ISTANBUL, 05 November 2022, (TON): President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman said the process of the United States approving the sale of F-16 fighter jets to NATO member Turkiye was going well and could be completed within a couple of months.

Turkiye made a request to the United States in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes to update its air force after the purchase of F-35s fell through.

CNN Turk cited spokesman Ibrahim Kalin as saying in an interview with the broadcaster that the administration of President Joe Biden was making sincere efforts on the issue.

JEDDAH, 05 November 2022, (TON): Foreign ministers from the G7 group of nations denounced the Tehran regime’s deadly crackdown on the wave of protests sweeping Iran.

The ministers said after talks in Germany “we condemn the brutal and disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters.”

They said “we advocate the right of all Iranians to access information, and we deplore the Iranian government’s erosion of civil space, and independent journalism, its targeting of human rights defenders, including by shutting down the internet and social media.”

The G7 also criticized Tehran’s destabilizing activities in and around the Middle East, such as the supply of weapons, including drones, to state and non-state actors.

Ministers said “such proliferation is destabilizing for the region and escalates already high tensions.”

WASHINGTON, 05 November 2022, (TON): US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said “Ukrainian forces can retake the strategic southern city of Kherson from Russian troops, in what would be a major defeat for Russia in its invasion of its neighbor.”

Austin’s remarks coincided with a Russian-installed official in Kherson region saying Moscow was likely to pull its troops from the west bank of the Dnipro River, signaling a significant retreat, if confirmed.

Ukraine said “it was still fighting in the area and was wary of the occupying Russian forces setting a trap.”

Austin did not answer a question about whether Russian forces were preparing to leave. But, in perhaps his most optimistic comments yet on the Ukrainian counter-offensive, expressed confidence in their ability to beat back Russian forces.

SHANGHAI, 05 November 2022, (TON): China’s foreign ministry said “climate change diplomacy between China and the United States cannot be separated from broader political tensions between the two sides, and Washington must take responsibility for the breakdown in talks.”

Nearly 200 countries are about to gather in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt for another round of global climate negotiations, but diplomatic tensions between the two biggest sources of climate-warming greenhouse gas have threatened to overshadow the meeting, known as COP27.

Agreements and joint declarations by Beijing and Washington helped drive through the landmark Paris Agreement in 2015, but China suspended all bilateral discussions in August following the visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims.

ISTANBUL, 05 November 2022, (TON): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said “ussia and Turkiye have reached an agreement to deliver grain free of charge to countries in need including Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan.”

Erdogan said in a televised address “Russian President Vladimir Putin told me during our telephone conversation that we should send grain free of charge to countries including Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan. We have agreed.”

He added "we agreed to discuss this extensively at the G20 summit in Indonesia.”

"We will ensure that grain ships reach all countries in need, especially Somalia, Djibouti and Sudan, which are struggling with serious food crisis and famine."

HELSINKI, 05 November 2022, (TON): Finnish president Sauli Niinisto is optimistic Turkey will ratify Finland’s application to join NATO, he told reporters.

Niinisto told a joint news conference “I’m optimistic that at the end Turkey will ratify our membership, I hope it takes place as soon as possible.”

Finland and neighboring Sweden applied for membership of the defense alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The process has been prolonged by negotiations between Finland, Sweden and Turkey after Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan claimed the Nordic countries support groups Turkey deems terrorists.

MUENSTER, 05 November 2022, (TON): The Group of Seven countries agreed on Friday to coordinate their support for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s energy and water supplies following recent Russian attacks on the power grid that have caused widespread blackouts.

The foreign ministers of the wealthiest democracies said “we will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Their statement said “today we establish a G7 coordination mechanism to help Ukraine repair, restore and defend its critical energy and water infrastructure.”

Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, Iran’s deepening military alignment with Moscow over the war as well as China’s growing assertiveness topped the agenda of the G7 meeting.

LONDON, 05 November 2022, (TON): Ten Greenpeace activists were cleared of aggravated trespass after they prevented a tanker carrying Russian diesel from unloading on the River Thames near London.

The environmental campaigners occupied a jetty in Grays, eastern Essex, in May, stopping the delivery of 33,000 tons of fuel from a Greek-flagged vessel.

They claimed they were stopping the funding of Russian state terrorism in Ukraine but were charged with trespass and obstructing a lawful activity, namely fuel distribution.

Judge Christopher Williams cleared all 10 after a trial at Chelmsford Magistrates Court, northeast of the British capital, prompting cheers and applause from the defendants.

He said “I take the view it’s more than likely the Russian war could be described as terrorism.”

WASHINGTON, 05 November 2022, (TON): A Washington think tank said “a train crossed from North Korea into Russia, two days after the US said it had information indicating Pyongyang is covertly supplying Russia with artillery shells for its war in Ukraine.”

The 38 North project, which monitors North Korean developments, said it was the first time such a train movement had been observed on the route in several years, although Russia’s veterinary service reported that a train had crossed the border into North Korea carrying horses.

38 North said “it is impossible to determine the purpose of the train from the imagery, but the crossing comes amid reports of arms sales from North Korea to Russia and a general expectation of the resumption of trade between the two countries.”

It said “North Korea closed the 800-meter Tumangang Friendship Bridge, the only land link between the countries, in February 2020 during the pandemic.”

DHAKA, 05 November 2022, (TON): Assistant High Commissioner of India in Chittagong Dr Rajeev Ranjan has said India and Bangladesh are very special partners.

He added "India's partnership with Bangladesh stands out as a role model in the region for neighbourly relations. This tie can be strengthened through educational and research exchanges.”

Dr Rajeev was speaking at the opening ceremony of the week-long "International training workshop on companion animal nutrition and small animal reproduction" at the Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.

CVASU Vice-Chancellor Dr Goutam Buddha Das and Madras Veterinary College Dean Dr R Karunakaran were also present.