DHAKA, 17 August 2022, (TON): Negotiation between the government and the International Monetary Fund on loans is likely to begin in October.

An IMF official told media “the negotiation was likely to commence sometime after the annual meetings of the IMF and The World Bank.”

The annual meetings will take place in October 10–16 in Washington.

The IMF official also said the government had sought loans from the Resilience and Sustainability Trust, a new type of loan established in April.

Dhaka has also sought loans for budget support and balance of payment, said the official, adding that no amount was mentioned in the official letter seeking the IMF assistance.

WASHINGTON, 16 August 2022, (TON): The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Liberian government officials Nathaniel McGill, Sayma Syrenius Cephus, and Bill Twehway for their involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia.

These officials are designated pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.

Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said “Through their corruption these officials have undermined democracy in Liberia for their own personal benefit.”

He said “Treasury’s designations today demonstrate that the United States remains committed to holding corrupt actors accountable and to the continued support of the Liberian people.”

NEW YORK, 16 August 2022, (TON): After four inconclusive sessions, UN member states resume talks aimed at finally completing a treaty to protect the world’s high seas, a vital yet fragile resource that covers nearly half the planet.

A host of NGOs and affected countries say the pact is urgently needed to improve environmental stewardship over the vast, yet largely unregulated, area as it faces growing challenges.

But the pandemic slowed negotiations for two years, and a session in March that was supposed to have been conclusive made progress but ran out of time.

The new round of talks opening Monday is set to run through August 26 at United Nations headquarters in New York.

SEOUL, 16 August 2022, (TON): South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday he will offer a wide-ranging aid package to the North in return for denuclearisation, a deal long seen as a non-starter for Pyongyang.

The proposal comes days after the North threatened to wipe out Seoul authorities over a recent Covid-19 outbreak and less than a month after leader Kim Jong Un said his country was ready to mobilise its nuclear capability in any war with the United States and the South.

But calling denuclearisation essential for lasting peace on the peninsula, Yoon detailed a large-scale aid plan that would include food and energy as well as help in modernising infrastructure such as ports, airports and hospitals.

BEIRUT, 16 August 2022, (TON): US military said “an attack with drones hit a compound run by American troops and US-backed Syrian opposition fighters in eastern Syria,

It added that there were no casualties or damage.

The military said the attack took place in the vicinity of Al-Tanf base near where the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack.

US and coalition troops are based at Al-Tanf to train Syrian forces on patrols to counter militants from the Daesh group. The base is also located on a road serving as a vital link for Iranian-backed forces, stretching from Tehran all the way to Lebanon.

TEHRAN, 16 August 2022, (TON): Foreign minister said “Iran will respond to the European Union’s “final” draft text to save a 2015 nuclear deal by midnight on Monday, calling on the United States to show flexibility to resolve three remaining issues.

A senior EU official said “after 16 months of fitful, indirect US-Iranian talks, with the EU shuttling between the parties. 8 it had laid down a final offer and expected a response within a very, very few weeks.

While Washington has said it is ready to quickly seal a deal to restore the 2015 accord on the basis of the EU proposals, Iranian negotiators said Tehran’s “additional views and considerations” to the EU text would be conveyed later.

ABU DHABI, 16 August 2022, (TON): Emirates Press Agency reported “Lt. Gen. Hamad Mohammed Thani Al-Rumaithi, chief of staff of the UAE Armed Forces, received Lt. Gen. Michael Corella, commander of the US Central Command, at the Ministry of Defense in Abu Dhabi.”

During their meeting, they reportedly discussed the friendly relationship between their nations and various aspects of bilateral cooperation and coordination, particularly in the defense and military sectors.

They also exchanged views on a number of issues of mutual concern.

CAIRO, 16 August 2022, (TON): Egyptian Foreign Ministry reported “Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry met with Canadian Minister of International Development Harjit Sajan to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations and other topics of common interest.

Shoukry emphasized the remarkable increase in cooperation between the two countries in recent years and discussed with Sajan the importance of developing relations across various fields, including health, rural development, women’s empowerment and capacity-building within the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals framework.

The two parties also discussed ways to address developmental and economic challenges at the international and regional levels.

BEIRUT, 16 August 2022, (TON): The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday condemned “the recent Israeli attack on Syria, and the Israeli enemy’s use of the Lebanese airspace to bomb Syrian territory.”

The previous evening, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported: “Israeli planes bombed sites in the Damascus countryside and the coastal governorate of Tartus, via the Lebanese airspace.”

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry warned of “the consequences of this aggressive behavior and the continuous violation of Lebanese sovereignty in a flagrant breach of international law and treaties.”

It added that it will file a complaint to the (UN) Security Council.

BEIJING, 16 August 2022, (TON): China said “it had organized fresh military drills around Taiwan, as a delegation of visiting United States lawmakers met the island’s leader after a similar trip by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi heightened fears of conflict.”

The unannounced two-day trip came after Beijing sent warships, missiles and jets into the waters and skies around Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that China’s leaders claim and have vowed to one day seize.

According to Washington’s de facto embassy “the five-member congressional delegation led by Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts met with President Tsai Ing-wen.”

It said “the delegation had an opportunity to exchange views with Taiwan counterparts on a wide range of issues of importance to both the United States and Taiwan.”