RIYADH, 18 March 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports announced “it was extending visas for Ukrainians in the Kingdom, whether they are tourists or there for business, without fees or fines, for humanitarian considerations.”

The authority said “the decision was based on directives from King Salman.”

It added “the extension will be automatic, in cooperation with the National Information Center.”

WARSAW, 18 March 2022, (TON): The UK is deploying the Sky Saber air defense system and an additional 100 troops to Poland. This was stated by British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace at a joint press conference with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak.

He said “I can announce that we are deploying the Sky Saber medium-range air defense system and an additional 100 personnel in Poland to support Poland and guarantee the security of Polish airspace.”

This is the most advanced medium-range air defense system that can hit a target the size of a tennis ball at the speed of sound.”

Wallace added “stressing that the UK and Poland will develop this system together in the future.”

Sky Saber air defense systems with Common Anti-air Modular Missile anti-aircraft guided missiles of a unified modular design entered service with the British Army in December last year.

Sky Saber should replace the Rapier air defense system, which was put into service in 1971.

RIYADH, 18 March 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia has in recent years pumped more than $19 billion into the international Yemeni aid program, the head of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has revealed.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, KSrelief’s general supervisor, said “the money had been put toward humanitarian and economic development projects in the war-torn country.”

He was speaking during a virtual UN meeting, co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland, aimed at rallying financial support for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

On behalf of the Kingdom, Al-Rabeeah thanked the UN, Switzerland, and Sweden for organizing the donor conference.

He added that Yemen was facing a major humanitarian crisis made worse by the terrorist actions of the Iran-backed Houthis that were threatening the security of neighboring countries.

This requires a firm stance from the international community to protect the brotherly Yemeni people and reach sustainable solutions that achieve security, stability, and development for Yemen and its people, the region, and the world.

DHAKA, 18 March 2022, (TON): A Bangladeshi man was shot dead and another injured by Indian Border Security Force members near the border in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat.

The deceased was identified as Rezaul Karim, 42, son of Monsur Ali of Jagatber union in the upazila and the injured was identified as Jumman Babu, 30.

The incident occurred along Samshernagar border in the upazila, said “Omar Fauk, officer-in-charge of Patgram police station.”

According to locals “some local youths went to the India-Bangladesh border’s no-mans-land area.”

They said “Rezaul died on the spot when BSF members fired at them.”

DHAKA, 18 March 2022, (TON): Delhi has put forward a proposal to resume operations of passenger trains between India and Bangladesh on March 26, following a near two-year suspension because of the pandemic.

The Indian Railway recently made the proposal following the Bangladesh Railway's letter to resume the operations, according to media reports.

Bangladesh Railway Additional Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali told media “the Bangladesh side will now take a decision after holding a meeting soon.”

The possible resumption of Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree and Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan train services is part of a series of steps being taken to boost bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Both the trains would operate according to their old schedules, an Indian Railway official told News18.

NEW DELHI, 18 March 2022, (TON): Six Sri Lankan fishermen were arrested and their boat seized for allegedly fishing in Indian waters by the Coast Guard.

This is second such incident this month.

According to an official release, the fisherfolks from the island nation were illegally fishing in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone on March 16 and Coast Guard ship Vajra while on maritime surveillance sighted their boat about 117 nautical miles south east of Kanyakumari.

The six member crew was arrested for violating the Maritime Zone of India Act, 1981 and their fishing boat was impounded.

The release said “the crew was fully aware that it was poaching in Indian waters and the automatic identification system on-board the vessel was deliberately turned off.”

NEW DELHI, 18 March 2022, (TON): The Ministry of External Affairs said “judges at the International Court of Justice vote in their individual capacity, a day after Indian judge Dalveer Bhandari voted against Russia at the United Nations' highest court.”

The International Court of Justice had ordered Russia to stop hostilities in Ukraine, granting measures requested by Kyiv.

The court order was supported by 13 judges, while two voted against it, Vice-President Kirill Gevorgian from Russia and Judge Xue Hanqin from China.

India's judge, Dalveer Bhandari, voted against Russia.

NEW DELHI, 18 March 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida will hold summit talks on Saturday with a focus on strengthening bilateral ties in diverse areas and advancing cooperation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said “the Japanese Prime Minister will pay a two-day visit to India beginning Saturday for the 14th India-Japan summit.”

Mr Bagchi said at a media briefing "at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio will be undertaking an official visit to New Delhi from March 19-20 for the 14th India-Japan annual summit.”

He said "the summit would be the first meeting of the two leaders. The previous India-Japan annual summit took place in Tokyo in October 2018.”

Mr Bagchi said “the summit will be held on Saturday.”

KABUL, 18 March 2022, (TON): The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs said “the Islamic Emirate is in contact with many Afghan embassies abroad. He made the remarks in a visit to the Afghan embassy in Ankara.”

According to Muttaqi “the Islamic Emirate has paid the salaries of some of the Afghan diplomats and staff working at the embassies.”

He said “many embassies have made contact with us. We have paid the salaries of some of them. We have trusted some former diplomats and sent some new individuals to the embassies.”

“This process is continuing and, God willing, a lot of the problems will be solved.”

Turkey is the second country after Pakistan where Muttaqi paid a visit to the Afghan embassy. But the talks in Turkey were held alongside the former Afghan ambassador under the Afghan national flag of three colors.

Muttaqi said “the diplomatic ties with some world countries have been developed. He said the diplomatic efforts of the current Afghan government warrant the removal of some sanctions on Afghanistan, which were imposed by the US and allies after the Islamic Emirate took over the country.”

KABUL, 18 March 2022, (TON): UN Refugee Agency chief Filippo Grandi called for sustained international support for Afghanistan’s people, where the country’s humanitarian crisis is worsening.

Speaking from Kabul, at the end of a four-day visit to Afghanistan, Mr. Grandi said “he had met families who do not know what they will eat for their next meal.”

Acknowledging that the world is rightfully preoccupied with the war in Ukraine, he pleaded for help with another humanitarian crisis.

Grandi said “the country is experiencing a very grave crisis and asked the international community to support Afghans both within the country and abroad.”

the head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said “we spoke with women heads of households afraid for the health and well-being of their children; mothers and fathers desperate to provide for their families.”

“The needs here are enormous.”