BANGKOK, 04 December 2022, (TON): Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Bangkok this week has had more of an impact than just forging a bond between the two kingdoms it touched the sentiments of Thais, spurring hopes of a fruitful and lasting relationship. 

The crown prince’s arrival in Thailand marked the first visit by a Saudi royal to the country after three decades of frozen diplomatic and economic ties.

Ties between Saudi Arabia and Thailand were restored earlier this year when Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha visited Riyadh in January and the two countries agreed to work on bilateral cooperation in a historic breakthrough.

DHAKA, 04 December 2022, (TON): According to the party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader “ruling Awami League's slogan ahead of the next election will reflect the country's development journey under it and portend the next stage in its evolution.”

We have accomplished the aim of Digital Bangladesh. We have four-lane highway, six-lane highway, metro rail, Karnaphuli Tunnel, Ruppur Nuclear power plant and Bangabandhu satellite.

Quader said “now, our next aim is to accomplish 'Smart Bangladesh'. Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has defined the slogan for Chhatra League and during its reign, it will be the main slogan of the next national election.”

He made this statement while speaking as the chief guest at the Dhaka University Chhatra League's annual council in front of the Oporajeyo Bangla monument.

DHAKA, 04 December 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangladesh wants to strengthen its relations with the states in Northeast India.

The minister said “Bangladesh wants to increase connectivity with its neighbours. The language, culture and history of our country are closely related to the northeastern states of India. We want to boost our existing ties with them.”

He said “many people from Bangladesh travel to Kolkata, Bangalore and other places, but they do not visit the northeastern region.”

He added “the main reason for the Sylhet-Silchar festival is to increase this connectivity.”

BANGKOK, 04 December 2022, (TON): Asia-Pacific leaders added their voices on Saturday to international pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, issuing a summit statement saying most of them condemned the war.

The 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum issued a joint declaration after a day and half of talks in Bangkok criticizing the conflict and the global economic turmoil it has unleashed.

The summit communique was agreed by all APEC members, including Russia and China which has refrained from public criticism of Moscow for the invasion but includes a number of diplomatic fudges.

TALLINN, 04 December 2022, (TON): Estonia has agreed to buy six HIMARS rocket systems from the United States worth over $200 million, the state defense investment agency said on Saturday.

It is the largest arms purchase in the country’s history.

Estonia, which neighbors Russia, has increased defense spending since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, as has its Baltic neighbors, Latvia and Lithuania.

The HIMARS systems delivered to Ukraine are widely seen as one of the most effective tools in its arsenal, as the pro-Western country fights back against Russian troops.

KABUL, 04 December 2022, (TON): The attack on the Pakistani embassy in Kabul in which at least one person was critically wounded has triggered reactions at national and international levels. 

The United Nations Security Council in a statement condemned the attack and said it asks all relevant parties to respect and ensure the safety and security of diplomatic and consular premises and personnel of United Nations Members States.

The attack on the Pakistan embassy happened shortly after an attack on Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s office in which at least two people were killed.

DHAKA, 04 December 2022, (TON): Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes is on a five-day visit to Bangladesh, from Saturday to Friday.

A US Department of State said “in Bangladesh, Assistant Secretary Noyes will meet with government officials to express the United States' gratitude for their generosity in hosting Rohingya and other refugees fleeing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.”

She will also meet with non-governmental and international organization partners to highlight the US' commitment to supporting the Rohingya refugee response and impacted host communities.

DHAKA, 04 December 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought cooperation from the World Heart Federation to carry out basic research on medical science and to build skilled manpower in the health sector of the country.

She said "help us in conducting basic research on the medical science and give state-of-the-art training for the development of our manpower.”

PM's speech writer M Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.

KUALA LUMPUR, 04 December 2022, (TON): Malaysia’s new Cabinet led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in on Saturday, after divisive polls last month.

Anwar became Malaysia’s 10th premier on Nov. 24 after a general election that produced no outright winner ended in a hung parliament.

With his reformist alliance Pakatan Harapan failing to secure a simple majority, he eventually formed a coalition government with the help of other political blocs.

WASHINGTON, 04 December 2022, (TON): The US on Saturday condemned an attack a day earlier on the Pakistani Embassy in Afghanistan’s capital, in which a senior Pakistani diplomat escaped unhurt but one of his Pakistani guards was wounded, sending a wave of anger in this Islamic nation.

Friday’s assault comes amid rising tensions between the South Asian neighbors over Islamabad’s claims that anti-Pakistan forces are organizing terrorist attacks from hideouts in Afghanistan.

Shots were fired at the embassy from a nearby building by an as-yet known assailant or assailants. Shortly after the shooting, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif took to Twitter, calling the attack an assassination attempt against Pakistan’s head of mission in Afghanistan, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani.

Pakistan repatriated the wounded guard Israr Mohammad by helicopter and he was being treated at a hospital on Saturday.