MOSCOW, 01 July 2022, (TON): Russia began shipping grain from Ukraine’s occupied territory, with a vessel carrying 7,000 tons of cereal sailing from Ukraine’s occupied port of Berdyansk.

Kyiv has for weeks accused Russia and its allies of stealing its grain from southern Ukraine, contributing to a global food shortage caused by grain exports blocked in Ukrainian ports.

Kyiv says “Until now shipments have been transported by land.”

Thursday’s grain shipment from the port of Berdyansk marks the opening of a sea route to export wheat from Ukraine to third countries.

Evgeny Balitsky, the head of the pro-Russia administration, said “after numerous months of delay, the first merchant ship has left the Berdyansk commercial port, 7,000 tons of grain are heading toward friendly countries.”

BEIRUT, 01 July 2022, (TON): Qatar announced on Thursday it was providing $60 million in support to the Lebanese Army in implementation of the GCC state’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani’s directives.

As reported by Qatar News Agency, the announcement came as Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of Qatar Fund for Development Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani was visiting Lebanon to attend the Arab Foreign Ministers Consultative Meeting.

The announcement comes within the framework of Qatar’s firm commitment to support Lebanon, stand by the brotherly Lebanese people, and its firm belief in the importance and necessity of joint Arab action, QNA reported.

UNITED NATIONS, 01 July 2022, (TON): The European Union said “it was worried it may not be possible to strike an agreement to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after indirect talks between the United States and Iran ended this week with no progress.”

European Union Ambassador to the United Nations Olof Skoog told “I am concerned that we might not make it over the finishing line. My message is: Seize this opportunity to conclude the deal, based on the text that is on the table. The time to overcome the last outstanding issues, conclude the deal, and fully restore the is now.”

The Security Council met to discuss the latest report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the implementation of a 2015 council resolution that enshrines the nuclear deal, under which Iran limited its nuclear program to make it harder to develop an atomic weapon in return for sanctions relief.

Richard Mills, Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations, told “Iran has yet to demonstrate any real urgency to conclude a deal, end the current nuclear crisis and achieve important sanctions lifting.”

RIYADH, 01 July 2022, (TON): Kingdom’s deputy defense minister said “Saudi Arabia has announced a number of vital developmental projects in Yemen to bolster the economy.”

Prince Khalid bin Salman tweeted “the initiatives include 17 development projects in 6 sectors, valued at $400 million, in addition to $200 million in oil derivatives for power stations.”

The projects will be carried out by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen and aim to help the Yemeni people.

Prince Khalid met with the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi and members of the council to convey the Kingdom’s support and appreciation for their efforts.

KYIV, 01 July 2022, (TON): Russia pressed on with its offensive in eastern Ukraine after NATO branded Moscow the biggest direct threat to Western security and agreed plans to modernize Kyiv’s beleaguered armed forces.

Ukrainian authorities said “they were trying to evacuate residents from the frontline eastern city of Lysychansk, the focus of Russia’s attacks where about 15,000 people remained under relentless shelling.”

Regional Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Ukrainian television “fighting is going on all the time. The Russians are constantly on the offensive.”

“Absolutely everything is being shelled.”

DHAKA, 01 July 2022, (TON): Bangladesh Navy detained 135 Indian fishermen, including eight trawlers, from the Bay of Bengal.

The detainees were handed over to Mongla Police Station.

SM Ashraful Alam, inspector of Bagerhat district police said “Naval ships Banauja Pratya and Ali Haider detained the fishermen and trawlers while on patrol at the sea.”

In the first phase, 68 fishermen and four trawlers were detained whereas 67 more fishermen and four more trawlers were detained in the second phase for illegally invading Bangladeshi water.

DHAKA, 01 July 2022, (TON): US ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said “America’s founding fathers expressed their desire to build ‘a more perfect union’ and that was a challenge that Americans faced every day with humility and confidence as they addressed the weaknesses of their democracy.”

He said “independence Day in America is also a day of fun, a day for getting together with friends and family. A day for barbeques, parades, and fireworks.” 

The US envoy was addressing the ‘Independence Day State Fair Celebration’ at the American International School in the capital.

Ambassador Haas said “this year, as we celebrate 50 years of bilateral relations with Bangladesh, we pay tribute to another nation that emerged after a bloody war of independence. We pay tribute to a nation that has overcome great adversity.” 

Law minister Anisul Huq joined the celebration as chief guest.

He hoped that bilateral relations with the USA would flourish in the coming days and would certainly contribute to the socio-economic development of the two nations.

GENEVA, 01 July 2022, (TON): United Nations Libya adviser Stephanie Williams said “Libya talks in Geneva ended without making enough progress to move toward elections.”

The talks between the House of Representatives and High State Council legislative bodies were aimed at agreeing on a constitutional basis and interim arrangements for holding elections that were originally scheduled for December 2021.

Many Libyans fear that a failure to set a path to elections and resolve an existing dispute about control of an interim government will thrust the country back toward territorial division or conflict.

Since the planned December election was abandoned, Libya’s rival factions have moved to a standoff over control of the government with both sides backed by armed forces in western areas of the country.

DUBAI, 01 July 2022, (TON): The UAE has dispatched a plane carrying 52 metric tons of food supplies to support Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria, State news agency reported.

The aid comes as part of efforts “to alleviate the humanitarian impact faced by Ukrainian refugees in nearby countries, the statement read.”

There are currently over 90,000 Ukraine refugees in Bulgaria.

Earlier this month, the UAE sent a plane carrying 27 tons of food and medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

KABUL, 01 July 2022, (TON): The US State Department said the US Agency for International Development would provide 'nearly $55 million' in humanitarian assistance for the people affected by the recent earthquake in southeastern Afghanistan. 

The State Department said in a statement “in response, the United States will provide nearly $55 million in additional immediate humanitarian assistance through the US Agency for International Development to urgently reach those most affected by the natural disaster.”

This new funding brings total US humanitarian assistance to over $774 million in the last year.

The Islamic Emirate welcomed the aid but said it would be more effective if it was provided through Afghan government institutions.