DUBAI, 03 November 2022, (TON): Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said “an Iranian delegation will visit Vienna in the coming days to try to narrow differences with the UN nuclear watchdog.”

He told a news conference “we will send a delegation from Iran to Vienna in the coming days to start talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency and we hope to resolve remaining issues based on what we have agreed in the past days.”

Amirabdollahian also said he would speak to the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, to discuss efforts to revive Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

RIYADH, 03 November 2022, (TON): Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih has praised Swiss biotech company Roche for helping to boost the healthcare sector in the Kingdom.

Al-Falih made the comments at the inauguration of the firm’s new headquarters at Laysen Valley in Riyadh, as the company celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Al-Falih said “for more than three decades, Roche has had an important presence in the Kingdom. The MoU signed in February of 2021 between MISA and Roche was an injection that gave our collaboration a welcome rejuvenation.”

Al-Faleh added “the relationship with Roche is fundamental to the Kingdom to enable the healthcare sector in the Kingdom to be more comprehensive, effective and integrated. This comes along with advancing our goal to be a global biotechnology and life sciences hub.”

PRETORIA, 03 November 2022, (TON): The parties in the conflict in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray have agreed to cease hostilities, African Union mediator Olusegun Obasanjo said just over a week after formal peace talks began in South Africa.

The war, which broke out in November 2020, pits regional forces from Tigray against Ethiopia’s federal army and its allies, who include forces from other regions and from neighboring Eritrea.

The conflict, which has at times spilled out of Tigray into the neighboring regions of Amhara and Afar, has killed thousands of people, displaced millions from their homes and left hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine.

RIYADH, 03 November 2022, (TON): Singapore’s minister of home affairs and law, K. Shanmugam, recently visited Boulevard Riyadh City, one of the entertainment zones for the third Riyadh Season.

In a video posted on Twitter by Turki Al-Sheikh, chair of the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, the minister is seen touring all sections of the zone as he is briefed about the ongoing activities during Riyadh Season.

He was accompanied during his visit by Nasser Al-Daoud, the Saudi deputy interior minister, and Chowming Wong, Singapore’s ambassador to the Kingdom.

Shanmugam met Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in Riyadh.

During their meeting they discussed ways in which security cooperation between the two countries might be enhanced.

DHAKA, 03 November 2022, (TON): Administrative complications, frequent power cuts, and a paper crisis are disrupting the printing of free textbooks scheduled to be distributed among students in January.

Until Tuesday, no primary-level textbooks were printed, as no work orders were given by the primary and mass education ministry to the printers less than two months before the start of the book distribution.

Officials said “the printing of secondary-level textbooks is also going at a slow pace due to power cuts and a paper crisis.”

Against this backdrop, at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the education ministry in the secretariat, the government reaffirmed its decision of printing all free textbooks by this year overcoming the hurdles.

DHAKA, 03 November 2022, (TON): Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said “Russian envoy to Bangladesh Alexander Vikentyevich Mantytskiy expressed the hope that the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war would end soon.”

The minister was speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Russian envoy at the Information and Broadcasting Ministry office at Secretariat in the capital.

Hasan said "I've told the envoy that Russia is our tested friend. I recalled the role of Russia during our Liberation War and in nation building after Liberation War and thanked him. At the same time, I also informed him about our position over the war."

NEW DELHI, 03 November 2022, (TON): Downing Street said “intensive negotiations continue towards a free trade agreement between India and the UK and new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is committed to achieving a balanced deal.”

Rishi Sunak, who took charge at 10 Downing Street last week, had a very warm introductory call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which both sides expressed their commitment towards an FTA.

The UK Prime Minister's office also reiterated that the focus remains on a balanced trade deal that benefits both sides and therefore no timeframe is being specified after a proposed Diwali timeline had to be abandoned last month amid political turmoil in the UK.

DHAKA, 03 November 2022, (TON): Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed her parliamentary colleagues from the ruling party to start door-to-door campaigns on as the next national election is fast approaching.

During a meeting with Awami League lawmakers on Tuesday, she urged the MPs to showcase the development work the government has initiated over its last three terms to the people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting in the conference room of the ruling party in person for the first time in almost three years, as this was the first Awami League parliamentary party meeting since the pandemic hit the country in March 2020.

DHAKA, 03 November 2022, (TON): British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Javed Patel on a two-day visit discussed the important contribution Sylhet makes to Bangladesh.

The deputy high commissioner also thanked people from Sylhet for their support to British Bangladesh communities.

He said speaking from Sylhet “I am delighted to be back in Sylhet, which is so important to close UK-Bangladesh relationship.”

The diplomat met Deputy Commissioner Md Mozibor Rahman and Sylhet Metropolitan Additional Police Commissioner Jubaedur Rahman.

DHAKA, 03 November 2022, (TON): The Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Bill 2022 was passed in Parliament to expedite exploration of oil, gas and mineral resources in the country.

The new law will replace the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation Ordinance, 1985 that is declared void by the court as it was promulgated during the regime of a military dictator.

State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid moved the bill and it was passed by voice vote.

As per the Bill, a Corporation will be established titled the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation for carrying out the purposes of this Bill. The Corporation may also be called PETROBANGLA.