OTTAWA, 10 March 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Trudeau said “Canada will send Ukraine a new batch of highly specialized military equipment.”

Trudeau wrote on his Twitter account “Just spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky. I informed him that Canada will send Ukraine another batch of highly specialized military equipment.”

He further said “we also discussed sanctions against Russia and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”

According to the prime minister “he also invited Zelensky to address the Canadian Parliament.”

AMMAN, 10 March 2022, (TON): Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, also known as KSrelief, toured the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan’s Mafraq Governorate.

Accompanied by Nayef Al-Sudairi, Saudi Ambassador to Jordan, and senior officials and volunteers from KSrelief, he reviewed the progress that has been made by humanitarian projects launched by the center to improve the lives of residents.

Al-Rabeeah visited the offices of the UN Refugee Agency at the camp, where he was briefed on the humanitarian support and assistance that is being provided.

He also visited the camp’s administrative headquarters, and the offices of other UN and international organizations operating there, to discuss joint humanitarian projects and future plans, including ways in which conditions at the camp can be enhanced and developed.

Later, he visited the World Food Program’s supply center in Zaatari and was told about the services it provides.

He also discussed joint projects between KSrelief and WFP to provide basic food supplies for the refugees.

WASHINGTON, 10 March 2022, (TON): The United States said that it was working with Ukraine to prevent invading Russian forces from seizing biological research material amid concern governments or unscrupulous actors might try to use such items to create bioweapons.

Senior State Department official Victoria Nuland told US lawmakers “Ukraine has biological research facilities, which in fact we are now quite concerned Russian troops, Russian forces, may be seeking to gain control of.”

He said “so we are working with the Ukrainians on how they can prevent any of those research materials from falling into the hands of Russian forces should they approach.”

US Senator Marco Rubio noted there were “Russian propaganda” reports claiming the discovery of a plot by Ukrainians to release biological weapons, with coordination from NATO.

Asked by Rubio if a biological or chemical weapon attack were to occur inside Ukraine, whether Russians would be behind it, Nuland asserted “there is no doubt in my mind, senator.”

“And it is a classic Russian technique to blame on the other guy what they re planning to do themselves.”

DUBAI, 10 March 2022, (TON): The state news agency said “Kuwait has appointed Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as minister of interior and Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as minister of defence.

A statement said “they were both appointed as deputies to the prime minister.”

ANKARA, 10 March 2022, (TON): Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, becoming the first leader from Israel to visit in 14 years as the two countries move to turn a new page in their troubled relationship.

Escorted by a Turkish mounted color guard, Herzog arrived at the Turkish presidential palace in the capital Ankara as light snow began to fall.

He was greeted by Erdogan and a military honor guard, while a band played the Israeli anthem for the first time since 2008.

Turkey and Israel once were close allies, but the relationship frayed under Erdogan, who is an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians. Israel also has been angered by Erdogan’s embrace of Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip.

The countries withdrew their respective ambassadors in 2010 after Israeli forces stormed a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians that broke an Israeli blockade.

The incident resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists.

WASHINGTON, 10 March 2022, (TON): Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke separately with his counterparts, U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace, French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly, and Slovak Minister of Defence Jaroslav Naď, to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He also discussed that how Allies can strengthen NATO’s Eastern Flank?

The Allies committed to closely coordinating security assistance in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as they defend their country.

Afghanistan: China to Host Third Regional Meeting on Afghanistan

KABUL, 10 March 2022, (TON): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “the third meeting of foreign ministers of regional countries on Afghanistan will be held in China by the end of March.”

Hafiz Zia Ahmad, deputy spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in his meeting with China’s ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu discussed bilateral relations as well as the upcoming regional meeting on Afghanistan in China.”

Ahmad said “the meeting focused on enhanced relations between both countries, political and economic issues as well as the convening and participation in the regional foreign ministers’ meeting to be held in China at the end of this month.”

He added that Muttaqi will attend the meeting.

Minister Muttaqi said “he would attend the meeting, expressing optimism about a favorable outcome for Afghanistan.

Previously, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also said his country is preparing for the third foreign ministers' meeting among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan.

Wang said that his country is willing to contribute to the durable stability and security in Afghanistan.

KABUL, 10 March 2022, (TON): According to an Iranian official “Iran is holding talks with the Taliban to resume construction of an ambitious rail project that ultimately aims to connect at least five Central Asian countries.”

According to Iranian transit official Abbas Khatibi “Iran is ready to make further investments and both sides are willing to finish construction on a rail line connecting Khaf in northeastern Iran with Herat in northwestern Afghanistan.”

Khatibi, a deputy head of the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company of Iran, was quoted by the Tasnim news website as saying the project could boost trade and reduce transit costs.

He said “this rail line can also link Afghanistan with Iran’s southern ports.”

He added that when fully complete, the project could eventually carve a path linking China to Turkey.

KABUL, 10 March 2022, (TON): Veteran international development expert Sultan Masood Dakik says he is striving to persuade Germans to open a new chapter in assistance to Afghanistan.

Dakik, who returned to Afghanistan from Germany after 38 years, has implemented development projects in Asian, European and African countries and received the medal of honour from the German federal president in 2005.

He arrived in Kabul to a warm welcome from a team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He met Arsala Khan Kharoti, deputy minister of refugees, Lotfullah Khairkhwa, deputy minister of higher education, Maulvi Arifullah Arif, deputy minister of water and energy, and Kabul municipality official Maulvi Ismatullah Asim.

Dakik also called on Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed key issues related to Afghanistan.

Kharoti said “the government was striving to give people elemental facilities using the available resources.”

KABUL, 10 March 2022, (TON): Veteran international development expert Sultan Masood Dakik says he is striving to persuade Germans to open a new chapter in assistance to Afghanistan.

Dakik, who returned to Afghanistan from Germany after 38 years, has implemented development projects in Asian, European and African countries and received the medal of honour from the German federal president in 2005.

He arrived in Kabul to a warm welcome from a team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He met Arsala Khan Kharoti, deputy minister of refugees, Lotfullah Khairkhwa, deputy minister of higher education, Maulvi Arifullah Arif, deputy minister of water and energy, and Kabul municipality official Maulvi Ismatullah Asim.

Dakik also called on Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed key issues related to Afghanistan.

Kharoti said “the government was striving to give people elemental facilities using the available resources.”