DAKHA, 9 December 2020, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on the occasion of “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime” and “72nd Anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” highlighted the events of March 1971 and onwards, when people of the erstwhile Eastern part of Pakistan faced unleashed brutal mass killings of the innocent civilian population by occupying Western forces.

Prime Minister Hasina said, "On the occasion of the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime” as well as the “72nd anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”, Bangladesh joins the international community in paying solemn tribute to the victims of genocide throughout the history of the world and reiterates its firm commitment to preventing such heinous crimes." She added, "The pain and trauma inflicted on us in 1971 motivate us to seek an end to genocide anywhere and demand justice for the victims of this heinous crime."

She pointed out that despite the obligation of the global community to prevent the crimes of genocide, many innocent people across the globe continue to face atrocities, oppression and systematic persecution caused by xenophobia, intolerance and hatred,

While highlighting the persecution of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, she said, "The desperate Rohingyas want to return to their homeland. We urge the international community to help these people to exercise their right to return to Myanmar at the earliest and ensure that they can live in Myanmar in safety and security."

She called upon the international community to undertake concerted action to address the root causes of genocide, and ensure justice to the victims to prevent the recurrence of any future genocide anywhere in the world.

KATHMANDU, 09 December, 2020, (TON): The world's highest peak is now taller by 86 centimetres, Nepal and China jointly announced on Tuesday.

The agreed height of 8,848.86 metres (29,031 feet) unveiled at a news conference in Kathmandu was 86 centimetres (2.8 feet) higher than the measurement previously recognised by Nepal, and more than four metres above China’s official figure.

Until now the countries differed over whether to add the snow cap on top.

China's previous official measurement of 8,844.43m had put the mountain nearly four metres lower than Nepal's.

Everest stands on the border between China and Nepal and mountaineers climb it from both sides.

Officials at Nepal's foreign ministry and department of survey said surveyors from both countries had co-ordinated to agree on the new height.

The agreement to jointly announce the new measurement of the Earth's highest point was made during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu last year.

Chinese authorities had said previously Mount Everest should be measured to its rock height, while Nepalese authorities argued the snow on top of the summit should be included.

The Chinese surveyors had calculated their figure after they measured the mountain in 2005.

The 8,848m height Nepal had been using for Mount Everest was determined by the Survey of India in 1954, but for the first time the country has now conducted its own measurement of the summit.

Four Nepalese land surveyors spent two years training for the mission, before heading to the summit.

ABU DHABI, 09 December, 2020, (Media Report): Officials from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt have praised new efforts to end the three-year blockade of Gulf neighbour Qatar amid signs the siege may soon ease.

The UAE appreciates efforts by Kuwait and the United States to strengthen Gulf Arab unity, a senior Emirati official said on Tuesday in reference to the blockade of Qatar.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia said on Friday progress had been made towards resolving the dispute that has seen Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt sever diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Qatar since mid-2017.

In the first public comment by the UAE on the recent developments, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash also praised Saudi Arabia’s “benevolent efforts on behalf of the four states”, adding the Emirates looked forward to a “successful” Gulf Arab summit, which is set to take place this month.

“The UAE appreciates the efforts of sisterly Kuwait and the American endeavours towards strengthening solidarity in the Arab Gulf,” Gargash posted on Twitter.

Egypt’s foreign ministry on Tuesday also welcomed the developments.

“We hope that these commendable efforts will result in a comprehensive solution that addresses all causes of the crisis and guarantees strict and serious commitment to what will be agreed upon,” a statement said.

Qatar’s emir has not attended the annual summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) since 2017 although his prime minister was present at last year’s gathering, which made no public mention of the dispute.

The foreign ministers of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have not provided specific details on the recent progress, but sources say a tentative deal was reached by the parties and it could be signed in a few weeks.

However, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Saturday a resolution was in sight with all nations involved “on board” and a final agreement expected soon.

All countries involved are US allies. Qatar hosts the region’s largest US military base, Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and Saudi Arabia and the UAE host US troops. The GCC is comprised of six member states – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.

The boycotting nations accuse Qatar of carrying out an independent foreign policy and issued 13 demands including easing ties with their regional rival Iran, closing down a Turkish military base in the Gulf state, and shutting Al Jazeera Media Network.

Doha has promised to maintain its policies and baulked at fulfilling any demands that undermine its sovereignty.

BRUSSELS, 09 December, 2020, (TON): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will arrive in Brussels for an in-person meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday evening, on the eve of the summit of the leaders of the 27 European Union (EU) member states.

"I look forward to welcoming UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tomorrow evening. We will continue our discussion on the Partnership Agreement," von der Leyen said on Twitter on Tuesday.

The meeting will be widely watched by the world that is eager to see if a deal could be concluded on the future trade relations between the UK and the EU after Brexit.

The negotiators have only three weeks to go before the previously agreed transition period ends on December 31, 2020, and the two partners risk a divorce without a deal.

As the UK-EU deal or no-deal drama limps on, most attention focuses on the economic consequences of a new trade relationship. Both sides have consistently said they are keen to strike a deal, several areas of disagreement remain.

Free trade between the EU and U.K. ends on January 1, 2021 and both sides will fall back on World Trade Organization terms.

ANKARA, 09 December, 2020, (TON): Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) have accused Turkey of continuing to supply the GNA with arms and fighters. Its forces seized a Turkish container ship in the Mediterranean.

The Turkish foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned the seizure of a Turkish cargo ship in the Mediterranean by Libya's eastern-based forces.

Commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) said they intercepted the Jamaica-flagged ship as it headed to the port of Misrata in western Libya.

An LNA spokesman said the ship, named Mabrouka, entered a prohibited area and its crew did not respond to a call from the Libyan navy. It was then towed to Raas al-Hilal port.

He said the ship and its crew of 17 — including nine Turkish citizens, seven from India, and one from Azerbaijan — were under investigation for violating maritime regulations and laws.

Turkey and Qatar back the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, which Haftar opposes. Haftar's forces are principally backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

The latest incident will likely escalate tensions after weeks of relative calm.

Haftar’s forces had made inroads into the capital’s suburbs and seemed poised to enter Tripoli before Turkey escalated its intervention at the start of the year, including sending in thousands of Syrian militiamen.

NEW YORK, 09 December, 2020, (TON): UN Undersecretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo on Tuesday warned that Sudan's democratic transition could still be derailed despite progress in recent months.

"Sudan is at a critical juncture. It can move forward decisively in its transition. But that process can still be derailed by the many challenges it faces," she told the Security Council in a briefing.

"It is incumbent on all of us to support Sudan in its efforts to achieve democratic governance, economic prosperity and an inclusive society for all Sudanese," she said.

Sudan has made progress in its democratic transition in the past three months with the strengthening of institutions. At the same time, political forces are increasingly fragmented and disagreements have surfaced, said DiCarlo.

The dire economic situation continues to cast a dark and long shadow over Sudan's transition. COVID-19 restrictions, including the five-month shutdown to prevent its spread, resulted in a severe decline in economic activity, and a loss of approximately 42 percent of state revenues, she noted.

Given Sudan's arrears, the country has been unable to avail of debt relief. The increased spending on emergency health programs, coupled with a decline in public revenues, has led to a budget deficit of approximately 250 million U.S. dollars per month. Rampant inflation and exchange rate fluctuations are negatively impacting the amounts of funding for program delivery. The inflation rate also increased to 229.85 percent in October, negatively affecting UN agencies' and partners' operations, she said.

Demonstrations continue to occur intermittently across the country. Some have been accompanied by loss of life and injuries, said DiCarlo.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the humanitarian needs, also driven by severe flooding, intercommunal violence and prolonged displacement. In recent weeks, over 48,000 people have fled the Ethiopian conflict in the Tigray region and have sought refuge in Sudan. This has put an additional strain on the Sudanese authorities, she said.

It is critical that the international community continue supporting Sudan's economic recovery through funding of the basic income cash transfer program, known as the Family Support Program, intended to mitigate the social impact of the transitional government's economic reform agenda, she said.

Sudan, depriving of much needed hard currency to sustain an economy that was dealt a heavy blow when South Sudan became independent in 2011, taking with it three-quarters of Sudan’s oil output.

With no foreign trade and starved of hard currency, authorities have long struggled to contain the country’s spiralling inflation. Annual inflation rose to 212.29 percent from 166.83 percent in August, according to the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics.

ANKARA, 09 December, 2020, (TON): Turkey urged the European Union on Tuesday to use “common sense” to end a row over natural gas exploration that has fanned territorial disputes in the eastern Mediterranean and drawn a threat of sanctions from EU leaders.

Speaking at a news conference with his Hungarian counterpart in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated that Ankara wanted to join the EU as a full member, and said EU statements accusing Ankara of stoking tensions were wrong.

EU member state Greece had continued “provocative” steps despite Turkey’s diplomatic efforts, he added.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers said Turkey had failed to help end the row with member states Greece and Cyprus over potential gas resources, but they left any decision on retaliatory sanctions for an EU summit on Thursday.

“They need to be fair and honest here. If they also think strategically and with common sense, not just at the summit but always, and we achieve a positive atmosphere, we can improve our ties,” Cavusoglu said. “We can only solve our problems with dialogue and diplomacy.

“We want to improve our ties with the EU. We are not saying this because there is a summit or because there are sanctions and other things on the agenda,” he added. “We always wanted to improve our ties on the basis of full membership.”

NATO member and EU candidate Turkey has been at odds with Greece and Cyprus over the extent of their continental shelves in the east Mediterranean.

Relations between the EU and Turkey have hit rock bottom. Ankara’s decision to pull back ‘for maintenance’ the Oruç Reis research vessel – whose presence in contested waters heightened the current tensions is positive, but the risk of further punitive measures against Turkey now depends on internal EU negotiations.

WASHINGTON, 09 December, 2020, (TON): The United States imposed terrorism sanctions on Iran’s envoy to the Houthis on Tuesday.

Despite Iran describing him as an “ambassador,” Hasan Irlu operates for the overseas wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) known as the Quds Force, the US Treasury Department said.

The Treasury also blacklisted Iran’s Al-Mustafa International University, for serving as a platform for Quds Force operations and recruitment abroad.

It also imposed sanctions on Yousef Ali Muraj, the Treasury accused of supporting Quds Force efforts to carry out operations in the Middle East and the United States.

Irlu, Muraj and the university were all targeted under US Executive Order 13224, which allows Washington to block the assets of foreign individuals and entities that commit, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism.

Iran announced Irlu’s arrival in Yemen’s Houthi controlled capital Sanaa in October. The Iran-backed Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014 forcing the internationally recognised government to flee and sparking the conflict that has devastated the country.

The decision to target Irlu appears in part a signal to the Iran-backed Houthis, who have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen since 2015.

As a result of Tuesday’s action, all property of those designated, as well as of any entities 50% or more owned by them, that fall under US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

In addition, foreign banks that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for them, or people who provide material support to them, risk losing access to the US financial system or having their own property blocked.

The United Nations is trying to revive peace talks stalled since late 2018 to end a war that has been in a military deadlock for years, with the Houthis who seized power in Yemen in January 2015 and now control a significant portion of Yemeni territory.

Houthis are not recognized by the international community, and their ouster of Yemen’s government set the stage for a U.S.-backed, Saudi-led invasion of Yemen in 2015, starting a protracted war that has pushed the country into the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

RIYADH, 09 December, 2020, (TON): Lawyers for Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman on Monday evening filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against him, saying there is no evidence to support claims he ordered a hit squad to assassinate a former Saudi intelligence official and that he is immune from charges in a US court.

The 106-page lawsuit was filed in August on behalf of Saad al-Jabri, former aide to former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a former heir to the Saudi throne.

Jabri claims that Saudi crown prince organised an assassination attempt against al-Jabri using the so-called “Tiger” hit squad.

The lawsuit says the alleged attempt took place 13 days after members of the Tiger squad were involved in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018.

Michael Kellogg, a lawyer representing Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, said in the 87-page motion to dismiss that Jabri “can say whatever he wants to the newspapers. But this case does not belong in federal court”.

The filing claims that because al-Jabri is a dual Saudi-Maltese citizen living in Canada, where the alleged attempt on his life took place, he has no right to bring the case before a US court.

According to the motion, “even taking Aljabri’s allegations as true, he does not and cannot allege that the supposed attempt on his life in Canada was caused by any conduct in the United States.”

The suit was filed in the US under the Alien Tort statute and the 1991 Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows for complaints against foreign nationals.

Furthermore, Kellogg wrote that Saudi Crown Prince enjoys immunity from cases against him, saying “immunity of foreign officials from suit in the US is governed by the doctrine of common-law foreign sovereign immunity”.

Sovereign immunity is a legal doctrine that holds sovereign states and heads of state as immune from prosecution.

PARIS, 09 December, 2020, (TON): A helicopter has crashed in the French Alps killing five of the six people on board, officials say.

The aircraft, owned by a private company, was carrying out a rescue mission when it went down near the town of Bonvillard in the Savoie area.

The cause of the crash is unclear, but officials say it could have been caused by poor weather.

The alarm was raised by the pilot who managed to escape from the helicopter and was found seriously injured.

In a tweet, French President Emmanuel Macron shared "support from the nation to the families, friend and colleagues of these French heroes".

Three other helicopters were dispatched on a rescue mission but were unable to reach the site of the accident due to fog. Nevertheless, a rescue team had managed to establish contact with the one surviving passenger.

Three helicopters and 40 personnel were involved in the rescue mission which carried on well into the evening.

The search and rescue helicopter was carrying out a training mission when it went down at 1,800 meters (5,905 feet). The pilot was able to eject before alerting the local authorities to the incident.

The SAF is a private company specializing in medical evacuations and deployments in skiing areas. It is believed that the survivor is an employee of the company.

France's air accident bureau announced that it was opening an investigation into the accident and would send a team to the site.