REYHANLI, 03 June 2022, (TON): The US envoy to the UN said “the sole border crossing to deliver aid into Syria must remain open, amid Russian threats to veto a resolution to protect it.”

Syria-ally Russia could block the UN Security Council resolution, which expires on July 10, and observers say it is using it as a bargaining chip in the face of punishing sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Bab Al-Hawa crossing near Turkey’s Cilvegozu border post in the south has been the only point of entry for UN aid into Syria for the past two years.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said it was imperative the opening stay open.

Thomas-Greenfield from a UN logistics center in Reyhanli said “we have to extend this border crossing, we have to continue to provide this assistance.”

Nearly 10,000 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid passed through the crossing last year bound for the Idlib region, the last rebel bastion in Syria and home to around 3 million people.

BOSTON, 03 June 2022, (TON): FBI Director Christopher Wray said “hackers sponsored by the Iranian government last year attempted a despicable cyberattack against Boston Children’s Hospital that threatened to disrupt services to patients.”

Wray, in a speech delivered at a conference hosted by Boston College, detailed the incident as he warned about the rising threat cyberattacks sponsored by some nation states including Iran pose to companies and US infrastructure.

Wray said “we got a report from one of our intelligence partners indicating Boston Children’s was about to be targeted, and understanding the urgency of the situation, the cyber squad in our Boston field office raced out to notify the hospital.”

Wray said officials with the FBI were able to quickly get the nationally renowned children’s hospital the information needed to stop the danger right away and mitigate the threat.

Wray said “quick actions by everyone involved, especially at the hospital, protected both the network and the sick kids that depended on it.”

TULSA, 03 June 2022, (TON): A gunman killed at least four people Wednesday at a hospital building in Tulsa, Oklahoma, police said “the latest mass shooting to convulse the United States as Texas families bury their dead after a school massacre nearly 10 days earlier.”

Police said “the suspect, who was armed with a rifle and a handgun during his attack on the Saint Francis hospital campus, died by suicide.”

Tulsa Police Department Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish told “right now we have four civilians that are dead, we have one shooter that is dead, and right now we believe that is self-inflicted.”

He said “officers responded immediately after emergency calls came in reporting that a gunman had stormed into the second floor of the Natalie Building, which houses a clinic on the Saint Francis campus.”

Police were hearing shots in the building when they arrived, according to Dalgleish, who said “officers then searched floor by floor, room by room while trying to clear the building during what authorities described as an active shooter situation.”

JERUSALEM, 03 June 2022, (TON): The army said “dozens of Israeli fighter jets conducted exercises over the Mediterranean and warships held Red Sea drills this week, as it readies for different scenarios against Iran.

The two arch enemies have been locked in a shadow war that comes amid tensions over stalled efforts to revive a deal meant to ensure Iran is unable to develop a nuclear weapon.

Israel is staunchly opposed to the 2015 nuclear deal and has vowed to do whatever it takes to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.

An Israeli military statement on the exercises said “we continuously are preparing and training for many scenarios including threats from Iran.”

It said in the statement “dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted aerial drills over the Mediterranean Sea to practice a long-range flight and striking distant targets.”

RIYADH, 03 June 2022, (TON): The UK’s electronic visa waiver scheme is now available to Saudi citizens, Britain’s top envoy to the Kingdom said adding that the initiative would help to deepen economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

British Ambassador Neil Crompton told media “Saudi nationals can now apply to travel to the UK for tourism, business, study or medical treatment for up to six months using the system.”

“This is a wonderful moment which will strengthen ties between the two countries.”

The envoy said “the change to the UK visa system took effect on Thursday and is open to all Saudi citizens. The online process is quick, very straightforward not expensive.”

He added “it’s a big improvement in our service, which is consistent with the desire of both our governments to improve the bilateral relationship, and in particular to increase the people-to-people links between our two countries.”

RIYADH, 03 June 2022, (TON): UN envoy to Yemen said “Yemen’s warring parties agreed to extend a UN-brokered truce for two months under the same terms as the original deal that was due to expire.”

A Yemeni official said “delegations from the internationally recognized government and the Houthis are expected to return to the Jordanian capital Amman to continue talks.”

The truce had brought a halt to major military operations and cross-border attacks by the Houthis on targets in Saudi Arabia, and eased food supply issues in Yemen.

United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said “for the past two months, Yemenis have experienced the tangible benefits of the truce.”

The truce is the most significant step in years toward ending the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.

NEW DELHI, 03 June 2022, (TON): An Indian delegation and the Taliban met in Kabul for the first time since August last year, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, which is struggling for basic needs after a 20-year war in the largely mountainous region.

All Indian mission staff had returned from Afghanistan in August last year when the Taliban took control of the country, following the exit of US forces.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told "post August 15 last year, in the light of deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, it was decided to bring back all India-based officials. However, the local staff continued to function and ensure proper maintenance and upkeep of our premises there.”

Mr Bagchi said "India has historical and civilisational ties with Afghan people and those long-standing ties will continue to guide our approach to Afghanistan.”

He said "in this connection, the Indian team will meet the senior members of the Taliban, and hold discussions on India's humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.”

DHAKA, 03 June 2022, (TON): Dhaka and Stockholm have agreed to strengthen and expand cooperation between Bangladesh and Sweden to combat climate change.

A foreign ministry press release said “the decision was made at a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr A.K. Abdul Momen with his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde in Stockholm.”

During the meeting, Swedish Foreign Minister applauded Bangladesh's leadership role in global climate change discourses, especially as CVF Chair under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Dr Momen highlighted the plights of displaced people of the coastal area due to sea-level rise warning that may be turned into a security issue if the current trend continues.

DHAKA, 03 June 2022, (TON): Authorities in Dhaka said “Malaysia agreed to resume recruiting Bangladeshi workers by June, five months after it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bangladesh government.”

The decision was finalised in a Joint Working Group meeting in Dhaka, said “Bangladesh’s expatriates’ welfare minister Imran Ahmed.”

Imran and Malaysian human resource minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan attended the meeting held in the capital’s Probashi Bhaban at Eskaton.

‘Our workers will start going to Malaysia by this month. We have discussed the well-being and welfare of workers and agreed to resume sending our workers,’ Imran said in a briefing after the meeting.

He also said “the Malaysian government would select recruiting agencies from Bangladesh that could be involved in the process.”

DHAKA, 03 June 2022, (TON): Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan visited Indian Railway's Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and said Bangladesh would explore the possibility of importing train coaches from the facility.

The minister inspected the special coaches made by ICF, including the Linke Hofmann Busch Vistadome coaches, LHB AC tier II and III coaches among others.

Bangladesh Railways Additional Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali accompanied him during the visit, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

During his interaction with ICF General Manager AK Agarwal, Rail Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said “Bangladesh has taken up the project of converting its metre gauge tracks to broad gauge and the LHB coaches from ICF would be of great help in modernising Bangladesh Railways.”

The minister also said Bangladesh Railways would explore the possibility of importing train sets for mass commute such as Diesel Electric Multiple Unit similar to the ones exported by the ICF to Sri Lanka and Nepal recently, according to a press release by the ICF.