WASHINGTON, 09 November 2021, (TON): The United States needs to work with Russia, Iran, China, and other countries to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan. This was stated on Monday by the US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West at a telephone briefing for journalists.

He stressed that the United States is ready for the next round of contacts with the radical Taliban movement.

At this stage, I don’t have a [exact] date to share with you. It is imperative that our allies act and work effectively together when it comes to securing our interests in Afghanistan.

West said “it is also imperative that we work with region: with Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Central Asian countries, based on our common and unchanging interest in a stable Afghanistan, which does not pose a threat to its neighbors, is at peace with itself and respects human rights.”

The previous round of talks took place in Doha in October.

Thomas West said “the United States is not currently considering the possibility of resuming the work of the embassy in the capital of Afghanistan; for this, the behavior of the radical Taliban movement should become more predictable.

DAMASCUS, 09 November 2021, (TON): Syria’s state media said that its air defences intercepted an Israeli missile attack on sites in its central and coastal regions.

State media had said “earlier that air defences were intercepting “hostile targets” over the countryside around the city of Homs, after explosions were heard over Homs and the coastal city of Tartous.”

The Syrian military said in a statement that air defences managed to shoot down most of the missiles used.

The military added “two soldiers were wounded and there were some material losses.”

MOSCOW, 09 November 2021, (TON): Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed by telephone with the Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns, the relations between the Russian Federation and the United States, the crisis in diplomatic practice, regional conflicts and cybersecurity.

This was announced to reporters on Monday by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov.

He said “such a telephone conversation took place.”

Peskov said “they discussed] bilateral relations, a crisis situation in diplomatic practice, took place] an exchange of views on regional conflicts.”

He also confirmed that the parties discussed cybersecurity issues.

Burns, along with a high-ranking American delegation, was in Moscow on November 2-3.

The head of the Central Intelligence Agency had meetings with the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev and the Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin.

WASHINGTON, 09 November 2021, (TON): Vice President Harris is headed to Paris for a five-day trip that will include a meeting with French President Macron, underscoring a broader White House effort to prove the U.S. commitment to France after a high-profile spat back in September.

In meeting with Macron in France, Harris will become the third high-level Biden administration official to meet with the French president since the US announced with the UK and Australia a pact on Asia Pacific security that robbed France of a lucrative defense contract.

The visit, Harris’s third overseas trip as vice president, will also afford her the opportunity to polish her foreign policy chops. Harris will attend the Paris Peace Forum and participate in an international conference on Libya, where she’s expected to encounter some two-dozen other world leaders.

LONDON, , 09 November 2021, (TON): A senior Irish minister said that the UK's trade deal with the EU could collapse in a row over Northern Ireland.

The UK is thought to be preparing to suspend parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney hinted the EU could terminate the Trade and Cooperation Agreement in response.

He said "one is contingent on the other so that if one is being set aside there is a danger that the other will also be set aside by the EU."

Northern Ireland is covered by a special Brexit deal known as the Protocol.

It keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods, which prevents a hard border with Ireland and allows free-flowing trade with the EU.

But it also creates a trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is causing difficulties for some businesses.

WASHINGTON, 09 November 2021, (TON): US President Joe Biden condemned the attack that targeted Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi and said “his administration would help Iraqi security forces identify those responsibly.”

Biden said in a statement “I strongly condemn the terrorist attack targeting the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister al-Kadhemi.”

“I am relieved the Prime Minister was not injured and commend the leadership he has shown in calling for calm, restraint, and dialogue to protect the institutions of the state and strengthen the democracy Iraqis so richly deserve.”

Kadhemi escaped unhurt when an explosives-packed drone struck his Baghdad residence early Sunday. But the attack marked a substantial escalation in the country’s post-election turmoil.

The prime minister’s office described the attack as a “failed assassination attempt,” while Iraqi President Barham Salih called the strike, which was not immediately claimed by any group, an attempted “coup against the constitutional system.”

NEW DELHI, 09 November 2021, (TON): Authorities said “an Indian paramilitary soldier shot dead four of his colleagues and injured three more in the central Chhattisgarh state.”

The shooter and the victims were from India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the incident took place at a camp in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, some 400 kilometers (248 miles) from the state capital Raipur.

A statement issued by a CRPF spokesman in New Delhi identified the shooter as Constable Reetesh Ranjan and said he has been arrested.

The statement said “prima facie it seems that due to some emotional stress leading to sudden psychological disbalance, Ranjan lost his control and in a fit of rage opened fire on his colleagues.”

The local police have started an investigation into the case and all legal actions will follow. CRPF has ordered an inquiry to ascertain the cause of incident and suggest remedial measures.

KABUL, 09 November 2021, (TON): A Pakistani official said “Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to visit Pakistan this week for talks on the relationship between the two countries.”

The official, who requested not to be identified, told media that the Afghan foreign minister would pay a two-day visit on Nov 11-12.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who had visited Kabul last month, had invited Muttaqi to Islamabad.

It will be the first visit to Pakistan by an Afghan minister since the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15.

Pakistan has not recognised the Taliban government, however, Taliban officials have been allowed to take control of the Afghan embassy in Islamabad as well as consulates in Peshawar, Karachi and Quetta.

The Pakistani official said that it would be a substantive visit as Amir Khan Mutaqqi is a key member in the Taliban set-up.

ISLAMABAD, 09 November 2021, (TON): Parliamentarians from treasury and opposition appreciated the briefing by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on national security, among other issues, expressing satisfaction over the measures to counter threats.

The briefing was held on Monday to take the lawmakers into confidence on a multitude of issues, including foreign affairs and external challenges.

During the session at the Parliament House, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security was briefed by the Director-General ISI Lt Gen Faiz Hameed about the regional and political challenges, especially the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Afghanistan.

The participants lauded measures taken by the elite intelligence institution in countering and neutralising multiple threats, particularly from its eastern neighbour using the Afghan soil and the intelligence agency NDA for its ulterior objectives.

Due to the effective countermeasures, Pakistan, today, is a safe country for investors and tourists alike.

The participants who requested not to be named due to the sensitivity of the in-camera briefing said the success of the countermeasures could be gauged from the fact that now limited intelligence-based operations (IBOs) are being conducted by the army.

They added that the hostile intelligence agencies are finding it difficult to carry out subversive activities.

ISLAMABAD, 09 November 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasised the urgent need for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), human rights organisations and international media to be allowed access to Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), so that independent investigations could be carried out into human rights violations in the region.

According to a tweet by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) “he expressed these views during a meeting with OIC's Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir Yousef Aldobeay, who is currently on a six-day visit to Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.”

Aldobeay was accompanied by OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Tarig Bakhit. Senior members of the OIC delegation were also present on the occasion.

According to the PMO “the premier underlined the importance of the "OIC’s principled position on the Kashmir dispute and the resolute support of the Islamic ummah to the just struggle of Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination."

He also highlighted the atrocities being committed by India in the occupied valley, which had "over 900,000 troops deployed in the occupied territory, making it the most militarised zone in the world", the statement said.