JEDDAH, 07 November 2022, (TON): The Arab Tourism Organization has honored Algeria’s president for his country’s role in supporting the tourism industry in the Arab world.

The organization awarded Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune a first grade medal in recognition of his efforts to strengthen joint Arab action in the field. The award was made at the end of the 31st Arab Summit, which was held in Algiers.

The head of the ATO Bandar Al-Fahid said “Algeria was experiencing a tourism renaissance, having seen its foreign and domestic traveler numbers hit 12 million.”

Tebboune's award was the 16th medal presented by the ATO to state leaders from around the Arab world for their efforts to promote tourism.

AMSTERDAM, 07 November 2022, (TON): More than 100 environmental activists wearing white suits stormed into an area where private jets are kept at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Saturday and stopped several aircraft from departing by sitting in front of their wheels.

The protest was part of a day of demonstrations in and around the airport organised by environmental groups Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion to protest over greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution caused by the airport and aviation industry.

No delays to commercial flights were reported as of the early afternoon.

Greenpeace Netherlands campaign leader Dewi Zloch said “we want fewer flights, more trains and a ban on unnecessary short-haul flights and private jets.”

WASHINGTON, 07 November 2022, (TON): The United States is privately encouraging Ukraine to signal an openness to negotiate with Russia, the Washington Post reported, as the State Department said Moscow was escalating the war and did not seriously wish to engage in peace talks.

The newspaper cited unnamed sources as saying the request by American officials was not aimed at pushing Ukraine to the negotiating table, but a calculated attempt to ensure Kyiv maintains the support of other nations.

The Post said “US and Ukrainian officials acknowledged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s ban on talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin had generated concern in parts of Europe, Africa and Latin America, where the war’s effects on costs of food and fuel are felt most sharply.”

It quoted “Ukraine fatigue is a real thing for some of our partners.”

CAIRO, 07 November 2022, (TON): In the lead-up to the 27th UN Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP27, the Egyptian host city of Sharm El-Sheikh, situated on the country’s glittering Red Sea coast, went green in every sense of the word.

From the fleet of electric vehicles that are transporting delegates to the ubiqitous solar panels designed to power all sectors of the local economy, Sharm El-Sheikh has become a showpiece for what a sustainable future might look like.

The all-important hotel industry has gone “green” too, embracing the latest in sustainable leisure and hospitality practices, including proper wastewater management, recycling, renewables and energy efficiency.

Yasmine Fouad, Egypt’s minister of environment, told media “green Sharm has been a concept that was in our minds for the past 10 years.”

ROME, 07 November 2022, (TON): Italy readied Sunday to allow vulnerable migrants off a second charity rescue vessel in Sicily, but sources close to firebrand minister Matteo Salvini warned those not eligible to remain would be forced back into international waters.

Charity SOS Humanity said “Minors and the sick were let off the German-flagged Humanity 1 in the early hours at the port of Catania, but 35 adult male migrants were refused permission to set foot on Italian soil.”

Fellow humanitarian vessel Geo Barents, run by Doctors Without Borders’ and sailing under a Norwegian flag, said it too has been summoned so authorities could “evaluate vulnerable cases” among the 572 rescued people on board.

RIYADH, 07 November 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Affairs Envoy Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir received Western Australia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Action Reece Whitby, at the Ministry's headquarters in Riyadh.

They discussed aspects of cooperation in the fields of environment and climate change and ways to enhance them.

They also reviewed the Kingdom's initiatives in this field, especially the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, and the international efforts exerted in this regard.

KYIV, 07 November 2022, (TON): Russian news agencies reported “emergency services in Moscow-occupied Ukraine said yesterday the key Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled region of Kherson was damaged by a Ukrainian strike.”

Russian agencies quoted "there was a hit of six HIMARS rockets. Air defence units shot down five missiles, one hit a lock of the Kakhovka dam, which was damaged.”

Ukraine has in recent weeks warned that Moscow forces intended to blow up the strategic facility to cause flooding.

The news agency then quoted a local Moscow-backed official saying the damage was not critical.

DUBAI, 07 November 2022, (TON): According to the head of the UAE’s regulatory authority “as the world watches the Russia-Ukraine conflict rage on, many fear that a nuclear escalation is imminent. Despite this threat, regulators and operators around the world are working to ensure the implementation of safe nuclear power.”

Referring to the disasters in the former Soviet Union in 1986 and in Japan in 2011, Christer Viktorsson said that while atomic energy can be a hazardous venture, nuclear safety in general has improved significantly since Chernobyl.

It improved further after the Fukushima accident. Many safety enhancements have been done.

DHAKA, 07 November 2022, (TON): The International Monetary Fund will be coordinating its conditions for the prospective $4.5 billion loan with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to accomplish holistic reforms.

For that end, the visiting IMF staff mission held a meeting with the country teams of the WB and the ADB, according to three people familiar with the discussions, who requested anonymity to disclose the contents of the closed-door dialogue.

One of the participants in the meeting said "while the Bangladesh economy is not in as dire a position as Sri Lanka and Pakistan's, the alarm bells have started ringing. Now is the time to take corrective actions.”

DHAKA, 07 November 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said “many renowned companies from around the world are setting up their factories in the economic zones of Bangladesh.”

She said "Bangladesh has emerged as an ideal place for investment with a favourable investment climate. We are building 100 Special Economic Zones across the country with all amenities available. Many of the world's famous companies are setting up their factories in these zones.”

The premier said “this in a pre-recorded speech played at the World Marketing Summit 2022 that started.”