KINSHASA, 20 October 2021, (TON): The Democratic Republic of Congo says its forces clashed with their Rwandan counterparts near the eastern border.

An army spokesperson in North Kivu province said Rwandan forces crossed into Congo and tensions culminated into a clash.

Brig Gen Sylvain Ekenge told media Great Lakes “a military company of Rwandan forces reached five kilometres into Congo…You can’t explain how armed forces cross the border firing guns.”

The Rwandan army has not responded to the claim or to BBC's request for a response.

Videos circulating online show locals in panic and fleeing as two forces exchanged gunfire. Rwandan soldiers later retreated back home.

Gen Ekenge said “fortunately, no one died from the incident.”

Local leaders said residents returned to their homes after calm was restored.

Cross border tensions between the two East African neighbours are common due to illegal trade, lack of clear boundary demarcation and attacks by rebels.

WASHINGTON, 20 October 2021, (TON): U.S. President Joe Biden plans to nominate Donald Blome, currently ambassador to Tunisia, as his top diplomat in Pakistan as Washington works to manage the situation in neighboring Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American troops.

Biden will announce plans to nominate Blome to the job in Pakistan, the White House said. Blome is a career Foreign Service diplomat with long experience in the region who once worked in the Kabul embassy, shuttered earlier this year during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Pakistan is playing a major role in diplomacy with its Taliban-ruled neighbor.

International agencies have warned that Afghanistan is on the verge of humanitarian collapse without access to aid or foreign reserves, which remain frozen in the United States.

Pakistan’s relationship with neighboring China has also been of interest to the Biden administration, which regards Beijing as its chief international rival.

LONDON, 20 October 2021, (TON): A government official said “the UK shares concerns over Iran’s nuclear program with Arab countries.”

Tehran has stopped honoring some of its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal and has been holding up negotiations aimed at reviving the landmark accord that scales back its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, sparking concern from the UN nuclear watchdog agency.

The comments were made during a meeting in London between the UK Minister for Middle East and North Africa in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, James Cleverly, and Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League.

The meeting dealt with developments in the region, including Iran, Syria and Libya, where Cleverly affirmed his country supports the Libyan political process.

NEW YORK, 20 October 2021, (TON): Israel pursues policies in violation of international law and of UN resolutions “Because it can no tangible cost or consequence is attached,” the UN Security Council heard.

Daniel Levy, president of US/Middle East Project, told council members of the need to address what he called “an accountability deficit when it comes to Israel’s action” as it is one of the core understandings that should guide the peace process forward.

“If the unlawful and peace negating politics of Israel continue to be met with impunity, there should be no expectation of positive change.

Levy said “also to be considered is a legitimacy deficit in Palestinian politics.”

The Palestinian Liberation Organization must become fully representative, inclusive and by extension better able to demonstrate strategic agency and to negotiate.

LONDON, 20 October 2021, (TON): UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss began a trip to the Gulf region on Wednesday, aimed at boosting economic and security ties.

Truss said “I want a closer trading and investment relationship with the Gulf and for us to collaborate more closely on issues like intelligence sharing, development, security and defense.”

Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said “the first leg of her tour begins in Saudi Arabia, where she will meet with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to “discuss closer cooperation on regional security, development, human rights and counter-terrorism, and how the two nations can build economic links as part of the Kingdom’s plan to diversify its economy.”

Her trip includes a visit to Qatar, where she will meet with Emir Sheikh Tamim and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, to discuss cooperation on Afghanistan and regional security. She will also visit a facility housing people who have left Afghanistan in recent weeks.

“Qatar has played a critical role in supporting safe passage for those seeking to leave Afghanistan, including over 100 British nationals since the UK’s evacuation operation ended in late August,” the statement said, adding that the most recent flight arrived in Doha on Monday carrying 17 British nationals.

RIYADH, 20 October 2021, (TON): Mohammed Al-Jaber, general supervisor of the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY), met a high-profile delegation from the UN International Organization for Migration.

The IOM team included Christa Rottensteiner, chief of the organization’s mission for Yemen; Firas Budeiri, the mission’s senior coordinator in Yemen; and Fawzi Al-Zyoud, director of the IOM’s office in Saudi Arabia.

The meeting took place at the SDRPY’s headquarters in Riyadh and began with a presentation on the program which to date has undertaken more than 204 projects and initiatives in numerous Yemeni governorates.

PYONGYANG, 20 October 2021, (TON): The Japanese prime minister says, two ballistic missiles have been detected.

North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile off its east coast, officials in South Korea and Japan said, as Seoul opens a major arms fair, spy chiefs meet to discuss the nuclear standoff, and South Korea prepares for a space launch.

The North Korean launch would be the latest weapons test by the country, which has pressed ahead with military development in the face of international sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.

One ballistic missile was launched about 1017 am local time from the vicinity of Sinpo, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, where North Korea keeps submarines as well as equipment for test firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).

South Korean newspaper Joongang Ilbo cited an unnamed military source as saying the government was assuming that it was an SLBM test, without elaborating.

North Korea has also launched other types of missiles from that area.

Our military is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States, to prepare for possible additional launches, JCS said in a statement.

WARSAW, 20 October 2021, (TON): The ferocious row, played out in the European Parliament, underlined the seriousness of the issue which both Brussels and Warsaw say threatens the cohesion of the 27-nation bloc.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of "blackmail" on Tuesday in a public clash with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen over his country's rejection of parts of EU law.

The ferocious row, played out in the European Parliament, underlined the seriousness of the issue which both Brussels and Warsaw say threatens the cohesion of the 27-nation bloc.

Von der Leyen, speaking just before and after Morawiecki took the podium, warned that her Commission -- tasked as guardian of the EU treaties -- "will act" to rein in Poland.

She said a controversial October 7 ruling by Poland's Constitutional Court challenging the primacy of EU law was an attempt "to take an axe to the European treaties by undermining their legitimacy."

She said "undermining any of these essential pillars puts our European democracy at risk. We cannot let this happen. We will not let this happen.”

Von der Leyen spoke of a number of legal, financial and political options being considered, adding that "the rule of law and the treaties of the European Union are to be defended with all instruments at our disposal".

Morawiecki, in a long speech, hit back by saying "I will not have EU politicians blackmail Poland."

SANAA, 20 October 2021, (TON): This is the ninth consecutive day that the coalition has announced strikes around Marib, reporting a total of more than 1,200 rebel fatalities

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said “it killed 48 Houthi rebels in air strikes on two districts near the strategic city of Marib, during intense fighting this week.”

The Iran-backed Houthis rarely comment on losses, and the numbers could not be independently verified by media.

This is the ninth consecutive day that the coalition has announced strikes around Marib, reporting a total of more than 1,200 rebel fatalities.

The previously announced bombings were in Abdiya about 100 kilometres from Marib -- the internationally recognised government's last bastion in oil-rich northern Yemen.

The strikes reported Tuesday were closer to Marib.

"Operations targeted six military vehicles and killed 48 terrorist elements" in the past 24 hours in the districts of Al-Jawba and Al-Kassara, the coalition said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Al-Jawba lies about 50 kilometres from the city and Al-Kassara is about 30 kilometres northwest.

MOSCOW, 20 October 2021, (TON): Russia, China and Pakistan are willing to provide aid to Afghanistan, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday, but Moscow said it was not yet ready to recognise the Taliban government.

The promise of humanitarian aid and economic support came after talks between Russian, Chinese and Pakistani officials, who will be joined by representatives of Afghanistan’s new rulers at a meeting in Moscow.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “Russia was withholding recognition from the Taliban while waiting for them to fulfil promises they made when they took power, including on the political and ethnic inclusivity of the new government.”

Critics say the former rebel movement is backtracking on pledges not to sideline women and minorities, or persecute foes.

Lavrov told reporters “official recognition of the Taliban is not under discussion for now.”

“Like most of other influential countries in the region, we are in contact with them. We are prodding them to fulfil the promises they made when they came to power.”