Many residents in the worst-hit city of Hualien spent the night in tents on sports grounds as a series of more than 300 aftershocks followed the worst quake to hit Taiwan in 25 years. Rescue workers on Thursday were searching for people in Taiwan after the strongest earthquake in a quarter century shook the island Wednesday. The Taiwan Fire Agency said in its latest update on Thursday that 52 people remained missing and 93 remained trapped.  A series of strong tremors and about 300 aftershocks also followed the quake throughout the day.  The 7.4-magnitude quake struck the island's east coast Wednesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 1,000. The extent of damage at the quake's epicenter in the mountainous Hualien County was still being assessed. Some choose to spend the night outdoors In Hualien City, workers used an excavator to stabilize the base of the damaged 10-story Uranus building with construction materials. Some 48 residential buildings were damaged by the quake, authorities said. All those trapped in buildings have been rescued, but many residents unnerved by the aftershocks spent the night outdoors. Many slept in tents on sports grounds that were being used for temporary shelter. Engineers were also at work to make sure that unstable buildings would not pose a risk. How are rescue operations progressing after the Taiwan earthquake? The National Fire Agency said some 40 people were still stranded inside a hotel at the Taroko National Park. It said employees and guests at the hotel were safe. Most of the people were killed by falling rocks on Wednesday, and four of the fatalities were inside the national park, according to the state Central News Agency. Authorities also raced to rescue people trapped in quarries and highway tunnels. Authorities said some 60 workers, who were unable to leave a quarry due to blocked roads, were freed on Thursday. Central News Agency said all of the workers got off the mountain safely around noon, and six workers from another quarry were airlifted out.  Taiwan celebrates a two-day public holiday on Thursday and Friday to celebrate the Qingming festival, with Taiwanese visiting the tombs of their ancestors. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen urged citizens to not venture out to mountainous regions of the island during the holiday, due to landslide concerns.     

The much-hyped rapid transport service in the form of overhead electric railway service, popularly known as metro-rail, started operating from Uttara to Motijheel via Agargaon till 8.40pm from today, bringing relief in city life. The dwellers of the capital city, where nightmare traffic congestion is a common phenomenon, are now able to enjoy an advanced, fast and safe transport till night. On Thursday, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which is responsible for operating Dhaka Metro Rail, in an official notification announced that the most effective and modern commuter for city dwellers will operate on Uttara-Motijheel route from 7:10 am to 8:40 pm from Saturday (Jan 20). Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd MAN Siddique said that the first train will leave Uttara for Motijheel at 7:10am and it will continue until 8:30pm, while the last train will leave Motijheel at 8:40pm. Earlier, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 was operated from 7:30 am to 11:30 am on Uttara-Motijheel section, while it is being run from 7:10 am to 8:00 pm on Uttara-Agargaon section. "We are very much excited as we can enjoy the metro service till night from today. Earlier, I needed nearly 2 to 3 hours to reach my destination in the afternoon. Today, I will be in Uttara from Motijheel area in just half an hour," Nafis Uddin, a private service holder residing in Uttara, told this BSS correspondent. He said he used metro-rail while going to office in Motijheel but during his return journey he had to travel by bus as the metro-operations from Agargaon to Motijheel section remained stopped after 11.30am. Nafis Uddin said it is like dreams come true for them as they got the opportunity to have such an advanced and environment friendly safe transport. Biplab Mallik, a resident of Shewrapara area and an employee of a private office at Karwan Bazar area where he has to attend his work in the afternoon shift, said earlier they had to take bus to reach his office but now he will be able to use metro-rail while going office and returning home. Shamima Hossain, a student of Dhaka University and a resident of Tejgaon are, said due to safety issues, she used to attend her classes at the university by rickshaw or CNG-run auto rickshaw. "But it is very costly. Metro-rail offers a new hope as now we will be able to reach the destitution within just 5-6 minutes which was beyond our imagination once," she said. It needs only 32 minutes to reach Motijheel from Uttara North station with current 10-minute interval and stoppages at all stations which include Uttara North, Uttara Centre, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur 11, Mirpur 10, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Bijoy Sharani, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Secretariat and Motijheel. MAN Siddique, Managing Director, (DMTCL) said currently 1.30 lakh to 1.50 lakh people are using the metro rail service daily, which is much higher than the estimation.

Afghanistan's Embassy in India on Sunday ceased operations. New Delhi does not recognize Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, who took power in 2021. India had allowed the Afghan Embassy to continue operating under the ambassador and mission staff appointed by ousted President Ashraf Ghani. India has said it will follow the lead of the United Nations in deciding whether to recognize the Taliban government. Last month, China became the first country to formally name a new ambassador to Afghanistan, with other states still maintaining envoys from before the Taliban takeover. What did the embassy say? "It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations," the embassy said in a statement. The statement said that it had become "increasingly challenging" to continue operations due to cuts in staff and resources. It also cited a "lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats." It said that a failure to meet expectations in serving Afghanistan's interests given the "lack of a legitimate functioning government in Kabul" was another factor in the closure. The embassy said that it "categorically refutes any baseless claims regarding internal strife" among its staff, adding that it denied any diplomats were "using the crisis to seek asylum in a country." The Reuters news agency reported the ambassador and other senior diplomats left India in recent months and had gained asylum in Europe and the United States, citing three embassy officials. India will take control of the embassy as a caretaker, according to the statement.

The Taliban has promised to keep terrorists out of Afghanistan, but the United States has stated that it still has the ability to carry out its own operations against terrorism in the Pak-Afghan region, Dawn reported. Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the US State Department, made these remarks in response to a query regarding recent terrorist assaults carried out within Pakistan from terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan. Nine soldiers were killed last week when terrorists assaulted a military facility in Zhob, Balochistan. The military’s media branch, ISPR, released a statement shortly after the incident, expressing “serious concerns” about the existence of terrorist “safe havens” in Afghanistan and urging Kabul not to allow terrorists to utilise their territory for carrying out strikes inside Pakistan, according to Dawn. Dawn is a Pakistani English-language newspaper that was launched in 1941. The message also served as a reminder to the caretaker Afghan government of their obligations under the Doha Agreement. The US military finally left Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, in compliance with the agreement that the US and Afghan Taliban signed in Doha, Qatar, in February 2020. Asked if the US expects the Taliban rulers to abide by the commitments they made in Doha, Mille said, “I will say that we will hold them to their commitments. But as we have said before, we retain the ability to conduct our own operations in the region to ensure that, regardless of any promises that the Taliban make and regardless of their relative ability or willingness to uphold them.” He added that the United States retains the right to protect American interests. Asked how confident he was that the Taliban would keep their promises, Miller said, “I don’t want to express any amount of confidence or lack of confidence”, reported Dawn. To a question about the Pakistani government’s plan to hold elections in early October, the US official said, “I will make clear that we support the peaceful upholding of fundamental democratic principles such as free media, free speech, freedom of assembly.” The United States, he said, champions the rule of law, not just in Pakistan but around the world. “These principles are the foundations for democratic elections. I have spoken to this both with respect to Pakistan specifically and of course, as it relates to other countries on numerous occasions,” Miller added. Responding to another question about an attack on a 150-year-old temple in Karachi, he said, “We support the free exercise of religion anywhere in the world and oppose any attempts or uses of violence to suppress that right of people to exercise their freedom of religion”, Dawn reported.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and Catherine Pollard visited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence, Ganabhaban on Sunday morning, june 25. They highly commended the Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their exemplary role in peacekeeping operations in countries facing conflicts.  During the meeting, they discussed various issues, including UN peacekeeping operations, climate change, and women's safety.  At the end of the meeting, a press briefing was conducted by the Prime Minister's Press Secretary, Ihsanul Karim. The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations stated that the United Nations has successfully completed 75 years of its peacekeeping operation. Regarding this matter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated, "Bangladesh has been contributing to the United Nations peacekeeping missions with utmost dedication and professionalism for more than three decades. Bangladesh is the largest troops contributor to UN peacekeeping missions." Prime Minister said, "Bangladesh is firmly committed to the women's safety and the increased participation of women in the UN peacekeeping mission." United Nations Under-Secretary-General  Catherine Pollard expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for Bangladesh's contribution to the trust fund to combat sexual exploitation and abuse. In response, Sheikh Hasina stated, "Bangladesh is resolutely committed to ensuring women's safety and reiterates its 'zero tolerance' policy against sexual harassment and abuse. Bangladesh has taken strict punitive measures against individuals involved in sexual misconduct through investigations." Regarding climate change, PM Hasina said, "Bangladesh is a vulnerable country, and the government is implementing effective measures to address the adverse impacts of climate change through its own resources." PM's Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the United Nations Muhammad Abdul Muhith, were present at the meeting.

The World Food Program had suspended operations after three team members died. Meanwhile, fighting in Khartoum has been reported despite a cease-fire.  The UN's World Food Program (WFP) said it lifted a suspension of operations since the deaths of three of its members in Sudan. The agency's executive director, Cindy McCain, announced the resumption of aid operations on Twitter and said the change to operational status would be effective immediately. "WFP is rapidly resuming our programs to provide the life-saving assistance that many so desperately need right now," McCain tweeted.  The WFP workers were killed during violence in Kabkabiya on April 15 in North Darfur which resulted in the WFP suspending all operations in Sudan. The WFP has warned that the fighting between the country's military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group could plunge the region into a humanitarian crisis. A power struggle is taking place between Sudan's de facto leader, army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan, and his former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the RSF. On Sunday, the paramilitary unit said it had agreed to extend a humanitarian truce for another three days, to allow the opening of humanitarian corridors and allow Sudanese and foreign nationals to reach safe areas. Reports of fighting in Sudan's capital Reuters news agency reported that fighting could be heard in Khartoum early on Monday, despite there being a renewed cease-fire between Sudan's army and the paramilitary RSF. Both sides have accused one another of violating the truce, which was renewed at midnight for another three days. According to Sudan's Health Ministry, fighting has killed at least 528 people and wounded 4,599, while forcing tens of thousands of people to flee the country. In Khartoum, the army has been fighting RSF forces who have entrenched themselves in residential areas and launching airstrikes targeting them, according to Reuters.  UK to operate extra evacuation flight British authorities on Sunday said another evacuation flight would take place following the official end of its evacuation mission in Sudan. The UK's Foreign Office said that a military aircraft would be flying from the coastal city of Port Sudan on Monday. To date, 2,122 people have been flown out on 23 flights from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near the capital Khartoum. "We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end the violence in Sudan," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.

Two anti-terrorist operations were conducted by police and security forces in the Bandipora and Anantnag districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, according to an official statement. During the Bandipora encounter, one terrorist was killed and police recovered arms and ammunition from the site. A joint cordon and search operation was launched by the police, 14 Rashtriya Rifles and third Battalion CRPF after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in the Salinder forest area in Bandipora. During a search of the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately on the joint search party which retaliated leading to an encounter, the statement said. It further informed that the deceased has been identified as Gulzar Ahmad Ganie, resident of the Wussan Pattan area of Baramulla. “The killed terrorist had exfiltrated in 2018 and remained there for three years and six months before infiltrating back in the last week of April. The search for the other two accomplice terrorists is still going on,” it stated. Police and security forces have recovered incriminating material, arms and ammunition including one AK rifle and three magazines from the encounter site. Meanwhile, another anti-terrorist operation was launched in the village Marhama area of Bijbehara Anantnag by the police, 3rd Rashtriya Rifles and 90 Battalion CRPF. “As the joint search party approached the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists started firing indiscriminately on the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” said the statement. Both the encounters are still going on and further details will be communicated as and when operations will conclude, said the police. Source: ANI

India remains an active participant in UN deliberations on women empowerment and gender mainstreaming issues, supports the secretary general's call to action for accelerated implementation of the WPS agenda in “Action for Peacekeeping (A4P)” and “A4P priorities”. India has paid tribute to all women and men peacekeepers, including the 14 police officers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, said the country's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, R Ravindra. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the contribution of United Nations Police to Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda, India said that it deployed about 3,000 police officers in around 24 UN peacekeeping operations. India remains an active participant in UN deliberations on women empowerment and gender mainstreaming issues, supports the secretary general's call to action for accelerated implementation of the WPS agenda in “Action for Peacekeeping (A4P)” and “A4P priorities”, the deputy permanent representative to the UN said. “Indian women Police officer Shakti Devi, who was deployed in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, was awarded the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2014 for her contribution in the creation of a Women's Police Council in Herat,” Ravindra said. He added that more targeted actions are needed to identify and address the structural problems that prevent increased numbers of uniformed women. India also highlighted the need to improve barracks facilities and related working conditions; provide equal opportunities for women, and implement a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and abuse to create a safe working environment.   Source : Hindustan Times

Flight operations between Bangladesh and India is likely to be resumed on September 3 under the air bubble agreement signed last year to facilitate movements of passengers and goods between the two neighbouring countries. Under the bilateral air bubble pact, airlines of both the countries can operate international flights with certain restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The air bubble may be resumed w.e.f (with effect from) 03.09.21 till resumption of scheduled international passenger flights,” according to a letter issued by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday. The operation under the Air Bubble would be resumed with 7 frequencies per week (for carriers of either country) when Indian carriers will operate 7 flights in a week between the two countries. Among those, Spice Jet will operate three flights per week on Delhi/Kolkata/Chennai/Mumbai-Dhaka route while Indigo will operate two flights in different points of India-Dhaka and Air India will operate two flights in between Kolkata-Dhaka in a week. The passengers have to strictly follow Covid-19 protocol while traveling both the countries to contain the spread of Coronavirus. “Passengers travelling from Bangladesh to India shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid confirmatory molecular tests on arrival at the Indian airports concerned,” the letter said. The passengers holding tourist visas will not to be allowed to enter India as on date.   The Civil Aviation Ministry of India issued the letter is in response to a letter sent by Bangladesh authority on August 11 seeking India’s approval for resumption of the flight operations between the two countries under the air bubble agreement. In its letter, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to its Indian counterpart proposed 21 flights per week for the operators of both the countries for this time being. Under this proposal, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate nine flights in Dhaka-Kolkata/Chennai/Delhi-Dhaka routes while two flights in Chattogram-Kolkata/ Chennai/ Delhi-Chattogram. US Bangla airlines will operate seven flights in Dhaka-Kolkata/Chennai/Delhi-Dhaka and Novo Air to operate one flight in Dhaka-Kolkata/Chennai/Delhi-Dhaka.     Earlier, the Indian Visa Application Centres (IVAC) in Bangladesh has resumed operations from August 10. According to a statement of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka recently, the 15 IVAC across Bangladesh will accept all applications excepting tourist visa application. Media reports said more than 3,500 Bangladeshis travel to India daily on an average basis and of them, over 10 percent used to travel on medical purposes. Out of the foreigners who visit India for medical purposes, 45 percent are from Bangladesh, according to the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. More than 13.7 million foreigners took treatment in India between January 2018 and March 2019. They include 2.8 million Bangladeshis, reports added. Source: BSS AH

Bangladesh and the United States on Wednesday signed an agreement for flight operations between the two countries. From now on, the agreement will serve as the primary basis for aviation between the two countries. The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism at the Secretariat by Civil Aviation and Tourism Senior Secretary Mahibul Haque on Behalf of Bangladesh and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller on behalf of the United States. The signing took place in the light of a prior agreement inked between the two countries in 2013. According to the agreement signed between the two countries on the basis of open-air policy, both the countries can nominate any number of airlines as their designated airlines to operate flights between the two countries. The designated airlines of each country will be able to operate any number of passenger and cargo aircraft by the third and fourth freedom rights. The designated airlines of the two countries will also be able to operate any passenger aircraft and cargo aircraft by any aircraft at any intermediate or remote point in compliance with the fifth freedom right. Both countries will be able to operate flights through code sharing. Speaking at the signing ceremony, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali MP said the agreement signed between Bangladesh and the United States was a landmark step towards mutual cooperation in the aviation sector of the two countries. “Today's air communication agreement is a testament to the strength of the existing friendship between Bangladesh and the United States,” he said. “We’re working on the development of physical infrastructure as well as security at the airport on a priority basis. In recent times, there has been a visible improvement in security at Bangladesh's airports. This has also been reflected in the ICAO report. Bangladesh occupies an important place in the organization’s 2018 and 2019 safety regulations report,” he added. Mahibul Haque said the agreement would play an important role in mutual cooperation and direct air communication between the two countries in the aviation sector. “Also, work is underway to achieve the Category-1 designation set by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to start direct flights between the two countries,” he said. US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller said the introduction of direct air communication will give a new dimension to the people-to-people relations between the two countries. Chairman of Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority Vice Marshal Mohammad Mofidur Rahman, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sabbir Ahmed Chowdhury, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Janendra Nath Sarkar were present at the signing ceremony. Source: UNB AH