WASHINGTON, 02 March 2022, (TON): Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks met yesterday with Australian Secretary of Defence Greg Moriarty to advance the United States-Australia Alliance and compare perspectives on managing national defense enterprises.

Secretary Moriarty conveyed to Deputy Secretary Hicks the Australia government’s decision to provide lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine.

The Deputy Secretary welcomed the announcement as a demonstration of Australia’s enduring commitment to global peace and security.

The two leaders discussed progress in the Australia-UK-U.S. trilateral security partnership (AUKUS), including the identification of initial advanced capabilities to pursue through trilateral cooperation, governance processes for the trilateral partnership, and efforts to bolster information-sharing.

LASK, 02 March 2022, (TON): NATO’s chief said that, despite Russia’s threats about nuclear weapons, the alliance sees no need to change its own nuclear weapons alert level.

The alliance’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, spoke to The Associated Press following talks on European security with Polish President Andrzej Duda at an air base in Lask, central Poland, where NATO’s Polish and US fighter jets F-15 and F-16 are based.

Stoltenberg said “we will always do what is needed to protect and defend our allies, but we don’t think there is any need now to change the alert levels of NATO’s nuclear forces.”

He said “Ukraine is not a member of NATO, and the 30-member military alliance is not intervening directly in the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But NATO members are supporting Ukraine with military equipment and humanitarian and financial aid.”

The Kremlin began an invasion of Ukraine last week and on Tuesday shelled the center of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

GENEVA, 02 March 2022, (TON): The United Nations and humanitarian partners launched coordinated emergency appeals for a combined US$1.7 billion to urgently deliver humanitarian support to people in Ukraine and refugees in neighbouring countries.

The escalation of conflict has triggered an immediate and steep rise in humanitarian needs as essential supplies and services are disrupted and civilians flee the fighting.

The UN estimates that 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection, while more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees may need protection and assistance in neighbouring countries in the coming months.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said “families with small children are hunkered down in basements and subway stations or running for their lives to the terrifying sound of explosions and wailing sirens. Casualty numbers are rising fast.”

This is the darkest hour for the people of Ukraine. We need to ramp up our response now to protect the lives and dignity of ordinary Ukrainians. We must respond with compassion and solidarity.

The Flash Appeal asks for $1.1 billion to assist 6 million people inside Ukraine for an initial three months.

TUNIS, 02 March 2022, (TON): Tunisian President Kais Saied welcomed Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in Tunis.

Prince Abdulaziz conveyed greetings from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as their wishes for the Tunisian government and people’s steady progress and prosperity.

During the reception, the two reviewed bilateral relations and security cooperation between the brotherly countries.

DUBAI, 02 March 2022, (TON): Emirates News Agency reported “Abu Dhabi’s crown prince and President Vladimir Putin discussed the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the energy market during a phone call.”

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan was briefed by Putin on the developments of the crisis with Ukraine, and the crown prince stressed the need for a “peaceful solution that guarantees the interests and national security of all parties.”

Sheikh Mohamed confirmed that the UAE will continue to keep in touch with the various concerned parties in order to help find political solutions to the crisis.

RIYADH, 02 March 2022, (TON): Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted the president of Cyprus at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

After a welcoming ceremony, Prince Mohammed and Nicos Anastasiades held talks during which they discussed relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosts the President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.

Efforts to enhance joint coordination in various fields and regional and international issues of common interest were also reviewed.

KABUL, 02 March 2022, (TON):  Facing domestic and international reactions to the recent travel restrictions announced by the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid said “Afghans who have legal documents and invitations can travel abroad and return to the country without any problem.”

He tweeted “our compatriots who have legal documents and invitations can travel outside the country and can return to the country confidently.”

At a press conference Mujahid said that following reports of the challenges of evacuated refugees in Qatar and UAE camps, the Islamic Emirate decided to prevent people from travelling abroad, unless they have “valid reasons.”

Mujahid’s remarks sparked reactions inside and outside the country. The UK, US as well as some international organizations said the restrictions are unacceptable.

UK Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan, Hugo Shorter, said the Islamic Emirate’s actions would “undermine their commitments to the international community and the trust of Afghans.”

NEW DELHI, 02 March 2022, (TON): India’s foreign ministry says “an Indian student has been killed in shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, as criticism over New Delhi’s evacuation of students from the war-torn country mounts.”

Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi posted on Twitter “Foreign Secretary is calling in Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine to reiterate our demand for urgent safe passage for Indian nationals who are still in Kharkiv and cities in other conflict zones.”

Russian forces are firing artillery and laying siege to Kharkiv and other major cities, a Ukrainian official said, as the invasion of the former Soviet republic entered its sixth day.

Indian media reports said the student, identified as Naveen Shekharappa, belonged to the southern state of Karnataka’s Haveri district and studied medicine in Ukraine.

KABUL, 02 March 2022, (TON): Ministry of Refugees and Repatriates of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan said that 500,000 Afghans in exile have returned to Afghanistan in the past six months. Deputy of the Ministry Muhammad Arsala Kharoti in a press conference in Kabul on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, said that most of the repatriates are from neighboring Pakistan and Iran.

Muhammad Arsala Kharotis further added that presently seven million Afghan refugees live in Pakistan, Iran, and other countries. He added that the Ministry is striving to make these people come back to the country. Based on the information of the Ministry, 250 thousand families have been helped with by the Ministry since the resurgence of the IEA in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, three million people in Afghanistan have received aid from international organizations through the Ministry. The IEA recently announced that no family will be allowed to leave the country in the case of an emergency. The IEA has also halted evacuation until Afghan refugees in different countries behave well.

KABUL, 02 March 2022, (TON): Two years ago, the then United States’ special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad signed a peace deal with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Hot 10 (solar calendar) in Doha, Qatar.

The deal, which is often referred to as the "Doha Agreement" set the stage for the withdrawal of foreign forces and the end of America’s longest war in Afghanistan.

Suhail Shaheen, the head of the Islamic Emirate’s political office in Doha called the agreement a milestone in Afghan history, saying some parts of the agreement have yet to be implemented, like removal of names from the blacklist.

In tweets regarding the agreement, Shaheen said the sanctions on Afghanistan, and the lack of recognition of the current government of Afghanistan, contradicts the spirit of the Doha Agreement.

Anas Haqqani, a senior member of the Islamic Emirate, stated that the agreement paved the way for the end of the war.

“Afghanistan and the US are no longer military targets for each other.”