TRIPOLI, 11 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, Libyan PM-designate Abdul Hamid Dbeibah expressed support for the Libya-Turkey maritime deal signed between Turkey and the former U.N.-backed government based in Tripoli.

He said that the deal would serve the country’s economic interests.

 His remarks came a day before he was designated as the Prime Minister.

Dbeihbah said while extending support to the deal, “Under the deal with Turkey, Libya has acquired a good share of the gas field that it did not possess.”

 He added, "But parliament is the one who will approve it."

As the PM noted he could not say anything about the country's security agreements with Turkey, therefore left the decisions about those to parliamentarians.

YANGON, 11 March, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, Myanmar’s Anti-Terrorism Central Committee issued an order to cancel the AA (Arakan Army) terrorist designation under the approval of the State Administration Council.

Considering the recent activity, the committee’s order said, "Currently, the United League of Arakan (ULA)/ Arakan Army (AA) no longer commit any terrorist acts.”

Last year on 23 March, the committee declared the AA as a terrorist group with the approval of the government in exercise of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

However, the same year the Home Minister issued an order that declared the AA and its associated groups as an unlawful association in the light of the Unlawful Association Act.

The order came as these groups posed danger to law and order, peace, stability, and security of the country and its places.

WASHINGTON, 11 March, 2021 (TON): For the first time in the new U.S. administration, U.S. and China are to hold in-person talks in Alaska on 18 March, said the White House on Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet the top officials of China as he returns from his overseas trip to key U.S. allies Japan and South Korea.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan will join the meeting in Anchorage with China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Wang Yi, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, adding that the administration would approach its relations with China in lockstep with its partners.

Psaki told the media, “It was important to us that this administration’s first meeting with Chinese officials be held on American soil, and occur after we have met and consulted closely with partners and allies in both Asia and Europe.”

She said the meeting would be “an opportunity to address a wide range of issues, including ones where we have deep disagreements.”

However, as the new administration took the office, it has committed to reviewing its policies with China as the two sides cross frosty ties that went to level one during the past U.S. administration.

GAZA, 11 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, for a second-term Yehya Al-Sinwar re-elected to head Hamas in Gaza Strip, officials said.

The decision of his picking again is likely to occur due to his control over both political and military wings of the group that rules the Palestinian enclave.

Gaza political analyst, Adnan Abu Amer said, “Sinwar’s victory shows the man maintains a strong grip on things inside the movement, especially within its vital components such as the military wing.”

“The win will enable Sinwar to pursue his policies, whether inside Gaza or with regional countries and the handling of the conflict with Israel,” he added.

Sinwar who has spent around 20 years behind the bars was freed in the 2011 prisoner swap with Israel.

On the Gaza border, he has maintained a stable standoff and with Egypt has improved the ties that ought to put restrictions along with its frontier with Gaza. However, Sinwar’s main competitor in the election was a co-negotiator in the 2011 swap deal Nizar Awadallah.

DHAKA, 11 March, 2021 (TON): In a press conference on Wednesday, Awami League-GC Obaidul Quader, has warned to take severe action against the ones behind the killing in the clashes between the rival divisions of the ruling party in Noakhali’s Companyganj.

The minister said, “No one will be spared (for their involvement in this incident).”

His remarks came in response to Tuesday’s incident when clashes erupted between the supporters of Abdul Quader Mirza, mayor of Basurhat municipality, and the followers of former Upazila chairman Mizanur Rahman Badal who were protesting against Monday’s assault on Khizar Hayat Khan, president of the party’s Companyganj Upazila Unit at Rupali Chattar of Basurhat municipality in Companyganj.

An Awami League activist named Md Alauddin died while at least 40 others were injured amid malicious mischief devastation ad blasts.

More than 15 of them suffered bullet injuries.

However, many of the people have been arrested and others are underway and clashes are also being investigated so that necessary steps are taken.

BURAIDAH, 11 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, in order to discuss bilateral and mutual interest issues, the Governor of Qassim Prince Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud met the chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Riyadh, Martina Strong.

The Governor also met her accompanying delegation on the visit.

The overall development of the Kingdom was appreciated; however, Strong applauded and praised the efforts in the advancement of the Qassim region.

Strong also had a meeting with the Saudi-U.S. Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Shoura Council a day before, to have talks on several various issues of common interest to the two countries.

The two countries have been enjoying friendly ties since 2016 when the trade agreement was signed between the two. The United States is Saudi Arabia’s second-largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is one of the United States’ largest trading partners in the Middle East.  Saudi Arabia is the third leading source of imported oil for the United States, providing about half a million barrels per day of oil to the U.S. market.  

The U.S.-Saudi partnership is rooted in more than seven decades of close friendship and cooperation, enriched by the exchange opportunities that are a key to the promotion of mutual understanding and the long-term development of ties between our two peoples.  

TRIPOLI, 11 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, Libya’s parliament voted to approve a unity government to lead the N. African nation to the December elections.

The PM-designate Dbeibah’s government got approved by the parliament after a two-day debate in Sirte.

The lawmakers present in the House were 132, out of which 121 supported Dbeibah.

After Moamer Kadhafi was toppled and killed in an uprising, conflicts started emerging in Libya.

The oil-rich country has been split between UN-recognized GNA (Government of National Accord) backed by Turkey and an administration in the east that is supported by Khalifa Haftar, who is backed by UAE, Egypt, and Russia.

However, it important and the weight on the new government that it must now tackle the many problems of the Libyans, from economic crisis to unemployment to cruel inflation and afflicted services provided to the public.

MUMBAI, 10 March, 2021 (TON): Indian Navy commissioned a Scorpene-class submarine INS Karanj on Wednesday.

At Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, the ceremony took place in the presence of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh and Admiral (Retired) VS Shekhawat.

INS Karanj is certainly the third diesel electric submarine of the Kalvari class.

An official said, INS Karanj has the best sonar and does not make noise at all which makes it the best in the world.

The submarine is smaller than the nuclear submarine making it a deadliest and the quickest submarine till date as its size would enable the craft to maneuver easily in different locations.

This submarine is India’s creation and reports state that India is in process to build six Scorpene-class submarine.

However, this submarine is completely made in India, unlike others which were made under the supervision of France.

NEW YORK, 10 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, the Saudi mission to the UN highlighted UAE’s recent achievements in efforts to empower the women.

The Saudi mission statement said, “Since launching Vision 2030 in 2016, the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made qualitative legislative reforms that confirm the strong commitment to women’s full and effective participation in decision-making, as well as the elimination of violence, achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all Saudi women and girls in all fields in public and private sectors.”

Guests at the meeting included Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of UN women; Miguel Moratinos, the UN’s high-representative for the Alliance of Civilizations; Thoraya Obaid, chair of W20, the G20 engagement group that focuses on women’s empowerment and gender equality; Amal Yahya Al-Mouallimi, the Saudi ambassador to Norway; Hala Altwaijry, secretary-general of the Family Affairs Council of Saudi Arabia; Hind Al-Zahid, Saudi deputy minister of women’s empowerment; and Sarah Al-Tamimi, vice chair of the Kingdom’s National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking.

The meeting was organized by the permanent Saudi representative to the UN, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Mouallimi.

“Today we can see Saudi women in senior positions playing a crucial role with their male twin halves: ambassadors, members of the Shoura Council, general directors, CEOs, ministries’ and entities’ spokespersons, athletes and scientists,” he said.

Al-Mouallimi thanked the guests for being part of the celebration of “Saudi women flourishing beautifully and admirably,” he added.

He also stressed on the pillars of Vision 2030 envisaging a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation in which Saudi women are invited to engage “more than ever” as active partners in society, government and economic decisions.

ALGIERS, 10 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday fresh anti government protests broke out in the capital Algiers as hundreds of students and Hirak movement sympathizers took the streets.

The Hirak, is a pro-democracy movement that first mobilized in February 2019, that forced the then President Abdelazizi Bouteflika to step down from his fifth term of presidency.

Three weeks ago, the group again started the protests.

Demonstrators carrying banners reading "The regime is dead and it is not possible to resuscitate a corpse," marched through the capital's main streets to reach the Grande Poste, a traditional rallying point for supporters of the protest movement.

The protesters took up the Hirak slogans - for a "free and democratic Algeria" and a "civil and non-military state".

Since independence 1962, the protests movement demands the dismantling of the system, however, the protestors see the regime as little changed from the one led by his predecessor.