Iraqi President Barham Salih named Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi as new Iraqi Prime Minister on Saturday, however, protesters expressed their dissatisfaction and continued with their  protests.

If we recall, former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi resigned in November 2018 due to mass anti-government unrest where hundreds of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets demanding the removal of Iraq's political elite due to corruption and mass killings of opponents. Human rights organizations have reported over 600 protesters and affiliated to opposition have been killed in a deadly crackdown by security forces. However, the number of killings could not be confirmed through independent sources.

Meanwhile, Shiite leadership in Baghdad, backed by the western nations deployed in  Iraq, have been challenged.  However, politicians have generated anti-American rallies and demanded withdrawal of US troops.

BRUSSELS, 1 February 2020, TON: Britain’s Union Jack was removed from row of 27 EU member state flags at the European Council and European Parliament buildings in Brussels on Friday evening ahead of the United Kingdom’s exit from the bloc at midnight (2300 GMT). Britain has become the first country to quit the European Union 

RAWALPINDI, 1 February 2020, TON; Bangladesh team toured Pakistan and played three-match Twenty20 International series at historical Gaddafi Stadium 24, 25 and 27 January 2020. Pakistan won the series. Bangladeshi team returned home and they will come again to Pakistan this month to play first Test in Rawalpindi from 7 to 11 February 2020 and then in the last phase, the Bangladeshi cricketers will again come to Pakistan in April after the completion of PSL-5. They will first play one off ODI on 3 April at National Stadium Karachi and then play second Test at the same venue from 5 to 9 April.  

Muhammad Ibrahim, a student of local college in Rawalpindi while speaking to The Orient News correspondent said, “It hardly matter if Pakistan or Bangladesh wins, we were brothers in the past but separated and will be one again.” Pakistan and Bangladesh are today two brotherly countries with same religion but the same ideology. Many Pakistanis consider Bangladeshis as their real brothers and sisters and strongly believe that one day all the misunderstandings would be removed and both countries would live like real brothers.

CHHATTISGARH, 1 February 2020, TON: In a combing operation by the joint Indian troops of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)’s 204th Commando Battalion and local police in the wee hours on Sunday, three Naxals were killed including a woman was killed in an operation. Police authorities later confirmed that the operation was carried iout in the area of Basaguda police station.

Police claimed that in the process of bussing Maoist hideout in the forest, one personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was injured.

Killing of Naxals has become a routine matter as last year 430 Naxals were killed in various encounters and combing operations. Indian Home Ministry has announced that India security forces have planned a new operation in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand which would conclude in April 2020. It is expected leadership of Communist Party of India and their affiliate in Indian political hierarchy including urban Naxals would be eliminated.

NEW DELHI, I February 2020, TON: The Indian government on Saturday allocated Rs 2826.92 Crore as sports budget for the next financial year, which is up by a mere Rs 50 Crore from the revised estimates of 2019-20. However, as far as incentives for sportspersons in the Olympic year are concerned, it has proposed to slash the amount from the Rs 111 Crore to Rs 70 Crore.

The government also decreased the allocation for Sports Authority of India from the revised Rs 615 Crore to Rs 500 Crore. The Sports Authority of India is the focal authority to manage nationals camps, provide infrastructure, equipment and other logistics to the country's sportspersons.

ISLAMABAD, 1 February 2020, TON: Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Saturday that the country was preparing a draft agreement in collaboration with Turkey to grant dual nationality to the citizens of the two countries.

“The Turkish Ambassador called on the Interior Minister last week to discuss matters of mutual interest,” foreign office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui told Arab News. “During the interaction, the question of dual nationality also came up for discussion.”

The decision to prepare the draft, she added, was taken to meet the longstanding demand of the Pakistani community in Turkey.

According to a recent statement by the Interior Ministry, Federal Minister for Interior Brigadier (Retired) Ijaz Ahmad Shah held a meeting with Turkish Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul and resolved to work together and strengthen bilateral ties.

The Turkish Ambassador on behalf of his government proposed the two countries to sign an agreement regarding the idea of giving dual nationality to the citizens, the statement added.

“In response to this, the interior minister said that the draft is under consideration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is on board with us, we hope to reach a mutual conclusion soon,” said the statement.

The Turkish ambassador also expressed the hope that the process would be expedited to achieve the desired results.

According to the statement, the Turkish ambassador informed that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was scheduled to visit Pakistan during the course of this month and would be accompanied by a large delegation.

He also told the Minister that the Turkish consulate in Karachi, which is still under construction, is the largest one his country had built anywhere in the world.

“It was heartening to know about the largest Turkish consulate in Karachi,” Minister Shah was quoted as saying, “and we will provide any assistance required from our end to ensure timely operation of the building.”

ISLAMABAD, 1 February 2020, TON: The Government of Pakistan has decided in principle Islamabad not evacuate Pakistani citizens stranded in China’s coronavirus-hit regions, in order to ensure the safety of the larger public.

Foreign Ministry data reflected that approximately 28,300 Pakistani students are currently studying at Chinese universities, with more than 500 of them in the virus epicenter of Wuhan. Only four Pakistani students tested positive for the virus.

Many countries including the US, UK, Japan, Australia and India have flown their citizens out of China after the outbreak of the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a global health emergency. Earlier, on Friday, Pakistan announced it was suspending all direct flights to and from the country until 2 February 2020.

USA, 1 February 2020, TON: United States is temporarily denying entry to noncitizens who have recently traveled to China, hoping to limit the spread of the new Coronavirus to Americans. The American restrictions, announced on Friday, exempt immediate family members of American citizens and permanent residents.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  has been working on the Coronavirus since December last year. As a precautionary measure any American citizen returning home who has been in the Hubei province of China within the past 14 days will be graded as in the virus’s incubation period and will be quarantined for up to 14 days. 

Addressing joint press conference at Brussels, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said,  Albania will not change its position on giving shelter to members of an Iranian opposition group. He said, “Albania is proud of granting asylum to thousands of people whose lives were threatened by the Iranian government".

Since 2018 Albania has expelled an Iranian ambassador and several diplomats for activities against the Mujahideen-e Khalq Organization (MKO) and others. In middle January this year Albanian Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj declared two Iranian diplomats namely, Mohammad Ali Arzpeima Nemati and Ahmad Hosseini Alast, as persona non grata and asked to leave Albania. Albania is also promoting Sufism including Bektashi group that remained target of Iran.

Earlier, in a casual talk, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg was talking about regime change in Iran. NATO countries including Albania are hosting the members of Mujahideen-e Khalq Organization. Besides US and UK, Mujahideen-e Khalq Organization has its members in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.  

In the name of protecting Tibet's environmental and cultural rights, the US House of Representatives has passed a bill by an overwhelming vote of 392 to 22 that authorizes

financial and travel sanctions against Chinese officials who interfere in the process of selecting the successor to the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet. In the next step the bill will be presented to the Senate and signed into law by the president.

The bill provides that the succession or reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders which includes nomination of 15th Dalai Lama, is an exclusively religious matter that should be decided solely by the Tibetan Buddhist community. The bill will also prohibit China from opening any new consulate in the US until Beijing allows Washington to open its diplomatic station in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa.

If we recall, US Congressman McGovern said on the House floor, "The Dalai Lama should be commended for his decision to devolve political authority to elected leaders. The Tibetan exile community is also to be commended for adopting a system of self-governance with democratic institutions to choose their own leaders, including holding multiple 'free and fair' elections to select its Parliament and chief executive."

There are serious concerns that Coronavirus may be linked with Washington’s plans to preventing Beijing from installing a Dalai Lama and linking it with “Global Magnitsky Act". The Global Magnitsky Act allows the US to sanction foreign government officials implicated in human rights abuses anywhere in the world. There are reports that last month Americans had been engaged in dialogue with Tibetan leaders and Beijing.