost of Rs 8.99 crore. The sub-station was declared complete on April 6, overcoming the challenges posed by the prevailing Covid-19 situation."

The substation will benefit approximately 3.26 lakh people of Purnea and the surrounding areas, reducing the land requirement, lowering the operational and maintaining cost and providing safe working environment for the attending personnel.

However, to mark the 75 years of country’s independence as part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the sub-station was inaugurated under the IPDS scheme.

KABUL, 9 April, 2021 (TON): Thursday’s cancelling of Pakistani Parliament Speaker Qaiser’s visit was due to the unexploded ordinance found at the airport, said the commander of Hamid Karzai International Airport.

While commenting on the three-day visit of the Pakistani official Asad Qaiser, Riaz Arian the commander of Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIR) said that Qaisar’s flight was diverted because of the relocation of an unexploded ordinance from under a building near the airport.

Meanwhile, an official from NATO’s Resolute Support Mission said that a digging crew uncovered unexploded ordinance that appears to have been buried "for quite some time" in the area.

The RS official said, “During construction at HKIA international airport, a digging crew uncovered unexploded ordinance that appears to have been buried for quite some time. The explosives were uncovered in an unoccupied area far from any active runway. Turkish military explosives experts conducted a controlled detonation to render the device safe. Flight operations resumed shortly thereafter.”

Riaz Arian said, “We have a team which works in coordination with the Americans. At around 10:30 am they told us that an explosive device had been placed near the runway, but when we visited the site where we are constructing a new building, we saw the explosive material.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan Mansour Ahmad Khan has said that he had a phone conversation with the speaker of Afghan parliament Mir Rahman Rahmani about the cancellation of the flight.

However, the analysts believe that Qaisar’s trip was important for peace in Afghanistan as Pakistan is one of the important neighboring countries that has a direct role on the peace process in Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON, 9 April 2021 (TON): Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen held discussions telephonic with Jake Sullivan who is US President Joe Biden's National Security Adviser on phone call. US National Security Adviser expressed American concern over the continued humanitarian and human rights crisis in the Tigray region and chalked out strategies agaist various disputes and American involvement. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed earlier announced hat his country will not welcome any international mediators pushing for talks with the Tigrayan rebel group.

The two discussed critical steps to address the crisis, including expanded humanitarian access, cessation of hostilities, departure of foreign troops, and independent investigations into atrocities and human rights violations.

Since September 2020, due to foreign intervention the Fashaga area along the Sudan-Ethiopia border has been witnessing rising tensions and deadly skirmishes between the two sides that led to thousands of locals to become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees. Western nations have launched sries of mersures against Sudan and are funding and arming Ethiopian armed forces and farmers in the area to illegally seize Sudanese lands along the border.

Fighting that erupted in November last year in Ethiopia's Tigray between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces which has left thousands of farmers killed and immigration of the local population.

Biden's National Security Adviser also developed grounds for Ethiopian support over the idea that the African Union to peacefully resolve current disputes related to the Fashaga border and the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD). Ethiopia, which started building the GERD in 2011, to produce more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity from the dam project, while Egypt and Sudan, downstream Nile Basin countries have expressed reservation as it is affecting their share of the water resources.

MALE, 9 April, 2021 (TON): The main ruling party will take 1,000 seats, including the four mayoral seats, in the upcoming Local Council Elections, said the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader and Parliament Speaker former President Mohamed Nasheed on Thursday.

He made the comments while speaking to the media before departing to attend the ‘Rahvehi Fathis Alivilun’ rally scheduled to be held at the AA, Rasdhoo lagoon on Thursday night.

He said, “In Sha Allah, this party will win many seats in the Council Elections. We are competing for some 1,500 seats. I am sure we will take around 1,000 of those seats.”

He added, “From Addu to Kulhudhuffushi and Fuvahmulah and Male’. MDP will, In Sha Allah, win the mayoral seats in these four cities easily, by a landslide.”

“Your complaints are our very breath, our food. We hear your complaints. We need to immerse ourselves in your complaints. And we are here to find a solution to your complaints,” the leader stated.

With the ‘Fahevi Fathis Alivilun’ rally, the conclusion of MDP’s campaign for the Local Council Elections will be marked.

DHAKA, 9 April, 2021 (TON): A Cargo vessel that hit a passenger launch on Sunday has been seized by the Coastguards.

The vessel killed 34 passengers on the Shitalakkhya River in Narayanganj.

According to the reports, the place where the vessel was anchored underwent 14 detentions, including the crew members Master Wahiduzzaman, 55, and sailor Mojnu Molla, 38 of the cargo vessel on Thursday.

Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Mustain Billah said, the red vessel, SKL-3, was painted white to conceal its identity but the Coastguards tracked it.

However, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has started a case on charges of killing the passengers by sailing the cargo vessel recklessly.

THIMPHU, 9 April, 2021 (TON): Seventeen clauses are to be amended and inserted in the Private Money Lending Rules and Regulations 2020 (PMLRR 2020).

The proposal has been made by the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA).

In 2016, the rules were framed initially to regulate private money lending business.

These rules came into effect from 1 April, 2017.

However, according to the official website, the draft proposes to amend seven clauses and include nine new clauses, along with the rationale for the amendment also defines private money lenders, who could be registered or unregistered with RMA.

COLOMBO, 9 April, 2021 (TON): While speaking at an inaugural ceremony, the President of Sri Lanka assured to build a good national health system that would benefit all equally.

He made the call while speaking as the Chief Guest at the inaugural day of the 43rd Annual Academic Sessions of the Kandy Society of Medicine held in Kandy on Wednesday.  

Central Province Governor Lalith U. Gamage, State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana, Mayor of Kandy Kesara Senanayake, President of the Kandy Chamber of Commerce President of KSM Dr. Dushantha Madegedara and members of the Association were also present.

Ensuring a healthy nation in line with the “Vision of Prosperity” policy statement is the main objective of the government.

The President said that during his visits to villages in 17 districts for the “Discussion with the Village” program, he was able to experience first-hand the various problems faced by the rural and estate community.

There is a need for a broader health community of doctors and other healthcare professionals to work with the government to identify and address long-term problems, emphasized by the President.

However, the Annual Academic Sessions of the Kandy Society of Medicine (KSM) will conclude today