DHAKA, 12 June 2022, (TON): The US Embassy in Dhaka has said “people in every country should be free to promote human rights without fear of retaliation.”

It said in a media note “the rule of law, free and fair elections, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press are cornerstones of a healthy democracy and the rights of all.”

According to the embassy “whether heading to the polls to vote, exposing corruption, documenting human rights abuses, or peacefully rallying around a common cause, people and non-governmental organisations everywhere bring to life and defend the basic tenets of democracy every day.”

The note said “it is this conviction about the critical role of citizens and a pluralistic civil society that is the impetus behind the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.”

DHAKA, 12 June 2022, (TON): Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Vikram K. Doraiswami inaugurated a number of development projects, funded by the Indian government, in Sylhet.

A press release, issued by the Indian High Commission said “on arrival, the Indian envoy inaugurated a five-storied women's hostel on the premises of Umesh Chandra-Nirmalabala Chhatrabas at Chalibandar in Sylhet which was constructed with a financial assistance of Taka 4.35 crore from the Indian government.”

It added “the hostel, which will be run on a not-for-profit basis by the Umesh Chandra-Nirmalabala Chhatrabas Trust, can accommodate 160 women students.”

Later, Doraiswami along with foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, LGRD and Cooperatives minister Md. Tazul Islam and Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury inaugurated three other development projects.

DHAKA, 12 June 2022, (TON): Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister has said “Beijing is keen to strengthen cooperation with Dhaka in the field of emergency response to tackle different disasters.”

He made the remark while sending a condolence message on tragic the fire accident in Shitakunda container depot to his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen.

He wrote in the letter "China is willing to work with Bangladesh to strengthen cooperation in the field of emergency response, so as to safeguard the safety and the wellbeing of our two peoples.”

In the message, Wang Yi said that he was shocked to learn about the fire accident at a container depot in Chittagong and deeply saddened by the passing of victims.

By TON Sri Lanka 

Recently, the Sri Lankan president said during his first wide-ranging interview with a foreign media organization at his home in Colombo, since the Sri Lankan crisis unfolded that he won’t stand for re-election. During the interview Sri Lankan President said he doesn't want to leave as a failed president. The Sri Lanka President declared to finish the remaining two years in his term despite months-long street protests calling for his ouster.

The defiance and of Sri Lankan President to finish term amid economic failures that tilted Sri Lanka into its worst-ever economic crisis. The economic crunch forced the public to raise the slogans of “Go Home,” with protesters blaming President and his family for decisions that led to severe shortages of everything from fuel to medicine, stoking inflation to 40% and forcing a historic debt default.

Thousands of demonstrators have camped outside the president’s seaside office since mid-March, forcing him to retreat to his barricaded official residence about a kilometer away. The economic nosedive risen into political turmoil with the resignation of the president’s old brother as the nation’s prime minister, after clashes between government supporters and the protesters turned bloody in May.

Now, the President and his new Prime Minister are seeking about $6 billion in aid over six months from the International Monetary Fund and countries including India and China. The rupee has lost about 82% over the past year and the nation’s debt is trading deep in distressed territory. Sri Lanka will need $5 billion over the next six months to ensure basic living standards, and is renegotiating the terms of a yuan-denominated swap worth $1.5 billion with China so as to fund essential imports.

The island nation's worst economic crisis in seven decades led to a shortage of foreign exchange that hindered imports of essential items such as fuel, medicine and fertilizer, aggravating devaluation, street demonstrations and a change of government.

Sri Lanka need about $3.3 billion for fuel imports, $900 million for food, $250 million for cooking gas and $600 million more for fertilizer this year. The central bank has projected the economy will contract by 3.5% in 2022 but added that he was confident growth could return with a strong reform package, debt restructuring and international support.

Sri Lanka need to restructure the entire economy .The Indian Ocean nation of 22 million is negotiating a loan package worth about $3 billion from the International Monetary Fund, in addition to help from countries such as China, India and Japan.

On Tuesday, the cabinet approved a $55-million credit line from India's Exim Bank to fund 150,000 tons of urea imports a critical requirement as supplies have run out during the current cropping season. While food inflation of 57% is partly driven by higher global commodity prices, a depreciated currency and low domestic production, it is estimated that yields from the next harvest will be halved by the lack of fertilizer.

The United Nations is set to make a worldwide public appeal for $48 million for food, agriculture and health to help Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was also renegotiating with China the terms of a yuan denominated swap worth $1.5 billion agreed last year.

The early terms provided that the swap could only be used if Sri Lanka maintained reserves equivalent to three months of imports. However, with reserves now well below that level, Sri Lanka has to request China to reconsider the requirement and allow the swap to proceed.The new Pm who is also finance minister may unveil an interim budget next month that aims to slash government expenses and looks to increase annual welfare spending to $500 million from about $350 million.

This is implausible to pacify protesters who are calling for his immediate resignation. “With presidential elections more than two years away, the president decision to see complete his term is anticipated to increases the delicate political uncertainty and could hamper reform efforts.

The president is also cynical about the success of a planned amendment to the constitution, which seeks to contain the executive presidency. The cabinet is due to approve the proposals which would rollback wide-ranging powers of incumbent president. A draft of the 21st amendment will give some powers back to the parliament in a bid to restore its independence in key decision-making. No doubt, all these measures can apartially and temporary give relief and is not answer to the prevailing crisis. President has to think on other lines.

WASHINGTON, 11 June 2022, (TON): Prices in the US rose faster than expected last month, as rising energy and food costs pushed inflation to the highest rate since 1981.

The Labor Department said “the annual inflation rate rose to 8.6% in May.”

The rising cost of living has been squeezing households and putting pressure on policymakers to bring the issue under control.

Analysts had hoped that the moves were starting to work to cool economic activity, easing the price pressures.

But the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has driven up the price of oil and commodities like wheat as it disrupts exports from the two countries, has made tackling the problem more difficult.

JEDDAH, 11 June 2022, (TON): Saudi Ministry of Tourism has announced the launch of one of the largest training programs in the sector that will invest $100 million to groom 100,000 Saudi trainees worldwide.

Called Tourism Trailblazers, the program will offer courses across all career levels and involve the top 10 international schools, revealed Deputy Minister for the Tourism Human Capital at Ministry of Tourism Mohammed Bushnag.

Bushnag told media “we selected the top 10 schools worldwide, and the program will start in the coming few weeks.”

Bushnag added “we have collaborated with international schools such as Lausanne and BHMS in Lucerne. The first set of students will fly out of the Kingdom on July 4.”

LONDON, 11 June 2022, (TON): The State Department announced “US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf is expected to travel to Israel and the West Bank.”

During her four-day visit, Leaf will consult with Israeli and Palestinian partners on a range of priorities, including deepening bilateral US cooperation with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The State Department said that she will also discuss Israeli-Palestinian relations and US support for a two-state solution, as well as deterring Iran’s aggressive regional activities, and support for Israel’s integration into the broader Middle East region.

During the visit, Leaf will meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and representatives of civil societies from both sides.

RIYADH, 11 June 2022, (TON): Visiting Cypriot Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Kyriacos Kokkinos said “Cyprus is keen to join the Digital Cooperation Organization and forge a good relationship in research and development with Saudi Arabia.”

Headquartered in Riyadh, the DCO is a global multilateral organization established in 2020 by seven member states Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, and Pakistan to drive greater collaboration and cooperation across entrepreneurship, innovation, business growth and employment in a shared digital economy.

Κyriacos Kokkinos, Cyprus Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy at Digital Government Authority.

Kokkinos, in an exclusive interview with Arab News, said: “Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and our President Nicos Anastasiades met in Riyadh a few weeks back, and this meeting brought the two countries closer.

BEIRUT, 11 June 2022, (TON): There have been 22,111 Israeli violations of Lebanon’s airspace since 2007, according to a database that wants to show the effects of systematic and prolonged exposure to the roar of these military planes in the airspace, and their impact on the physical and psychological life of those who have had to withstand constant air pressure from above.

Airpressure info compiled the database to make all Israeli air violations visible.

Lawrence Abu Hamdan, a 37-year-old Jordanian who lived in Beirut for years, is behind the information. He said he wanted to shed light on an accumulated event, one extended crime that had taken place over the past 15 years.

 “It is an atmosphere of violence that takes its toll over time. That is why it might be ignored, although it shouldn’t be ignored any longer.”

DAMASCUS, 11 June 2022, (TON): The government said “all flights to and from Syria’s capital were halted, after Israeli air strikes wounded at least one civilian and reportedly caused damage to an airport runway.”

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its neighbor, targeting government troops as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah, but rarely have such attacks caused major flight disruptions.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said “the Israeli strike hit three arms depots for Iran-backed militiamen inside the airport, adding that the northern runway at the facility was damaged as was the observation tower.”

Syria’s transport ministry later announced the suspension of incoming and outgoing flights through Damascus International Airport as a result of technical disruptions.