DHAKA, 24 July 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said “Greece will regularise some 15,000 undocumented Bangladeshis.”

He said “under a new deal signed between Bangladesh and Greece, Bangladesh can also send yearly some 4,000 Bangladeshis to the European country.”

The minister was addressing a seminar on energy crisis in the wake of Russia-Ukraine War organised by Bangabandhu Foundation at the Supreme Court Bar Association Auditorium.

Momen said “he recently met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen who offered that Bangladeshi investors could invest in the food industry by leasing land there.”

DHAKA, 24 July 2022, (TON): Deputy Speaker Advocate Md Fazle Rabbi Miah has passed away while undergoing treatment in New York. He was 76.

Fazle Rabbi, a lawmaker from Gaibandha-5, left behind three daughters, a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death. His wife Anwara Rabbi died in May, 2020.

The valiant freedom fighter fought against the Pakistan Army in Sector 11 during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

Nazmul Hasan, acting consul general at Consulate General of Bangladesh in New York quoting Deputy Speaker's APS told UNB that Fazle Rabbi breathed his last at Mt Sinai Hospital, New York.

LONDON, 23 July 2022, (TON): British military intelligence said “Russia has increased its use of air defense missiles in a secondary ground attack mode because of critical shortages of dedicated ground-attack missiles.”

Ministry of Defense said “Russia has almost certainly deployed S-300 and S-400 strategic air defense systems, designed to shoot down aircraft and missiles at long ranges, near Ukraine from the start of the invasion.”

It said it said “the weapons, which have relatively small warheads are designed to destroy aircraft.”

He added Adding that they could pose a significant threat against troops in the open and light buildings but are unlikely to penetrate hardened structures.

RIYADH, 23 July 2022, (TON): King Salman sent a cable of congratulations to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt on the anniversary of his country's National Day on July 23.

In his cable, the King expressed his sincere congratulations and best wishes of good health and happiness for the President and further progress and prosperity for the government and friendly people of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Saudi Press Agency reported “the King also praised the distinguished relations between the two friendly countries, which all are keen to develop in all fields.”

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent a cable to El-Sisi.

DUBAI, 23 July 2022, (TON): The government of Japan on Friday strongly condemned the deadly attack in the city of Zakho, Duhok province, northern Iraq.

According to a statement by Press Secretary Hikariko Ono, Japan will continue to support the efforts of the Iraqi government to ensure peace and stability in Iraq, including in the Kurdistan region.

The Turkish artillery attack occurred on July 20, killing nine civilians, including three children, while many others with injured.

The attack prompted an unusually strong rebuke from Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhemi.

THE HAGUE, 23 July 2022, (TON): The UN’s highest court will decide on Friday whether to throw out a case lodged by The Gambia against military-ruled Myanmar for the alleged genocide of Rohingya Muslims.

The west African nation accused Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2019 of breaching the UN genocide convention over a bloody 2017 crackdown.

Hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya fled the Buddhist-majority southeast Asian country during the operation, bringing with them harrowing reports of murder, rape and arson.

The Hague-based ICJ said in a statement that it will at 1300 GMT “deliver its judgment on the preliminary objections raised by Myanmar.”

TOKYO, 23 July 2022, (TON): Japanese Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa said “the status of Russia within the G20 was discussed during his talks with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud in Tokyo last Tuesday and added that the treatment of Russia within the G20 will be discussed within the group.”

Replying to an Arab News Japan question at a press conference Friday, Hayashi said Japan and Saudi Arabia are in close collaboration over world events.

He added “I shall refrain from discussing the details of diplomatic talks between myself and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and during the meeting of the Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Kishida. However, we exchanged frank opinions, including the coordination of the international community, regarding Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and reaffirmed that we will continue our close collaboration.”

Hayashi stressed the treatment of Russia within the G20 will be discussed and Japan would respond accordingly to Russia’s actions.

BEIJING, 23 July 2022, (TON): Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a sympathy message to his United States counterpart Joe Biden on Friday, state broadcaster CCTV reported, a day after the 79-year-old US leader tested positive for Covid-19.

Biden on Thursday insisted he was doing great, and said “he would continue to work while isolating at the White House with mild symptoms.”

Xi wrote in the message “I would like to express my deep sympathies to you and wish you a speedy recovery.”

It is the first public contact between both leaders since their last virtual summit four months ago, as ties between the two global superpowers continue to deteriorate over issues including Taiwan, Ukraine and technology sector competition.

SEOUL, South Korea: North Korea has warned that the United States and South Korea will face unprecedented security challenges if they don’t stop their hostile military pressure campaign against the North, including joint military drills.

North Korea views any regular US-South Korean military training as an invasion rehearsal even though the allies have steadfastly said they have no intention of attacking the North.

The latest warning came as Washington and Seoul prepare to expand their upcoming summertime training following the North’s provocative run of missile tests this year.

DAMASCUS, 23 July 2022, (TON): An Israeli missile attack near Damascus killed three soldiers and wounded seven more, Syrian state media reported, in what a war monitor said was the 17th Israeli attack on Syrian territory this year.

The Israeli military said it does not comment on foreign reports.

Israel has been carrying out strikes for years against what it has described as Iranian and Iran-backed targets in Syria, where Tehran has deployed forces in support of President Bashar Assad since the Syrian war began in 2011.

Citing a military source, Syria’s SANA news agency said Israel “carried out an aerial aggression” at 00:32 a.m., firing missiles from the Golan Heights targeting “a number of positions in the vicinity of Damascus.”

Syrian air defenses managed to shoot down some of the missiles.