GENEVA, 09 June 2022, (TON): According to a report released “an independent commission of inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council after last year’s Gaza conflict said Israel must do more than end the occupation of land Palestinians want for a state.”

Israel’s ministry of foreign affairs called the report a waste of money and effort that amounted to a witch-hunt. Israel boycotted the inquiry, accusing it of bias and barred entry to its investigators.

While prompted by the 11-day May 2021 conflict in which 250 Gaza Palestinians and 13 people in Israel died, the inquiry mandate includes alleged human rights abuses before and after that and seeks to investigate the root causes of the tensions.

It cites evidence saying Israel has no intention of ending the occupation and is pursuing.

WASHINGTON, 09 June 2022, (TON): A senior American diplomat said “the United States fears Turkey will launch a new offensive in northern Syria that Washington has warned against.”

Assistance Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf told “we are deeply concerned by recent increased rhetoric from Turkey about potential military moves into the north of Syria.”

She said “we’ve stepped up our diplomatic engagements to attempt to stop that.”

Asked if Ankara would give up such plans in light of US efforts, Leaf replied “I couldn’t give you the assurance that they are going to.”

Turkey has repeatedly threatened since late May to conduct a new military operation in northern Syria to target Kurdish fighters.

RIYADH, 09 June 2022, (TON): Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd bin Sultan received Qatar’s ambassador to the Kingdom Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah in his office.

Saudi Press Agency reported “Prince Fahd started by welcoming Al-Attiyah, underlining the brotherly relations between the two countries.”

Al-Attiyah expressed his thanks and appreciation to Prince Fahd for the warm welcome and generous hospitality, highlighting the development renaissance he had seen in various fields in Tabuk.

Prince Fahd received a gift from Al-Attiyah at the end of the meeting.

RIYADH, 09 June 2022, (TON): The UN’s special envoy arrived in Yemen for talks on reopening routes to the Houthi-besieged city of Taiz.

Hans Grundberg flew into the capital Sanaa less than a week after the truce in Yemen was renewed for a second period of two months.

He commended the extension and said it was a positive signal of the parties’ seriousness to uphold and implement the truce.

Grundberg continued on landing at Sanaa Airport “Yemenis have seen the truce’s tangible benefits. We have witnessed a significant positive shift and we have a responsibility to safeguard it and deliver on its potential for peace in Yemen.”

AMMAN, 09 June 2022, (TON): Lebanon’s caretaker energy minister said “politics was behind the delay of a US-backed deal to supply his country with electricity from Jordan via Syrian territory to ease crippling power shortages.”

Walid Fayad told “the World Bank, which had pledged to finance the project, was tying it to some kind of political diligence, alluding to external considerations without getting into specifics.”

Speaking on the sidelines of an energy conference in the Jordanian capital, Fayad said “the World Bank was also adding more conditions although they were clear at the start.”

Fayad said “the United States had demanded to see the financing terms from the World Bank to ensure that the electricity deal is not sanctionable, even though Washington had told Beirut in January not to fear sanctions over its regional energy supply plans.”

ROME, 09 June 2022, (TON): Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned “millions of people could die of hunger unless Russia unblocked Ukraine’s ports, as he hosted talks among Mediterranean ministers on the food crisis.”

Di Maio said “the next few weeks will be crucial to resolving the situation.”

“I want to say clearly, we expect clear and concrete signals from Russia, because blocking grain exports means holding hostage and condemning to death millions of children, women and men.”

Ships loaded with grain remain blocked in Ukraine, which before Russia’s February invasion was considered a global breadbasket as a leading exporter of corn, wheat and sunflower seeds.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told “the meeting that rises in the price of fuel and other basics were exacerbating the crisis in his country.”

BRUSSELS, 09 June 2022, (TON): The speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament made a vibrant plea for his country to be named a candidate for European Union membership.

The move would bring the war-torn nation closer to the EU without guaranteeing its admittance.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, told “EU lawmakers that failing to give Ukraine a sign of an open door would be a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he can be totally going forward without any punishment.”

European heads of state and government are expected to consider Ukraine’s bid for EU candidate status at the end of June.

Stefanchuk said “let’s do everything possible that on the 24th of June we’ll see a watershed day, an important day for us, and our joint great victory.”

NEW YORK, 09 June 2022, (TON): UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said “the war in Ukraine threatens to unleash an unprecedented global wave of hunger and destitution.”

He added “while it is the vulnerable who are currently the worst affected, no country will be spared the effects of the cost-of-living crisis.”

Although he said “the solution to the crisis ultimately lies in ending the war, Guterres called for two immediate courses of action.”

Firstly, the release of millions of tons of stockpiled Ukrainian grain to world markets, along with exports of Russian fertilizer, which are currently being withheld.

And secondly, efforts to ensure that resources are immediately available to help the poorest countries and communities cope with the crisis.

DHAKA, 09 June 2022, (TON): Finland is keen to cooperate with Bangladesh in the field of its sustainable and renewable energy.

Finland's non-resident Ambassador to Bangladesh Ritva Koukku-Ronde expressed his country's interest while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban here.

Prime Minister Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the newsmen after the meeting.

The envoy, who resides in New Delhi, handed over a letter of greetings of Finland Prime Minister Sanna Mirella Marin to Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina, marking the 50th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic relations.

DHAKA, 09 June 2022, (TON): Bangladesh and Hungary have signed Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Training and Education of Atomic Industry on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

A foreign ministry press release said “Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó inked the deal in Budapest.”

Apart from that, the two ministers also signed another MoU on Diplomatic Exchange Program between Dhaka and Budapest.

Earlier, Dr Momen and Szijjártó, who is also Hungary's trade minister, held a bilateral talk.