TEHRAN, 17 November 2022, (TON): Iran has released two Greek-flagged tankers that it seized in the Gulf in May, the Greek shipping ministry said, ending a months-long diplomatic impasse which has strained relations between Athens and Tehran.

Iran detained the tankers in response to the confiscation of oil by the United States from an Iranian-flagged tanker off the Greek coast, fueling bilateral tensions amid a broader deterioration in relations between Iran and the West.

The ministry said in a statement “the final agreement was reached today in Tehran.”

Ship tracking data showed the vessels, Delta Poseidon and Prudent Warrior, were underway from Iran.

NAIROBI, 17 November 2022, (TON): Fifteen trucks carrying food aid entered Ethiopia’s Tigray region, the United Nations’s food agency said, as humanitarian groups gain access for the first time since a cease-fire agreement was signed two weeks ago.

The convoy entered Tigray through the neighboring region of Amhara using a route that had not been viable since mid-2021, the UN’s World Food Programme said, when a bridge on the Tekeze river was destroyed.

“WFP convoy just entered North West Tigray via Gondar corridor for first time since June 2021,” WFP said in a tweet, adding that more food as well as medical aid was expected to enter the region via “all routes possible.”

AMMAN, 17 November 2022, (TON): Jordanian Minister of Energy Saleh Kharabsheh and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al-Jaber signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate in renewable energy.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of COP27 held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Jordan News Agency reported.

It outlines research cooperation for investment opportunities in wind energy projects, an exchange of experiences and technology in green energy, the launch of qualification and training programs for Jordanian experts and engineers, and the establishment of green energy scholarships between Jordanian and UAE universities.

LONDON, 17 November 2022, (TON): The head of Britain’s domestic spy agency said “Iran’s intelligence services have tried on at least 10 occasions to kidnap or even kill British nationals or individuals based in the United Kingdom regarded by Tehran as a threat.”

Ken McCallum, Director General of the Security Service known as MI5, said while at home Tehran was using violence to silence critics, its aggressive intelligence services were also projecting a threat to Britain directly.

McCallum said “at its sharpest this includes ambitions to kidnap or even kill British or UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime.”

“We have seen at least ten such potential threats since January alone.”

WASHINGTON, 17 November 2022, (TON): Donald Trump pulled the trigger on a third White House run on Tuesday, setting the stage for a bruising Republican nomination battle after a poor midterm election showing by his hand-picked candidates weakened his grip on the party.

“America’s comeback starts right now,” the 76-year-old former president told hundreds of supporters gathered in an ornate American flag-draped ballroom at his palatial Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Trump filed his official candidacy papers with the US election authority moments before he was due to publicly announce his candidacy.

DUBAI, 17 November 2022, (TON): The foreign ministry said in a statement “Canada has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, targeting individuals involved in alleged human rights abuses and companies it accused of supplying Russia with drones for use in Ukraine.”

The foreign ministry said “it is the fifth package of sanctions Canada has implemented against Iran this year and targets six individuals and two entities.”

DHAKA, 17 November 2022, (TON): The first consular consultations between Bangladesh and the UAE were held in Abu Dhabi.

The Bangladesh delegation was led by Ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams, secretary (east) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Senior officials from the ministry, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, and officials of the Bangladesh Embassy in Abu Dhabi, as members, joined the consultations.

The UAE delegation was led by Faisal Essa Lutfi, assistant undersecretary, Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, of the UAE.

BALI, 17 November 2022, (TON): Most of the leaders of the G20 who participated in the Bali summit have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanded its unconditional withdrawal from Ukrainian territory in the final declaration.

The statement, was the outcome of a challenging meeting that took place at a moment of geopolitical turmoil and fears of a global recession.

The war in Europe, which has fueled tensions among G20 members over a global surge in food and energy prices, was the most contentious issue during the leaders’ discussions.

“Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy.”

DHAKA, 17 November 2022, (TON): Singapore has shown its keen interest to explore the many trade potentials in different Bangladeshi sectors such as infrastructure development, energy and data mining.

A press release said “this was discussed while Singaporean Transportation Minister and Minister in Charge of Trade Relations S. Iswaran held a bilateral meeting with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shahriar Alam in the capital.”

The Singaporean minister is currently visiting Bangladesh on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic ties between two friendly nations.

DENPASAR, 17 November 2022, (TON): The G20 Summit may impart new momentum to the recovery of tourism in Bali now that the island has returned to the international limelight by hosting the leaders of the world’s most powerful countries.

With tourism accounting for almost 60 percent of the Balinese economy, the resort island has struggled since the pandemic brought the global travel industry to a halt.

Like other countries, Indonesia had cut off international flights and imposed restrictions for almost two years, and only ended quarantine requirements for foreign visitors in March, a move that is now enabling Bali to attract more international travelers.

As leaders from the world’s biggest economies met and thousands of other participants took part in G20 meetings, local hospitality industry officials expressed hope that the international attention garnered by Bali would hasten the island’s recovery.