ADDIS ABABA, 17 March, 2021 (TON): The Ethiopian government opposed calls by Sudan for the outside mediators including the U.S. over the dispute of hydroelectric dam over the Nile River, an official said on Tuesday. 

Dina Mufti, Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman told the media, that Ethiopia is generally opposed to mediation by outside parties even though the African Union is welcome to help,

He said, “The tripartite talks between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam should be concluded between the three countries themselves, not through mediators.”

“The role of mediators is facilitating the talks, not spoon-feeding the process,” he added.

“Ethiopia has big respect for the African Union” and that the country believes in resolving African problems by Africans,” he continued.

On Monday, the media reported that after the visit of Sudan’s prime minister to Cairo last week, Sudan had requested the EU, U.S., and African Union to mediate help in resolving the dispute.

However, despite negotiations that have lasted years, Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have failed to reach a deal over how to share the Nile’s water, a lifeline for all three countries. The talks with a variety of mediators, including the Trump administration, have failed to produce a resolution.

SEOUL, 17 March, 2021, (TON): Korea's first remarks aimed at the Biden organization, Kim Jong Un's incredible sister on Tuesday cautioned the United States to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the following four years.

Kim Yo Jong's assertion was issued as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin showed up in Asia to converse with US partners Japan and South Korea about North Korea and other territorial issues. They have meetings in Tokyo on Tuesday prior to addressing authorities in Seoul on Wednesday.

“We take this opportunity to warn the US Administration trying hard to give off (gun) powder smell in our land,” she said.   “If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step.”     

Kim Yo Jong, a senior authority who handles Korean issues, likewise censured the US and South Korea for holding military activities. She likewise said the North would consider surrendering a 2018 two-sided concession to lessening military strains and annul a decades-old decision party unit entrusted to deal with between Korean relations on the off chance that it not, at this point needed to help out the South.

She said the North would also consider scrapping an office that handled South Korean tours to the North's scenic Diamond Mountain.

NEW YORK, 17 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, the Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris joined the UN and said while addressing a meeting on gender equality that democracy fundamentally depends on women empowerment and is increasingly under great strain globally.

Kamala addressed the 65^th Commission on the Status of Women and said in a video statement that the U.S. will work for the improvement of both.  

"Democracy requires constant vigilance, constant improvement. It is a work in progress. And today, we know that democracy is increasingly under great strain," said Ms. Harris.

She added, “The status of democracy also depends fundamentally on the empowerment of women. Not only because the exclusion of women in decision-making is a marker of flawed democracy, but because the participation of women strengthens democracy.”

The former U.S. President Trump led a push at UN in UN resolutions against the promotion of women’s sexual, reproductive, and health rights however, the Biden administration would revitalize its partnership with the UN Women, a body dedicated to women empowerment and gender equality, she highlighted.

RIYADH, 17 March, 2021 (TON): Saudi authorities said they strongly condemn Tuesday’s demonstrations at the Presidential palace in Yemen.

Amid frustrations over the economic crisis in the country, a group of demonstrators broke into Al-Maashiq Palace in Aden.

The group dispersed peacefully after a short time.

The Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom restated its continuous support for the Yemenis and the Yemeni government of PM Maeen Abdulmalik.

 The Ministry also stressed the importance to give an opportunity to the government to serve its people during the hard economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen.

The Kingdom also urged both parties to meet in Riyadh and agree on the Riyadh agreement to cater to the peace process.

However, many analysts and experts say that once the agreement is implemented, it would unite citizens in Yemen, will end the row between the factions, and will prove to be a tool to restore peace and stability in the country.

TOKYO, 16 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met the Japanese FM Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo.

On the visit they discussed the importance of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

Blnken tweeted, "Pleasure to meet with my friend and Japanese counterpart, Motegi today. We're committed to deepening US-Japan coordination on global challenges and our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

“Had a great discussion with the Secretary of Defense, Motegi, and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi on the importance of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific anchored by universal values and uninhibited by coercive power," he added.

He further added, "We're committed to cooperation with Japan including as part of the Quad and trilaterally with South Korea."

Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Tokyo on Monday evening, kicking-off a two-leg Asia, a tour that will also take them to South Korea.

Blinken said in a statement, "Their tireless work representing the US in Japan and promoting the interests and values of the American people is an invaluable asset to our country."

Sources said that before the meeting with Japanese officials, Blinken held a virtual discussion with the staff members of the U.S. embassy in Tokyo, and also the U.S. Secretary of State and Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd will visit South Korea after this visit.

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CANBERRA, 16 March, 2021 (TON): As the Australian PM Scott Morrison accused of ignoring the nationwide protests, the opposition urges the leader to show leadership to address misogyny in the nation’s Parliament.

As on Monday, tens of thousands of Australians gathered for the 4 March Justice Movement to protest misogyny and violence in politics and the broader community, the Albanese told Parliament, "They are crying out that this is a moment that requires leadership."

"It requires leadership from this prime minister and we are not getting it," he added.

The opposition Labor Party leader, Anthony Albanese said that Morrison tends to ignore clear calls made by the protestors across the country.

The “4 March Justice Movement” was established after the former government staffer, Brittany Higgins, alleged to be sexually assaulted in the office of Defense Minister Linda Reynolds by a colleague in 2019.

Similarly, Attorney-General Christian Porter was accused of the same charges that he denied.

"The system is broken, the glass ceiling is still in place and there are significant failings in the power structures within our institution,” Higgins told the rally on Monday.

However, in response the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Women, Marise Payne affirmed and agreed with the statements.

KABUL, 16 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, unidentified gunmen opened fire at a university bus in Afghanistan’s Baghlan province that killed at least 30 and 6 teachers injured.

Outside the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri, the shooting incident took place at about 8.40 a.m., a senior police official told the media.

The victims were the bus driver and a university student, the official said.

No group claimed responsibility for the incident; however, in this latest string of targeted attacks in the Asian country the gunmen escaped the scene.

Yesterday, in a targeted bomb attack on a bus of the Ministry of Information and Technology in Kabul, 15 people were injured.

As per the reports of the Commission, around 2250 civilian casualties and 1172 injuries resulted in the targeted attacks a past year.

KATHMANDU, 16 March, 2021 (TON): Bahrain’s Prince Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa along with his expedition team arrived in Nepal to summit Mt Everest this spring season.

5 months after climbing the 8,163m high Mt Manaslu the 16-member team including the prince arrived in Nepal on Monday evening, said Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks.

Sherpa told the media, "The expedition team comprising 13 Bahraini nationals and three British nationals will make (an) attempt to summit Mt Everest this spring,"

"A chartered flight carrying the mountaineering team consisting of Bahraini Royal family members landed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu 6.45 p.m.," a duty officer at TIA told the media.  

The chairperson of the trekking company stated that climbing permits from the Department of Tourism had already been in process.  

KINSHASA, 16 March, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the March parliamentary session began in Kinshasa as the DRC has been without a government for two months.

After the appointment of the new PM Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde who has yet to establish his cabinet, Monday’s session comes one month after.

However, in the wake of the challenges awaited by the new government, the president of the Senate recalled the urgency of this issue during yesterday’s session.

According to information from sources close to both the Prime Minister and President Félix Tshisekedi, it appears that the lineup of the new cabinet is to be announced this week.

Nevertheless, it remains unclear to many why the process has been dragging and for others, the idea of a government with 40 members is hardly feasible given the appetites and ambitions of the various political parties. However, several sources say that there are many differences over the distribution of ministerial posts.

NEW DELHI, 16 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, while speaking in the Lok Sabha, during the Budget Session of Parliament, Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that Railways will never be privatized rather private investment is encouraged for its more efficient functioning.

"Indian Railways will never be privatized. It is a property of every Indian and will remain so,” the minister said, adding that it will remain with the government of India.

 “We are focusing on passenger safety. I am happy to say that there has been no passenger death in the past two years. The last death due to a train accident happened in March 2019," the minister said.

While referring to the railways budget, he said that the Modi government has hiked investment in railways to Rs 2.15 lakh crore in 2021-22 fiscal, from Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2019-20 fiscal.

The minister reiterated during the session that the country can progress towards high growth and create more employment opportunities only when the public and private sectors work together.