LONDON, 14 September 2021, (TON): Britain has refused to send aid to Afghanistan directly through the Taliban government. This was stated by British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at a conference on Afghanistan in Geneva.

The minister stressed “according to the diplomat, Britain agrees to help the Afghans only through independent international humanitarian organizations.

“It is imperative that humanitarian organizations are able to function safely and freely in Afghanistan.”

Raab called on the Taliban to respect international humanitarian law and keep their promises. He added that Britain is ready to double humanitarian aid to the republic this year.

Also, The United States is providing $ 64 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. This was stated by US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, speaking via video link at a donor conference on Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD, 14 September 2021, (TON): Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured all possible cooperation from his government to facilitate Chinese investors saying he will regularly review progress regarding issues faced by Chinese investors in Pakistan.

The prime minister was talking to a delegation of CEOs of Chinese companies who called on him.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong was also present in the meeting.

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Federal Ministers Shaukat Fayaz Tarin, Asad Umar, Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razaq Dawood, SAPM for CPEC Khalid Mansoor and senior officers were also present.

The CEOs delegation lauded the investors-friendly policies of the government and expressed interest in investing in Pakistan.

The prime minister while welcoming the delegation stated that the government is wholeheartedly implementing “Ease-of-doing-business” policy, offering incentives to investors and making administrative processes easy.

He stated that Pakistan can learn a lot from Chinese experience for industrial growth. He said that Chinese investment will increase employment opportunities in Pakistan and provide skilled learning to local labour.

Imran Khan said that there is a huge potential in small and medium enterprises in Pakistan and Chinese entrepreneurs can play an important part in their growth.

KABUL, 14 September 2021, (TON): Qatar’s foreign minister held talks in Afghanistan, becoming the most senior official to visit the country since the Taliban’s takeover on August 15.

A Taliban official tweeted that Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met senior officials of the new Afghan regime, although details were not disclosed.

The group released pictures of Sheikh Mohammad meeting new Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, while photographs of him with former president Hamid Karzai circulated on social media.

In Doha, the foreign ministry confirmed “he held meetings with the new Afghan government as well as with Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, former chief peace negotiator for the ousted government.”

It said “Sheikh Mohammad urged the Afghan officials to engage all Afghan parties in the national reconciliation.”

It said in a statement “the talks covered latest developments regarding the operation of Kabul airport and ensuring freedom of passage and travel for all.”

The ministry said “the two sides stressed the importance of concerted efforts to combat terrorist organisations.”

Qatar has long acted as a mediator on Afghanistan, hosting the Taliban’s talks with the United States under former president Donald Trump, and then with the now deposed Afghan government of president Ashraf Ghani.

LONDON, 14 September 2021, (TON): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will attempt to patch up Britain’s frayed relationship with U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration at a White House meeting between the two leaders this month, The Times newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources on both sides.

The report said “Johnson is expected to hold talks with Biden during a four-day trip to the U.S. for the UN general assembly, which starts in New York on Sept. 21.”

NEW YORK, 14 September 2021, (TON): The UN human rights chief deplored the use of "excessive or entirely unwarranted" force by Israeli security forces on Palestinians as well as the Palestinian Authority's "crackdowns on dissent," in a verbal report at the 48th session of the Human Rights Council.

Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said at the start of the session "in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, I deplore continued and increasing instances of excessive or entirely unwarranted use of force against Palestinian civilians by Israeli Security Forces."

She said that in 2021 so far, 54 Palestinians, including 12 children, have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank more than double of last year's figure.

Over 1,000 people have been injured with live ammunition. The regular resort to lethal force is clearly at odds with international standards.

Bachelet said "I am also deeply concerned by crackdowns on dissent by the Government of the State of Palestine in recent months.”

She also said that during protests that followed the "shocking killing" of activist Nizar Banat in June, Palestinian Security Forces used "unjustifiable force" against peaceful protesters.

KABUL, 14 September 2021, (TON): A United Nations-convened conference on aid to Afghanistan is set to take place in Geneva. The world body is appealing for more than $600 million for Afghanistan to prevent a looming humanitarian catastrophe in the country.

About 18 million Afghans were reliant on foreign aid even before the Taliban seized control of the country last month. The number could rise due to drought and shortages of cash and food.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told journalists “at the present moment the UN is not even able to pay salaries to its own workers.”

Senior UN officials, including Guterres, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer and dozens of government representatives are attending the conference. The UN World Food Program will use about a third of the $606 million funding being sought for the conflict-devastated country.

A recent WFP survey found that 93% of the Afghans were not consuming enough food, largely because of financial reasons. Taliban leaders have reportedly assured the International Committee of the Red Cross that it could continue its humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.

KIEV, 14 September 2021, (TON): The command-staff joint exercises of Ukraine and NATO “Unbreakable Resilience” began in Odessa. This was announced on Monday by the mission of Ukraine to the alliance on Twitter .

“In Odessa, the NATO-Ukraine command and staff exercise to protect critical infrastructure in the Black Sea” Unbreakable Resilience “begins. part of the Black Sea package in support of Ukraine.

The NSDC also said “in turn, the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine on its official website informed that the department’s specialists are members of the “Indestructible Resilience”.

“The exercise is an integral part of the decision of the foreign ministers of NATO member states to support Ukraine in countering hybrid challenges in the Black Sea region, approved in April 2019 in Washington.”

According to the ministry, the exercises are being conducted by the Ukrainian government jointly with the NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence and with the support of the US Higher Maritime School as part of the Ukraine-NATO platform to study the experience of countering hybrid warfare.

The NSDC said “the purpose of the exercises is to develop the stability of the system of state bodies of Ukraine in the field of countering hybrid threats and crisis response by strengthening interdepartmental and civil-military cooperation, planning and preparedness.”

It was also noted that the training will involve the security and defense sector of Ukraine, institutions that coordinate crisis management, as well as operators of energy and other critical infrastructure.

ABUJA, 14 September 2021, (TON): Heavily armed men raided a jail in southcentral Nigeria and after blowing up the perimeter fenc, freed 240 inmates, almost everyone in the prison.

A spokesman for the Correctional Service said “the attackers started a gun battle with guards late on Sunday at the medium-security prison at Kabba in Kogi state, southwest of the federal capital Abuja.”

Spokesman Francis Enobore said “the medium-security custodial centre in Kabba, Kogi state, has been attacked by yet to be identified gunmen and 240 inmates forcefully released.”

Officials said “the gunmen destroyed three sides of the prison’s perimeter fence with explosives and then overcame a team of 35 security officers.”

Enobore said two correctional officers were killed during the attack, and only 54 of the inmates were unable to escape.

According to the interior ministry, another two guards were missing.

It was unclear who the gunmen were but central and northwest Nigeria have been terrorised by criminal gangs for years.

COLOMBO, 14 September 2021, (TON): The Government and the World Bank recently signed a $40 million additional financing for the ongoing Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project (WASSIP), to increase access to the piped water services and improved sanitation.

This additional financing will expand water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services in seven districts, reaching more than one million people.

Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Sajith Atygalle virtually signed on behalf of the government and, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka Faris Hadad-Zervos signed on behalf of the Bank.

The project aims to increase the coverage of piped water by constructing new urban, rural and estate water supply schemes and rehabilitating existing schemes to provide households with a continuous supply of safe water.

The project operates in Kegalle, Ratnapura, Moneragala, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. Under this additional financing, septage treatment plants are planned in two additional districts, Galle and Kurunegala.

KATHMANDU, 14 September 2021, (TON): Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has instructed the bodies concerned to install vehicle scanners at the main customs points at the earliest.

Finance Minister issued this directive while addressing a two-day seminar on customs management organised by the Department of Customs here. He wanted the process of installing the vehicle scanner to be started promptly.

The goods loaded by vehicles coming in and going out at the customs point need not be manually checked with the installation of the vehicle scanner system.

The Finance Minister also on the occasion urged the customs employees to increase the revenue collection by maintaining honesty in the classification and evaluation of the goods.

Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini urged the customs administration to work as per the principle of improvement, facilitation, and good governance.

He directed the customs staff to immediately stop the practice of making phone calls to any party, leader or trade union, or organisation for pressure-seeking transfer.