NIAMEY, 18 February, 2021 (TON): As Niger is heading for the second round of Presidential voting on Sunday, February 21, former President of Niger Mahamane Ousmane is locked in a second-round election runoff with favoured ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum.

Ousmane was driven from power by a military coup after three years of he took the seat.

The opposition parties are now urging candidates to rally and protest against the former president.

Gathered in a coalition called Cap 20-21, 18 parties launched "an appeal for civic responsibility from all the political forces in Niger to join the final combat."

The manifesto was first read out on Monday to more than 3,000 people in Niamey's main sports arena.

On December 27, 2020, Mohamed Bazoum, a former interior minister supported by outgoing President Mahamadou Issoufou, took a strong lead in the first round of voting winning 39.33 per cent of ballots cast.

However, Ousmane won 16.99 percent in a crowded field of 30 candidates.

So far, both frontrunners will have to haggle with other candidates to secure their support.

WASHINGTON, 18 February, 2021 (TON): U.S. State Department said that Washington will continue to find ways to strengthen and advance security cooperation with the Philippines, its “oldest” ally in the region. 

“We value our alliance with the Philippines, which is the oldest in the Asia-Pacific region,” the State Department said.

Citing US-Chinese relations, during an address to Philippine troops after inspecting newly acquired air assets, President Rodrigo Duterte said that if the U.S. wants the VFA to be continued, it would have to pay.

“It’s a shared responsibility, but your share of responsibility does not come free. Because after all, when the war breaks out, we all pay,” Duterte said. “We are nearest to the garrison there, where there are a lot of arsenals of the Chinese armed forces.”

Senator Panfilo Lacson and Vice President Leni Robredo said that Duterte’s statement gave the impression that the Philippines were a “nation of extortionists.”

“Open dialogue between allies is essential to maintaining the strength of an alliance which is vital to both of our countries’ security,” the U.S. State Department’s letter said.

As we know that Duterte had unilaterally canceled the VFA last year in an angry response to an ally being denied a US visa, but retracted his decision a few months later. However, he faced widespread criticism for his latest remarks on the VFA and Filipinos considered it embarrassing.

ABU DHABI, 18 February, 2021 (TON): UAE Ministry of Education is keen to work on a plan to attract renowned foreign universities to establish their branches in the Kingdom.

This is in accordance with the directives aimed at taking advantage of the courses of the premier international universities by young Saudi men and women.

The Saudi media stated that it is the government’s keenness to provide advanced and world-class education, keeping pace with the renaissance witnessed by the Kingdom in various fields, in a way that fulfills the aspirations of people and keeps pace with the employment market reforms.

Last year in February, King Salman had approved the formation of the University Affairs Council following the issuance of the new University Law by the Cabinet in November 2019.

There are provisions in the new University Law to allow the University Affairs Council to recommend approval of the establishment or abolition or merger of universities and their branches, private colleges, and branches of foreign universities, and submit the recommendations to the Council of Ministers for approval.

Approval of policies and strategies for university education; approving and supervising regulations for universities, private colleges, and branches of foreign universities; approving financial, administrative, and academic regulations for universities are among the important tasks of the University Affairs Council.

KOMBOLCHA, 18 February, 2021 (TON):A vehicle enrooting to Addis Ababa from the Tigray region contained 23 cartons of explosives that got seized by the Ethiopian security forces on Wednesday.

It is reported that the vehicle carrying the explosive was believed to be from the restive Tigray region.

The driver was reportedly intercepted at Kombolcha town from the Woldiya customs checkpoint in the Amhara region.

Considering the last year incidents, an unspecified number of soldiers were killed last year and a sizable amount of military hardware had been looted by TPLF forces, prompting the government to launch a massive law enforcement operation.

Thousands have died in the fighting, according to the International Crisis Group as a consequence of  28 November’s  Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared operation.

 The PM declared the operation saying what remained was apprehending the TPLF leadership and their militants, reconstruction, and rehabilitation in the restive region, and putting in place the structures of an interim administration for Tigray.

Tens of thousands of refugees have streamed across the border into Sudan as a result of the operation; meanwhile, Abiy declared victory in late November after federal forces entered the regional capital Mekele.

NEW YORK, 18 February, 2021 (TON): According to Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin considers India a critical partner for meeting the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and urges to build ties with it.

Kirby said on Wednesday, "The secretary is prioritizing this relationship, wants to see it continue to grow and develop and to get stronger."

 Answering the question regarding Austin’s view on relations with India, Kirby said "He looks very much looking forward to working on initiatives to do just that."

Austin considers India "a critical partner, especially when you consider all the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region," he added.

The Pentagon said, Austin spoke last month with India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and emphasized the Department's commitment to the US-India Major Defense Partnership, observing that it is built upon shared values and a common interest in ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open.

Last week on President’s visit to the Pentagon, President Biden announced the formation of a new strategy task force to chart a strong path on China-related matters, he said, "We need to meet the growing challenges posed by China to keep the peace and defend our interests in the Indo-Pacific and globally."

As India has collaborated with bigger powers such as Australia, France, Japan, and the United States, that have provided a greater platform for New Delhi to expand its diplomatic footprint. Its relationship with island nations will shape India’s role in the Indo-Pacific. Due to the geographic proximity of the island states, both the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and to a greater extent Mauritius and Seychelles to India, their foreign policy choices will have a direct impact on New Delhi’s security environment.

JEDDAH, 18 February, 2021 (TON): The signing of the two cooperation deals between the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), King Abdul Aziz University (KAU), and Taif University’s academy of Arabic poetry have been witnessed by Makkah Governor Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.

The first agreement aims to establish joint programs, projects, and activities in research areas such as communication, culture, science, and education and has been signed by ISESCO Director General Dr. Salim Al-Malik and KAU Chairman Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Youbi.

The second deal which will support poetry in all of its forms, and promote the academy’s activities has been penned by Al-Malik and Dr. Youssef Asiri, the president of Taif University.

KHARTOUM, 18 February, 2021 (TON): As the tensions between the two countries run high over the border and the Blue Nile dam, Sudan recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia, said the foreign ministry on Wednesday.

The foreign ministry spokesman Mansour Boulad told the media, "Sudan has recalled its ambassador to Addis Ababa for consultations over Sudanese-Ethiopian relations."

The two countries have been accusing each other of trading and territorial violence in the area.

Khartoum's move comes amid rising tensions with Addis Ababa over the Al-Fashaqa border region, where Ethiopian farmers cultivate fertile land claimed by Sudan.

On Sunday, Khartoum claimed that Ethiopia had allowed its troops to enter Sudanese territory in an act of "aggression" and "regrettable escalation".

Similarly, Ethiopia alleged that Sudanese forces were pushing further into the border region last month.

The fighting sent some 60,000 Ethiopian refugees fleeing into Sudan.

Al-Fashaqa, borders Ethiopia's troubled Tigray region where deadly conflict erupted in November between Ethiopia's federal and Tigray's regional forces has been a center of the row.

However, this time is crucial for the tensions to arise as the two countries along with Egypt are in talks over the massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile River.

BAHARAMPUR, 18 February, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, while waiting to catch a train on the platform at 10 pm, the unidentified attackers hurled bombs at the West Bengal minister Jakir Hossain at Nimtita railway station, said the district police. 

The minister is seriously injured along with at least two more people who got injured in the incident, though the minister is injured seriously.

It is noted that the incident took place only about a month before the assembly elections. The elections in West Bengal are due this year in April-May.

ATHENS, 18 February, 2021 (TON): Spokesman for the Greek Foreign Ministry, Alexandros Papaioannou said, the Philia Forum is not an alliance against a common threat, but rather a partnership that could act as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East.

Last week at the forum, the Greek FM hosted his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Cyprus, the UAE, and Bahrain.

 In order to seek regional peace, stability, and prosperity, the seven-member countries issued a joint communiqué about the mutual objective and interest.

Papaioannou said his country remains a committed member of NATO and the EU, but this doesn’t exclude Greece from building partnerships in its immediate neighborhood. In the 1990s it was southeastern Europe and the Balkans, and during the last few years, it’s the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Gulf.

Denying the perception that Philia Forum would increase regional tensions, Greek FM said, “We want to build peace, stability, and prosperity, and to have a positive agenda. We want to instill some stability based on some rules, following the UN Charter, avoiding the use of force or the threat of use of force, respecting international law. We aren’t trying to create an alliance or a coalition. We want a positive agenda.”

It is observed that Turkey was not present at the forum considering the forum against it, for it is following an assertive policy in the eastern Mediterranean.

KATMANDU, 17 February 2021, (TON): Nepal reacted strongly today over India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to set up a political unit in Nepal. Nepal envoy expressed displeasure and sought a clarification from India.

Meanwhile, Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement clarifying that these statements were baseless and official clarification would be issued during the weekly briefing by the ministry after proper probe.  The opposition parties in Tripura state demanded clarification from Chief Minister as well as central leadership of BJP.

Nepal developed tense relations since Nepal realized that India has occupied its territories. New Delhi issued threats to force Katmandu to take back Indian territories from Nepal. In reaction, Nepal threatened that it may to announce war on India. To diffuse the tensions, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited Nepal to ease the situation.