DHAKA, 28 March 2022, (TON): Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has said “Bangladesh and Russia would ensure further development of constructive bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, humanitarian and other spheres through joint efforts.”

He said “the constructive bilateral cooperation undoubtedly meets the interests of their people and goes in line with the promotion of regional stability and security.”

President Putin emphasised that the relations between the two countries are based on the good traditions of friendship and mutual respect.

He said “this in a message sent to president Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina marking the Independence Day of Bangladesh.”

NEW DELHI, 28 March 2022, (TON): Indian Army successfully carried out the test firing of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile air defence system off the coast of Odisha's Balasore, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) informed.

DRDO said in a Koo post "MRSAM-Army missile system flight was test fired from ITR Balasore, Odisha at around 1030 hours and intercepted a high-speed aerial target at long range.”

NEW DELHI, 28 March 2022, (TON): Centre has told the Supreme Court “state governments can declare any religious or linguistic community, including Hindus, as a minority within the said state.”

The submission was made in response to a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay that sought directions for framing of guidelines identifying minorities at the state level contending that Hindus are in a minority in 10 states and are not able to avail the benefits of schemes meant for minorities.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs submitted that matters concerning whether followers of Hinduism, Judaism, Bahaism can establish and administer educational institutions of their choice in the said states and those related to their identification as minority within the state may be considered at state level.

Mr Upadhyay had challenged the validity of section 2(f) of the National Commission for Minority Education Institution Act, 2004 alleging that it gives unbridled power to the Centre and termed it manifestly arbitrary, irrational, and offending.

Section 2(f) of NCMEI Act empowers the Centre to identify and notify minority communities in India.

KABUL, 28 March 2022, (TON): The World Health Organization said “it has resumed its first capacity-building training program since the fall of the previous government to support and improve the provision of health services and support to 2,000 health centers in Afghanistan.”

Officials of WHO said “they have new plans in hand to improve the quality of health services in the country.”

Ahmad Wali Rasekh, in charge of the health project said “we are trying to continue the services that already existed, and secondly to improve the quality of those programs…we are currently in an emergency situation, because in an emergency we can continue the minimum services.”

According to WHO “the program will continue for three days to create good governance, greater transparency and coordination between the various health institutions with the participation of health officials from 34 provinces.”

KABUL, 28 March 2022, (TON): Qatar announced “they have signed a letter of content with Indonesia based on which both the countries will cooperate in providing humanitarian and development assistance to the people of Afghanistan.”

The agreement was signed at the sideline of the Doha Forum between Qatar’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Shiekh Muhammad Bin Abdurahmand Al-Thani and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

Both sides announced their intentions to offer humanitarian aid and credit to the people of Afghanistan.

WASHINGTON, 27 March 2022, (TON): Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Dr. Karen Donfried will travel to Copenhagen, Denmark, on March 28, where she will meet with Danish, Faroese, and Greenlandic government officials and parliamentary leaders.

The Assistant Secretary will underscore the longstanding and close U.S.-Kingdom of Denmark bilateral relationship, which is based on a range of shared values including our security cooperation and our mutual support for the people of Ukraine against Putin’s unjustified and unprovoked war. 

Dr. Donfried will also meet with members of the Danish think tank and business communities to share perspectives on the impacts of Putin’s war of choice.

Assistant Secretary Donfried will then travel on March 29 to Prague, the Czech Republic, where she will meet with Czech government officials and civil society and industry leaders. 

WASHINGTON, 27 March 2022, (TON): Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State has said “we strongly condemn this week’s multiple Houthi terrorist attacks on Saudi Arabia, including today’s that struck an Aramco facility in Jeddah, which is clearly civilian infrastructure.”

At a time when the parties should be focused on de-escalation and bringing needed life-saving relief to the Yemeni people ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, the Houthis continue their destructive behavior and reckless terrorist attacks striking civilian infrastructure.

We will continue to work with our Saudi partners to strengthen their defenses while also seeking to advance a durable end to the conflict.

RIYADH, 27 March 2022, (TON): Yemeni rebels attacked a Saudi Aramco oil facility setting off a huge fire visible from Jeddah’s Formula One track as part of a wave of attacks.

The Huthi rebels said in a statement “we did several attacks with drones and ballistic missiles” including an “Aramco installation in Jeddah (and) vital installations in Riyadh”.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-backed rebels confirmed the attack, which comes ahead of the seventh anniversary of its military intervention in the brutal civil war in Yemen.

Smoke billowed near Jeddah’s F1 track as drivers took part in practice runs, with Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen saying he could smell the blaze as he drove.

WASHINGTON, 27 March 2022, (TON): NATO Deputy-General Secretary Mircea Geoana said that the group would respond if Russia used chemical or nuclear weapons in its war against Ukraine.

Geoana, who is also the former Romanian foreign minister and ambassador to the United States said “NATO is a defensive alliance, but also it’s a nuclear alliance.”

“If they will be using chemical weapons or other kinds of higher-end systems against Ukraine, this will be changing fundamentally the nature of the war that Mr. Putin has waged against Ukraine.”

Geoana added “I can guarantee that NATO is ready to respond proportionately.”

Geoana would not detail to the AP what those actions could be, but his comments come as Russian officials have refused to say that Russia won’t use chemical or nuclear weapons in its invasion.

BERLIN, 27 March 2022, (TON): Video agency Ruptly showed empty store shelves in Stuttgart, Germany. On some racks placed ads addressed to buyers.

One of them reads “please refrain from discussion.”

Such an appeal was placed under a message about restrictions on the purchase of a number of categories of goods in one hand. In another store, journalists also found a sign informing visitors about the introduction of such measures.

The footage shows that residents of the city are faced with a shortage of flour, pasta, and vegetable oil.