SRINAGAR, 20 November 2021, (TON): Thousands of Kashmiris defied the biting winter cold to attend the funerals Friday of two men killed during a security operation, heralding a widespread shutdown in the Indian-occupied territory.

The pair, who police said had died in crossfire on Monday in a gunfight with suspected separatists had been hurriedly interred by authorities in a remote graveyard.

The deaths sparked anger in the region with their families insisting they had no links to the fighters, accusing security forces of murdering them in cold blood and demanding their bodies be returned for a proper Islamic burial.

Officials ordered a probe into the killings of Mohammad Altaf Bhat and Mudasir Ahmed Gul before exhuming their remains and handing them over to relatives amid wails and emotional post-midnight scenes in Srinagar.

An media reporter on the scene said “thousands of people turned out for their pre-dawn reburials, with some angry mourners shouting we want freedom and others reciting Quranic verses.”

Bhat's niece Saima Bhat posted on Twitter "your death has shattered us completely."

She added “she did not know if we'll be able to cope up from this tragedy.”

Family members told media that officers had instructed them to bury the men at night and not to allow crowds to assemble.

WASHINGTON, 19 November 2021, (TON): The United States and its Arab allies in the Gulf accused Iran of causing a nuclear crisis and destabilizing the Middle East with ballistic missiles and drones.

The warning came in a joint statement issued after a meeting of the US and Gulf Cooperation Council working group on Iran, which was held in Saudi Arabia.

The statement said "all participants urged the new Iranian administration to seize the current diplomatic opportunity stemming from the resumption of talks in Vienna aimed at salvaging the Iranian nuclear accord, and prevent conflict and crisis.”

These indirect talks between the US and Iran were suspended after Iran elected a new president in June and are now scheduled to resume late this month.

They are aimed at resurrecting the 2015 multinational accord aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

The US under then president Donald Trump pulled out of the accord in 2018, and in response Iran has abandoned many of the commitments it made under that agreement to curb its nuclear program.

"Iran has taken steps for which it has no civilian need but that would be important to a nuclear weapons program," said the statement from representatives of the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait.

KHARTOUM, 19 November 2021, (TON): The UN has called on Sudan’s “de facto authorities and the security forces to exercise restraint and refrain form committing further human rights violations.”

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric’s remarks came as opponents of the coup in Sudan vowed to step up their protests after 15 civilians were reportedly killed in the deadliest day yet since last month’s takeover, risking more confrontation with the junta showing no sign of backing down.

Dujarric said “freedom of expression and assembly are fundamental human rights afforded to every Sudanese.”

He added “they need to have the opportunity to express themselves peacefully and without fear of retaliation.”

More than three weeks since Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan derailed Sudan’s transition toward civilian rule, pro-democracy activists are facing an increasingly dangerous struggle in the streets.

The deaths on Wednesday, tallied by medics aligned with the protest movement, bring the toll since the Oct. 25 coup to at least 39.

The latest violence drew condemnation from Western states which have suspended economic assistance since the coup. Despite the economic pressure, Sudan desperately needs aid, efforts to mediate a way out of the crisis have stalled.

WASHINGTON, 19 November 2021, (TON): U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo concluded her two-day official visit to Singapore where she met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, and Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo.

Over the course of her visit, Secretary Raimondo underscored the importance of collaboration under the U.S.-Singapore Partnership of Growth and Innovation and how it will serve as a strong foundation for President Biden’s proposed Indo-Pacific economic framework.

She invited Singapore to pursue shared goals with the United States in areas such as infrastructure, the digital economy, supply chain resiliency, and more.

In addition to meetings with Singapore government officials, Secretary Raimondo met with Australia Minister of Trade, Tourism, and Investment Dan Tehan and New Zealand Minister of Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor.

In both meetings, Secretary Raimondo underscored President Biden’s interest in working with its partners across the region to establish an Indo-Pacific economic framework that will facilitate cooperation on shared objectives across the region.

Additionally, Secretary Raimondo, Minister Dan Tehan, Minister Damien O’Connor and Minister Gan Kim Yong met to discuss opportunities to expand economic cooperation among like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

SOKOLKA, 19 November 2021, (TON): The Polish army said “it had detained a group of about 100 migrants who crossed the Belarus border during the night” accusing Belarusian forces of leading the operation.

The incident came as Belarus, which has said it wants to defuse the crisis, prepared a first repatriation flight for migrants to Iraq that will have between 200 and 300 people on board.

Thousands of migrants, mainly from the Middle East, are camped out or staying close to the Poland-Belarus border in dire conditions aiming to cross into the European Union, in a crisis that began over the summer.

The EU says Belarus engineered the crisis in retaliation for sanctions on the ex-Soviet country. Minsk and its main ally Russia have rejected the charges and have criticized the EU for not taking in the migrants seeking to cross over.

In the latest border incident, the Polish defense ministry said that Belarusian forces had first carried out reconnaissance and “most likely” damaged the barbed wire fence along the border.

It said “then the Belarusians forced the migrants to throw stones at Polish soldiers to distract them. The attempt to cross the border took place several hundred meters away.”

It said “a group of about 100 migrants was detained.”

It added that the incident happened near the village of Dubicze Cerkiewne.

It said “Belarusian special forces led yesterday’s attack.”

DUBAI, 19 November 2021, (TON): As part of an ongoing reconciliation process, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was expected to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey over the coming days, marking the highest-level visit to date after years of tensions between the two countries.

A reciprocal trip was also likely to go ahead, while authorities from both nations will meet on Nov. 23 for a business forum in Dubai.

Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party spokesperson, Omer Celik, recently said “such a rapprochement between the UAE and Turkey, this strong cooperation for the resolution of problems, is a good thing.”

He added that Ankara had a “far-reaching action plan and a frank approach” for resolving regional conflicts.

Experts noted that the visit of the UAE’s de facto ruler would focus on boosting economic and business ties as a first step to building bridges between the two countries.

The UAE’s wealth funds would be offered with possible investment opportunities during the meeting, with energy and defense sectors featuring heavily, a Turkish official, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

NEW YORK, 19 November 2021, (TON): The UN Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the Houthis’ ongoing breach of the former US embassy compound in Sanaa, calling on the Iran-backed militia to immediately withdraw their militants from the premises and release the detainees.

The US had issued similar calls to the Houthis last week after the rebels stormed the compound that formerly hosted the US embassy in the Yemen capital and took hostage an unspecified number of Yemenis working at the premises.

The embassy raid came on the heels of a visit by a mission representing the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, the UK, France, Russia, and China).

During the visit, they voiced support to the Yemeni government and criticized the Houthis, condemning their attacks on Saudi Arabia and the ongoing Marib offensive.

The US State Department has vowed to intensify its diplomatic efforts to secure the release of our staff and the vacating of our compound, including through our international partners.

The US transferred its embassy to Riyadh in 2015 at the onset of the civil war in Yemen.

WASHINGTON, 19 November 2021, (TON): Secretary Antony J. Blinken will visit Nigeria November 18-19, where he will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, and representatives from civil society and discuss furthering cooperation on global health security, expanding energy access and economic growth, and revitalizing democracy. 

The Secretary will also deliver a speech on U.S.-Africa policy in the capital of Africa’s largest democracy. 

Also, the Secretary will celebrate the signing of the $2.17 billion Development Objective Assistance Agreement with the Vice President, which will play a role in supporting a healthier, more educated, prosperous, stable, and resilient Nigeria.

Home to Africa’s largest population, democracy, and economy, Nigeria is one of our most important partners on the continent. Nigeria’s stability and prosperity are inseparable from that of the region.

The year 2020 was historic, as Nigerians reflected on the opportunities and challenges facing the country while marking the 60th anniversary of their independence and the beginning of bilateral relations with the United States.

LONDON, 19 November 2021, (TON): Pakistan-born economist Dr Adnan Qadir Khan has been appointed as Chief Economist for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK government.

According to a statement “the London School of Economics (LSE) School of Public Policy announced in a congratulatory message that their Academic Director and Professor Adnan Khan, currently a professor at the LSE, has been appointed as the chief economist at the FCDO from January 2022.”

It added “the LSE said that Dr Adnan Qadir Khan will be missed. Dr Khan has served as LSE’s professor and academic director at the School of Public Policy for several years.”

Originally from Dera Ghazi Khan, Dr Khan studied engineering, philosophy and international affairs from UET and Punjab University.

He has worked in different positions in Pakistan. Dr Khan was recruited to the Pakistan Administrative Service after standing first in the Civil Service Examination in 1995.

RIYADH, 19 November 2021, (TON): The US and European powers told Gulf countries that they were determined to address Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.

The comments came during talks in Riyadh between officials from France, Germany, the UK and GCC countries, along with US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley. Jordan and Egypt were also represented.

A State Department spokesperson said “Malley and the Europeans condemned Iran’s “destabilizing activities in the region, including the use and transfer of ballistic missiles and UAVs (drones) that have led to attacks against regional partners.”

Saudi Arabia is attacked regularly with explosive drones and missiles fired across the border from Yemen by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

The talks also focused on upcoming talks with Iran over rebooting the 2015 deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran has repeatedly breached the terms of the deal with world powers after Donald Trump withdrew the US from the accord in 2017.

The statement said “representatives of the E3 (Germany France, UK) and the United States reiterated the importance for Europe, the United States, the region and beyond of quickly reaching and implementing a negotiated solution to that end and of ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.”