DOHA, 04 October 2021, (TON): Voters chose none of the 26 women who stood for election in Qatar’s first legislative elections on Saturday, disappointing candidates who had wanted to lend a voice for women and other Qataris in the Gulf monarchy’s political process.

The vote was for 30 members of the 45-seat advisory Shura Council while the emir will continue to appoint the remaining 15 members of the body that can approve a limited scope of policies for the small but wealthy country, which bans political parties.

“To have all men is not the vision of Qatar,” said Aisha Hamam al-Jasim, 59, a nursing manager who ran in Doha’s Markhiya district. She urged Qatari women to start “voicing what they believe in” and vote for strong women candidates in future.

She said as people trickled into the polls earlier “for the first time in Qatar, this is the opportunity to take part in the political.”

Jasim, like fellow female candidates, said she had encountered some men who thought women should not run. Highlighting her administrative skills, she focused on policy priorities like health, youth employment and retirement.

“I just say: I’m strong, I’m capable. I see myself as fit as a man … If you want to see me as weak, that’s up to you, but I am not weak,” she said in the polling station where men and women had separate entrances.

While Qatar has introduced reforms to women’s rights in recent years, including allowing women to independently get a driving license, it has been criticised by rights groups for issues like the guardianship system, where a woman needs male permission to marry, travel and access reproductive healthcare.

WASHINGTON, 04 October 2021, (TON): The United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway (the Troika) commend the Sudanese people as they celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) on October 3, 2020. This historic agreement responds to the Sudanese people’s calls for freedom, peace, and justice, especially from those affected by conflict across Sudan. We commend the JPA signatories for upholding their partnership and urge the parties to recommit to fully implement the agreement.

The Troika applauds the strides made toward transitional justice including the government’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

We welcome the Cabinet’s stated commitment to hand over former President Om-ar al-Bashir and the other former officials subject to international arrest warrants, and we urge the government to move quickly on this commitment and to make progress on establishing the Special Court for Darfur. Due legal process will help give justice to victims and support the process for reconciliation.

We are, however, deeply concerned by delays implementing commitments ma-de one year ago.

This includes in establishing the Peace Commission, Monitoring and Evaluation Mec-hanism, the Transitional Legislative Assembly, and establishing the Darfur Security Keeping Forces and JPA security arrangements.

Progress is needed now. We urge all JPA signatories to demonstrate leadership and work together to refocus on implementation to deliver much needed peace and security for the people. Special efforts should be made to meet the ambitious goals set in the Constitutional Declaration and JPA for the involvement of women.

RIYADH, 04 October 2021, (TON): The European Union foreign policy chief said “the Taliban government’s behaviour up to now was “not very encouraging”, and any economic collapse in Afghanistan would raise the risk of terrorism and other threats.”

Josep Borrell, speaking at a joint news conference with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, also said he hoped nuclear talks between global powers and Iran would restart in Vienna “soon”.

The EU diplomat, who is in Riyadh following visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, said he briefed his partners on the prospects for restarting nuclear talks and exchanged views with Saudi officials on Yemen and Afghanistan.

The EU has increased its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since the Taliban took power, but halted development assistance, a move also taken by other countries and the World Bank.

Borrell said “certainly it’s a dilemma. Because if you want to contribute to avoid the collapse of an economy, in a certain way, you can consider supporting the government. Depending on their behaviour. And their behaviour until now is not very encouraging.”

He added “if the economy collapses, then the humanitarian situation will be much worse. The tension for people to leave the country will be bigger, the threats the terrorist threat will be bigger and so the risks emanating from Afghanistan affecting the international community will be bigger.”

Turning to the region, he said the EU was ready to pursue trade deals with Gulf countries, saying the bloc supported Saudi Arabia’s modernisation drive.

PARIS, 04 October 2021, (TON): France's jets regularly fly over the former French colony to reach the Sahel region of western Africa, where its soldiers are helping to battle jihadist insurgents as part of its Barkhane operation

The diplomatic discord between Algeria and France deepened Sunday after Algiers banned French military planes from its airspace, its latest response to a row over visas and critical comments from President Emmanuel Macron.

France's jets regularly fly over the former French colony to reach the Sahel region of western Africa, where its soldiers are helping to battle jihadist insurgents as part of its Barkhane operation.

"This morning when we filed flight plans for two planes, we learned that the Algerians had stopped flights over their territory by French military planes," an army spokesman, Colonel Pascal Ianni, told media.

He said “the decision had "slightly impacted" supply flights but "does not affect our operations" in the Sahel.”

But the move heightened tensions that had already flared Saturday when the Algerian government recalled its ambassador to France, citing "inadmissible interference" in its affairs.

According to French and Algerian media reports, Macron told descendants of figures in Algeria's 1954-62 war for independence that the country was ruled by a "political-military system" that had "totally re-written" its history.

ABU DHABI, 04 October 2021, (TON): The UAE has moved to de-escalate tensions by engaging with non-Arab Iran and Turkey, whose influence it had moved to counter in conflicts in Yemen, Libya and elsewhere in the region.

The United Arab Emirates is trying to manage long-running rivalries with Iran and Turkey through dialogue to avoid any new confrontations in the region as the Gulf state hones in on its economy.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, told a conference on Saturday there was uncertainty about the United States commitment to the region and concern about a "looming cold war" between Washington and Beijing.

Gulf states, which have strong economic ties with China, are also heavily reliant on the US military umbrella and are closely watching talks between global powers and Iran to revive a 2015 nuclear pact as well as the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal.

Gargash said "we will see in the coming period really what is going on with regards to America's footprint in the region. I don't think we know yet, but Afghanistan is definitely a test and to be honest it is a very worrying test.”

He told the World Policy Conference "part of what we need to do is manage our region better. There is a vacuum and whenever there is a vacuum there is trouble.”

The UAE has moved to de-escalate tensions by engaging with non-Arab Iran and Turkey, whose influence it had moved to counter in conflicts in Yemen, Libya and elsewhere in the region.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia believe the 2015 nuclear pact was flawed for not addressing Iran's missiles programme and network of regional proxies. The UAE has also moved to combat Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood which Gulf states see as a threat to their dynastic system of rule.

ROME, 04 October 2021, (TON): A small private plane crashed into an empty building on the outskirts of Milan, northern Italy, on Sunday, killing all eight people onboard, police said.

Officials said “the plane, which took off from Milan's Linate city airport, was headed for the island of Sardinia.”

The crash occurred just outside a suburban metro station.

People in the area could hear a blast when the plane collided with the two-story building, which was empty at the time as it was being renovated.

MUSCAT, 04 October 2021, (TON): Flights were suspended and schools closed as the storm, with wind speeds up to 139 kilometres an hour, was due to cross Oman's north coast in the evening.

Authorities said “at least nine people were killed in Oman and Iran on Sunday as Tropical Cyclone Shaheen pummelled parts of their coastlines.”

Officials said “in Oman, two people died in a landslide and a child in flash flooding.”

Oman's National Committee for Emergency Management said “rescue teams pulled the bodies of two Asian workers from their home hit by a landslide in the Rusayl industrial area of Muscat province.”

The child died and another person was reported missing in flash floods in the capital's province, it added.

Flights were suspended and schools closed as the storm, with wind speeds up to 139 kilometres an hour, was due to cross Oman's north coast in the evening.

The capital, Muscat, vehicles were tyre-deep in water and streets deserted.

Across the sea in Iran, six people were killed in Chabahar port in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, parliament's news agency ICANA reported, citing deputy speaker Ali Nikzad.

New Delhi, 04 October 2021, (TON): India's army chief has said China is sending troops to their disputed border in "considerable numbers", prompting a matching deployment by New Delhi in a development he called a "concern".

Tensions have been high between the nuclear-armed neighbours following a deadly border battle in June last year in the strategically important Galwan river valley in India's Ladakh region, near Tibet.

The world's two most populous nations poured tens of thousands of extra troops into the high-altitude region in the Himalayas after the clash.

General Manoj Mukund Naravane told reporters in Ladakh that the Chinese troop presence along the 3,500-kilometre border had increased in "considerable numbers" and it was a "matter of concern".

Naravane said “the Indian military was building up its forces along the border in response.”

"We have also inducted advanced weaponry. We are strong, quite well-poised to meet any eventuality," the Times of India newspaper quoted him as saying.

India and China have been holding high-level military talks since the June clash and Naravane said another meeting was expected next week.

DHAKA, 04 October 2021, (TON): He is currently serving as the director general of the West Asia Wing at the Foreign Ministry.

The government has appointed FM Borhan Uddin as the next Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Republic of the Philippines.

He is currently serving as the director general of the West Asia Wing and coordinator of the Corona Cell at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Borhan is a career foreign service officer belonging to the 15th batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre, said the ministry in a statement on Sunday.

NAYPYITAW, 04 October 2021, (TON): Union Minister for Hotels and Tourism Dr Htay Aung offered flowers, water and gold foils to the Maha Muni Buddha Image in Mandalay, and donated cash to the fund of the Image Board of Trustee.

The Chairman of the board returned a scale model of Maha Muni Buddha image made of flowers and a certificate of honour.

Afterward, the Union Minister inspected the operation of the Tourist Information Centre, and coordinated with the Chairman of the board on the venue for Virtual Reality Tour Exhibition.

Afterward, an official from the Mandalay Region Hotels and Tourism Directorate presented the regional certification under the Enchanting Myanmar Health & Safety Protocol to hotels to an official on behalf of the Myanmar Hoteliers Association (Mandalay Zone).

The Union Minister also met with Chief Minister of Mandalay Regional government U Maung Ko and Consulate Mr Chen Chen to discuss possible ways to develop Myanmar-China tourism development.

In the afternoon, the Union Minister visited Sithar Coffee Farm which is operating with tourism business in Phaungtaw village in PyinOoLwin township, Mandalay Region. He also inspected preparation for Ganamar Myaing and Thiri Myaing hotels to be ready for the resumption of tourism in PyinOoLwin.