HYDERABAD, 26 May 2021, (TON): Bharat Biotech has confirmed that it has submitted application for Emegency Use Listing (EUL) of its coronavirus vaccine Covaxin before the World Health Organisation. The Indian vaccine manufacturer requested the global health agency to grant the approval but WHO asked the Indian manufatturer to furnish further information. Now the approval stand delayed till September quarted this year.

WHO’s EUL authorisation is a pre-requisite for COVAX facility, which is meant to ensure COVID-19 vaccine supply to poorer nations. It also allows countries to expedite their own regulatory approval to import and administer COVID-19 vaccines.

A guidance document updated last week on WHO’s official website showed that Bharat Biotech submitted expression of interest for EUL on 19 April 2021. However, the request was not granted as the health agency wanted some more details from the company.

Covaxin is the first coronavirus vaccine to be completely developed in India. Bharat Biotech formulated the jab based on the SARS-CoV-2 strain isolated by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The company has deployed three facilities – in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ankleshwar – to manufacture the vaccine. It is in the process of scaling up production capacity to 1 billion doses per annum.

TEL AVIV, 25 May 2021, (TON):  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Tuesday that the US would reopen its Consulate General in Jerusalem, a move that restores ties with Palestinians and ensures helping Israel to have foot hold in Jerusalem.  

Washington announced US $75m in development and economic assistance to Palestinians to win the minds with Palestinian leadership. 

The consulate long served as an autonomous office in charge of diplomatic relations with the Palestinians. But former US President Donald Trump downgraded its operations and placed them under the authority of his Ambassador to Israel when he moved the Embassy to Jerusalem. 

Secretary of State Blinken did not give a precise date for reopening the consulate. The announcement was made after Blinken's meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. The US is trying to widen the gap of rivalry between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Palestinian group, Hamas at an international level. 

In a statement Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “As I told the president, I’m here to underscore the commitment of the United States to rebuilding the relationship with the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, a relationship built on mutual respect and also a shared conviction that Palestinians and Israelis alike deserve equal measures of security, freedom opportunity and dignity.”

MALI, 25 May 2021, (TON):   Military officers in Mali backed by French troops dismissed President Bah N'daw , Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and Defence Minister Souleymane Doucoure of the interim government on Monday, deepening political chaos in Mali. 

Mali’s former coup leader Assimi Goita took control of the country again Tuesday after firing the president and prime minister of the transitional government following their announcement of a cabinet reshuffle without his permission.

While Goita pledged to go ahead with holding new elections in 2022 as promised, his display of force casts doubt on whether the vote will go ahead without significant interference by the junta that overthrew the last democratically elected president.

The move also raised concerns that the new political unrest could further destabilize efforts to control the West African country’s long-running Islamic insurgency. The United Nations now spends some USD 1.2 billion annually on a peacekeeping mission in Mali.

The military’s announcement on the state broadcaster came a day after President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane were arrested by soldiers and brought to the military headquarters in Kati, outside the capital. 

Their arrests prompted an concerns by the international community, which put out a strongly worded statement warning Mali’s military leaders that their actions could undermine global support for the transitional government.  

NEW DELHI, 25 May, 2021 (TON): Congress BJP government of adopting a “casual and superficial” approach in selecting the new CBI Director and questioned the shortlisting process, saying it is violating the mandate of the selection committee.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, member of the high-powered panel to select the new director accused the government overstepping selection committee’s mandate.
A committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met on Monday evening to discuss a total of 16 candidates out of 109 officers who had applied for the post of new chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation. Sources said the selection panel shortlisted three names and sent it to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). The selection committee chaired by the PM includes Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

DHAKA, 25 May 2021, (TON):  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the Commonwealth to play its crucial role in eradicating poverty and minimising climate vulnerabilities of the underprivileged people.

"I strongly believe that the Commonwealth can play a pivotal role towards sustainable and nature-based solutions for a prosperous future," she said while addressing a virtual roundtable of the Asia Regional Commonwealth heads of government.

rince of Wales Charles Philip Arthur George, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, convened the roundtable.

Hasina, chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), suggested three measures ahead of COP26. The measures include promotion of green and sustainable economic growth worldwide and investing in a circular economy for building back better.

The two other measures are: putting emphasis on carbon neutral technologies with a provision of knowledge and technology transfer among Commonwealth members with particular attention to the vulnerable countries; and supporting the climate vulnerable countries to get access to climate finance for adaptation measures.

The PM also urged everyone to focus on providing shelter to the homeless which is the best strategy to eradicate poverty and minimise climate vulnerability of the underprivileged people.

MALI, 25 May 2021, (TON): Military officers in Mali detained the president, prime minister and defence minister of the interim government on Monday, deepening political chaos just months after a military coup ousted the previous president.

Diplomatic sources said that President Bah Ndaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and defence minister Souleymane Doucoure were all taken to a military base in Kati outside the capital Bamako, hours after two members of the military lost their positions in a government reshuffle. 

Political instability has been created in the country due to foreign direct interference and deployment of regional and foreign forces.

The United Nations' mission in Mali called for the group's "immediate and unconditional" release and said those who hold the leaders would have to answer for their actions.

DHAKA, 25 May 2021, (TON): UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkır arrives on a two-day visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of the Bangladeshi government today.

During his stay in Bangladesh, he will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and discuss Rohingya issue. Bozkır will also travel to Cox's Bazar on Wednesday to meet with Rohingya refugees and observe the vital work undertaken by UN Resident Coordinator and the UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh.

He will also deliver discourse at Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy and discuss the current international issues with a focus on global crises and emergencies and state of multilateralism and the UN system and meet the UN Country Team in Dhaka.

He is also scheduled to visit Pakistan.

HAGUE, 25 May 2021, (TON): The International Criminal Court Prosecutor opened a hearing on Monday of evidence against an alleged leader of a notorious militia blamed for atrocities in Darfur, calling him a “willing and energetic” perpetrator of crimes in the conflict-torn region of Sudan in 2003-2004.

Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's comments came at the start of the first presentation at the global court of evidence against a suspect charged with involvement in crimes by the Janjaweed militia in Darfur.

“It is my great privilege to be present here today when finally one of the suspects in the Darfur situation is before this court to face independent and impartial justice," Bensouda said. "Let me express my sincere respect and admiration for the courage, patience and resilience of the Darfur victims who have waited for so long for this day to arrive.” Ali Mohammed Ali Abdul Rahman Ali, known as Ali Kushayb, is charged with a total of 31 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes dating back to the deadly Darfur conflict in 2003 and 2004 including murder, rape, torture and persecution.

CONGO, 25 May 2021, (TON): lava poured into villages after dark in eastern Congo with little warning, leaving at least 15 people dead amid the chaos and destroying more than 500 homes, survivals said. 

The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on Saturday night sent about 5,000 people fleeing from the city of Goma across the nearby border into Rwanda, while another 25,000 others sought refuge to the northwest in Sake, the UN children's agency said Sunday.

More than 170 children were still feared missing Sunday, and UNICEF officials said they were organising transit centres to help unaccompanied children in the wake of the disaster.

Goma ultimately was largely spared the mass destruction caused by the volcano's last eruption in 2002. Hundreds died then and more than 100,000 people were left homeless.

ISTANBUL, 25 May 2021, (TON): Turkish intelligence officers have arrested an Egyptian-born suspect wanted by Washington who is claimed to be top explosives expert for the Islamic State group.

The suspect, identified as Mustafa Abdulwahab Mahmud was detained with three others on the outskirts of Istanbul after fleeing Syria. 

It was revealed that US insput said he joined the IS group in Syria, where he specialised in making suicide belts and various explosive devices.