DHAKA, 13 August 2022, (TON): Michelle Bachelet is to make the first visit by a UN rights chief to Bangladesh next week, including to the sprawling refugee camps home to nearly a million Rohingyas.

Bachelet's office announced that the trip from Sunday to Wednesday was at the Dhaka government's invitation.

It will be one of the former Chilean president's final acts as the United Nations high commissioner for human rights before her four-year term expires at the end of the month.

During her visit to the capital Dhaka, the UN rights chief is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other ministers.

The high commissioner will also travel to Cox's Bazar where she will be able to visit camps housing Rohingya refugees from Myanmar and meet with refugees, officials and non-governmental organisations.

KHARTOUM, 13 August 2022, (TON): Thousands of Sudanese protesters rallied against last year’s military coup and to demand civilian rule and better living conditions.

Demonstrators in downtown Khartoum shouted for the army to “go back to the barracks.”

Sudan has been reeling from political unrest, a spiralling economic crisis and a broad security breakdown since army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a coup last October 25.

Sudan’s latest putsch upended a transition to civilian rule launched after the 2019 ouster of strongman Omar al-Bashir, who ruled for three decades.

Thursday’s demonstrations saw protesters gather on a main street in Khartoum, where they also called for safety and security and free health care and education.

STOCKHOLM, 13 August 2022, (TON): Sweden’s government said “it would hand over a Turkish citizen convicted of credit card fraud to Ankara, the first known extradition since Turkey threatened to freeze Stockholm’s bid to join NATO.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to block both Sweden and Finland from NATO membership unless they meet several demands, including the extradition of people Ankara considers terrorists.

Erdogan accuses the two countries of being havens for Kurdish militants, specifically highlighting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

The man facing extradition was identified in Swedish court documents as Okan Kale, and was convicted in Turkey of credit card fraud in 2013 and 2016.

NEW YORK, 13 August 2022, (TON): The head of the UN nuclear watchdog warned an emergency Security Council meeting of the grave crisis unfolding at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, as Moscow and Kyiv traded accusations of new shelling near the facility.

Rafael Grossi, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told media “this is a serious hour, a grave hour.”

And in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of nuclear blackmail as he urged the international community “to react immediately to chase out the occupiers from Zaporizhzhia.”

Zelensky said in a video address “only the Russians’ full withdrawal would guarantee nuclear safety for all of Europe.”

DUBAI, 13 August 2022, (TON): A UAE aid ship has docked in Somalia’s Mogadishu port to deliver 1,000 tons of food and relief supplies for approximately 2.5 million residents affected by drought.

Somalia is currently experiencing a two-year historic dry spell, a situation not seen in more than 40 years, and up to one million people have been displaced as the drought ravaged crops and livestock.

UN refugee agency UNHCR said “the number of Somalians facing crisis hunger levels is expected to rise from 5 million to more than 7 million in the coming months.”

The provision of relief aid comes from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan’s earlier order for 35 million dirhams worth of urgent humanitarian aid be sent to families and those displaced in their areas and camps.

BERLIN, 13 August 2022, (TON): The German defense ministry said “it had suspended most of its operations in Mali after the local military-led government denied flyover rights to a UN peacekeeping mission.”

A ministry spokesman said “the Malian government has once again refused to give flyover rights to a flight planned for the rotation of personnel on the ground.”

In response, Germany had decided to “suspend until further notice the operations of our reconnaissance forces and CH-53 (helicopter) transport flights.”

The spokesman said “it is no longer possible to support the MINUSMA reconnaissance missions on an operational basis.”

LONDON, 13 August 2022, (TON): The front-runner to replace Boris Johnson as UK prime minister has been criticized for voicing inflammatory comments about the British civil service’s approach to the Jewish community.

Liz Truss, the favorite to take over as Conservative Party leader and head of government, accused the civil service of having a woke culture that strayed into antisemitism.

She said in a statement “every organization has its culture, but it’s not fixed, it can be changed.”

That’s what ministerial leadership is about. It’s about making sure that the policies we represent, the values we stand for, are reflected in what we do.

“I’ve been very clear with our officials about the positions we take on Israel, and that will continue if I become prime minister.”

NEW DELHI, 13 August 2022, (TON): The Spokesperson to the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Arindam Bagchi categorially rejected insinuations about statements claiming that India is adding pressure on Sri Lanka regarding the Chinese vessel Yuan Wang 5.

Speaking during the weekly media briefing held by the Ministry, the Spokesperson emphasized that Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation, which can make its own indepenent decisions.

However, with regard to Sri Lanka-India relations, the Spokesperson stated that India prioritizes its 'Neighbourhood first' policy, and within 2022 itself, India has extended unprecedented support of USD 3.8 billion assistance to Sri Lanka to curb the economic crisis.

Spokesperson Bagchi also mentioned that India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka's democracy, stability and economic recovery.

NEW DELHI, 13 August 2022, (TON): The Spokesperson to the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Arindam Bagchi categorially rejected insinuations about statements claiming that India is adding pressure on Sri Lanka regarding the Chinese vessel Yuan Wang 5.

Speaking during the weekly media briefing held by the Ministry, the Spokesperson emphasized that Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation, which can make its own indepenent decisions.

However, with regard to Sri Lanka-India relations, the Spokesperson stated that India prioritizes its 'Neighbourhood first' policy, and within 2022 itself, India has extended unprecedented support of USD 3.8 billion assistance to Sri Lanka to curb the economic crisis.

Spokesperson Bagchi also mentioned that India is fully supportive of Sri Lanka's democracy, stability and economic recovery.

DHAKA, 13 August 2022, (TON): Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said “the fuel prices will be reduced d in the country when the prices will decline in the global markets.”

He said "the fuel price will surely be downsized in the country when prices in the global markets will decline and there is no doubt in it."

The minister said fuel prices have been hiked abnormally throughout the world due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

He said "but we didn't do the same, we have just gone for price adjustment.”

He added that a certain circle has been spreading rumors capitalizing the issue.

He urged the people not to be misled hearing any rumor as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly for the welfare of the countrymen.