NEW YORK, 18 March, 2021 (TON): UN spokesman said Dujarric, the UN, and its partners have launched the 2021 humanitarian response plan for Yemen seeking $3.85 billion for urgent, life-saving aid for more than half of the country's population.

UN-SG Antonio Guterres briefed on Wednesday that about 16 million people need urgent help and 20.7 million Yemenis need some humanitarian assistance, including 12.1 million people in acute need.

Yemen's population is more than 30 million people as UN estimated and currently, the country faces a humanitarian crisis.

KABUL, 18 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, a helicopter crash in central Afghanistan killed nine Afghan security forces, the Afghan defense ministry said on Thursday.

The crash took place in Maidan Wardak province of Afghanistan.

The official sources said that the helicopter was hit by a rocket while taking off.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry confirmed the dead to include crew members and special force personnel.

BEIRUT, 18 March, 2021 (TON): In a televised address on Wednesday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun urged the PM-designate Saad Hariri to visit the presidential palace to form a new cabinet immediately or if unable make way for someone else.

In a statement, Aoun said, “If Prime Minister-designate Hariri finds himself unable to form a government, he should make way for those who are.”

“My call is determined and truthful to the prime minister-designate to choose immediately one of the two choices, as silence is not an option after today,” he added.

“There is no use in all positions and blame-shifting if the country collapses and the people become prisoners of despair and frustration, there is no escape for them but anger. Everything subsides in front of the people's suffering, which has reached levels that they cannot bear,” he said while accusing him of blocking the process to form a new government.

As Aoun and Hariri had been fighting over the new government formation since his nomination in October, Hariri replied to Aoun’s comments saying, “After many weeks of introducing an integrated lineup to a non-partisan specialist government capable of implementing the reforms required to stop the collapse and start the reconstruction of what was destroyed by the port explosion in Beirut, I am awaiting a call from the president to discuss the proposed lineup.”

He said he visited the president 16 times since being assigned the task of forming a new government and would be honored to visit Aoun for the 17th time, when his schedule permits, to discuss the government formation.

However, as the country is utterly facing deadlock over the political situation as the new government has not yet set up since premier Hassan Diab’s resignation on 4 August last year, moreover, protests are taking place as recently, protesters tried to storm the economy ministry building in Beirut over the currency hitting a new bow, Lebanon seeks for stability in the country in the hope to save Lebanon.  

WASHINGTON, 18 March, 2021, (TON): Tremendous measures of old water may have been caught underneath the outside of Mars, as per a NASA-supported examination which challenges the ebb and flow assumption that the Red Planet's water got away into space.

Proof found on the outside of Mars recommends that plentiful water streamed across Mars billions of years prior, framing pools, lakes, and profound seas, and where did all that water go has been a matter of study. The new research, distributed in the journal Science, shows that a critical bit of Mars' water somewhere in the range of 30 and 99 percent is caught inside minerals in the planet's hull.

ISLAMABAD, 18 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, the Pakistani government appointed a new Chief of Pak Air Force, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar.

Air Marshal Babar will replace the present Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan at the change of ceremony that would be held at the Air Headquarters on Friday.

Babar was commissioned in the Pakistan Air Force as a fighter pilot in April 1986 and he has commanded a fighter squadron, an operational air base, and regional air command. He also served as assistant air chief for operation research and development, assistant air chief for training officers, and the director-general of projects at the Air Headquarters.

In addition to this, in recognition of his services, he was awarded two important military awards by the president of the country.

KHARTOUM, 18 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, the head of Sudan’s ruling interim military council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan urged Ethiopia to withdraw its troops from the territory of Sudan.

During a visit to the Omdurman military zone units, Burhan said, “We will continue to demand that Ethiopian forces withdraw from all Sudanese lands.”

While stressing on Ethiopia’s recognizing Sudanese sovereignty over the eastern border region, Burhan said, “Unless there is an acknowledgment by the Ethiopian side that these lands are Sudanese and signs have been placed, we will not negotiate with anyone.”

The Sudanese army has reopened the Sudanese territory on the eastern border and is firm on having no friendly talks with Ethiopia unless it approves the Sudanese territory.

However, both countries are going through tensions over the Ethiopian farmers cultivating land that is claimed by Sudan. Likewise, both claim sovereignty over the Al-Fashaqa region where Ethiopia’s northern Amhara and Tigray regions meet Sudan’s eastern Gedaref state.

LONDON, 18 March, 2021, (TON): Burglars, thieves, and robbers released from prison will be made to wear GPS tags to track their movements in a world-first scheme to crack down on neighborhood criminals, the UK government announced on Wednesday.

Under the new guidelines, such wrongdoers who have carried out a jail punishment of a year or more will be consequently fitted with a tag on discharge, permitting their whereabouts to be observed by GPS satellites 24 hours every day for as long as a year.

With the greater part of those indicted for robbery and theft reoffending inside a year and right around 80% of cases bringing about no suspect being recognized, the Ministry of Justice said the new plan will be an indispensable additional wellspring of knowledge to help police get these steady wrongdoers.

“Being burgled or robbed is devastating and I understand how frustrating it is when the perpetrators can’t be caught, both for the public and the police,” said Kit Malthouse, UK Minister for Crime and Policing.

“Tagging these prolific offenders so we know where they are 24 hours a day should be powerful persuasion to change their ways and will help police find and charge them if they don’t. It’s another tool helping probation staff to cut crime and keep the public safe,” he said.

DHAKA, 18 March, 2021 (TON): While speaking at an event at the National Parade Ground on Wednesday, President Abdul Hamid said that the political situation of the country has reversed rather than progressing as Bangladesh celebrates its 50^th year of independence.

 He said, “We have completed 50 years of independence and have seen many ups and downs in politics. We, however, need to ponder on how much qualitative change has happened in politics. The ideology of politics revolves around the notions that the party is greater than a person and the country is greater than a party. These days, however, politics is stepping backward.”

“A group of people with vested interest has transformed politics into a profession. Politics is not a profession. A person earns a living through their profession while politics is a great platform to work for the welfare of the country and its people.

Therefore, if one considers politics as a profession, they become be oblivious to the welfare of the country and its people but remain fixated with their own family.”

As Bangladesh is celebrating its golden jubilee independence and the birth anniversary of its founder, the country has organized a 10-day event with the theme of 'Mujib Chiranton (Eternal Mujib)’ to commemorate the momentous occasions, where the leaders of four neighboring countries are invited.

THUMPU, 18 March, 2021 (TON): About 38 business projects have been approved by the Bhutanese government’s National Credit Guarantee Scheme (NCGS) aiming to generate more job opportunities for the masses.

The five-month-old launched scheme cleared the projects worth Nu 128.1 million.

According to the PM’s office, the projects will generate more than 400 jobs, and altogether 174 applicants have applied for the project so far.

However, media reported that till now only 11.734 million has been spent over 10 projects till 8 March and the loan will be extended to the rest of the project soon.

Director of NCGS, Sonam Penjor said while a few projects were waiting for some clearances, disbursement would keep happening as the projects meet banks’ requirement and documentation were complete. The disbursement starts as soon as the project is approved. We’ve already approved about 22 projects last week.”

According to the project official, there were 8,762 queries since the scheme launched in October last year.

However, the loan given to boost the project was disbursed through three participating banks of Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL), Bank of Bhutan Limited (BoB), and National CSI Development Bank (NCSIDB). The loans will be disbursed in a phase-wise manner depending on the implementation of the projects.

TRIPOLI, 17 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, Tunisia’s President Kais Saied makes the first head of the state visit Tripoli and met Libya’s newly appointed government officials.

In Tripoli, at Mitiga International Airport, the Tunisian President was received by Mohammad Younes Menfi, head of Libya’s Presidential Council.

According to Menfi’s office, the Tunisian leader also met with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to have talks that focused on the economy and trade between the two sides.

During the meeting, Tunisia’s support for democracy in Libya was also discussed.

Since 2012, Wednesday’s visit is the first by Tunisian leaders, however, in November, Tunisia hosted talks of the UN-picked Libyan political forum where the Libyan interim government was appointed.

However, as the oil-rich country gets its unity government that would through the country towards the general elections on 24 December, 2021, and revives hopes of stability in the region, likewise, the appointment has become a shelter for the insurgents threatening neighbors.