NAYPYITAW, 14 March, 2020, (TON):  Myanmar’s first satellite is being held on board the International Space Station following the Myanmar coup, several reports have said. 

The $15 million satellite was built by Japan’s Hokkaido University in a joint project with Myanmar’s government-funded Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University (MAEU). It is the first of a set of two 50 kg microsatellites equipped with cameras designed to monitor agriculture and fisheries. 

Human rights activists and some officials in Japan worry that those cameras could be used for military purposes by the junta that seized power in Myanmar on February 1st. 

The satellite was launched by NASA on Feb 20 as a small part of a large and varied payload of supplies to the International Space Station 400km above the earth. It has since been kept by JAXA inside Japan's Kibo experiment module. JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi is one of the seven crew members now on board the space station. 

As political turmoil engulfed Myanmar earlier this month, Japan and its Group of Seven peers rushed to condemn the coup, urging the military to restore the nation's democratically elected government and release State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi immediately. 

But unlike Washington, it has not taken as hard a stance against the coup. Tokyo has been cautious about implementing sanctions on the Myanmar regime to avoid jeopardizing the relationship it has built with military leaders over decades and out of fear that excessive punishment could drive Myanmar closer to China. 

NAYPYITAW, 14 March, 2020, (TON): Myanmar security forces killed at least 12 people, media reported, as the acting leader of a civilian parallel government vowed in a first public address on Saturday to pursue a “revolution” to overturn the February 1st military coup. 

Mahn Win Khaing Than, who was named the acting vice president by Myanmar's ousted lawmakers and is a member of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, addressed the public on Saturday for the first time since the February 1st military takeover. 

“This is the darkest moment of the nation and the moment that the dawn is close,” he said in a video posted on the shadow government’s website and social media. 

“In order to form a federal democracy, which all ethnic brothers who have been suffering various kinds of oppressions from the dictatorship for decades really desired, this revolution is the chance for us to put our efforts together," he said. 

He added: “We will never give up to an unjust military but we will carve our future together with our united power. Our mission must be accomplished.” 

At the end of the message, he flashed a three-finger salute that has become a symbol of resistance to the military rule. 

Earlier Saturday, security forces opened fire at demonstrators, killing four in Mandalay, the second biggest city, two in Pyay in south-central Myanmar, and one in Twante, a suburb of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Details of all seven deaths were posted on multiple social media accounts, some accompanied by photos of the victims. 

The actual death toll is likely to be higher, as police apparently seized some bodies, and some of the victims suffered serious gunshot wounds that doctors and nurses working at makeshift clinics will be hard-pressed to treat. Many hospitals are occupied by security forces, and as a result are boycotted by medical personnel and shunned by protesters. 

The independent U.N. human rights expert for Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said last week that credible reports indicated at least 70 people had died so far, and cited growing evidence of crimes against humanity by the military. 

Other unofficial but carefully compiled tallies put the number of deaths since the coup at around 90. 

On February 1, Myanmar's military detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint in the country's first coup since 1988, bringing an end to a decade of civilian rule. 

Myanmar has been gripped by mass protests and strikes after the military coup last month. Security forces have taken a hard line against the demonstrations. 

KABUL, 14 March, 2021, (TON): Militancy and conflicts have increased in the war-torn Afghanistan as more than 30 people were killed over the past 24 hours amid accelerated peace efforts to find a negotiated solution to the country’s lingering crisis. 

In the latest wave of violent incidents, a roadside bomb struck a mini-bus in Uruzgan province on Saturday morning, killing three people and wounding four others, all civilians, the provincial government confirmed in a statement. 

Similarly, a powerful car bomb near a police station in Afghanistan’s western Herat province has killed at least eight people and wounded more than 50 others.  

Three more civilians including women and children were killed as a mortar fired by insurgents struck a residential area in Nurak village outside Zabul provincial capital Qalat on Friday, police said. 

Russia, according to local media reports, is going to hold peace conference on Afghanistan on March 18 with the participation of Afghanistan`s neighboring states as well as other countries including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, the US and India. 
Turkey is also arranging a US proposed conference on Afghanistan peace process in April to help find a political solution to the war-torn country`s lingering crisis. 

The War in Afghanistan is an ongoing war following the United States invasion of Afghanistan that began when the United States of America and its allies successfully drove the Taliban from power in order to deny Al-Qaeda a safe base of operations in Afghanistan. 

CAIRO, 13 March, 2021 (TON): The Egyptian FM Shoukry denied the claims made by Turkey over the resumption and restoration of ties with Cairo and Gulf States.

“There is no such thing of ‘resuming diplomatic contacts,’ the media reported.

“Upgrading the level of the relationship between the two countries requires taking into consideration the legal and diplomatic frameworks that govern relations between countries on the basis of respecting the principle of sovereignty and the requirements of Arab national security,” he continued.

He further added, “Egypt expects that any country that needs to establish normal relations with it should abide by the rules of international law and the principles of good neighbor policy and stop attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of the countries of the region.”

He clearly stated that the diplomatic ties with Turkey are in accordance with the diplomatic norms and at the level of the charge d’affaires, however, since the relations broke off in August 2013, after the removal of Present Mohamed Morsi as a result several Muslims fled to Turkey. And since then both the countries have supported opposite sides in regional conflicts, especially the Libyan war and E. Mediterranean tension.

COLOMBO, 13 March, 2021 (TON): Sri Lanka Minister of Public Security, Sarath Weerasekera announced on Saturday that the wearing of the burga (full face and body covering) will be banned in the country; besides, over thousand Islamic schools are to be closed.

The action will affect the country’s minority Muslim population as the paper signed on Friday for the cabinet approval to safeguard national security.

The minister said, "In our early days Muslim women and girls never wore the burqa."

"It is a sign of religious extremism that came about recently. We are definitely going to ban it," he added.

In 2019, the country temporarily banned wearing of burqa as it faced many bombings that killed more than 250 people.  

Reflecting the government ban of burqa and shutting the schools reflects mandating last year’s order of the cremation of pandemic victims against the Muslim community who bury their dead. However, earlier this year, the burqa ban was lifted as the U.S. and the international rights groups condemned and criticized the order.

LONDON, 13 March, 2021 (TON): By seeking to reach a trade deal with the U.S. ahead of EU, Britain demonstrated perverse nationalism, Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Saturday.

“This idea that Britain can get there first is narrow minded thinking, frankly. It’s a perverse nationalism when actually Britain and the EU should work together as partners,” he said.

Alongside advocating the Britain for working with EU and Canada reaching trade agreement with the U.S., Coveney also questioned Britain’s trustworthiness following its plans in delaying checks required by the Brexit deal on some food products traveling from England, Scotland to N. Ireland.

“It has reinforced an awful lot of the doubts in Brussels about whether or not this really is a British government we can rely on to be a trusted partner when it comes to implementing what has already been agreed,” he said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson views the ability to strike trade deals as one of the main benefits of Brexit and sees a deal with the United States as a big potential prize, however, the relations between Britain and Dublin worse when Britain left Brexit in 2016.

N'DJAMENA, 13 March, 2021 (TON): President of Chad Idriss Deby Itno met the Kingdom’s outgoing ambassador, Jamil bin Abdulrahman Shisha.

Abdulrahman Shisha received award of the Chadian national order with the rank of an officer during their meeting at the presidential palace in N’Djamena.

Shisha’s role in strengthening the bonds of cooperation between the two countries during his term as ambassador was also applauded and appreciated by the president.

At the end of the meeting, Kingdom’s Shisha extended heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome and  conveyed greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Chadian president and people.

NEW YORK, 13 March, 2021 (TON):  Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo lost support of the two, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, demanding Cuomo’s resignation over allegations of sexual harassment.

Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint statement, "Confronting and overcoming the Covid crisis requires sure and steady leadership. We commend the brave actions of the individuals who have come forward with serious allegations of abuse and misconduct."

"Due to the multiple, credible sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, it is clear that Governor Cuomo has lost the confidence of his governing partners and the people of New York. Governor Cuomo should resign," it added.  

"I did not do what has been alleged. Period," Cuomo said in a call with reporters. "I never harassed anyone, I never assaulted anyone, I never abused anyone," Cuomo said earlier Friday.

"I'm not going to resign. I was not elected by the politicians, I was elected by the people," Cuomo added. "People know the difference between playing politics, bowing to cancel culture, and the truth," he added.  

After accusations of mismanagement of COVID measures and a series of sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo finds himself isolated and rapidly lost support.

NAYPITAW, 13 March, 2021 (TON): Citizens in Myanmar have turned against the China and its multiple projects.

Myanmar protest leaders told the media, to have decided initiating a nationwide boycott of Chinese goods.

“Neighborhood protest committees have been asked to spread by word of mouth the appeal to boycott Chinese goods,” said one leader.

"Indian businesses should open marts here. Our people will switch over to Indian products even if they are slightly more expensive," the protest leader in commercial hub Yangon said over the phone.

Protesters in Yangon are carrying placards "Myanmar coup, Made in China" during the demonstrations, while, some of them during the rallies this week also raised slogans like "Burn the Chinese gas pipeline."

Hailed by China as a symbol of "mutually beneficial cooperation", the 770-km pipeline connecting the Burmese port of Kyaukphyu to China's Yunnan province was the focal point of public rage due to local perception that Beijing was backing the military that seized power on 1 February.

COLOMBO, 13 March, 2021 (TON): Taking urgent notice of the Chinese-made doormats featuring Sri Lankan flag sold via online retail giant Amazon, the Sri-Lankan foreign ministry calls for an inquiry into the sale of the doormats.

This issue has been taken up with the Chinese embassy in Colombo, and also asked Colombo's mission in Beijing to track down the manufacturer.

The ministry has also instructed the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington to follow up on the matter with Amazon on Friday.

Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage has informed the Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing to contact the manufacturer concerned in China and also has brought to the attention of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo, the advertising of Sri Lanka's national flag as a doormat.

China has assured that it supports Sri Lanka and that an enquiry has been initiated into the matter.

However, this move by the Chinese manufacturers has kicked up a major diplomatic storm over the internet calling it the way China looks at Sri Lanka now and in future, when the country would not be able to pay the loan, many said.