JEDDAH, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman met Edward Lister, the special envoy of British PM for the Gulf Region in Jeddah.

The meeting was attended by Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Saudi ambassador to the UK; Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan; Minister of Commerce and Minister of Information-designate Majid Al-Qasabi, and Neil Crompton the British ambassador to the Kingdom.

The ways to enhance Saudi-UK bilateral relations and discussed regional and international events of common interest were also discussed during the meeting.

CAPE TOWN, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, fire broke out on Table Mountain that went out of control till Monday morning.

The city said, the flames destroyed part of the restaurant next to a monument to British colonist Cecil Rhodes, which offers an exceptional view of the harbor, houses and several buildings of the prestigious Cape Town University below, including the library.

One firefighter was hospitalized with burns, the city said, while his colleagues continued to fight the fire in the evening.

Hundreds of students had left their residences on foot, walking along the main road to escape the smoke and find shelter, the media reported.

The city said, strong winds spread the fire.

The Table Mountain National Park, which extends over much of the undeveloped areas of the city, had asked in the morning, including on social networks, to hikers to evacuate the area immediately and motorists to pick up their vehicles parked nearby.

However, the firefighters had received the first alert shortly before 09:00 local (07:00 GMT). Reinforcements were deployed and three helicopters were assisting in the efforts, dropping water packs on the flames.

THIMPHU, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On 16 April, the ministry of labor and human resources sought to reduce its target for job creation from 52,930 to 26,609 jobs during the 12^th plan mid-term review.

Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering, who chaired the midterm review, questioned the ministry, “What do you mean when you say job created?”

He said, “Whether the ministry created a job but nobody is keen on taking up that job or does it mean the ministry really employed so many? Or does the target mean the ministry created the jobs in different sectors?” 

Lyonchhen reminded the ministry that pandemic would end someday and that when it does there would be economic and employment issues that is why it was important to ensure the current skills were enhanced and training revamped if necessary. 

Labour Secretary Sonam Wangchuk said that since employment is everyone’s responsibility and the ministry alone cannot create jobs; respective sectors should submit a list of the numbers of jobs they could create.

However, the ministry was asked to study the target again by discussing with different sectors on what jobs are available and what jobs can they create instead of dropping the target. 

BEIJING, 19 April, 2021 (TON): While addressing a press conference on Monday, Lyu Bo an official of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed that Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu province, will host the main events marking this year's Space Day of China.

The events include the opening ceremony, bilateral talks on the international lunar research station, and the fourth China Space Conference.

Lyu said, the name of China's first Mars rover will be announced at the opening ceremony on Saturday.

Last month, three possible names emerged, with "Zhurong", a fire god in ancient Chinese mythology, topping the list.

However, the global campaign of naming the rover kicked off last July.

China launched Tianwen-1 on 23 July last year.

The spacecraft, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, entered the parking orbit of Mars after performing an orbital manoeuver on 24 February.

ISLAMABAD, 19 April, 2021 (TON): In a three day visit to UAE, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has ruled out backchannel talks with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar, who is also present in the Gulf country.

On Sunday, the Minister told the reporters in Dubai, "I am here for a bilateral visit and not an India-specific agenda. My agenda is UAE-Pakistan and not India-Pakistan."

"I don't think a meeting is set out with the Indian Foreign Minister. We want peace in the region and cordial ties with all our neighbors including India," he added.

However, the Minister welcomed the UAE's mediation in resolving Pakistan's issues with India.

TOKYO, 19 April, 2021 (TON): Japan called on Myanmar authorities to release a Japanese journalist Yuki Kitazumi hostile in Yangon prison, who was arrested during junta’s crackdown on anti-coup protests.

One of at least 65 reporters arrested during the junta's crackdown on anti-coup protests.

The military beefed up its crackdown on the mass demonstrations against the ousting of the elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, with at least 737 civilians killed and the press increasingly under attack.

However, on Sunday, the free lance reporter Kitazumi was detained on Sunday, and a Japanese embassy spokesman confirmed that he was transferred overnight from a police watchhouse to the Insein prison.

However, Kitazumi has not been charged yet and diplomats are seeking permission to visit him in jail.

NEW DELHI/LONDON, 19 April, 2021 (TON): British PM Boris Johnson cancelled his next week’s trip to New Delhi, in the view of the severity of the second wave of the pandemic in India.

Ministry of External Affairs said, "In view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation, it has been decided by mutual agreement that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will not visit India next week."

"Both leaders attach the highest importance to taking the India-U.K. partnership to its fullest potential and propose to remain in close touch in this regard and look forward to an in-person meeting later in the year," the ministry said.

The two sides will be holding a virtual meeting in the coming days to launch plans for a transformed India-U.K. relationship.

However, the UK is eyeing a new bilateral trade deal with India, following its exit from the European Union. India is the second-largest investor in the UK, after the US. Post-Brexit, while the UK is focused on the Indo-Pacific region for its economy and security.

MOSCOW, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, Russia announced the expulsion of 20 Czech diplomats a day after Prague's "unprecedented" decision to expel 18 Russian diplomats identified as secret agents.

Moscow said 20 employees of the Czech embassy had been declared "persona non grata" and must leave the country by the end of Monday.

Just after the Czech ambassador in Moscow, Vitezslav Pivonka, had been summoned by the Russian foreign ministry, the expulsions were unveiled.

The foreign ministry said in a statement, "Pivonka had been told that 20 employees of the Czech embassy in Moscow had been declared 'persona non grata'.”

"They have been ordered to leave our country by the end of April 19, 2021," the ministry added, calling the Czech government's decision to expel Russian diplomats a hostile act,” it added.

However, Moscow alleged the move bore a "trace" of involvement by Washington.

CAIRO, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, the Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias arrived in Egypt during a tour leading up to a visit to Saudi Arabia.

It comes within the framework of a diplomatic move by Athens against the backdrop of the situation in Libya and tension with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.

“Yesterday I was in Cyprus to participate in the quartet meeting with Emirates, Israel and Cyprus, and I will go tomorrow to Cairo and on Tuesday to Saudi Arabia, while I will participate on Monday in the European Council meeting,” Dendias tweeted on Saturday.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks with Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias on his arrival in Cairo.

Also, they dealt with the bilateral ties between the countries and ways of enhancing them, in addition to the trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Greece and Cyprus, and regional and international issues of common concern.

MALE, 19 April, 2021 (TON): On Sunday, the Parliament Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed told President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in a message that he wishes to change Maldives’ system of governance to parliamentary, and become the Prime Minister.

In a message on Sunday evening, Nasheed told the President he wishes to discuss changing the system of governance in Maldives from presidential to parliamentary.

He forwarded the message to several Cabinet members and parliamentarians.

Nasheed has proposed abandoning the 2023 presidential elections, making the transition to a parliamentary system, and dissolving the government.

However, he suggested that the Parliament govern Maldives until the next parliamentary elections.