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-Top News China

11th round of talks for border pull back

Indian military delegates were led by Lieutenant General PGK Menon, Commander of 14 Corps based in Leh…reports Asian Lite News.

India and China will hold 11th round of Corps Commander talks on Friday at Chushul to iron out differences for the next phase of disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.

After nearly a two month gap, the Corps Commander level talk is again happening between the two countries. The focus of the talk would be disengagement on other friction points. After Pangong disengagement, both the countries have planned to carry out disengagement on other friction points like Gogra, Hot Springs and Depsang.

“Important that before the onset of summer, de-escalation is discussed. Both sides need retreat to original positions for things to ease,” said a senior Indian Army officer.

On February 20, Indian and Chinese militaries held 10th round of military dialogue to de-escalate tension at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Indian military delegates were led by Lieutenant General PGK Menon, Commander of 14 Corps based in Leh.

They had met to discuss disengagement at friction areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and 900 square km Depsang plains.

The build-up in Depsang was not being considered part of the current standoff that started in May last year as escalations here took place in 2013, India has insisted during recent military commander meetings to resolve all issues across the Line of Actual Control.

Disengagement-process-in-progress-in-south-of-Pangong-Lake

“The initial attempt will be to resolve Gogra and Hot Springs. Finding a solution to Depsang might be tricky and take longer,” said the officer.

So far disengagement process at both banks of the Pangong Lake has taken place. It was on February 10 that China made an announcement that New Delhi and Beijing had agreed to disengage at Pangong Lake.

Indian Army team along with Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) team physically verified and re-verified disengagement at Pangong Lake.

As per the agreement, Chinese troops moved back to Finger 8 and Indian troops pulled back to the Dhan Singh Thapa post between Finger 2 and 3 of the north bank of Pangong Lake.

Disengagement-process-in-progress-in-south-of-Pangong-Lake

A temporary moratorium on military activities, including patrolling to the traditional areas was placed.

The mountain spur jutting into the lake is referred to as Finger in military parlance. The north bank of the lake is divided into 8 Fingers. India has claimed its territory till Finger 8 and China disputes it and claims its own territory till Finger 4.

India and China are engaged in a year long standoff at the Line of Actual Control. The confrontations began on the north bank of Pangong Lake, both in the waters and the bank as Chinese incursions increased in early May last year.

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-Top News USA

US to encounter 2mn migrants at southern border

Up to 1.1 million single adults are expected through September, along with around 828,000 families and more than 200,000 unaccompanied children…reports Asian Lite News

The US is expected to encounter about 2 million migrants at the southern border by the end of the 2021 fiscal year, a record high since 2010, local media reports said.

Up to 1.1 million single adults are expected through September, along with around 828,000 families and more than 200,000 unaccompanied children, according to internal government estimates reviewed and published by CNN on Thursday.

Border Patrol encounters are expected to continue to rise month-by-month, according to the projections, which can vary, Xinhua news agency quoted the CNN report as saying.

US Border Patrol encounters are also expected to be largely made up of single adults, who are being turned away at the southern border as soon as they are encountered under a public health order, and as a result, might also account for repeat crossers, the report added.

Customs and Border Protection officials project that some 159,000 to 184,000 unaccompanied migrant children could arrive at the southwest border in fiscal year 2021, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief of the Border Patrol Raul Ortiz told reporters on Tuesday that the agency expects to encounter more than 1 million migrants this fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2020.

The last time Border Patrol apprehensions surpassed 1 million was in fiscal year 2006, according to data from Customs and Border Protection.

Border Patrol arrests also climbed during the 2019 border crisis, but fell short of 900,000.

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-Top News Asia News

Iran-Iraq border to be closed till April

On February 20, Iran closed several crossing points with Iraq to stem the spread of a new coronavirus variant…reports Asian Lite News.

While the coronavirus pandemic has continued to impact people of  all strata, as earlier borders are about to shut down. The border points between Iran and Iraq will be closed for passengers until April 4 in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a top government official said here

The announcement was made on Wednesday by Hossein Qasemi, Director-General of Border Affairs of Iranian Interior Ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

The decision was taken by the National Headquarters for Fighting Coronavirus following the request of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Qasemi told the media.

However, if there are Iranian nationals in Iraq who want to return, or if Iraqi nationals in Iran want to go back to their country, they can cross the border, he said.

Also, border crossing for traders, contractors and engineering activities would be possible after necessary evaluations, he added.

On February 20, Iran closed several crossing points with Iraq to stem the spread of a new coronavirus variant.

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