DUBAI, 03 February 2022, (TON): The US is sending a powerful warship and state-of-the art fighter jets to help defend the UAE after a series of missile attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.

The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi said “the deployment, to assist the UAE against the current threat, follows a phone call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.”

The embassy said “Austin and the crown prince discussed the recent Houthi attacks against the UAE that caused civilian casualties and also threatened US and Emirati armed forces stationed at Al-Dhafra air base.”

Under the new arrangements, the guided missile destroyer USS Cole will partner with the UAE Navy and make a port call in Abu Dhabi, and the US will also deploy fifth-generation warplanes.

BEIJING, 03 February 2022, (TON): Chinese President Xi Jinping has replied separately to letters from Victoria Woodards and Dick Muri, mayors of Tacoma and Steilacoom of the U.S. state of Washington.

In his reply letters, which were sent on Monday, Xi pointed out that the Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a happy event for the Chinese people and a great event for the international Olympic cause.

With the support of the Chinese people and the international community, he said, China will certainly present a simple, safe and splendid Olympic Games, practice the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger Together," and bring people across the world together for a shared future.

Xi also extended holiday greetings to all citizens of the two cities.

Woodards and Muri recently wrote to Xi separately, extending their Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese president and people and wishing the Beijing Winter Olympics a success.

WASHINGTON, 03 February 2022, (TON): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Russia to immediately de-escalate tensions and to withdraw troops from Ukraine’s borders in a call with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

The US State department said in a statement “Blinken emphasised that further invasion of Ukraine would be met with swift and severe consequences and urged Russia to pursue a diplomatic path.”

Lavrov said after the call that he had told Blinken that Russia would continue insisting on its demands, including that the West stick to its security obligations, and added that Blinken agreed that there is subject for further discussion.

The call came amid rising worries that Russia intends to attack Ukraine, and a US official said Lavrov gave “no indication” of any plans to de-escalate.

Blinken said “Washington and its European partners are willing to keep talking, but also underscored the US commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” and to Kiev’s right to determine its own alliances a reference to Russia’s demand for a pledge that Ukraine will not join Nato.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, Tuesday saw another burst of top-level diplomacy to try to head off a major conflict in Europe.

RIYADH, 03 February 2022, (TON): Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met the permanent representative of France to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Muriel Penicaud.

The meeting in Riyadh at which they discussed issues of mutual concern was attended by the director general of the foreign minister’s office, Khalid bin Musaed Al-Anqari, director general of the European department, Sultan bin Khuzaim, and the French ambassador to the Kingdom, Ludovic Pouille.

Separately, Al-Jubeir received the Cuban envoy to Saudi Arabia, Vladimir Gonzalez Quesada, and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.

WASHINGTON, 03 February 2022, (TON): Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson spoke with leaders of nongovernmental organizations operating in Afghanistan today to discuss the issuance of new Frequently Asked Questions designed to provide clarity and further facilitate humanitarian aid and commercial activity in Afghanistan.

He shared that the FAQs, several of which were developed in consultation with NGOs, addressed questions surrounding food and agricultural shipments, support to public hospitals, salary support for teachers and healthcare workers, support for municipal water systems, bank transactions, and cash shipments.

These additional FAQs provide clarity to help NGOs to continue to deliver important services and for financial institutions to process those transactions.

While the United States is working to facilitate financial flows that benefit the Afghan people, including through guidance like the FAQs released today, Under Secretary Nelson reiterated that Afghanistan will continue to face severe economic and humanitarian challenges regardless of the amount of aid provided due to longstanding structural challenges and the Taliban’s economic mismanagement.

Under Secretary Nelson emphasized Treasury’s commitment to supporting the people of Afghanistan and seeking solutions to mitigate humanitarian challenges on the ground while preventing the flow of funds to illicit activities.

Since August, Treasury has hosted several meetings with NGOs and financial institutions at all levels to solicit feedback and provide technical assistance with regard to Afghanistan.

DOHA, 03 February 2022, (TON): Qatar has reached an agreement with the Taliban to resume chartered evacuations out of Kabul airport, the Axios news website reported citing an interview with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Axios said “the agreement was for two flights per week, chartered by Qatar Airways, and would allow the United States and other countries to evacuate thousands more of their citizens and at-risk Afghans.”

The minister spoke to Axios on Monday in Washington, during an official visit with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

A senior Qatar government source said on Jan 27 that Qatar Airways has resumed operating passenger evacuation flights from Afghanistan, after a two-month halt.

Qatar stopped operating evacuation flights in early December amid a dispute with the Taliban over which passengers were permitted to take the flights.

LONDON, 03 February 2022, (TON): The defence ministry said “Britain scrambled fighter jets on Wednesday after detecting unidentified aircraft approaching its airspace.”

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said “quick reaction alert Typhoon fighters from RAF Lossiemouth, supported by a vogayer tanker from RAF Brieze Norton, have been launched against unidentified aircraft approaching the UK area of interest.”

“We will not be offering any additional detail on this ongoing operation until complete.”

Sky News reported that the aircraft had been detected north of Scotland.

The media soueces added that such incidents, known as quick reaction alerts, were not uncommon and involve Royal Air Force (RAF) crews shadowing Russian military aircraft near UK airspace.

The force routinely intercepts and monitors approaching aircraft.

It has said that Russian military aircraft entering the the UK's policed zone of international airspace can pose a hazard to other air users because they often do not talk to air traffic control.

RIYADH, 03 February 2022, (TON): The Saudi government has deactivated 314,891 land mines in Yemen laid by Houthi militia, clearing routes for much-needed humanitarian aid aimed at supporting the country’s embattled citizens.

Implemented by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance in Yemen dismantled 3,233 mines in the fourth week of January.

This figure includes 101 anti-personnel mines, 2,302 anti-tank mines, 516 unexploded ordinances and 314 other explosive devices.

The project is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help ease the suffering of the Yemeni people.

The demining took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

More than 1.2 million mines have been planted by the Houthis, claiming the lives of hundreds of civilians.

WASHINGTON, 03 February 2022, (TON): Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.

Secretary Blinken condemned the DPRK’s recent ballistic missile launches, which were in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, and committed to trilateral cooperation with Japan and the Republic of Korea towards the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The Secretary and Foreign Minister Hayashi discussed Ukraine and the need to deter Russia from further military action or other aggressive acts. 

Secretary Blinken, building on the successful outcomes of the January 6 U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee, reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan Alliance’s critical role as the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity and underscored our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and world.

JERUSALEM, 03 February 2022, (TON): Amnesty International on Tuesday labelled Israel an apartheid state that treats Palestinians as an inferior racial group, joining the assessment of other rights groups which the Jewish state vehemently rejects.

Amnesty’s secretary-general Agnes Callamard said “Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid.”

“Whether they live in Gaza, east Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, or Israel itself, Palestinians are treated as an inferior racial group and systematically deprived of their rights.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid strongly rejected the claims as “divorced from reality” and charged that “Amnesty quotes lies spread by terrorist organisations”.

A year ago, Israeli-based rights group B’Tselem drew fire when it asserted that Israeli policies had been designed to enforce “Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea” and met the definition of “apartheid”.