WASHINGTON, 18 May 2022, (TON): The National Security Council said “Saudi Arabia's Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman will discuss a truce in Yemen and the Ukraine crisis with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during a visit to Washington.”

He will also meet with senior defense and State Department officials.

BRUSSELS, 18 May 2022, (TON): The EU said “it will need to respond with all measures at its disposal if Britain goes ahead with unilateral changes to the part of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland.”

The announcement, made by British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, raises significant concerns “European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said in a statement.”

He said “the (Northern Ireland) Protocol is an international agreement signed by the EU and the UK. Unilateral actions contradicting an international agreement are not acceptable.”

The statement did not outline what action Brussels was contemplating, but analysts say possible options include legal action, punitive tariffs or even tearing up the entire EU-UK post-Brexit trade agreement.

KYIV, 18 May 2022, (TON): Prosecutor Karim Khan said “the UN International Criminal Court sent 42 officers to Ukraine on Tuesday to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Seconded staff include investigators, forensic experts and support staff.

Agence France Presse quoted Khan as saying “this is the largest mission of my office’s specialists since its inception.”

The ICC prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into Ukraine on March 2.

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan said on March 11 that the court’s investigative team had begun collecting evidence as part of the investigation.

KABUL, 18 May 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi received UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons in his office.

A statement received by BNA noted that Foreign Minister Muttaqi reminded Lyons of the UN to brief on Afghanistan in security, counter-terrorism, narcotics, and anti-corruption developments sectors on the UN high council.

Ms.Deborah Lyons shared details of her recent visit, and said “no one will support the war and opposition groups against the new Afghan government, mentioning that it is important to be aware of current developments and realities in the country.”

She said “Afghanistan’s evolution needs cooperative and inclusive efforts adding current issues need to be addressed through a comprehensive mechanism.”

KABUL, 18 May 2022, (TON): The Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, said “the Islamic Emirate wants good relations with the US and the international community.” 

Haqqani in an interview with CNN said that “there is no one who opposes education for women in Afghanistan.  

He said “soon good news will be heard about the education of girls and that a mechanism is being developed in this regard.”

He said “we all believe that education has been created as a blessing from God, which has been made essential to both men and women. As I mentioned earlier, there is no one who is opposed to education.” 

“The problem is education based on the Afghan way of thinking and understanding, the culture aspect of Afghanistan. there is an issue of making arrangements of Islamic rules and principles.” 

DHAKA, 18 May 2022, (TON): State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said “the government is encouraging investment in power and energy sector.”

He told a session of Asia Pacific Ministerial Roundtable "a policy guideline for the private sector has been drafted and through this, the national grid can be use on commercial basis.”

The state minister said “the Power and Energy Division has been ensuring security of investment and providing 15 years tax waiver along with import-duty reduction facilities for attracting investments in power sector.”

He added "sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority has been giving logistic and technical assistance for expansion of the renewable energy.”

He said "a plan has been taken to attract investments amounting to $50 billion for the next 12 years and the sector has already got $12 billion in the last decade.”

Nasrul said “currently, 44 percent of power is being generated by private sector in Bangladesh.”

NEW DELHI, 18 May 2022, (TON): Washington's top diplomat to the United Nations said “the United States hopes India will reverse its ban on wheat exports”

He warned “the move would worsen global shortages of the commodity.”

Linda Thomas-Greenfield said "we're encouraging countries not to restrict exports because we think any restrictions on exports will exacerbate the food shortages.”

The UN meeting to be chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, will include Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, India's minister of state for external affairs.

India holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Thomas-Greenfield said "we hope that can, as they hear the concerns being raised by other countries, that they would reconsider that position.”

NEW DELHI, 18 May 2022, (TON): India criticised the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for its comments on the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said "we are dismayed that the OIC secretariat has once again made unwarranted comments on the internal affairs of India.”

He said "as in the past, the Government of India categorically rejects the assertions made by the OIC secretariat on the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which is an integral and inalienable part of India.”

Bagchi asked OIC to refrain from carrying out its communal agenda vis-à-vis India at the behest of one country.

DHAKA, 18 May 2022, (TON): A delegation of the Royal College of Defense Studies of the United Kingdom paid a courtesy call on Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed at the Army Headquarters.

An ISPR press release said “Deputy Commandant of the Royal College of Defense Studies Air Vice Marshal Gary Tuncliffe was present as the team leader during the call on.”

After exchanging greetings, the Chief of Army Staff thanked them for their visit to Bangladesh and discussed various issues related to military education.

The delegation attended a dinner at Dhaka Cantonment on Monday evening at the invitation of the Chief of Army Staff.

The dinner was attended by Javed Patel, Acting British High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Embassy in Bangladesh and other senior officials of the British High Commission.

DHAKA, 18 May 2022, (TON): The seventh foreign ministerial level Bangladesh- India Joint Consultative Commission meeting will be held in New Delhi on May 30.

Foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said at foreign ministry "so far it is set that I am going to New Delhi to attend the next JCC meeting on May 30, the agendas are yet to finalize but we are working on it.”

He said “all bilateral issues including water sharing would be discussed with his Indian counterpart Dr Jaishankar during the JCC in Delhi.”

Dr Momen added "they become very good friend of us, we can raise all issue.”

However, the foreign minister said “Dhaka would have tried to hold the Joint River Commission meeting before the JCC.”