WASHINGTON, 02 November 2021, (TON): US President Joe Biden has apologized to the international community for the decision of his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, to withdraw the country from the Paris climate agreement.

Biden said at the Glasgow Climate Conference (COP26) these days “I suppose I shouldn’t ask for forgiveness, but I apologize for the fact that the United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement under the previous administration.”

In 2017, then-US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would end its participation in the Paris climate agreement.

Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the 2020 presidential election, signed a decree shortly after his inauguration to return the United States to the list of countries participating in the agreement.

WASHINGTON, 02 November 2021, (TON): Command ship Mount Whitney headed to the Black Sea for joint operations with Alliance forces. This is stated in a message posted on Twitter by the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet.

The statement said “the flagship of the Sixth Fleet [US] Mount Whitney, has begun its voyage northward into the Black Sea to conduct operations with our allies and NATO partners in the region.”

Earlier, the command of the Sixth Fleet informed about the US plans to send a command ship with officers of the fleet headquarters and the command of the NATO Strike Force and Support Forces (STRIKFORNATO) on board into the Black Sea.

The departure date was not specified.

GLASGO, 02 November 2021, (TON): The arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron to the climate conference in Glasgow caused a stir when he passed the press to the meeting venue.

The French president , who first arrived in Britain after the scandal between France and Britain over licenses to French fishermen, was literally attacked by journalists after his meeting with the British Prime Minister the day before.

France has said “it will announce the first sanctions against Britain on November 2 for non-compliance with an agreement on licenses for French fishermen. Earlier, the French authorities stated that they consider the UK’s position on issuing licenses to French fishermen absolutely unacceptable and intend to consider the possibility of retaliatory measures.”

A representative of the British government, commenting on statements about the upcoming sanctions in Paris , called France’s actions “disappointing and disproportionate”, which “do not expect from the closest ally and partner.”

According to him, the steps that Paris threatened are incompatible with the agreement on trade and cooperation, as well as international law. British Foreign Minister Liz Truss. that Paris must, within 48 hours, abandon “unfounded” threats against the British fishing industry.

DUBAI, 02 November 2021, (TON): The UAE called on its citizens in Lebanon to immediately return home, a day after recalling its diplomats from Beirut over a Lebanese minister’s remarks on the Yemen war.

It said in a statement “in light of current events, the foreign ministry calls on all its citizens in Lebanon to return to the UAE as soon as possible.”

It added in an interview “the ministry has taken all necessary measures to facilitate the return of its citizens,”

A Saudi-led military coalition that has included the UAE intervened to prop up the Yemeni government in 2015, after Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa in 2014. Saudi Arabia gave Lebanon’s ambassador 48 hours to leave the country, recalled its envoy from Beirut and suspended all imports from Lebanon.

WASHINGTON, 02 November 2021, (TON):  The US Air Force said “it flew a B-1B strategic bomber over key maritime chokepoints in the Mideast with allies including Israel amid ongoing tensions with Iran as its nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters.”

The B-1B Lancer bomber flew on Saturday over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20pc of all oil traded passes. It also flew over the Red Sea, its narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Egypt’s Suez Canal.

The Strait of Hormuz has been the scene of attacks on shipping blamed on Iran in recent years, while the Red Sea has seen similar assaults amid an ongoing shadow war between Tehran and Israel.

The Islamic Republic has denied being involved in the attacks, though it has promised to take revenge on Israel for a series of attacks targeting its nuclear programme.

Fighter jets from S. Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Israel flew alongside the strategic bomber

Fighter jets from Bahrain, Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia flew alongside the bomber.

Iranian state media did not immediately acknowledge the flyover. Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

WASHINGTON, 02 November 2021, (TON): The United States has expressed concern about increased military operations in parts of Myanmar, including Chin state, where it said more than 100 homes and churches had been destroyed in the offensive.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a February 1 coup and the United Nations and local media have recently reported a build-up of heavy weapons and troops, suggesting an imminent attack by the ruling military.

The US State Department said "we are also deeply concerned over the Burmese security forces’ intensification of military operations in various parts of the country.”

It accused security forces of gross human rights violations which it said laid bare the regime's disregard for peoples' lives and welfare.

Witnesses, aid groups and local media have reported burning down of houses and an exodus of people from Thantlang town in Chin state.

Salai, a member of a local anti-junta militia, said the army fired artillery into the town on October 29, starting off a fire in some houses.

Soldiers then set fire to houses, Salai said, adding he could see from a hill overlooking the town.

He told media "we saw the smoke and we knew that some of our homes were on fire. There was nothing that we could do about it, just to watch the burning.”

He said “drone footage the next day showed 164 houses and two churches were destroyed.”

KABUL, 02 November 2021, (TON): The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate said that the facilities and opportunities for trade and investment in the country have been facilitated and all sections of the society have the spirit of serving the country.

According to BNA reporter; Zabihullah Mujahid, Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Deputy Minister of Publications of the Ministry of Information and Culture, yesterday at a conference under the name of Afghanistan Industry; Today and tomorrow, the opportunities and challenges presented by the Chamber of Mines and Industries of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said, the Islamic Emirate has created facilities and opportunities for the growth of trade and investment in Afghanistan, and all businessmen and industrialists should invest.

He said “all people and sections of society have the spirit of service and the will of the country, and there are capacities to grow trade and industry, solve the country’s economic problem ourselves, we try to turn the existing challenges into opportunities.”

He added “I assure you that the lives and property of traders and investors are safe and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports traders and industrialists and is ready to solve the problems of traders and investors.”

Qari Bashir, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, said “trade and industry is very important in the growth of the country and efforts are underway to solve the problems and challenges of businessmen and investors.”

ISLAMABAD, 02 November 2021, (TON): Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance Shaukat Tarin said “Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached an agreement regarding the resumption of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.”

According to media sources, the finance adviser said that a formal accord in this regard will be signed later this week.

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had held talks in the first week of October, but they could not reach a staff-level agreement at the scheduled time because of differences over the macroeconomic framework. However, Tarin had allayed concerns at the time, saying talks were still ongoing.

Tarin also addressed the inauguration ceremony of the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) in Islamabad.

The adviser said “business activities would not only resume but would also grow at a much faster pace, so there is a dire need to take advantage of this opportune situation.”

ISLAMABAD, 02 November 2021, (TON): Pakistan's Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Khan said that an agreement had been reached with Afghan authorities to reopen the Chaman-Spin Boldak gate from today (Tuesday), nearly a month after the border crossing was closed for pedestrians and trade by the Taliban.

Ambassador Khan told media “as a result of a meeting between border authorities, Afghanistan and Pakistan have decided to open Chaman-Boldak crossing from tomorrow for pedestrians as well as trade. The two sides will now look forward to ensuring smooth operations of the important border crossing.”

The envoy said he had recently called on Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and, among other issues, they had discussed the need for opening the Boldak-Chaman crossing at the earliest, ensuring the facilitation of cross-border movement of people and trade vehicles on both sides, especially because it was the fruit harvest season in Afghanistan.

He said “we also had discussions about following up on the recent visit of the foreign minister of Pakistan to Kabul, which was extremely productive. We remain closely engaged with Afghan authorities for facilitating the movement of people at all border crossings.”

According to a senior member of the Chaman Chamber of Commerce, Usman Achakzai, the decision to reopen the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing was taken at a meeting held on the Afghan side of the border.

NEW DELHI, 02 November 2021, (TON): The Army and IAF kicked off a major “airborne insertion and combat” exercise along the frontier with China in eastern Ladakh, which will see paratroopers practice capturing territory “behind enemy lines” and then “link up” with their advancing tanks while attack helicopters destroy hostile mechanized forces.

Sources said that the three-day exercise, with hundreds of pre-acclimatized troops and heavy weapon systems at an altitude of over 14,000-feet and minus 20 degree Celsius temperatures, is meant to convey yet another “clear message” to China after the Agni-V missile test last week to “desist from any misadventures along the northern borders.

The combat manoeuvres come amid the continuing deadlock in the 18-month-long military confrontation in eastern Ladakh, with China refusing to even complete the stalled troop disengagement at Patrolling Point-15 in the Hot Springs-Gogra-Kongka La area in the 13th round of corps commander-level talks on October 10.