DHAKA, 23 March 2022, (TON): Bangladesh has welcomed the US announcement acknowledging Rohingya genocide. It noting that it might expedite efforts on accountability and repatriation fronts.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters while responding to a question at his office "though late, it’s good news. We welcome it.”

He said “if genocide takes place anywhere, it should be acknowledged and the perpetrators should not go unpunished.”

Momen said "this is why we say never again. We don't want to see any genocide. Unfortunately, genocide is taking place.”

Terming the US a good friend of Bangladesh, Dr Momen hoped that it will put pressure on Myanmar so that they take back Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State.

NEW DELHI, 23 March 2022, (TON): Australia and India said “they are close to finalising an interim economic and trade cooperation deal and hope to sign a full agreement by the end of the year.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit to discuss economic, defence, and technological cooperation, as well as the war in Ukraine.

A joint statement said considerable progress had been made in negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which was close to finalisation.

It said “an interim economic deal would be concluded “at the earliest”, and the two nations would work towards an ambitious, full CECA by the end of the year to enhance trade and investment ties.”

Morrison's government, which faces an election in May, hopes to strike a trade deal with India to help diversify its exports away from a reliance on China, with which it has increasingly frosty diplomatic relations.

Australia and India launched talks on a trade deal in 2011, and in 2020 the two prime ministers decided to speed up the negotiations.

NEW DELHI, 23 March 2022, (TON): Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will visit India on April 2.

A statement released by his office said “this is Bennett’s first official visit to India after he became the prime minister in June.”

Bennett said “I am delighted to pay my first official visit to India at the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister Modi, and together we will continue leading the way for our countries’ relations.”

“Modi restarted relations between India and Israel, and this is of historic importance.”

The two first interacted physically on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in October after which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Bennett to pay an official visit to the country.

The statement said “this visit will reaffirm the important connection between the countries and the leaders, and will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Israel and India.”

DHAKA, 23 March 2022, (TON): The Japanese government is firm to provide its continued support in various projects and socio-economic development of Bangladesh.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki stated this as he paid a courtesy call on President M Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban.

President's Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin quoted the Japanese envoy as saying "the Government of Japan is working on various projects, including construction of different mega projects like Metrorail and Third Terminal in Bangladesh. Its cooperation will continue in the future as well.”

Naoki added “Japan is proud to be able to help in the socio-economic and infrastructural development of Bangladesh.”

The ambassador also handed over a congratulatory message from the Emperor of Japan Naruhito to President M Abdul Hamid on the occasion of the Great Independence and National Day of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the 50th Anniversary of Bangladesh-Japan diplomatic ties.

DHAKA, 23 March 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock and sorrow at the casualties in China plane crash.

She said “I am deeply mourned by the news of the worst tragic aircraft crash of China Eastern Airlines in South China with 132 people on board. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the catastrophe.”

The Prime Minister condoled the casualties in her text of condolence message signed today addressed to President Xi Jinping:

She said “on behalf of the people and government of Bangladesh and on my own behalf, I convey my profound condolences and sympathies to their bereaved family members.”

DUBAI, 22 March 2022, (TON): The UAE and Japan foreign ministers agreed to continue promoting cooperation in various fields under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative and maintain energy-related relations with a stable supply of crude oil.

The agreement was reached on March 20 during a meeting in the UAE between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the minister for foreign affairs and international cooperation.

Hayashi is visiting the UAE on the second and last leg of a short tour to the Middle East that started in Turkey a day earlier. Hayashi is scheduled to arrive back in Tokyo.

In the meeting, Hayashi congratulated the UAE on the successful hosting of the Dubai 2022 Expo and highlighted the importance of this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE.

NEW YORK, 22 March 2022, (TON): UN condemned Sunday’s Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, with Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric saying such attacks on civilians and infrastructure are prohibited by international humanitarian law.

Dujarric told reporters in New York “these actions damage prospects of peace and regional stability and are detrimental to the ongoing mediation efforts of our Special envoy Hans Grundberg.”

He added “we call upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any further escalation.”

On Saturday night and Sunday, Yemen’s Houthi militia fired a barrage of missiles and drones strikes targeting a Saudi petroleum products distribution terminal in the southern Jizan region, a water desalination plant in Al-Shaqeeq, a power station in Dhahran Al-Janub, a gas station in Khamis Mushayt and an LNG facility in the Red Sea port of Yanbu.”

The Houthi attacks came just as a meeting in Oman was convened by the UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg with Houthi chief negotiator Mohammad Abdulsalam and Omani officials as part of the envoy’s efforts to address the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, including a possible truce during the upcoming Holy month of Ramadan.

CAIRO, 22 March 2022, (TON): Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan arrived in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh to meet Egypt's president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Emirates News Agency reported.

Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter “the two leaders “discussed ways to further boost our deep ties and areas of continued cooperation to benefit our two nations.”

He added “our talks also covered the latest international developments.”

LONDON, 22 March 2022, (TON): On 16-18 March, Strategic Command and NATO’s Allied Command Transformation co-hosted the first-ever Multi-Domain Operations Conference in Oxford.

Multi-Domain Operations is about ensuring that military operations can be conducted seamlessly across all five warfighting domains maritime, land, air, space, and cyberspace and in a unified way with allies.

The conference gathered senior military representatives from NATO member nations, as well as experts from other government departments, industry, and academia.

General Sir Patrick Sanders, Commander of UK Strategic Command, said “being integrated with our NATO Allies has never been so important.”

“This conference was an excellent opportunity for Alliance members to unify our thinking on Multi-Domain Operations and the future of warfighting. We can’t afford to get this wrong.”

BEIJING, 22 March 2022, (TON): China’s Civil Aviation Administration said “a China Eastern Airlines passenger jet with 132 people on board crashed in the mountains of southern China on Monday while on a flight from the city of Kunming to Guangzhou.”

State broadcaster CCTV said “the jet involved in the accident was a Boeing 737 aircraft and the number of casualties was not immediately known.”

It said “rescue services were on their way to the scene.”

There was no word on the cause of the crash.

The plane was a 6-year-old 737-800 aircraft, according to Flightradar24.

The CAAC said “the aircraft lost contact over the city of Wuzhou. It had 123 passengers and nine crew on board. State media said earlier there were 133 people on board.”