RIYADH, 22 March 2022, (TON): The EU said “it strongly condemns recent attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi militia.”

The EU said “the attacks are completely unacceptable and must stop.”

On Saturday night and Sunday, the Houthis 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 statement said “the EU urged all parties in Yemen to work with “UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg to achieve a comprehensive political agreement.”

RIYADH, 22 March 2022, (TON): Saudi Press Agency reported “Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister and his Russian counterpart discussed the situation in Ukraine as well as mediation efforts to end the crisis.”

In a call to Sergei Lavrov, Prince Faisal bin Farhan reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for a peaceful resolution through negotiations.

The Saudi diplomat also discussed achieving this through the mediation proposed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The crown prince said “Saudi Arabia was ready to exert all efforts to mediate between parties in the conflict in Ukraine.”

KYIV, 22 March 2022, (TON): Nearly 3.5 million Ukrainians have now fled the country following Russia’s invasion, the UN said, praising neighbouring countries for showing overwhelming compassion towards their extreme plight.

More than 10 million people,e over a quarter of the population in regions under government control are now thought to have fled their homes, including the millions of internally displaced people.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said 3,489,644 Ukrainians had fled the country since Russia invaded on February 24, a figure up 100,600 on Sunday’s update.

UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said “over the last four weeks, the world has watched in disbelief. Countless lives have been lost while millions of others have been completely upended.”

“As if to counter the despair, we have also witnessed overwhelming acts of welcome and compassion as neighbouring countries, particularly local responders, have opened their hearts and homes to Ukrainians.

BRUSSELS, 22 March 2022, (TON): The Council has formally approved the Strategic Compass, at a time when we witness the return of war in Europe.

The Compass gives the European Union an ambitious plan of action for strengthening the EU’s security and defence policy by 2030.

The more hostile security environment requires us to make a quantum leap forward and increase our capacity and willingness to act, strengthen our resilience, and invest more and better in our defence capabilities.

The strength of our Union lies in unity, solidarity and determination. The objective of the Strategic Compass is to make the EU a stronger and more capable security provider.

The EU needs to be able to protect its citizens and to contribute to international peace and security. This is all the more important at a time when war has returned to Europe, following the unjustified and unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as of major geopolitical shifts.

WASHINGTON, 22 March 2022, (TON): U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Republic of the Sudan Central Reserve Police for serious human rights abuse.

The CRP has used excessive force against pro-democracy protesters peacefully demonstrating against the military-led overthrow of the civilian-led transitional government in Sudan.

Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said “since the October 25 military takeover, Sudan’s Central Reserve Police has used excessive force and violence intended to silence civilian activists and protesters.”

We condemn Sudan’s security services for killing, harassing, and intimidating Sudanese citizens.

These actions are exacerbating the crisis in Sudan and are a direct contradiction to the Sudanese security services’ stated commitment to participate constructively in a facilitated process to resolve Sudan’s political crisis and return to a democratic transition.

The CRP is a militarized Sudanese police unit that has been at the forefront of the Sudanese security forces’ violent response to peaceful protests in Khartoum.

The CRP and the anti-riot police led a deployment of Sudanese security forces to suppress demonstrations across Khartoum.

WASHINGTON, 22 March 2022, (TON): The White House said “US President Joe Biden will travel to Poland on Friday to meet with President Andrzej Duda for discussions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement “the President will discuss how the United States, alongside our Allies and partners, is responding to the humanitarian and human rights crisis that Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine has created.”

The statement added that Biden’s trip will come after a visit to Belgium to meet with leaders from NATO, the G7 and the European Union.

Psaki said of Biden’s trip to Europe “the trip will be focused on continuing to rally the world in support of the Ukrainian people and against President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.”

She added “but there are no plans to travel into Ukraine.”

JERUSALEM, 22 March 2022, (TON): Israeli media said “Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett travelled to Egypt on Monday for a previously unannounced visit and will hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.”

There was no immediate official confirmation of the visit from either Israel or Egypt.

Last week, Bennett pointed to what he described as mounting cooperation between Israel and Egypt, saying closer ties would contribute to regional security.

The two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979.

DHAKA, 22 March 2022, (TON): Prime minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 1320 MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant at Patuakhali’s Payra on a day when she also declared the country’s 100 per cent electricity coverage.

This milestone achievement puts Bangladesh ahead of India and Pakistan among the South Asian nations to light up every house with electricity.

Liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque, prime minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid were present at the programme.

Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited, a joint venture between state-owned North-West Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited and China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation, has set up the plant using Ultra Supercritical Technology at over $2billion as part of a development partnership on 982.77 acres of land.

The Export-Import Bank of China lent $1.96 billion for the project. The company started operation in 2016.

KABUL, 22 March 2022, (TON): The Organization for Islamic Cooperation is set to hold the 48th session of its Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Islamabad on March 22-23 and the situation in Afghanistan is on the agenda of this meeting.

The OIC said “this is the second ministerial meeting aimed to promote the organization’s efforts in Afghanistan. An extraordinary meeting of OIC’s foreign ministers was held last year in December, during which Afghanistan’s political, economic, and humanitarian situation were discussed.”

OIC said in a statement on its website “on several occasions, the OIC Secretary-General, His Excellency Hissein Brahim Taha, expressed solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.”

He reiterated the commitment of OIC Member States to help bring peace, security, stability and development to this country.

OIC said “the organization has taken steps toward mobilizing support from the international community in support of the people of Afghanistan.”

It said “the Secretary-General is in contact with the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to arrange a visit by a delegation to be led by prominent religious scholars, jurists and other religious institutions to engage with Afghanistan on issues of tolerance, moderation, equal access to education and women's rights in Islam.”

DHAKA, 22 March 2022, (TON): Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan said “his country would continue supporting Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis.”

He also said that his country would keep supporting the genocide case brought against Myanmar by The Gambia for alleged persecution of Rohingyas.

He said “the kingdom has been assisting Bangladesh in the Rohingya crisis since the beginning.”

He added that his country would make its voice louder while raising it in various forums.

The Saudi envoy was addressing a programme held at the Saudi embassy marking the formal inauguration of Rohingya shelter project at Cox’s Bazar.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan as chief guest said that the cooperation between the two governments in this area would continue in the coming days.