MARIB, 30 April 2022, (TON): The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has distributed more than 112 tons of Ramadan food baskets to needy families in Marib governorate, Yemen, benefiting 6,300 people.

KSRelief also distributed nearly 159 tons of this aid for impoverished families in Al-Mahrah governorate, benefiting 8,910 people.

More than 900,000 individuals in 19 countries are expected to receive support through the Saudi Ramadan Eta’am initiative, which aims to send out a total of 156,993 food parcels, weighing 8,430 tons.

The project is an extension of the Kingdom’s international aid operations, carried out by KSRelief.

Meanwhile, KSRelief recently held an introductory workshop in Aden governorate on ways to provide individual education for people with disabilities in three Yemeni governorates.

KYIV, 30 April 2022, (TON): The mayor said “Russian strikes slammed into central Kyiv as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting, wounding three in the first such attack on the capital since mid-April.”

AFP correspondents saw a building in flames and black smoke pouring into the air with a heavy presence of police and rescuers in the area, a residential neighborhood on the western side of the city.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said there had been two hits in the Shevchenkovsky district, with one hitting the lower floors of a residential building.

He said “three people had been taken to hospital but the extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.”

A close aide to the UN chief sent a message to journalists confirming they were safe.

The move prompted a furious response from Ukraine’s government, with foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba denouncing it as a heinous act of barbarism which demonstrated Russia’s attitude toward Ukraine, Europe and the world.

JEDDAH, 30 April 2022, (TON): Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Turkish president Recep Erdogan held a meeting at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah.

During the meeting, they reviewed the Saudi-Turkish relations and opportunities for developing them in various fields.

They also discussed the latest regional and international developments and the exerted efforts towards them.

The meeting was attended by Prince Faisal bin Farhan, minister of foreign affairs, Prince Khalid bin Salman, deputy minister of defense, Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz, minister of state and Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, minister of interior; as well as several other ministers.

NEW DELHI, 30 April 2022, (TON): The defence ministry said “Lt Gen Baggavalli Somashekar Raju will take over as the next vice chief of the Army Staff on May 1.”

Lt Gen Raju will succeed incumbent Lt Gen Manoj Pande who will take the reins of the 1.3 million-strong Army after Army Chief Gen MM Naravane completes his term.

A qualified helicopter pilot, Lt Gen Raju is currently serving as the Director General Military Operations and oversaw the Army's overall operational readiness in eastern Ladakh.

An alumnus of Sainik School Bijapur and National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the JAT Regiment on December 15, 1984.

In his illustrious career spanning 38 years, he had commanded his battalion during 'Operation Parakram' in the Western theatre and in Jammu and Kashmir.

DHAKA, 30 April 2022, (TON): Chief of Bangladesh Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed returned home from his official visit to the United States of America.

A press release said “during the visit, from April 20 to 22, the army chief met with Gen James C McConville, chief of staff of the US Army, Gen Daniel R Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen Joseph M Martin, vice chief of staff of the Army, and Gen Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.”

During the meeting, they talked about the common interests of the two countries' armies, such as UN peacekeeping missions, humanitarian aid after a disaster and training issues.

Shafiuddin Ahmed was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a graduate of the Near East South Asia Centre at the National Defence University in the United States.

He met with the military adviser and police adviser in-charges of the UN Headquarters. During this time, he also met with the leading personalities of the Department of Safety and Security, the Department of Operational Support, and the Department of Political and Peace Building Affairs.

NEW DELHI, 30 April 2022, (TON): With the overarching aim of providing critical medical aid to Sri Lanka during the ongoing economic crisis, Indian Naval Ship Gharial, as part of Mission SAGAR IX, arrived at Colombo and delivered over 760 kilograms of 107 types of critical lifesaving medicines.

The shipment was received by Health Minister of Sri Lanka, Channa Jayasumana, and would be supplied to the University of Peradeniya Hospital.

Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka wrote on Twitter "from India for their brethren in Sri Lanka! a consignment of drugs and medical supplies was handed over by High Commissioner to Hon'ble Minister Channa Jayasumana in Colombo.

INS Gharial was deployed for ensuring expeditious delivery of the consignment to Sri Lanka.

In line with the Government of India's vision of SAGAR - Security And Growth for All in the Region, the Indian Navy undertakes several deployments titled 'Mission SAGAR' to assist friendly IOR littorals.

DHAKA, 30 April 2022, (TON): Bangladesh has welcomed the announcement of former Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to transfer power to the Presidential Leadership Council headed by Rashad al- Alimi to complete implementation of the mandated tasks of transitional period.

A foreign ministry press release said “Bangladesh hopes that the stakeholders will take this opportunity to continue the political process to reach a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict in Yemen and reiterates its commitment to supporting all efforts for maintenance of peace and stability in the region.”

The ministry said that Bangladesh also appreciates the development with regard to the delegation of the full powers of the President to the Council in accordance with the constitution.

DHAKA, 30 April 2022, (TON): Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar left Dhaka for Bhutan after his ‘positive discussions’ in Bangladesh.

Foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen saw him off at BAS Base Bangabandhu as he left for Paro by a special flight of Indian Air Force.

Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami was also present.

During his brief stay in Dhaka, Jaishankar met prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Gonobhaban and invited her to visit India on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also held discussions with his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen who hosted an itfar-cum-dinner in honour of Jaishankar at Foreign Service Academy.

KABUL, 30 April 2022, (TON): The supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhunzada, has called on the international community to recognise the “Islamic Emirate” of Afghanistan in a message ahead of Eid holidays without touching on the issue of girls’ education.

The Taliban-led government is yet to be recognised by any country since it returned to power last August, 20 years after it was toppled in a US-led invasion.

Akhunzada said in a written message “Afghanistan has its role in world peace and stability. According to this need, the world should recognise the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”

Akhunzada said “the world had become a small village and proper diplomatic relations would help solve the country’s problems.”

In January, Afghanistan’s acting prime minister, Hasan Akhund, called on the international community to officially recognise the “Islamic Emirate” as the Taliban has been trying to end diplomatic isolation.

KABUL, 30 April 2022, (TON): A powerful explosion has killed more than 50 worshippers after Friday prayers at a Kabul mosque.

According to Besmullah Habib, the deputy spokesperson for the interior ministry “the blast hit the Khalifa Sahib mosque in the west of the capital in the early afternoon.”

The attack came as worshippers at the Sunni mosque gathered after Friday prayers for a congregation known as Zikr, an act of remembrance practised by some Muslims but seen as heretical by several Sunni groups.

Sayed Fazil Agha, the head of the mosque, said “someone they believed was a suicide bomber joined them in the ceremony and detonated explosives.”

He said “Black smoke rose and spread everywhere, dead bodies were everywhere.”

He added that his nephews were among the dead. “I survived, but lost my beloved ones.”