BEIRUT, 16 February 2022, (TON): Lebanon’s government on Tuesday approved the allocation of 360 billion Lebanese pounds ($18 million) to hold a parliamentary election, Telecoms Minister Johnny Corm told Reuters following a cabinet meeting.

Lebanon went into financial meltdown in 2019 and some officials had raised concerns over elections potentially being postponed over financial constraints.

Speaking after the cabinet session, acting Information Minister Abbas Halabi quoted Prime Minister Najib Mikati as saying the last vote in 2018 had cost the state $54 million, but only a much smaller amount was available now.

The United Nations and Western governments have repeatedly urged Lebanese leaders to hold elections on time and allocate the appropriate funding, amid fears that powerful political parties could seek to use the financial crisis as a pretext to postpone the vote.

The May 15 election would be the first for the 128-member legislature since mass protests in October 2019 against political elites widely seen as responsible for decades of corruption and mismanagement.

NEW YORK, 16 February 2022, (TON): The UN said that an agreement in principle’ has been reached to transfer the toxic cargo from a rusting oil tanker abandoned off the coast of war-torn Yemen to another ship.

Experts warn of the risk of a major environmental disaster posed by the 45-year-old FSO Safer, moored since 2015 off Yemen’s western port of Hodeida.

An oil spill could destroy ecosystems in the Red Sea, shut down the vital port and expose millions of people to high levels of pollution, according to independent studies.

Martin Griffiths, the UN’s deputy chief for humanitarian affairs said “I am pleased to report recent progress in efforts to resolve the Safer tanker issue, including an agreement in principle to a UN-coordinated proposal to shift the oil to another ship.”

He gave no further details about the operation or when the transfer might take place.

Ten days ago the UN indicated that positive discussions between Yemeni government officials and Houthi rebels had seen both sides keen to find an emergency solution to avoid a catastrophic spill.

According to environmental group Greenpeace an oil spill would prevent access to Yemen’s main ports of Hodeida and Salif, affecting food aid supplies for up to 8.4 million people.

MOSCOW, 16 February 2022, (TON): Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Syria to inspect naval drills involving 15 warships and 30 aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean.

The drills are part of a surge of Russian military activity amid a standoff with the West over security in Europe.

Russia said “earlier it had deployed fighter jets with hypersonic missiles to its Syrian air base for the naval exercises.”

Moscow announced on Jan. 20 that its navy would stage an array of exercises involving all its fleets from the Pacific to the Atlantic, drawing on 10,000 servicemen, 140 warships and dozens of planes.

Meanwhile, a bomb attached to a bus carrying Syrian troops in Damascus exploded on Tuesday morning, killing one soldier and wounding 11.

The blast occurred during rush hour at a customs roundabout near the capital’s landmark Omayyad Square, according to the report. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

CAIRO, 16 February 2022, (TON): Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Alsheikh met with Deputy Head of Religious Administration for Muslims of the Russian Federation Rushan Abassoof on the sidelines of his official visit to Egypt to participate in the 13th session of the Executive Council of Ministers of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

During their meeting in Cairo, both sides reviewed issues of mutual interest facing the Islamic world, including the approach toward moderation.

Abassoof praised Saudi efforts in serving Islam and the world.

CAIRO, 16 February 2022, (TON): Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Alsheikh met with Deputy Head of Religious Administration for Muslims of the Russian Federation Rushan Abassoof on the sidelines of his official visit to Egypt to participate in the 13th session of the Executive Council of Ministers of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

During their meeting in Cairo, both sides reviewed issues of mutual interest facing the Islamic world, including the approach toward moderation.

Abassoof praised Saudi efforts in serving Islam and the world.

KABUL, 16 February 2022, (TON): Britain said “it would co-host a virtual UN summit aimed at raising billions to avert a “devastating” humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power.”

With the fundamentalist regime now denied access to Western funds, the United Nations says more than 24 million Afghans need urgent help to survive, and half the population is facing acute hunger.

The UN said “last month that $4.4 billion was needed, as it launched its largest appeal yet for a single country.”

Donor countries, UN agencies and Afghan civil society are set to take part in the online event next month, the UK government and UN said in a joint statement, without giving a date.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the summit would focus on delivering food, shelter and health services, particularly for women and girls who are once again shut out of public life under the Taliban.

Truss said “the conference is a critical moment for the international community to step up support in an effort to stop the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.”

KABUL, 16 February 2022, (TON): The Taliban said “Afghanistan will be forced to reconsider its policy towards the United States unless Washington reverses a decision to freeze part of the country’s assets as compensation for victims of the 9/11 attacks.”

US President Joe Biden last week seized $7 billion in assets belonging to the previous Afghan government, aiming to split the funds between compensation for victims of September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and desperately needed aid for post-war Afghanistan.

The move drew an angry response from the country’s new Taliban leaders, which branded the seizure a “theft” and a sign of US “moral decay.”

Monday’s statement, signed by deputy spokesman Inamullah Samangani said “the 9/11 attacks had nothing to do with Afghanistan.”

The statement added “any misappropriation of the property of the Afghan people under the pretext of this incident is a clear violation of the agreement reached with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”

DHAKA, 16 February 2022, (TON): The Bangladesh Embassy in Poland has said “Bangladeshi nationals in Ukraine may consider leaving Ukraine temporarily in view of the current situation.”

The Bangladeshi nationals have also been advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Ukraine.

According to an advisory for Bangladesh nationals “they are also requested to keep the Embassy informed about the status of their presence in Ukraine to enable the embassy to reach them where and when required.”

NEW DELHI, 16 February 2022, (TON): Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran paid a courtesy call to Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy of India at the latter's office today in New Delhi.

According to a press release of Bangladesh High Commission, New Delhi “during the meeting, they discussed about various aspects of bilateral cooperation in power, new and renewable energy sector between Bangladesh and India.”

The High Commissioner sought the support of Indian minister regarding the trilateral cooperation in hydropower energy among Bangladesh, Bhutan and India.

They also discussed about the commissioning of Maitree Super Thermal Power Project at Rampal and transnational power connectivity.

Earlier, the High Commissioner also met Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology of India at the latter's office.

NEW DELHI, 16 February 2022, (TON): India and Saudi Arabia have determined to further expand their bilateral defence ties via navy exchanges and coaching programs, exploring defence industrial collaborations and procurements, as half of New Delhi’s persevering with upward trajectory in navy ties with the Gulf international locations.

This got here after Royal Saudi Land Forces commander Lt-General Fahd Bin Abdullah Mohammed Al-Mutair held “significant” discussions with Army chief General M M Naravane, amongst others.

A senior officer stated “this is the first-ever visit by a serving Royal Saudi Land Forces commander to India and marks the deepening defence cooperation between the two countries. Gen Naravane had gone to Saudi Arabia in December 2020, the first time that an Indian Army Chief visited the country."

He added “the bilateral relationship has grown because of common interests in economic prosperity, eliminating the scourge of terrorism and mitigating the effects of climate change. Defence diplomacy forms one of the major tenets of the overall relationship.”

India can also be in discussions with international locations like Saudi Arabia and UAE to export BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which have a strike vary of 290-km, and the Akash air defence missiles, which have an interception vary of 25-km, as was reported by media earlier.