WASHINGTON, 3 March, 2021 (TON): To achieve the inflation and employment goals, the central bank needs to be patient with the easy monetary policy said a senior US Federal Reserve official on Tuesday.

"Today the economy remains far from our goals in terms of both employment and inflation, and it will take some time to achieve substantial further progress," Fed Governor Lael Brainard said while virtually addressing the Council on Foreign Relations.

"Jobs are still 10 million below the pre-Covid level, and inflation has been running below 2 per cent for years. We will need to be patient to achieve the outcomes set out in our guidance," Brainard said.

Talking about the President’s relief package, she said, "A burst of transitory inflation seems more probable than a durable shift above target in the inflation trend and an unmooring of inflation expectations to the upside."

"We have pledged to hold the policy rate in its current range until not only has inflation risen to 2 per cent but it is also on track to moderately exceed 2 per cent for some time.

"Even after economic conditions warrant liftoff, changes in the policy rate are likely to be only gradual," she added.

Noting that inflation has averaged slightly below 2 per cent for over a quarter-century, it was stressed that reaching the central bank's inflation target will require patience.

LUCKNOW, 3 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati, took a dig at the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over the law-and-order situation in the state.

BSP President also accused government of adopting an insensitive attitude even in serious cases.

"Everyone is concerned about painful and embarrassing incidents of Dalit and women harassment. Even in such serious cases, the insensitivity and negligence of the government is unfortunate," she said.

Over the issue of Dalit rights, she said, "Dalit oppression and murder of a man in Hathras and ruthless killing of a Dalit RTI activist in Gujarat prove that lives of Dalits, oppressed and women are not safe under the BJP government, like in the previous Congress regime. The government should immediately take notice of this."

Mayawati’s allegations are the backdrop of 50 years old man who shot dead in UP. Therefore, she stressed that crime control in UP is at its worse.

DUBLIN, 3 March, 2021 (TON): Iran is to re-open its embassy in Tehran to re-establish its diplomatic presence in Iran, Ireland’s FM Simon Coveney announced on Tuesday.

"A Diplomatic Mission will be established this year, to be headed at Charge d'Affaires level, with a commitment to re-open an Irish Embassy in 2023," Coveney said in a statement posted on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The decision was made keeping in view Ireland’s efforts to double the country’s global impact by 2025 under a Global Ireland strategy, he said.

"As an elected member of the Security Council, it is particularly important that we have the ability to engage in more depth on the range of Middle East issues on the Security Council's agenda," he said.

"The re-establishment of an Irish presence in Tehran is a concrete sign of our commitment to deepen dialogue with all relevant partners, including Iran, on this issue," Coveney said.

The issue he referred to was Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the nuclear program of Iran.

"Ireland is fully committed to the success of that agreement, and the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons,” he added.

In 2012, Ireland closed its embassy in Tehran due to the impact of the financial crisis.

Ireland took up its seat as an elected member of the UN Security Council for a two-year term starting from 1 January, 2021.

YEREVAN, 3 March, 2021 (TON): Another motion by the Armenian PM Pashinyan for the dismissal of the Army Chief Onik Gasparyan has been rejected by the President Armen Sarkissian.

The President's Office said on Tuesday that Sarkissian decided not to sign the draft decree, but he will apply to the Constitutional Court to determine the issue.

"Faithful to his commitment, the President will continue steps aiming at further stabilizing the situation, and, by serving the institute of the president as a platform, is calling on everyone to negotiate to find a comprehensive solution to all existing problems," said the statement.

Since 25 February, 2021 the President had dismissed the motion of attempting a military coup for the second time.

The President has three days to either approve a motion from the Prime Minister or return it with objections, according to Armenian law. And if the motion is sent to the President again, he will have to choose to either sign or apply to the Constitutional Court.

DHAKA, 3 March, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, the Cabinet Division announced the appointment of Moinuddin Abdullah as the new chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Mr. Moinuddin will be replacing Iqbal Mahmud as the chairman of the ACC, whose term will end on 13 March.

The law requires the government to choose the ACC chairman from a pool of three commissioners, each appointed for a term of five years.

Meanwhile, Md Jahurul Haque, former chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, has been made a new commissioner of the national anti-graft agency.

BEIRUT, 3 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, protests erupted across Lebanon against the unmatched collapse of the currency that slipped to 10,000 Lebanese pounds per one U.S. dollar.

The media reported that demonstrations were held in the capital city and other major cities, Tripoli and Sidon and some villages and towns.

They blocked the roads and highways, ablaze tires, and raised slogans calling government to save the country.

Some agitated demonstrators held the local currency shops to close.

Seemingly, Lebanon has already been facing economic crisis and raging pandemic, thus declining the price of the currency and increasing poverty and unemployment.

KUWAIT CITY, 3 March, 2021 (TON): Under PM Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued a decree on Tuesday, forming the new government on Tuesday.

As per the decree, Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah was appointed as Defense Minister, Abdullah Youssef Abdurrahman Al-Roumi as Justice Minister, and Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah as Foreign Minister, the media reported.

On 24 January, the Mmir appointed Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Prime Minister and assigned him to form a government.

The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the Emir for confidence, amid challenges that require serious and fruitful action to achieve more for the Kuwaiti people.

TAIPEI, 3 March, 2021, (TON): The U.S. and Canadian government offices in Taiwan on Tuesday lauded the quality of pineapples developed on the island, portraying photos of their top ambassadors in Taipei with the fruit after an import boycott by China.

China a week ago halted the import of Taiwanese pineapples; referring to "harmful creatures" it said could accompany the fruit.

Incensed Taiwanese specialists considered the boycott a political move to additional pressing factor the island, a charge that China denied.

Whereas, neither the US nor Canada, as most nations, have formal strategic binds with the Chinese-guaranteed Island, both have their own debates with Beijing over basic freedoms, exchange and different issues.

While Taiwan is most popular globally for its flourishing tech organizations, the sub-tropical island has a thriving fruit industry. A year ago, over 90% of its delivered out pineapples went to China.

Referring to a tweet by Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu for individuals around the planet to "rally behind the #FreedomPineapple", the Canadian Trade Office, on Taipei's Facebook page, used the same hash tag on an image of its chief, Jordan Reeves, posing with colleagues around a pineapple pizza.

Local government officials also posted pictures of themselves in fields with farmers and encouraged domestic consumers and other countries to pick up the slack left by China.

BAGHDAD, 3 March, 2021 (TON): On an official visit to Iraq, Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Saudi Arabia’s Chief of Staff General met Iraqi Defense Minister Juma Inaad Saadoun on Wednesday.

The need to strengthen ties for stability and regional security between the two sides was made into focus during the meeting.

Matters related to the armed forces and issues of mutual interest were also discussed.
A-Ruwaili was presented with a memento.

Meetings with the chiefs of Iraqi army and air force were also held on the visit.

DHAKA, 3 March, 2021 (TON): On 26 March the observed Independence Day, Indian PM Narendra Modi will visit Tungipara, Bangladesh.

Tungipara in Gopalgunj is the ancestral home of 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and daughter Sheikh Hasina, that is the most sacred shrine of the 'Matua' community, a Hindu sect in West Bengal and Bangladesh. 

PM Modi desired to visit the place, and the visit has been scheduled on 27 March, 2021.

"We are examining the security aspects of the proposed visit of Indian PM to Orakandi and once we are satisfied, we will clear the trip," said a top Bangladesh security official.

The visit has been scheduled after necessary security arrangements have been made by both the countries.