RIYADH, 2 March, 2021 (TON): The missile attack by the Houthi militias on the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia was condemned by the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and called the rebel group to despite engaging in attacking engage in diplomatic talks.  

The embassy said in a statement on Twitter, “The US Embassy condemns last night’s Houthi attack on Jazan, which injured several civilians. We wish the victims a speedy and full recovery. We call on the Houthis to stop attacking innocent civilians and to engage in the diplomatic process to end this conflict.”

The latest missile was launched from Yemen that injured around 5 people, fortunately, no casualties resulted.

BARCELONA, 2 March, 2021 (TON): On Monday, the Spanish police raided Barcelona’s stadium in club officials’ search and seize operation that got some people detained.

The police reported detentions but did not revealed the identities and number of

The club said authorities were at the team’s headquarters but did not provide any more detail.
The operation comes less than a week before presidential elections are to be held at the club.

The operation related to last year’s “Barçagate,” in which club officials were accused of launching a smear campaign against current and former players who were critical of the club and then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu. However, Barcelona had denied accusations that it hired and overpaid a company to make negative comments about its own players and opponents and later released an audit report.

The company was accused of using fake social media accounts to discredit opposition figures when they expressed views that went against the club.

Some of the figures supposedly included players such Lionel Messi and Gerard Piqué, as well as former coach Pep Guardiola.

JAMMU, 2 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, the Congress workers rallied in protest against the senior leader and former CM Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu for praising PM Modi.

"He is weakening the Congress party by praising Narendra Modi who took away the rights of J&K and its statehood."

"We demand that Sonia Gandhi sack him," party leader Shahnawaz Choudhary said.

While addressing members of the Gujjar community in the presence of some J&K Congress leaders, Azad said Prime Minister Modi doesn't hide about his humble background and the fact that he comes from a village.

The party workers raised slogans against Azad and burnt his posters saying he has not helped in reviving the party rather inclined towards BJP, while Congress gave him the best positions.

NEW DELHI, 2 March, 2021 (TON): Delhi cabinet announces Delhi Assembly’s Budget session to begin from 8 March.  

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a tweet, the decision was taken at a meeting of the Delhi cabinet.

The government will present its budget for 2021-22 with a focus on areas of health, education, and infrastructure including water supply, according to sources. New taxes are unlikely.

The decision states that the session will end on 16 March.

HOUSTON, 2 March, 2021 (TON): Amid criticism over the power outrages, DeAnn Walker, Chairperson of the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) has resigned.

PUC regulates the state's electric, telecommunications, and water and sewer utilities.

As the resigned official provided his resignation to the media, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called for Walker and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) CEO Bill Magness to resign.

Appointed by state Governor Greg Abbott, PUC is charged with overseeing ERCOT.

It is a non-profit entity that manages and operates the electricity grid covering most of the state.

However, the organizations were criticized publically in the aftermath of Texas' recent power crisis that left millions of people in the dark for days and claimed dozens of lives.

MEXICO CITY, 2 March, 2021 (TON): On Monday Mexico’s monthly economic analysis revealed that its economy is facing a fragile and hesitant recovery.

On Monday, the Mexican Institute of Financial Executives (IMEF) said that its manufacturing indicator declined 0.3 points in February to 49.1 units, staying in the contraction zone for 21 consecutive months, media reported.

"February's IMEF indicator results suggest that during the second month of the year, economic activity remained sluggish," said the institute, which consists of financial leaders of major companies. The IMEF's index that measures activity in the service sector, rose 1.1 points in February to 49.4 units, but remained in the contraction zone for the 13th month in a row.

Meanwhile, it seems to be optimism growing regarding a global economic recovery, mainly due to the advances in the vaccination process against the pandemic in several countries.

ZAMFARA, 2 March, 2021 (TON): On a Tuesday morning, hundreds of abducted teenage girls have been released and are in the offices of the local government.

The incident took place last Friday when the girls got kidnapped from their boarding school in Jangebe in north-western Nigeria.  

State governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle told the media that the total 279 kidnapped girls are all accounted for and in good health. However, his statement contradicts the declaration of 317 missing girls initially communicated by local authorities following the attack.

In less than three months, it was the fourth attempt on schools where the criminal groups' bandits have been stealing livestock on a large scale and carrying out kidnappings for ransom for more than a decade.

Zamfara authorities are accustomed to discussing amnesty agreements with criminal groups with whom they have been negotiating for over a year in exchange for the handing over of their weapons.

NEW DELHI, 2 March, 2021 (TON): On Tuesday, while addressing the Maritime India Summit, the PM of India Narendra Modi invited the whole world to come to India and be a part of its growth trajectory considering its seriousness towards the maritime sector.

"Through this Maritime India Summit, I want to invite the world to come to India and be a part of our growth trajectory. India is very serious about growing in the maritime sector and emerging as a leading Blue Economy of the world," the Prime Minister said after inaugurating the summit.

The Prime Minister further said that the summit will bring together key stakeholders from the maritime sector and play a leading role in furthering the growth of India's maritime economy.

However, through video conferencing, Modi clearly called while expressing India's vision to turn up it as a leading Blue Economy of the world with its focus on the maritime sector.

NEW YORK, 2 March, 2021 (TON): The President of the United States Joe Biden appointed Maju Varghese, an Indian-American as his deputy assistant and Director of the White House Military Office.

Varghese's parents immigrated from Thiruvalla, Kerala, to the US, where he was born, and he is a lawyer by training.

Mr. Varghese was the Chief Operating Officer of his campaign and after managing the logistics for the election campaign of Biden and VP Kamala Harris, Varghese became the executive director of their inauguration.

The job at the office will be that he has to oversee military support, which includes providing medical support, emergency medical services, and presidential transportation, and organizing official ceremonies and functions.

This will be his second spell at the White House as he was former President Barack Obama's special assistant and the deputy director of advance, a position in which he worked on organizing his travel in the US and abroad.

YEREVAN, 2 March, 2021 (TON): If parliament approves, the ruling party is ready for the snap elections, said Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan at a rally on Monday.

"Let's hold another election and we will see whose resignation the people demand," Pashinyan said.

"I think it's time to make efforts to adopt a new Constitution or Constitutional amendments in October of this year by a national referendum, and transition to a semi-presidential system should be one of the possible options," he said.

As the tensions among the PM, the army general staff, and the opposition parties demanding the government’s resignation, the remarks appear.  

Pashinyan, on 25 February dismissed Gasparyan for attempting a military coup and on 27 February the PM submitted another request to the President as PM’s orders need formal approval from the president. So it was considered unconstitutional for the first time.