RIYADH, 05 April 2022, (TON): Saudi and Yemeni government officials held talks in Riyadh focusing on ensuring a lasting truce for the war-ravaged country.

The discussions took place between Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman and Yemeni Prime Minister Dr. Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed and the members of his Cabinet.

Prince Khaled said that Saudi Arabia hopes that the truce will contribute to the efforts to reach a political settlement in Yemen, through consultations held under the auspices of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

KABUL, 05 April 2022, (TON): Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said “all conditions have been facilitated for the resumption of extraction at the Mes-Aynak copper mine.”

The Afghan delegation that recently visited China held talks with the officials of the Metallurgical Corp of China (MoCC).

According to the Ministry of Mine and Petroleum “a delegation of the MCC is expected to visit Afghanistan soon.”

Esmatullah Burhan, a spokesman for the MoMP, said “there were some initial problems. The Islamic Emirate has resolved the problems to the furthest extent.”

The Islamic Emirate is also planning to construct a railway from Torkham crossing in Nangarhar to Hairatan port in Balkh as well as to form an electric company.

KABUL, 05 April 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi said “China has agreed to accept the credentials of Afghan diplomats sent to Afghanistan’s embassy in China by the Taliban.”

Talking to journalists in China, Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed gratitude for China’s humanitarian assistance and allowing Afghan crops and products to the country while thanking the country for hosting a meeting of Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministers.

The Foreign Minister added “Afghanistan will turn into an economic hub and a connecting geography between central and southern Asia as the insecurity and instability of the past two decades have ended in the country.”

Muttaqi said “we are committed to providing conducive ground for Afghan traders to invest inside the country and work for the prosperity of their country.”

NEW DELHI, 05 April 2022, (TON): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are scheduled to visit Tokyo in mid-April to hold the next edition of the '2+2' dialogue with their Japanese counterparts, covering a range of key issues including possible implications of the Ukraine crisis for the Indo-Pacific.

The people said “both the ministers are visiting the US to hold the '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on April 11 in Washington.”

Both Japan and the US are India's partners in the Quadrilateral coalition and the implications of the Ukraine crisis for the Indo-Pacific are likely to figure in the talks in both Washington and Tokyo.

The planned visit by Mr Singh and Mr Jaishankar to Tokyo comes less than a month after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited India for the annual India-Japan summit.

NEW DELHI, 05 April 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Israeli counterpart Naftali Bennett, whose visit to India was postponed after he contracted Covid-19, to enquire about his health and also discussed recent global events.

PM Modi tweeted “he looked forward to welcoming Israel PM Bennett to India for his first visit to the country.”

He said "was happy to speak with PM Naftali Bennett and to know that he is recovering well.”

He added that we discussed recent global events, and also reviewed India-Israel cooperation in various areas. I look forward to welcoming him in India very soon to continue our discussions.

DHAKA, 05 April 2022, (TON): State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali said “there is a plan to construct a new international airport named ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib International Airport,’ in the vicinity of Dhaka ensuring the latest standards to make Bangladesh an air connectivity hub between the East and the West.”

He said “this in Parliament, replying to a starred question from treasury bench lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Sarker.”

The state minister said now eight airports remain in operation under Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority in the country.

On the other hand, three “Short Take-Off and Landing” airports,  Thakurgaon, Shamshernagar and Cumilla and three domestic airports Ishwardi, Lalmonirhat and Bogra, remain closed.”

Plans to operate Jessore-Chittagong flights.

DHAKA, 05 April 2022, (TON): An emerging coastline in Chittagong’s Mirsarai is witnessing a rapid development to transform the southeastern region of the country into the largest business hub in the subcontinent.

The work will be implemented through the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar development project by December 2025.

The BSMSN, also known as Mirsarai Economic Zone, will become the third largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong by generating over 1.5 million jobs with 15 million people living in the adjoining areas.

While recently visiting the country’s next industrial hub, this correspondent witnessed the ongoing progress of the massive development project.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation is one of the few contractors engaged in the development works.

DHAKA, 05 April 2022, (TON): United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said “the 50-year anniversary of bilateral relations with Bangladesh is an opportunity to advance the Washington-Dhaka partnership to next 50 years.”

Blinken said in a recent letter to foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen "I look forward to meeting you (Momen) in Washington.”

Bangladesh foreign minister is now in Washington DC to hold a bilateral meeting with his US counterpart at the US department of State today marking the 50-year anniversary.

He added "it will be an opportunity to look ahead to the next 50 years of our partnerships."

The Secretary of State appreciated the close cooperation between US and Bangladesh to keep the two countries peoples safe from the threat of terrorism, trafficking in persons, and illicit drugs.

CAIRO, 04 April 2022, (TON): The Arab League has said “a ministerial delegation will head to Moscow on Monday to discuss ways to reach a solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.”

The Russian Embassy in Cairo said “the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Sudan members of the Arab Contact Group on Ukraine are expected to participate in the talks in Moscow alongside Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.”

BERLIN, 04 April 2022, (TON): The Welt publication, citing sources and a letter from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, writes that Germany refused to supply Kiev with 100 Marder-type infantry fighting vehicles in response to a request from Kiev received last week.

According to the publication “last Wednesday Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov sent a letter to the German Ministry of Defense asking for 100 Marder-type infantry fighting vehicles and other heavy weapons.”

Sources in Kiev told “the publication that German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht rejected this request in a telephone conversation with Reznikov.”

The ministry said “the defense department of Germany confirmed the publication of the request.”

“All of our Marder infantry fighting vehicles are bound by obligations within NATO , the issue of their withdrawal from positions in this case would have to be decided within NATO.”