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Biden imposes sanctions on Myanmar Generals

At a White House briefing on Wednesday, the President said the administration “will identify a first round of targets this week” and “we’re also going to impose strong export controls”…reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden announced that he has approved a new executive order to immediately sanction leaders of the Myanmar military who directed the February 1 coup, as well as their business interests and family members.

At a White House briefing on Wednesday, the President said the administration “will identify a first round of targets this week” and “we’re also going to impose strong export controls”.

Biden also confirmed the freezing of US assets that “benefit the Burmese (Myanmar) government, while maintaining our support for healthcare, civil society groups, and other areas that benefit the people directly”.

The Myanmar military took over the country on February 1 over the disputed results of the November 8, 2020, parliamentary elections.

Besides the coup, the military also declared a year-long state of emergency and handed over the state power to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Ahead of taking control, former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, former President U Win Myint and other senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained.

Regarding Suu Kyi’s detention, Biden demanded the immediate release of all “democratic political leaders and activists”.

“The military must relinquish the power it seized and demonstrate respect for the will of the people of Burma as expressed in their November 8 election,” he said.

Biden said the people in Myanmar are making their voices heard by staging the ongoing protests across the country the coup and the detentions, adding that “the world is watching”.

“Violence against those asserting their democratic rights is unacceptable, and we’re going to keep calling it out.”

The President concluded his address by saying that “we’ll be ready to impose additional measures, and we’ll continue to work with our international partners to urge other nations to join us in these efforts”.

In the November 8, 2020, elections, the former de facto leader’s NLD party obtained more than 80 per cent of the seats and increased its parliamentary majority.

The military or the Tatmadaw had called for an investigation into voting lists, alleging fraud and discrepancies.

But the Union Election Commission rejected the allegations of election fraud on January 29.

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Iran’s nuclear achievements to be unveiled on April 9

Iran will unveil 50 new “nuclear achievements” on April 9 when the Islamic Republic will mark its National Day of Nuclear Technology, a top official announced here.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the country’s second Nuclear Industry Exhibition, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), on Tuesday termed the innovations as “might-creating”, reports Xinhua news agency.

Salehi praised the efforts of the AEOI’s scientists, pointing to the recent launch of uranium enrichment at a 20 per cent degree “within 12 hours”.

Iran resumed its uranium enrichment activities at 20 per cent purity level in 2019 after the US refrained to return to is commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA was singed between Iran and the US, the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany.

Former US President Donald Trump

Former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018.

Iran has also lifted JCPOA limitations on its nuclear research and development activities.

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Iran begins Covid-19 vax drive

The first person to receive the vaccine in the country was Parsa Namaki, the son of Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki…reports Asian Lite News

Iran on Tuesday started the nationwide vaccination campaign against Covid-19, using Russia’s Sputnik V jabs, official news agency IRNA reported.

The first person to receive the vaccine in the country was Parsa Namaki, the son of Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki, the Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the health ministry’s plan, the first to be inoculated are the medical and service workers employed at intensive care units where Covid-19 patients are hospitalised.

In a second stage, people aged over 65 with underlying diseases across the country will be vaccinated.

The Iranian Ministry of Health announced 89 new deaths related to Covid-19, bringing the death toll to 58,625.

As reported by the ministry’s official website, 7,640 new infections were confirmed between Monday and Tuesday, leading to an overall count of 1,481,396 cases in the country.

Also read:WHO dismisses claims coronavirus leaked from Lab

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Huawei CEO wants to reboot US relations

This is the first time the Huawei Founder has spoken to international media since the new administration took office in the US….reports Asian Lite News

Huawei Founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei on Tuesday urged the new US administration to adopt a more “open policy” towards Chinese companies, while he also expressed his desire to talk to President Joe Biden.

This is the first time the Huawei Founder has spoken to international media since the new administration took office in the US.

He said that Huawei, which became a prime target of US restrictions under the Trump administration, hope to avoid getting embroiled in geopolitics, the South China Morning Post reported.

“Our company does not have the energy to be involved in this political whirlpool. We strive to make good products,” he was quoted as saying.

“We hope that the US government can have a more open policy for the benefit of American companies and the development of the US economy.”

The Trump administration put Huawei on the US Department of Commerce’s trade blacklist.

The restrictions imposed by the Trump administration blocked Huawei’s access to software and hardware of US origin crucial to its business.

Its thriving smartphone business outside of China got seriously impacted as a result of the restrictions as it is unable to license Android from Google.

This led Huawei to part with its subsidiary Honor. However, Ren said that Huawei will not sell its own smartphone division.

“We have decided we absolutely will not sell off our consumer devices, our smartphone business,” he said.

The Huawei founder also reiterated his earlier offer to share Huawei’s 5G technology with US companies.

“We have said before that our 5G technology can be transferred in its entirety. That includes not only the rights to development but also source programs and source codes. If the US needs our chip technology, we can transfer it. Our words are sincere (but) no company has come to negotiate with us so far,” he said.

Ren said that Huawei still relies on globalisation to resolve its current challenges and is committed to the globalisation strategy.

Also read:Russia wants to restore EU ties

Also read:UN welcomes US return to Human Rights Council

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4 Afghan govt employees killed in Kabul

Security sources have said that the victims worked for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) in Maidan Wardak province….reports Asian Lite News

Four Afghan government employees were killed in Kabul on Tuesday after unidentified gunman opened fire on the vehicle they were travelling in, police said.

The incident took place at around 9.20 a.m. in Bagh-e-Daud area in the city’s Police District 5, reports TOLO News.

Security sources have said that the victims worked for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) in Maidan Wardak province.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

This was the second violent incident in Kabul on Tuesday.

An IED exploded in Police District 16, injuring one person.

The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a report released on January 30 that the Taliban and IS Islamic State terror group have increased targeted assassinations in the country, with increasing killings of government officials, civil society leaders and journalists.

Also read:‘US won’t withdraw troops from Afghanistan in May’

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Russia wants to restore EU ties

Russia is interested in restoring ties with the European Union (EU), but it firmly opposes the latter interfering in internal affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Russia never initiated the decline in relations with the EU, Peskov told a daily briefing on Monday, stressing the need to build a partnership based on non-interference and respect for each other’s interests.

“We are strongly against interference in each other’s interests… Let there be no doubt that we will act decisively in this regard,” Xinhua news agency quoted the spokesman as saying.

“But this does not mean that we somehow want to distance ourselves or further worsen the already deteriorating relationship between Moscow and Brussels.

“On the contrary, we are interested in its development,” he added.

Peskov’s comments came the same day after Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made pessimistic remarks on Russia-EU ties.

“My visit to Moscow highlighted that Russia does not want to seize the opportunity to have a more constructive dialogue with the EU. This is regrettable and we will have to draw the consequences,” Borrell said following his trip to Moscow from February 4-7 .

“My meeting with (Russian Foreign) Minister Sergei Lavrov and the messages sent by Russian authorities during my visit confirmed that Europe and Russia are drifting apart,” he added.

Sergei Lavrov

Prior to Peskov’s remarks, Lavrov said earlier in the day that he had told Borrell the blame for the collapse in Russia-EU relations rested on Brussels, TASS News Agency reported.

“During talks with Josep Borrell in Moscow, I spoke about importance of building Russia-EU relations on a systemic basis. I recalled that back in 2014 the EU had ruined the architecture of comprehensive ties with our country, which had been painstakingly built for years,” he said in a statement.

Josep Borrell

But he also said that during the talks with Borrell, the Russian side had reiterated its commitment to normalising relations with the bloc.

“Not on the basis of unilateral ultimatums, but on the basis of mutual respect and reckoning with each other’s interests. With such an approach, we are ready for cooperation in those areas where we have similar interests,” the Foreign Minister added.

Also Read-China arrests Aus journo over alleged spying

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China arrests Aus journo over alleged spying

The Chinese-born Australian journalist had been a TV presenter for Chinese state media outlet CGTN before she was taken into custody….reports Asian Lite News

Chinese officials have formally charged Australian journalist Cheng Lei of supplying state secrets overseas, after months of detention.

The Chinese-born Australian journalist had been a TV presenter for Chinese state media outlet CGTN before she was taken into custody.

Chinese authorities confirmed her arrest on Monday, adding that her legal rights would be guaranteed, the BBC reported.

Ms Cheng was detained in August and charged last Friday, Australian officials had earlier said.

At a press briefing on Monday, Chinese ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said he hoped Australia would “not interfere with China’s handling of this case”, BBC quoted news agency Reuters.

Canberra has repeatedly raised concerns with Beijing over Ms Cheng’s detention.

“We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with international norms,” said Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne.

“Our thoughts are with Ms Cheng and her family during this difficult period.”

Also read:Report on Xinjiang reveals China’s dark side

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SL general public to get jabs from March

Sri Lanka began vaccinating its frontline workers late last month after receiving 50,000 free Oxford-AstraZeneca-Covishield vaccines from India….reports Asian Lite News

The general public in Sri Lanka will get coronavirus vaccinations from the first week of March, State Minister of Primary Health Care Sudarshini Fernandopulle on has said. The vaccination drive will be starting with people above the age of 60 years.

Sri Lanka began vaccinating its frontline workers late last month after receiving 50,000 free Oxford-AstraZeneca-Covishield vaccines from India.

Sri Lanka has so far recorded and over 69,000 Covid-19 cases and 356 deaths.

Fernandopulle said the general public will be inoculated against the disease from next month. She said the drive will start with people over the age of 60 years and people in the workforce aged between 30 and 60 years.

As of now, 1,60,000 frontline workers, including police and military personnel, have been vaccinated so far, Fernandopulle said.

Apart from the vaccine gift from India, a consignment of vaccines would arrive in the island in early March through the COVAX international initiative. Sri Lanka will also import another 3 million vaccine doses from India.

The government also announced that 4,000 vaccination centres would be set up throughout the country as part of the nationwide inoculation drive. Of these, 2,000 will be operated daily where 300 people could be vaccinated everyday, according to reports.

Also read:Mass rallies continue in Myanmar despite ban on gatherings

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Mass rallies continue in Myanmar despite ban on gatherings

An order issued earlier in the day by the Military True News Information Team, gatherings of five or more than five persons at public areas have been banned in some townships of regions and states under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code…reports Asian Lite News

Despite a ban on gatherings in Myanmar, protests against last week’s military coup continued across the South Asian country for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday.

An order issued earlier in the day by the Military True News Information Team, gatherings of five or more than five persons at public areas have been banned in some townships of regions and states under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code, Xinhua news agency reported.

At the same time, a night-time curfew from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., has also been imposed in all townships excluding the Cocokyun township in Yangon, in some townships of Nay Pyi Taw, and Mandalay, according to the order.

“The curfew and ban on gatherings will be imposed in the places where crowds are most likely to occur,” an official from Myanmar Police Force told Xinhua.

The protesters are also demanding the release of former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with other senior government leaders on February 1 shortly before the military took control of the country over the disputed results of the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Besides the coup, the military also declared a year-long state of emergency and handed over the state power to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Protests have been reported in major cities, including Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay and Yangon.

On Sunday, Myanmar witnessed its largest protest in over a decade when thousands of people from all walks of life gathered in the the capital city.

Suu Kyi, former President U Win Myint, and other senior members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party are currently under house arrest.

In the November 8, 2020, elections, the former de facto leader’s NLD party obtained more than 80 per cent of the seats and increased its parliamentary majority.

The military or the Tatmadaw had called for an investigation into voting lists, alleging fraud and discrepancies.

But the Union Election Commission rejected the allegations of election fraud on January 29.

Also read:‘Nepal-India border fight to be resolved through talks’

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Prachanda may boycott upcoming polls

Prachanda also called on the international community to speak up in favour of democracy and constitutionalism in Nepal….reports Asian Lite News

The Nepal Communist Party (NCP) faction led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said on Tuesday that it might boycott the snap polls proposed for April and May, saying the “undemocratic and unconstitutional” elections are not acceptable.

Prachanda also called on the international community to speak up in favour of democracy and constitutionalism in Nepal.

Speaking to reporters here, Prachanda said that although they were yet to decide over participating in the elections, his faction will seriously ponder over the polls to be conducted under the “undemocratic and illegitimate” government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Oli dissolved the House of Representatives on December 20, 2020, and proposed to hold the snap polls on April 30 and May 10.

Oli’s decision to dissolve the House has been challenged at the Supreme Court and its hearing is going on.

Once the apex court delivers its verdict, then the there will be a clarity on whether Nepal will ahead with the elections or not or the dissolved Parliament will be reinstated.

“We have the faith in our institutions including the Supreme Court. We sincerely hopedthat Supreme Court will not validate Oli’s decision to dissolve the House and holding the snap polls,” said Prachanda, who had earlier removed Oli as the NCP Chairman and also expelled him from the party membership.

The Prachanda-led faction is now acting as a separate party and has claimed that it the “authentic” NCP in the Elections Commission though the party is yet to split technically.

Oli’s House dissolution move resulted in a split in the NCP and the other faction led by Prachanda and Madhav Kumar Nepal has been protesting against the move since.

The faction has demanded the restoration of the House and opposed the planned elections.

Despite opposition from various political parties, the Oli government on Monday evening decided to hold the announced elections in 40 districts in the first phase and 37 districts in the second phase.

“We are not against the elections and we have deep faith in the elections process since they are the basics of the democracy. But they way Oli has taken undemocratic and unconstitutional move, it has given us a thought whether to take part in the elections or not. Oli has hit out the democracy and overall system including federalism, inclusiveness, democracy, rule of law, republicanism, securalism and others. So elections conducted under such move will be undemocratic and unconstitutional,” said Prachanda.

Prachanda also ruled out any kind of foreign connections and intervention behind’s Oli’s move as suspected by some.

“All major powers are trying to expand their clout and want to impose their interest which is natural but internal power balance is the key. We are not pro to any power or against them. We want good relations with neighbours but we do not stand one against another. Oli might try to play the game but we are not going to drag anyone,” said Prachanda.

Replying a question why Prachanda and his faction did not try to seek international support against Oli’s move, Dahal said that since they are meetings with ambassadors from various countries like India, China, the US, and others, they have also publicly appealed to stand in favour of democracy.

“Democracy has murdered in Nepal and we have told this to the foreign envoys in our separate meetings. If needed we will brief the Kathmandu based international community in this respect,” he added.

Also read:‘Nepal-India border fight to be resolved through talks’