No tsunami warning has been issued after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck off Japan’s northeastern Fukushima Prefecture late Saturday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The temblor occurred at around 11.08 p.m. local time (1408 GMT), with its epicenter at a latitude of 37.7 degrees north and a longitude of 141.8 degrees east, and at depth of 60 km, Xinhua news agency reported.
The quake logged Upper 6 in some parts of Fukushima Prefecture on the Japanese seismic intensity scale which peaks at 7.
The quake was also felt in the capital Tokyo where an intensity scale of 4 was logged, with many reporting that their houses and furniture underwent strong shaking and some saying they felt dizzy because of the quake.
Following the powerful earthquake, the Japanese government set up a task force at the prime minister’s office.
Earthquake
So far no abnormality has been found at Japan Atomic Power Co.’s inactive Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in the village of Tokai in Ibaraki Prefecture, according to the operator
Advantage to Dali Lama and his followers in Tibet and across the world. The new US legislation Tibetan Policy and Support Act will empower the US Government to impose sanctions on the Chinese Government officials, who might try to interfere in the process of selecting the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama … A special report by Vijay Kranti
Tibetan Policy and Support Act was introduced to the Congress by the Chairman of the Congressional China Commission and Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Jim McGovern , and Senator Marco Rubio. The Tibetan Policy and Support Act makes US policy to oppose attempts by Beijing to install its own Dalai Lama “in a manner inconsistent with Tibetan Buddhism in which the succession or identification of Tibetan Buddhist lamas, including the Dalai Lama, should occur without interference…”
On January 28, 2020, the TPSA bill passed by the US House of Representatives by a vote of 392–22. On May 14, 2020, the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations was to discuss the bill. On December 21, 2020, the bill was approved by the U.S. Congress as an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. And finally on December 27, 2020, the bill was signed by then President Donald Trump.
On December 27, 2020, the Tibetan Policy and Support Act bill was signed by then President Donald Trump.
The legislation makes reference to the Chinese government’s ‘Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas’ in 2007, and a March 2019 statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson that the “reincarnation of living Buddhas including the Dalai Lama must comply with Chinese laws and regulations and follow religious rituals and historical conventions”.
It also refers to China’s installation of a 6-year-old boy in 1995 as the 11th Panchen Lama, and statements by the present Dalai Lama explaining the traditions to be followed in the selection of a Dalai Lama, and that the authority to recognise the reincarnation of a Dalai Lama lies with him and his officials. The US law also proposes dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama.
The law also makes it US policy to hold senior Chinese officials “responsible for, complicit in, or have directly or indirectly engaged in the identification or installation of a candidate chosen by China as the future 15th Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism” to have committed “a gross violation of internationally recognized human rights”, attracting sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The new legislation will empower the US Government to impose sanctions on the Chinese Government officials, who might try to interfere in the process of selecting the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama.The legislation has been hailed by the Tibetans, who were concerned over the possibility of the Chinese Government making an attempt to install someone loyal to it as the 15th Dalai Lama and use him as a puppet to fizzle out the global campaign against its occupation of Tibet.
Tibet’s spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama
The new legislation also calls for the creation of a new US consulate in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The TPSA has also introduced provisions aimed at protecting the environment of the Tibetan plateau, calling for greater international cooperation and greater involvement by Tibetans, alleging that China is diverting water resources from Tibet. It also calls for “a regional framework on water security, or use existing frameworks to facilitate cooperative agreements among all riparian nations that would promote arrangements on impounding and diversion of waters that originate on the Tibetan Plateau”. Because the People’s Republic of China has already completed water transfer programmes diverting billions of cubic metres of water yearly and has plans to divert more waters from the Tibetan plateau in China.
The TPSA also authorises a number of appropriations for Tibet and Tibetan related issues, including (not less than) $8 million for Tibetan communities in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in other Tibetan communities in China; $6 million for Tibetan communities in India and Nepal; $3 million to strengthen the capacity of Tibetan institutions and governance in exile; over $3.4 million and $4 million respectively for Voice of America’s and Radio Free Asia’s reporting on Tibet and Tibetans; $1 million for Office of the United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, among others.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Joe Biden (Credit: twitter.com/SecBlinken)
The TSPA is an amended version of the Tibet Policy Act of 2002, which came into existence during the 43rd President of United States of America, George Walker Bush. By considering the relations with China important, President George Walker Bush distanced himself from this Congressional action, and wrote strong words against it in his signing statement, in which asserted the administration’s right not to implement parts of the act. He wrote: “Regrettably, the Act contains a number of provisions that impermissibly interfere with the constitutional functions of the presidency in foreign affairs, including provisions that purport to establish foreign policy that are of significant concern.” He also said his approval to the Act did not constitute his adoption of the various statements of policy in the Act as US foreign policy, and said these would be taken as “advisory” statements only, “giving them the due weight that comity between the legislative and executive branches should require, to the extent consistent with US foreign policy”.
Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Lobsang Sangay in Washington
US-China relations have become much more difficult over the last two decades, particularly worsening in the Trump Administration. And more so in 2020 over matters ranging from the pandemic to trade tariffs, and its cross-world coalition-building against Chinese superpower ambitions. President Trump and Biden is not expected to take a Bush-like view on the TSPA.
Lobsang Sangay, president of the Central Tibetan Administration have described the legislation as a victory for the Tibetan freedom struggle and said,”We have been pushing for this for the last two years,” He said the move by the US Congress was a tribute to the great legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the solidarity of six million Tibetans inside Tibet.
“By passing the TPSA, Congress has sent its message loud and clear that Tibet remains a priority for the United States and that it will continue its steadfast support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the CTA,” he added.
Sangay expressed his gratitude to the key sponsors, co-sponsors and everyone who supported the bill, particularly Senators Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin; and Congressmen Jim McGovern and Chris Smith for their “extraordinary leadership” in introducing the bill in the House and Senate. He said, “I would like to especially thank House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for their steadfast support in making this historic bill come true. I also thank Senators James E. Risch and Robert Menendez, the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Representatives Eliot L. Engel and Michael McCaul, the Chair and Co-Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, respectively.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping
As was expected, reacting to the passage of TPSA Chinese Authorities said that, “the TPSA severely breached international law and basic norms governing international relations, interfered in China’s internal affairs, and sent a wrong message to ‘Tibet independence’ forces”.
It added that China “resolutely opposes” the “adoption of Bills containing such ill contents on China. Issues related to Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong are China’s internal affairs that allow no foreign interference”.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman urged the US “to stop meddling in their domestic affairs under those pretexts, refrain from signing the bills or implementing the negative contents and items in them that target China and undercut China’s interests”.
The success of the TPSA is due in part to Tibetan Americans and other Tibet supporters, who sent more than 26,000 petitions to members of Congress through the International Campaign for Tibet.
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
The signing of Tibetan policy and Support Act by US President is a sign of freedom for Tibetans from the tyranny of Chinese Communist Party. This act of the US is appreciative as it has been mainly undertaken to preserve the Human Rights in Tibet and also to preserve the unique cultural and religious traditions of Tibet. And it is also important example of the help done by a powerful country to a small country. Entire world should support US in future so that more legislation similar to TPSA will be passed. The world should support US so that US can take stringent actions on China in support of Tibetan people as they are being severely harassed. Especially, India should take out legislation similar to TPSA, as it is preferable for India to shares border with Tibet instead of China. It would also be a positive for India if the next (15th) Dalai Lama is identified from India. Dalai Lama himself has said several times that he is son of India and can take rebirth in India.
(Author is a senior journalist and a keen watcher of Tibet-China scene for nearly five decades. He is Chairman, Centre for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement, New Delhi)
13th February is a day which China wants to forget and believe that it never happened in the history. It was on this day in 1913 that the thirteenth Dalai Lama declared Tibet as an independent country to mark the two-year long occupation of Tibet by the Qing dynasty…. A special report by Vijay Kranti
The real source of economic and geo-political power of the rogue communist masters of China today lies in the enormous natural resources and out stretched geographic reach of their colonies like Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia which emboldens them to demand the world to follow their ‘One China Policy’. The only way left for the civilized world now is to restore the independent status of these helpless colonies of China and put the Frankenstein back into the genie’s bottle.
13th February is a day which China wants to forget and believe that it never happened in the history. It is so because this day of history demolishes the concept of ‘One China Policy’ which the communist leaders of modern day China assert vehemently and want the world to follow meekly. It was on this day in 1913 that the thirteenth Dalai Lama declared Tibet as an independent country to mark the two-year long occupation of Tibet by the Qing dynasty. Thanks to the good offices of neighboring Nepal’s government that the Tibetans allowed the remnants of the officials and the band of Manchu soldiers of the Qing dynasty to walk alive out of Tibet.
The fall of Qing dynasty (1644-1912) in the previous year had marked the end of nearly three centuries long Manchurian rule over the Han Chinese and had paved the way for the establishment of ‘Republic of China’ as the first ever ‘Chinese’ government in China’s modern history. Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama, simply refused the offers of the newly found nationalist government in Beijing to restore relations with Tibet. Following the invasion of the Manchus’ army into Tibet in 1908 he had moved over to India in 1910 from where he had returned after a three year long exile.
‘ONE-CHINA POLICY’
China’s over sensitivity and obsession with the idea of ‘One China Policy’ has some interesting dimensions which keep on showing quite frequently in Beijing leaders’ fierce and angry outbursts. Many times these outbursts, aimed against one or the other country, sound less logical and more aggressive and ironical.
The latest example is the Chinese government media’s pungent and aggressive reaction this mid-January to the statement of the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who announced lifting of all such restrictions and contact guidelines for the US diplomats, service members and officials which stopped them from commenting on or reaching out to Taiwan. This decision came in the last days of the Trump administration and marked a strong snub to China’s ‘one China policy’ which the US has been following as a, what Pompeo underlined, “unilateral policy in an attempt to appease the Communist regime in Beijing.”
Xinhua, the government run news agency of China blasted this announcement of the US Secretary of State as one of “seeking to maliciously inflict a long-lasting scar on China-US ties.” The CGTV, the English-language international channel of CCTV network which operates under direct control of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was still more aggressive in its comments. It said, “The Trump administration, in its continuing efforts to burn the house down before leaving office, has crossed a dangerous red line with China just days before incoming President Joe Biden takes office.”
THE US STANCE
Beijing government was equally furious at the US government when the US Congress recently passed new laws on Tibet and Xinjiang which directly challenge China’s inhuman policies and disregard for basic human rights of the people of Tibet and Xinjiang. Every time the Chinese government termed these US decisions as disregard for ‘One China Policy’, it only exposed its fears and international answerability over its colonial occupation of South Mongolia, Manchuria, Xinjiang and Tibet. China had occupied these erstwhile free and independent countries in 1919, 1935, 1946 and 1951 respectively.
COOKING HISTORY
It is interesting to note that the Beijing masters of these colonies never lay claims on these territories on the basis of their military conquests of these countries which were recorded by the modern world as a first hand witness. Rather, they use manufactured history to claim that these regions have been ‘integral and inseparable part of China’ throughout history and that any disregard to this ‘fact’ by any country is transgression of ‘One China Policy’.
For example, in the case of Tibet the Chinese communist regime neither claims the right to its ‘ownership’ of Tibet on the basis of its military conquest in 1950 nor on the strength of the so called ‘Seventeen-Point Agreement’ between Beijing and Lhasa which lead to what Beijing calls as the ‘Peaceful Liberation’ of Tibet in 1951. It does not even refer to the PLA’s successful crushing of the Tibetan people’s uprising in 1959 and the resulting escape of Dalai Lama to exile which left the final control of Tibet into the hands of CPC.
Beijing has a good reason to do so. The communist leaders of China know that the world is well aware of the fact that Tibet was an independent country at least between 1913 and 1951. It was during this period that the Dalai Lama government of Tibet had signed international treaties with Nepal, British India, Mongolia and Sikkim. Although the successive Dalai Lama governments of Tibet have been deliberately keeping Tibet out of international politics and international community over centuries, the 13th Dalai Lama’s two exiles in India and Mongolia had given him enough exposure to understand the significance of international relations and modern education. That explains why he maintained diplomatic missions of China, Nepal and India in Lhasa and three trade missions of India in Tibet after reasserting Tibetan independence in 1913.
SHIMLA AGREEMENT
The Shimla-Agreement of 1914, which resulted in the acceptance of McMahon Line as the border between Tibet and India, two was result of a tripartite conference between India, Tibet and China as equal and independent partners at Shimla. It’s a different matter that China did not sign this agreement because of its other unrelated disagreements with Tibetan delegation. During the World War-II also Tibet remained neutral despite pressures from USA, China and Great Britain to allow passage of raw materials through Tibet. However, it was the lack of diplomatic wisdom and foresight of the Tibetan Regents and other senior leaders that Tibet missed the bus and refused to join the United Nations whereas Nepal used its treaties with Tibet to establish its credentials as an independent country and joined the UN. The 14th Dalai Lama was only 13 years old at that time and had no role in taking such decisions.
Tibet had also participated as an independent country along with China in India’s Asian Relations Conference in March 1947. This conference was organized by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in New Delhi six months before India became independent. Flags of independent Tibet and China were hoisted in the conference and the two delegations attended it as representatives of two different countries.
As India became free from British Raj in 1947 the independent government of India sent a letterto Lhasa government with the proposal of continuing the relations between Tibet and the British India. The letter said, “The Government of India would be glad to have an assurance that it is the intention of the Tibetan Government to continue relations on the existing basis until new arrangements are reached on matters that either party may wish to take up. This is the procedure adopted by all other countries with which India has inherited treaty relations from His Majesty’s Government….”. But unfortunately for Tibet, the Regents messed up this historic opportunity by first keeping their reply pending for three months and then responding with an aggressive demand from New Delhi for return of some Tibetan territories before Lhasa could decide on India’s offer. This incident explains a good part of Nehru’s indifference towards Tibet when China invaded Tibet.
In their attempt at rewriting history the present day Han Communist Chinese rulers of Cina claim that the Mongols and Manchus too were ‘Chinese’ dynasties and that since Tibet was subordinate to them, hence Tibet is a part of China. They smartly hide the basic fact that the Han Chinese themselves were ruled separately by the Mongols (1205-1368) and later by the Manchurians (1644-1911) over very long stretches of history. They also ignore the fact Tibet always had independent ties with the Mongols and the Manchus through the ‘Cho-Yon’ (priest-patron) relationship.
LAMA GAMES OF CHINA
History, rewritten by the present day Communist rulers of China also hides the fact that whatever relations the Chinese Ming Dynasty had with some individual high lamas of Tibet during the15th to 17th century period, it was nothing more than playing one senior lama of Tibet against another by bestowing special honors and titles on the junior ones. As Elliot Sperling, Professor of Central Eurasian Studies at Indiana University of USA noted that the recipient (lamas) held their own power or influence in Tibet prior to such honors and as such, these titles were only an acknowledgement of their influence in Tibet and not bestowing power or authority over them. This is exactly what the communist China or its predecessor Nationalist government of China has been doing with the Panchen Lama to play him against the Tibetan ruler and supreme spiritual leader the Dalai Lama prior to and after occupation of Tibet in 1951.
The modern day Chinese colonial masters of Tibet do not want to recall that chapter of history when China was occupied by the Mongols and was being ruled by Kublai Khan, the great grandson of Ghengis Khan. Kublai Khan had embraced Buddhism and accepted Drogon Choegyal Phagpa, the nephew of Sakya Pandita of Tibet as his spiritual master. When Kublai Khan went on a genocide spree against the Han population in the middle of 13th century then the Chinese king, a subject of Kublai Khan, requested Drogon Choegyal to use his influence over Kublai Khan to stop the genocide. It worked and the Han population was spared of Kublai Khan’s ire.
In 18th century the Manchu forces entered Tibet on three occasions. In 1728 and 1751 they were invited by the Tibetans to restore order in civil wars. In 1792 they came to help Tibet against invading Nepal’s Gorkha forces which lead to an increased influence of Manchus in Tibet. But it reduced soon and Tibet kept the Manchus away during attack from Jammu in 1841-1842, from Nepal in 1855-1856 and during the 1903-1904 attack by the Young Husband Mission of British India.
WEST’S WITH RUSSIA
It was the Western block’s obsessions with and fears of Russia which encouraged its members to look at China as a balancing ally to counter the influence of Russia in Tibet. It was only after Britain signed two treaties with Manchu court in 1890 and 1893 and still failed in winning over Tibetan understanding against Russia that the Young Husband military mission was sent from India to Tibet in 1903 which forced the Dalai Lama to sign an independent treaty with Britain in 1904.
In its eagerness to assert its ‘sphere of influence’ in Tibet the British India also signed an agreement in 1906 with China and one with Russia in 1907 and thereby introduced the concept of ‘suzerainty’ of China over Tibet. In 1908 again when the Manchu Army invaded Tibet the British signed another treaty about trade in Tibet with the Manchus to keep their influence in Tibet.
Over a century later today when West’s policy of promoting China to contain Russia has ended up into making a new Frankenstein of Communist China, the supremacy of the West itself is under a serious threat. With ever increasing dominance of China over the UN and other major power centres of the world the West has further slipped down from an already pitiable situation where the US Presidents could manage to satisfying Beijing with reluctant assertions like, “No policy of the US is based on the assumption that Tibet is not a part of China”.
The real source of economic and geo-political power of the rogue communist masters of China today lies in the enormous natural resources and out stretched geographic reach of their colonies like Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia which emboldens them to demand the world to follow their ‘One China Policy’. The only way left for the civilized world now is to restore the independent status of these helpless colonies of China and put the Frankenstein back into the genie’s bottle.
((Author is a senior journalist and a keen watcher of Tibet-China scene for nearly five decades. He is Chairman, Centre for Himalayan Asia Studies and Engagement, New Delhi)
US President Joe Biden on Thursday called the “coup” in Myanmar an “extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States” and declared a national emergency to deal with it...writes Arul Louis.
In an executive order to freeze Myanmar’s funds in the US, he made the dire assessment of that country’s military arresting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy this month after the party had won a resounding victory in parliamentary elections last year defeating the military-backed party.
The order implements the sanctions he announced against the military regime of Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday.
Biden, who referred to the country by its old name of Burma, had said that the US would impose strong exports controls on it and freeze its government assets in the US.
His spokesperson Jan Psaki said the assets were $1 billion.
The White House said the Treasury Department designated ten persons including Hlaing and three companies, two of which trade in gems, with ties to the military.
The wide-ranging order issued on Thursday blocks the military, its officials and their families, and other government officials or others involved in repressing Myanmar’s citizens from accessing funds in the US and from travelling to the US.
Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi (R, front) lays a wreath during a ceremony to mark the 72nd Martyrs’ Day in Yangon, Myanmar. (Xinhua/U Aung/IANS)
The reason behind describing the military takeover as an “extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States” is that it is an affront to Biden’s agenda of promoting and defending democracy so soon after he assumed office, rather than an existential threat from a relatively minor state.
The declaration of national emergency will enable him to bypass Congress in imposing sanctions.
Myanmar, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing
The harsh statements from the Biden administration on Myanmar’s retreat from democracy expose the US double standards on democracy: Biden is unable to hold, for example, China or Saudi Arabia to the standards he demands of Myanmar, as was Trump after claiming to defend democracy in Venezuela through sanctions.
Before announcing the actions against the Myanmar military, Biden and his officials spoke about that country with leaders in the region.
Myanmar crisis came up in phone conversations this week that Biden had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Secretary of State Antony Blinken with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
The move comes as the situation in the country remains volatile following the military coup on February 1….reports Asian Lite News
Facebook has imposed widespread restrictions on content and profiles run by Myanmar’s military to prevent spread of “misinformation” as protests against the military coup continued across the South Asian country.
The move comes as the situation in the country remains volatile following the military coup on February 1.
“In line with our global policies on repeat offenders of misinformation, we will also no longer be recommending them to people,” Rafael Frankel, Director of Policy, APAC Emerging Countries, wrote in a blog post on Thursday.
Among other military-run accounts, these measures apply to the Myanmar Military Information Team’s Facebook Page and to Myanmar Military spokesperson Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun’s Facebook account.
Security guards are seen at the entrance of the City Hall in Yangon, Myanmar
“This same action will be applied to any additional pages that the military controls that repeatedly violate our misinformation policies,” Frankel said, adding that the social networking platform is treating the situation in Myanmar as an emergency.
After the coup, Myanmar directed state-owned telecom companies to temporarily block Facebook until February 7 midnight, alleging that the social media giant was contributing to instability in the country.
It later also imposed temporary curbs on access to micro-blogging platform Twitter and photo-sharing app Instagram.
“We join with governments, the UN, and civil society around the world in calling for internet services in Myanmar to be restored immediately so that the people there can communicate with loved ones, express their political views, access important information, and run their businesses,” Frankel said.
The operation has been initiated by MAI, the Ministry of Health, the Israel Defense Forces, and the country’s national emergency service Magen David Adom…reports Asian Lite News
Israel has launched a Covid-19 vaccination programme for industry and hi-tech employees at workplaces, the Manufacturers Association of Israel (MAI) said.
The operation has been initiated by MAI, the Ministry of Health, the Israel Defense Forces, and the country’s national emergency service Magen David Adom, reports Xinhua news agency.
Vaccinations of workers will begin within a few days, as vaccine vehicles will come to the workplaces, reports Xinhua news agency.
It will take place alongside the general vaccination campaign in the country, which began in December 20, 2020.
The vaccines will be provided to employees free of charge.
Ron Tomer, President of the MAI, said: “We are making every effort on all fronts to raise the vaccination rate among workers. The operation will promote a safe and healthy work environment.”
The number of people vaccinated against the Covid-19 in Israel has surpassed 3.68 million, or 39.6 per cent of the total population, according to the Ministry of Health.
Israel has so far reported 714,812 coronavirus cases and 5,283 deaths.
“Two Turkish Air Force F-16s and one US maritime patrol aircraft also participated in the maritime exercise,” statement said…reports Asian Lite News
Turkey’s Defence Ministry has confirmed that the country’s Navy along its US counterparts conducted a maritime exercise in the Black Sea.
“The frigates TCG TURGUTREIS and TCG ORUCREIS of the Turkish Naval Forces conducted a joint maritime exercise with the USS PORTER and USS DONALD COOK destroyers of the US Navy in the Black Sea,” Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying on Twitter on Wednesday.
“Two Turkish Air Force F-16s and one US maritime patrol aircraft also participated in the maritime exercise,” it said.
The training conducted for the fundamental types of naval warfare has “further strengthened cooperation between the naval forces of the two countries and has contributed to their interoperability”, the Ministry added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
It recalled that the Turkish naval forces command has been maintaining the “Black Sea Harmony Operation” since March 1, 2004 to contribute to the peace and security of the Black Sea within the framework of the “regional ownership” principle.
As part of the operations, frigates, corvettes, assault boats, submarines and sea patrol planes display their flags and show their presence in the Black Sea, and various observations and expeditions are conducted, it added.
Within the scope of its planned activities, the Turkish Naval Forces conduct joint training and exercises at every opportunity with the elements of NATO, friendly and allied naval forces which have arrived in the Black Sea and regularly participates in the exercises organised by riparian countries, the Ministry added.
American airplane giant Boeing said that its technical experts will continue assisting the investigation into an Indonesia plane crash that took place last month.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of the crew and passengers on Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182,” Boeing said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the company will provide the support needed “during this difficult time”.
Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said on Wednesday in a preliminary investigation report on the crash that the plane’s auto-throttles showed an anomaly for both left and right levers.
On January 9, Sriwijaya Air’s flight SJ-182, a Boeing 737-500 aircraft, was carrying 62 people when it disappeared from the radar screens minutes after taking off from Jakarta.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on the legislation sector to strengthen legal supervision and control over the establishment and executive process of the national economic plan, a state-media report said on Thursday.
A North Korean flag hangs from a flagpole in a village just north of the western inter-Korean border.
On the third day of the plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, Kim on Wednesday suggested important tasks for firmly ensuring the implementation of the national economic plan by law and the fulfilment of this year’s economic tasks, the country’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in the report.
He called on the legislative sector to “remove irrational elements becoming stumbling blocks to the implementation of the national economic plan and enact and perfect new laws for every sector which help promote the efficiency of the production and construction”, Xinhua news agency quoted the KCNA report as saying.
Soldiers march during a parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Kim particularly urged legislative bodies to check all kinds of illegal practices revealed in economic activities.
He also said party officials should intensify political guidance to achieve this year’s economic tasks.
At the eighth congress of the Workers’ Party last month, Kim unveiled a new five-year economic development plan focusing on self-reliance.
Malaysia’s GDP contracted 3.4 per cent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of last year, rendering a 5.6 per cent drop for 2020, the biggest decline since the last 23 years, the country’s central bank said in a statement on Thursday.
The bank said that the negative growth in Q4 was largely attributable to the imposition of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on a number of states since October 2020 to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency.
“The restrictions on mobility, especially on inter-district and inter-state travel, weighed on economic activity during the fourth quarter,” it said, despite the fact that continued improvement in external demand provided support to growth.
People wearing masks walk on a street in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Except for manufacturing, all economic sectors continued to record negative growth. On the expenditure side, moderating private consumption and public investment activities weighed on domestic demand.
“On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the economy registered a decline of 0.3 per cent,” said the bank.
While the near-term growth in 2021 will be affected by the re-introduction of stricter containment measures in January following spikes of new cases, the central bank said, the impact will be less severe than that experienced in 2020.
The growth trajectory is projected to improve from the second quarter onwards, it added.
Malaysia
The central bank said the improvement will be driven by the recovery in global demand, where the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised upwards its 2021 global growth forecast by 0.3 percentage points to 5.5 percent.
“Growth will also be supported by a turnaround in public and private sector expenditure amid continued support from policy measures, and higher production from existing and new facilities in the manufacturing and mining sectors,” it said.
The bank also opined that the vaccine rollout which will commence this month is also expected to lift sentiments.
