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Another district in eastern province falls to Taliban

Taliban

At least three districts have fallen to the Taliban since Thursday night…reports Asian Lite News

Taliban militants have captured another district in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nuristan, adding to recent military gains, officials said on Saturday.

Provincial councillor Saidullah Nuristani told dpa news agency that government forces have abandoned Doab district after 20 days of resistance.

According to Nuristani, the militants had blocked all the supply routes to the district, forcing the government forces to evacuate the district after being unable to receive any food supplies or ammunition from the central government for nearly a month.

Ismail Ateekan, an MP representing the province, claimed that the government forces had left the district without fighting, after an agreement that was mediated by the local tribal elders in the area.

In return, the insurgents did not attack them during the evacuation.

The district connects Panjshir and Badakhshan provinces to Nuristan, and the militants now pose a threat to the neighbouring Laghman province since they have besieged the Noorgram district in the province, according to MP Ateekan.

At least three districts have fallen to the Taliban since Thursday night.

Taliban attack at the peak in Afghanistan 

Local officials confirmed the collapse of two districts in southern Zabul and Uruzgan provinces late on Friday.

Since the official withdrawal of the US and other NATO troops in Afghanistan on May 1, at least seven districts have fallen to the Taliban.

The Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints. Tens of thousands of Afghans have been displaced in the past few weeks.

The withdrawal of international troops is due to be completed by September 11 at the latest.

Meanwhile, at least 12 people were killed in an airstrike by the Afghan army, which wrongly targeted “members of the public uprising forces”, in a “friendly fire” incident in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province.

The incident took place in Kohistan district of the northeastern province on Friday, TOLOnews reported, citing sources.

The Afghan broadcaster said a public uprising forces commander, was among the dead.

The sources also said that eight other group members went missing as a result of the incident.

The local authorities have not yet commented on the incident. (IANS/ANI)

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-Top News Afghanistan USA

US stepping up humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan

a piece of broken glass of a vehicle at the site of a bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Rahmatullah Alizadah/Xinhua)

The US embassy in Kabul announced USD 266 million in new humanitarian assistance from the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID)…reports Asian Lite News

US Charge d’ Affaires Ross Wilson on Saturday said that Washington is stepping up its engagement in Afghanistan through its additional USD 266 million assistance, which was recently announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Taking to Twitter, Wilson said that as part of its commitment, the US will provide essential health care, food aid, and other supplies to the millions of Afghans.

“We are stepping up our engagement in Afghanistan, including humanitarian assistance. This commitment will provide lifesaving protection, shelter, livelihoods opportunities, essential health care, food aid, water and other supplies to the 18M Afghans in need,” Wilson tweeted.

In a press release, the US embassy in Kabul announced USD 266 million in new humanitarian assistance from the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The total US humanitarian aid for Afghanistan now stands at nearly USD 3.9 billion since 2002.

“The US Embassy in Kabul remains a stalwart friend to the government and people of Afghanistan, and will build upon two decades of assistance in many fields, including humanitarian relief as well as a variety of cooperative projects in infrastructure, gender, education, agriculture, health, security, democracy, counter-narcotics, and anticorruption,” the release said.

It further said that the humanitarian aid contributions of the United States and their international partners seek to address the needs of an estimated 18 million Afghans who are suffering due to poverty, hunger, COVID-19, and displacement.

Meanwhile, Two police chiefs and six soldiers were killed in an attack by the Taliban in the Jugla district of the Baghlan province in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported on Saturday.

According to an anonymous security official speaking to the Afghan broadcaster, the attack started after midnight on Friday and the clashes between the security forces and the Taliban continued until the early hours of Saturday morning.

The district is under threat to fall under Taliban control if reinforcements will not be sent, the official added.

In the past 24 hours at least 10 provinces have faced clashes between government forces and the Taliban in the country.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed the clashes on Twitter and said that ten Afghans had been killed and eight injured. (ANI/Sputnik)

ALSO READ: Afghanistan runs out of vaccine

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‘Hamas tunnels damaged by Israel renovated’

Palestinian Territories, Gaza City: Thick smoke rises above buildings in Gaza City, following several Israeli airstrikes, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Photo: Mohammed Talatene/dpa/IANS

“Israel had only succeeded to destroy 3 per cent of Hamas tunnels and our fighters fixed them all,” Sinwar said in a meeting on Saturday….reports Asian Lite News

Yehya Sinwar, leader of the Islamic Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, said on that the tunnels damaged by Israeli fighter jets last month in the enclave were renovated.

“Israel had only succeeded to destroy 3 per cent of Hamas tunnels and our fighters fixed them all,” Sinwar said in a meeting on Saturday.

During the tit-for-tat violence in the Gaza Strip that began on May 10, the Israeli Army claimed that it had “neutralised” an extensive tunnel system dug by the Palestinian Hamas militants in the besieged enclave.

According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the tunnels were built over five years and allowed Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, to move ammunition, fighters and food within the coastal strip.

The fighting finally ended on May 21 after an Egypt-brokered ceasefire took effect.

During the 11 days of fighting, more than 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed.

Severe destruction was caused to the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

ALSO READ: New Israeli coalition govt seeks early swearing-in

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-Top News ASEAN News Asia News

Myanmar buckles to ASEAN

Min Aung Hlaing, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, made the remarks on here Saturday during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar…reports Asian Lite News

Myanmar is willing to work together with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to safeguard the domestic stability of the country and implement the relevant consensus, State Administration Council (SAC) Chair Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said.

Min Aung Hlaing, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, made the remarks on here Saturday during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar, Chen Hai, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to a statement issued by the Chinese embassy in Nay Pyi Taw, Min Aung Hlaing introduced the domestic situation in the country and said Myanmar is committed to promoting national stability, economic growth and improvement of people’s livelihoods, and safeguarding democracy and the rule of law.

ASEAN leaders meeting(Twitter)

The two sides also exchanged views on issues including China-Myanmar relations and the joint prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday, Second Minister of Brunei’s Foreign Affairs Erywan bin Pehin Yusof, whose country currently holds the rotating chair of the ASEAN, and the bloc’s Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi had arrived in Myanmar to hold talks with top officials about the current political situation in the country following the February 1 military coup.

The envoys met Min Aung Hlaing and they exchanged views on matters related to the outcomes of a recent ASEAN leaders’ meeting on Myanmar; implementations of ASEAN recommendations from the Preliminary Needs Assessment; ASEAN’s efforts on access to Covid-19 vaccines; and bilateral friendship between Myanmar and Brunei.

The military leader also apprised ASEAN envoys of the progress of review on the 2020 general elections in Myanmar, situation of terrorist actions, matters related to re-holding elections when the country restores stability and future cooperation plans on humanitarian assistance.

ALSO READ: Myanmar students can stay in Japan even after visas expire

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-Top News Asia News COVID-19

India opposes vaccine passports at G7 meet

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan raises concerns about the availability of vaccines and low rates of inoculation in developing nations, reports Asian Lite News.

With little over 3 per cent of its population fully vaccinated, India has firmly opposed the adoption of Covid-19 vaccine passports at the G7 meeting of health ministers, saying that such an initiative could prove to be “hugely discriminatory”.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, addressing the meeting of his counterparts from seven wealthy nations — to which India was invited this year as a guest — raised concerns about the availability of vaccines and low rates of inoculation in developing nations.

“At this stage of [the] pandemic, it is pertinent to also discuss about India’s concern over the idea of a vaccine passport. Considering the fact of lower levels of vaccination in developing countries in contrast to the developed countries and still unaddressed issues related to equitable and affordable access, supply and distribution of safe and effective vaccines, India would propose that implementation of vaccine passports will be hugely discriminatory and disadvantageous to the developing countries,” he said.

“India would suggest that the same should be implemented duly taking into consideration emerging evidence on [the] efficacy of vaccines and under the overarching coordination of WHO duly attending to the anomaly of access and affordability as it exists today,” Dr Vardhan said.

Several countries including the US and the UK have talked about vaccine passports for letting their citizens travel abroad or visitors from other countries to come in. The European Union has also been working to introduce a vaccine travel document for tourists.

The G7 health ministers meeting in Britain agreed Friday to step up coordination against future pandemics and other threats, but made no new commitments to speed up vaccine deliveries to less developed countries.

Meeting in Oxford in southern England ahead of next week’s G7 summit, the ministers agreed on a new charter to deliver international clinical trials of treatments and vaccines.

The agreement aims to make it easier and quicker to share results from vaccine and therapeutic trials to tackle Covid-19 and future health issues, the ministers said in a joint declaration.

But facing growing calls to ensure a fairer global distribution of vaccine doses, the G7 health gathering failed to break new ground, reiterating previous commitments to share doses “as soon as possible”.

Poorer countries, which do not have enough stocks for comprehensive inoculation programmes, have lagged in their jabs’ drives as they wait for stocks.

G7 countries are already committed to supporting the Covax global vaccine sharing programme, but the World Health Organization and others have warned it is short of around 200 million doses in the short term.

Despite being the world’s largest producer of vaccines, India’s inoculation programme has lagged because the government did not buy enough shots last year when most large nations placed their orders.

Facing a massive backlash over the devastating second wave, the government announced a series of steps to speed up the process and has promised to inoculate its entire population by the end of the year.

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-Top News Asia News

FATF regional body retains Pakistan on ‘Enhanced Follow-up List’

The latest development comes only a few weeks ahead of a meeting of the FATF –the Paris-based global watchdog– to decide on Pakistan’s grey list status, reports Asian Lite News

A regional affiliate of the Financial Acton Task Force (FATF) has retained Pakistan on the ”Enhanced Follow-up” list and asked the country to strengthen its implementation of anti-money laundering and combating terror financing measures.

The FATF Asia Pacific Group on Friday released a second Follow up Report (FUR) on the Mutual Evaluation of Pakistan on the compliance of 40 technical recommendations.

The report said Pakistan was re-rated to ‘compliant’ status on five counts and on 15 others to ‘largely compliant’ and on yet another count to ‘partially compliant, Dawn reported.

FATF
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary meeting in Paris. (Photo: Twitter/@FATFNews)

The two recommendations on which Pakistan was downgraded to ‘non-compliant were 37 and 38 due to “insufficient progress” and pertained to mutual legal assistance (MLA) with other countries and freezing and confiscation of assets and accounts.

“Pakistan will move from enhanced (expedited) to enhanced follow-up, and will continue to report back to the APG on progress to strengthen its implementation of anti-money laundering and combating financing terror (AML/CFT) measures,” the APG said.

It is pertinent to note that the development comes only a few weeks ahead of a meeting of the FATF –the Paris-based global watchdog– to decide on Pakistan’s grey list status.

The 41-member APG in August 2019 had downgraded Pakistan”s status to the ”Enhanced Follow-up” category from the ”Regular Follow-up” over technical deficiencies to meet normal international financial standards by October 2018.

Hafiz Saeed

The APG has noted that Pakistan has taken positive steps in enacting the new Mutual Legal Assistance Act 2020 (MLAA) and establishing MLA processes and timeframes.

However, it added, that the “restrictive conditions” imposed on the provision of MLA through the new requirement to inform the subject of any request to restrain or confiscate assets is a significant deficiency that prevents Pakistan from maintaining the confidentiality of requests and undermines its ability to act expeditiously.

Pakistan has been on the FATF’s grey list since June 2018.

ALSO READ – Pakistan allows airspace to US warplanes

Global terror financing watchdog, FATF, in February this year, had retained Pakistan on its “grey list” till June after concluding that Islamabad failed to address its strategically important deficiencies, to fully implement the 27 point action plan that the watchdog had drawn up for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s continuation on the ‘grey list’ means that it will not get any respite in trying to access finances in the form of investments and aid from international bodies including International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa meets Prime Minister Imran Khan

Pakistan is facing the difficult task of clearing its name from the FATF grey list. As things stand, Islamabad is finding it difficult to shield terror perpetrators and implement the FATF action plan at the same time.

Early this year, Islamabad-based think tank Tabadlab revealed that Pakistan sustained a total of USD 38 billion in economic losses due to FATF’ decision to thrice place the country on its grey list since 2008.

The research paper titled “Bearing the cost of global politics — the impact of FATF grey-listing on Pakistan’s economy” states that that grey-listing events spanning from 2008 to 2019, may have resulted in total GDP losses worth USD 38 billion. (ANI)

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Asia News World News

UN suspends Iran voting rights over unpaid dues

Iran and the Central African Republic will lose their voting rights at the UNGA since the countries are in arrears on paying their dues…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has expressed “strong dismay” over the suspension of the country’s voting rights at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), saying the US sanctions were to be blamed for Tehran’s inability to pay dues.

Iran and the Central African Republic will lose their voting rights at the UNGA since the countries are in arrears on paying their dues to the world body’s operating budget, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a letter to UNGA President Volkan Bozkir circulated on Wednesday.

“In ‘black is white’ world, UN deprived Iran of its voting rights in the UNGA as we’re in arrears,” Zarif said in a tweet on Thursday, adding that the decision is “fundamentally flawed, entirely unacceptable and completely unjustified”.

Iran’s inability to fulfil its financial obligation towards the UN is “directly caused by unlawful unilateral sanctions imposed by the US”, the Foreign Minister added.

He noted that since former US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the 2015 nuclear agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, “the people of Iran have been under the most unprecedented economic warfare and indeed economic terrorism”.

Zarif added that the Iranians “have been forcibly blocked from transferring their own money and resources to buy food and medicine, let alone pay UN contributions arrears”.

The “extreme restrictions” on Iran’s international banking relations caused by Washington’s “acts of war and economic terrorism” have impaired the country’s capacity to transfer its financial contribution to the UN, he added.

ALSO READ: UN help sought for funding Special Tribunal for Lebanon

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UN help sought for funding Special Tribunal for Lebanon

Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab

The popular Sunni businessman-turned-politician’s death soon led to a wave of protests – the “Cedar Revolution” – that ultimately forced Syria to wind up its long-standing military presence in Lebanon…reports Asian Lite News

The Caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon Hassan Diab asked the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres to urgently explore ways of financing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) following funding issues.

According to media reports, the prime minister, in a letter to UN chief, wrote: “The Government of Lebanon would be grateful to Your Excellency for urgently exploring different and alternative means of financing the Tribunal with the Security Council and Member States.”

In an exclusive report, Reuters last week revealed that the UN tribunal, set up to prosecute those behind the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri had run out of funding amid Lebanon’s economic and political crisis, threatening plans for future trials.

The popular Sunni businessman-turned-politician’s death soon led to a wave of protests – the “Cedar Revolution” – that ultimately forced Syria to wind up its long-standing military presence in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, in yet another development, World Bank Group Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, Ferid Belhaj, said the global lender is ready to contribute towards the reconstruction of Beirut following the widespread destruction caused by the 2020 twin explosions.

“The World Bank is fully prepared to engage in any reconstruction project,” Xinhua news agency quoted Belhaj as saying on Thursday.

Two huge explosions ripped through the Port of Beirut on August 4, 2020, killing about 200 people, injuring at least 6,000 others and leaving 300,000 homeless.

A big part of the Lebanese capital was destroyed in the disaster.

Investigations pointed to the roughly 500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate left at the port as the cause of the explosions.

Belhaj’s announcement on Thursday came following his meeting with caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan over the World Bank’s contributions in the fight against Covid-19 in Lebanon.

Belhaj noted that the World Bank will offer any support needed for Lebanon and the government.

Meanwhile, Hassan said the loans offered by the World Bank give a glimmer of hope for the Lebanon and the people.

Earlier this year, the World Bank had allocated $34 million under the existing Lebanon Health Resilience Project to support the Covid-19 vaccination in the country.

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Gantz pledges quieter tone with US

Benny Gantz meets Antony Blinken (Source Twitter @gantzbe)

Gantz’s visit came as Israel’s opposition reached a deal to form a coalition government that would end the 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu….reports Asian Lite News

The visiting Defence Minister of Israel Benny Gantz on Thursday said that it will stay engaged as the US tries to return to a nuclear deal with Iran. Meanwhile, the White House noted that US policy would not change given a different leadership in Israel.

Gantz’s visit came as Israel’s opposition reached a deal to form a coalition government that would end the 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Gantz discussed the US-Israel partnership and US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, according to a readout issued by the State Department.

“The Secretary reiterated the importance of promoting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike and support for Israel’s right to defend itself,” it added.

Blinken also underscored the importance of humanitarian assistance and relief and recovery efforts in Gaza.

“As far as Gaza concerned, we do look for stability and prosperity for everybody,” Gantz told reporters before their meeting.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Gantz separately on the same day.

Before meeting the Defence Secretary, Gantz told reporters that Iran’s nuclear program and other actions were an “existential threat” to Israel, media reported.

“Stopping Iran is certainly a shared strategic need of the United States,” Israel and other countries, Gantz was quoted as saying in news reports.

Sitting across a table from his US counterpart at the Pentagon, Gantz said, “Our dialogue is so important to ensuring that any deal effectively meets its goal of keeping Iran away from nuclear weapons.”

“Of course, given the scope of the threat, Israel must always make sure that it has the ability to protect itself,” Gantz added.

Gantz also said they will continue the strategic dialogue in private discussion … only, not in the media in a provoking way,” he said, calling for “open dialogue behind closed doors.”

The White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that US policy would not change given a different leadership in Israel.

“We will leave … the politics and the determination about political formation in Israel up to the parties there,” the Press Secretary said in a daily briefing.

“Israel will remain an important strategic partner, one where we have an abiding security relationship, and that will continue.”

ALSO READ: New Israeli coalition govt seeks early swearing-in

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Onus on Pak to keep peace along LoC: Army chief

Army Chief reviews security situation along LoC in Kashmir.

General Naravane also said the terror infrastructure across the LoC is intact and forces cannot lower their guard….reports Asian Lite News

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General M.M. Naravane, said on Thursday that the ceasefire is holding along the Line of Control, and the onus to sustain it lies with Pakistan.

On the second day of his two-day visit to Kashmir to review the security situation along the LoC and in the hinterlands, General Naravane told mediapersons, “We entered this (ceasefire) understanding with Pakistan at the end of February. The ceasefire is holding as of now. The responsibility and the onus of making the ceasefire hold are squarely on Pakistan. We are willing to observe the ceasefire as long as long as they do.”

General Naravane also said the terror infrastructure across the LoC is intact and forces cannot lower their guard.

“While the ceasefire is on, the other activities they are indulging in are continuing, i.e., the terror infrastructure which is there on the other side of the LoC, the terrorist camps etc. Therefore, there can be no slackening as far as we are concerned in our levels or preparedness,” the army chief said.

Indo-Pak border

The ceasefire agreement along the LoC between India and Pakistan militaries was revived in February this year.

Earlier, the COAS, accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Y.K. Joshi and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen D.P. Pandey, visited different formations and units, where the local commanders briefed General Naravane on the existing security situation and the measures taken to foil infiltration by terrorists from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

The COAS interacted with the troops and complimented them for their high morale and the state of operational preparedness.

While appreciating the current state of peace prevailing along the Line of Control, General Naravane cautioned all the commanders and troops to not let their guards down and to remain prepared to meet any emerging security challenges effectively, the army said.

The army chief also complimented all the government agencies for their close coordination in maintaining peace in the region and for reaching out to the people wholeheartedly to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

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