DHAKA, 01 November 2022, (TON): Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen has urged the US companies to open their business venture in Bangladesh through bringing more investment considering Bangladesh’s excellent business environment and large domestic market.

He said “Bangladesh is a land of opportunity the US companies can make more money here.”

The foreign minister was speaking at a dinner hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh to celebrate 28th US Trade Show on Saturday evening at a city hotel in Dhaka.

Momen said “Bangladesh government was helpful for facilitating foreign direct investment and this was the time for the US investors to come here and take the opportunity of doing business.”

DHAKA, 01 November 2022, (TON): World Bank Group said “over 13 million people could become internal climate migrants in Bangladesh by 2050 due to climate change impacts.”

Also, one third of agricultural GDP may be lost in the country due to climate variability and extreme events by 2050, it projected.

Without action, climate change impacts can shrink cropland by 18% in Southern Bangladesh and 6.5% nationally by 2040, according to a report titled “Bangladesh Country Climate and Development Report”, a new diagnostic report that integrates climate change and development considerations, launched by World Bank Group in Dhaka.

The report identified near term policies and investment priorities that can support Bangladesh to continue progress in building resilience to the effects of climate change.

KYIV, 01 November 2022, (TON): Several blasts shook Kyiv on Monday, days after Russia blamed Ukraine for drone attacks on its Crimea fleet in the Black Sea.

At least five explosions were heard in the Ukrainian capital between 8:00 am and 8:20 am, according to journalists.

Kyiv had already been hit on October 10 and 17 by drones.

After Monday’s blasts, mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a Telegram message: “An area of Kyiv is without electricity and certain areas without water following Russian strikes.”

Monday’s attack on the Ukrainian capital comes after Russia pulled out of a landmark agreement that allowed vital grain shipments via a maritime safety corridor.

BERLIN, 01 November 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said “Germany and the European Union are examining whether to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.”

Baerbock said in a interview “I made it clear last week that we will launch another package of sanctions, that we will examine how we can also list the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.”

Her comments come after the head of the Revolutionary Guards warned protesters that Saturday would be their last day of taking to the streets, in a sign that security forces may intensify their already fierce crackdown on widespread unrest.

KYIV, 01 November 2022, (TON): Ships carrying grain sailed from Ukrainian ports on Monday despite Moscow’s suspension of its participation in a UN program to ensure the safety of such cargoes amid an unrelenting war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said “his country would continue implementing the program, brokered by the United Nations and Turkiye in July and aimed at keeping the supply of food commodities to world markets flowing.”

Zelensky told a news conference “we understand what we offer the world. We offer stability on the food production market.”

But Moscow said it was unacceptable for shipping to pass through a Black Sea security corridor as Ukraine was using it to conduct military operations against Russia.

RIYADH, 01 November 2022, (TON): Saudi News Agency reported “the Saudi Health Council and the Rufaida Association for Women’s Health signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate in studies and research related to women’s health and the formulation and evaluation of policies and strategies.”

The MoU was signed by Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Rufaida Association for Women’s Health Princess Moudhi bint Khalid bin Abdulaziz and Saudi Health Council Secretary-General Dr. Nahar bin Mazki Al-Azmi.

Princess Moudhi emphasized the importance of the memorandum, which stipulates collaboration in training health staff, organizing workshops, launching awareness campaigns and conducting research.

TEHRAN, 01 November 2022, (TON): Local media said “Iranian naval forces have seized a foreign-registered ship they said was smuggling fuel in the Gulf and arrested its crew.”

Mojtaba Ghahremani, the judiciary chief for Hormozgan province said “the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has seized a foreign tanker carrying 11 million liters of smuggled fuel.”

It is not known when the vessel was seized, or what flag it sailed under.

In recent months Iran has announced several operations targeting fuel smuggling in the Gulf, where a large amount of the world’s oil is produced and shipped.

AL-MUKALLA, 01 November 2022, (TON): The UN has begun phase one of an emergency plan to rescue a deteriorating oil tanker near Yemen’s western city of Hodeidah after obtaining funding from donors, a UN official told Arab News, boosting hopes of defusing the country’s “ticking time bomb.”

Russell Geekie, communication officer for UN Humanitarian Coordinator David Gressly, said that the UN is in negotiations with a company to rescue the tanker as well as secure a vessel to offload the oil, and that a team is working on drafting a rescue strategy.

Geekie said “preparatory work for the operation has already begun, including the processes to contract the salvage company and procure the vessel that will hold the oil.”

He added “completion of a detailed operational plan and procurement of the vessel are the two major steps ahead of the work on the water.”

SEOUL, 01 November 2022, (TON): The United States and South Korea began one of their largest combined military air drills on Monday, with hundreds of warplanes from both sides staging mock attacks 24 hours a day for the better part of a week.

The operation, called Vigilant Storm, will run until Friday, and will feature about 240 warplanes conducting about 1,600 sorties, the US Air Force said in a statement last week.

It added “that number of missions is the highest ever for this annual event.”

Pyongyang has condemned joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion and proof of hostile policies by Washington and Seoul. In protest of recent drills, North Korea has launched missiles, conducted air drills, and fired artillery into the sea.

MOGADISHU, 01 November 2022, (TON): Somalia’s president has issued an urgent plea for international help for wounded victims of devastating car bombings at the weekend that claimed the lives of 120 people.

Bulldozers were still clearing the blast site in the capital Mogadishu on Monday in the hunt for bodies feared trapped under the rubble.

Saturday’s attack, which also wounded more than 300 people, was claimed by the Al-Shabab group and was the deadliest in the fragile Horn of Africa nation in five years.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a statement “we appeal for the international community, Somali brothers, and other Muslim brothers and or partners to send doctors to Somalia to help the hospitals treat the wounded people.”