DHAKA, 01 July 2022, (TON): The Parliament passed the Tk678,064 crore national budget for the Fiscal Year 2022-23. It is effective from Friday.

The theme of the budget is “Return to the Path of Development Leaving the pandemic Behind” and to overcome the impact of the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war on the economy.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal moved the Appropriations Bill, 2022 seeking a budgetary allocation of Tk883751,81,97,000 crore which was passed by voice vote.

House passed the Finance Bill 2022 with some changes.

Following the proposal mooted in the House by the Finance Ministry for the parliamentary approval of appropriation of funds for meeting necessary development and non-development expenditures of the government, the ministers concerned placed justifications for the expenditures by their respective ministries through 59 demands for grant.

DHAKA, 01 July 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to achieving all targets relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 14 conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Momen delivered the country statement at the plenary session of the 2nd UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon.

Secretary, Maritime Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral Md Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Tarik Ahsan, and other officials were the delegation members accompanying the foreign minister at the conference.

He said “Bangladesh settled the maritime boundary issues with both the neighbours under the able leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and is poised to collaboratively utilize the resources.”

DHAKA, 01 July 2022, (TON): Law Minister Anisul Huq said “Bangladesh heartily believes that its relationship with the US will flourish in the coming days as the bond between the two nations is strong not only at the government level but also at the people's level.”

The minister was addressing an event at the American International School Dhaka, marking the 246th anniversary of US independence, which is observed on July 4.

The US-Bangladesh relations saw strains in recent times, especially after the US sanctions on Rab and some of its former and current officials for human rights violations.

Anisul Huq said “the bilateral relations between the two nations have been complemented by the relationship at the people and business levels.”

WASHINGTON, 30 June 2022, (TON): President Joe Biden’s administration added five companies in China to a trade blacklist for allegedly supporting Russia’s military and defence industrial base, flexing its muscle to enforce sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

The Commerce Department, which oversees the trade blacklist, said the targeted companies had supplied items to Russian entities of concern before the Feb 24 invasion, adding “continue to contract to supply Russian entity listed and sanctioned parties.”

The agency also added further 31 entities to the blacklist from countries including Russia, UAE, Lithuania, Pakistan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, according to the Federal Register entry.

However, of the 36 total companies added, 25 had China-based operations.

CAIRO, 30 June 2022, (TON): Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held talks with Bahrain’s King Hamad on the second stage of his Gulf tour.

Following his visit to Oman, El-Sisi met the Bahraini monarch to discuss regional issues and strategic cooperation.

During their meeting that was also attended by Bahrain’s Prime Minister Crown Prince Salman Al-Khalifa at Sakhir Palace, in Manama, Egypt’s leader reiterated his country’s keenness to develop cooperation with the Kingdom of Bahrain in all fields.

Welcoming El-Sisi to the capital city, King Hamad said “reflects the uniqueness of the distinguished bilateral relations and embodies the keenness of the two leaderships to communicate, coordinate, and consult on regional issues of common concern to serve the interests of the two countries and the issues of the Arab nation.”

The king hailed the efficiency and contribution of the Egyptian community in his country toward the development of Bahrain and noted that the two nations had a long history and a developed present while sharing a “constant aspiration to advance bilateral cooperation toward broader horizons.”

BERLIN, 30 June 2022, (TON): A spokeswoman for Olaf Scholz says “the German Chancellor doesn’t feel the need to apologize to a reporter for curtly dismissing her question at the end of the Group of Seven summit he hosted this week, prompting widespread criticism.”

Rosalia Romaniec, a Polish-born journalist for German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, had asked Scholz whether he could elaborate on the security guarantees for Ukraine discussed by G-7 leaders during their summit.

“Yes, I could,” Scholz replied. After a moment’s pause, he added “that’s it.”

The reply was widely seen as an unnecessary snub to a veteran reporter seeking details about one of the most important issues discussed at the three-day meeting in the Bavarian resort of Elmau.

WASHINGTON, 30 June 2022, (TON): US President Joe Biden pledged more American troops, warplanes and warships for Europe as Nato agreed to the biggest strengthening of its deterrents since the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Biden's pledge at the Madrid summit to defend every inch of allied territory came as the US-led military alliance also set in motion a new plan to reinforce the Baltic states and Poland against any future Russian attack.

With more German, British and other allied troops to be on alert to deploy eastward, the United States is also adding to the 100,000 personnel already in Europe by sending more warships to Spain, planes to Britain, pre-positioned weapons to the Baltics and more soldiers to Romania.

Biden said "we mean it when we say an attack against one is an attack against all.”

TAIPEI, 30 June 2022, (TON): Taiwan rebuffed a complaint from the Philippines about live fire drills around a Taiwan-controlled island deep in the South China Sea, saying it had the right to do so and always gives issues a warning of its exercises.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, in a message on Twitter, lodged a strong objection over the unlawful live fire drills to be carried out by Taiwan this week around the island, known internationally as Itu Aba.

Taiwan calls the island Taiping and the Philippines calls it Ligaw Island.

The department said the island belonged to the Philippines.

It said “this illegal activity raises tensions and complicates the situation in the South China Sea.”

MADRID, 30 June 2022, (TON): Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was meeting in Madrid “in the midst of the most serious security crisis we have faced since the Second World War.”

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered Europe’s peace and driven NATO to pour troops and weapons into eastern Europe on a scale not seen since the Cold War.

Members of the alliance have also sent billions in military and civilian aid to Ukraine. The 30 NATO leaders will hear directly from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is likely to ask them to do even more when he addresses the gathering by video link.

Money could be a sensitive issue just nine of NATO’s 30 members currently meet the organization’s target of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense.

The war has already triggered a big increase in NATO’s forces in the east, and allies are expected to agree at the summit to increase the strength of the alliance’s rapid reaction force nearly eightfold, from 40,000 to 300,000 troops by next year.

CAIRO, 30 June 2022, (TON): Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq have agreed on a study to establish a joint investment fund between their two countries, focused on feasible projects in various vital sectors.

In a joint statement released, the two leaders confirmed, during the official visit of the Egyptian president to Oman, that all relevant authorities would discuss investment opportunities in fields including energy and renewables, industry, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

During El-Sisi’s visit, Egypt and Oman signed two agreements, six memoranda of understanding, three executive programs and letters of cooperation in promoting competition, combating monopolies, promoting investment, developing exports, establishing and managing industrial zones, and protecting the environment.

The governments of the two countries also signed a cooperation agreement in maritime transport and ports, and a cooperation agreement between Sultan Qaboos University and the Egyptian National Institute for Astronomical and Geophysical Research.