NEW YORK, 11 December, 2020, (TON): The United Nations General Assembly’s resolution on the situation in Afghanistan was adopted on Friday by a majority of 131 votes, supporting an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and calling on all Afghan actors to make sustained efforts to reduce and end violence in the country.

Under the resolution UN members have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, reports TOLO News.

It also says that the UN members respect Afghanistan’s multicultural, multi-ethnic and historical heritage and welcome the efforts by Afghanistan in the framework of the Transformation Decade (2015–2024) to consolidate its sovereignty through strengthening a fully functioning, sustainable State in the service of its people, with the goal of becoming fully self-reliant.

The resolution recalls the importance of the development of the institutions of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

It also reaffirms the long-term partnership between the Government of Afghanistan and the international community based on their strategic consensus and mutual commitments.

The UN members in the resolution also reaffirm the commitment of the international community to continuing to support the training, equipping, financing and development of the capacity of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

The UN members in the resolution reiterate their serious concern about the security situation in Afghanistan and the urgent need to tackle the challenges facing the country.

The UN resolution expresses its deep concern about the threat posed by terrorism to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Adela Raz, said thanked the German mission to UN “for the skillful and balanced approach in negotiating and drafting the very important General Assembly resolution on the situation in Afghanistan.” 

TRIPOLI, 11 December, 2020, (TON): The eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) on Thursday announced the release of a foreign commercial ship intercepted a few days ago in eastern Libya.

Eastern Libyan commander Haftar’s LNA intercepted a Turkish ship named as Mabrooka and towed it to the port of Ras al-Hilal, east of Benghazi on Monday, prompting Turkish warnings of retaliation and "grave consequences."

LNA's spokesperson Ahmad al-Mismari said in a statement "The General Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces releases the ship Mabruka, which carries the flag of Jamaica, after searching it and completing the investigation with its crew."

The ship was fined for sailing in Libyan territorial waters without a Libyan permission or authorization, and also for entering a restricted zone, he said.

The crew of the ship, which was heading to the western Libya, consisted of nine Turks, seven Indians and an Azerbaijani, al-Mismari said.

Turkey earlier this week condemned the interception of the ship, saying it must be allowed to resume its journey to western Libya and warning of possible reprisals.

Turkey has been the main international backer of the UN-recognised, Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which Haftar is trying to topple by force.

The LNA launched an assault on Tripoli in April 2019 and today controls large swaths of Libya’s east and south. Haftar claimed military rule over eastern parts of the country in April 2020. The LNA’s backers include Egypt, France, UAE, and Russia.

Whereas, GNA’s armed forces receives significant military aid from Turkey, Italy, and Qatar.

The capture of the ship came weeks after the country's warring factions signed a ceasefire agreement to allow negotiations to end the conflict.

Libya has suffered years of escalating violence and political division between LNA and the UN-backed Government of National Accord in the country's west.

KATHMANDU, 11 December 2020, (TON): After the 6 December 2020, Pro-monarch demonstrations and protests on the streets of Nepalese capital Kathmandu, hundreds of people initiated a social media campaign to support the “Protest on Kathmandu Streets Demanding Royals Hindu Rulers Back”. Most of the IP addresses were Indian and European origin.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has started harvesting the investments through Indian Cultural programmes in Nepal through Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Embassy of India, Kathmandu. The aim of the institution aimed to create awareness in Nepal nation about their links with Indian culture. The Nepalese are of the views that Indian SVCC instead of strengthen the existing cultural ties between our two countries, is imposing Indian culture in Nepal through India-based Teachers in Yoga, Tabla, Bharatnatyam Dance and Hindustani Vocal Music  and is also carrying out archeological changes to depict Indian culture.  

In October this year, Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Samant Kumar Goel visited Nepal and also met Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. The purpose of the visit, apparently was to develop friendly bilateral relations with Nepal and resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue but hidden agenda was to create popular insurgency against the ruling Government in Nepal. Indian Intelligence Bureau Chief, despite an internal agency had been pushing hundreds and thousands of illegal Indian nationals to Nepal through porous border. Reportedly, Indian Director RAW is presently in Katmandu and he made payments worth millions of dollars to those Indian nationals are illegally living in Nepal to stage revolt in Nepal early next year.

BRUSSELS, 11 December, 2020, (TON): EU leaders agreed on Friday to set an ambitious target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030.

"Great way to celebrate the first anniversary of our #EUGreenDeal!," tweeted EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "Europe will reduce emmissions by at least 55% by 2030. It puts us on a clear path towards climate neutrality in 2050."

EU Council President Charles Michel also praised the plan. "Europe is the leader in the fight against climate change," Michel tweeted.

The deal comes after more than 10 hours of negotiations late Thursday into Friday morning. The European Parliament, which itself is pushing for a slightly higher target, still has to approve the new emissions goal.

With the 2030 Climate Target Plan, the Commission proposes to raise the EU's ambition on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. This is a substantial increase compared to the existing target upwards from the previous target of at least 40%.

NEW DELHI, 11 December, 2020, (TON): Virtually ruling out repealing of new farm laws, the government on Thursday asked farmer groups to consider its proposals for amending the acts and said it is open to discussing its offer further whenever the unions want.

Protesters remained defiant and threatened to block railway tracks too in addition to highways. As the issue remained deadlocked with both sides sticking to their respective positions.

A day after protesting farmers rejected the government’s offer for a written assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and amend few provisions in the new farm laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that union leaders must consider the proposals and said he is ready for further discussions with them, but left it to the farmer groups to propose a date for the next round of talks.

At least five rounds of formal talks have taken place between the central government and representatives of thousands of farmers, protesting on various borders of the national capital for about two weeks, but the deadlock has continued with the unions sticking to their main demand for the repeal of the three contentious laws and repeatedly rejecting the Centre’s offer to make some changes in law.

Rejecting the government’s proposal, the farmer unions had on Wednesday said they will intensify their agitation and start blocking all highways linking the national capital as there was nothing new in the offer.

Farmer leaders on Thursday threatened to block railway tracks also if the government does not repeal the three laws, which they claim were aimed at benefitting corporates by weakening the mandi system and the minimum support price (MSP) regime for procurement of farm produce.

The sixth round of talks between the government and farm union leaders, which was scheduled for Wednesday morning, was also cancelled.

RIYADH, 11 December, 2020, (TON): Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the arrest of 184 people involved in 120 corruption cases, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission accused them of exploiting their authorities for financial gains, the report said.

The commission vowed to continue its fight against corruption, highlighting that the penalty against those who commit briberies could be waived if they report the cases to the authorities.

Saudi Arabia has been leading a war against corruption in the last few years as part of its efforts to protect the strength of its economy.

The Anti-Corruption Authority was implemented as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan announced in 2016, where the Kingdom pledged “zero tolerance for all levels of corruption.

RAMALLAH, 11 December, 2020, (TON): A senior British official said on Thursday that his country supports the two-state solution for settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and rejects the Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank.

In a phone conversation with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, British Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations Lord Tariq Ahmad said that his country will continue its support for the Palestinian Authority and its institutions.

"In addition, we will continue our financial support for the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)," the British minister added.

For his part, al-Maliki welcomed the British position on the Palestinian issue, especially as it faces many challenges at this "critical stage," said a press statement issued by al-Maliki's office.

The number of settlers living in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank has grown to nearly 600,000. Settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank are connected to each other and to Israel through bypass roads that circumvent Palestinian areas.

Israel continues to expand existing settlements, as well as annexing more Palestinian land to build new settlements. The cumulative effect has been to deny Palestinians the ability to create a viable state in even a small part of historic Palestine.

The UN has condemned settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in multiple resolutions and votes, declaring them to be illegal under international law.

BRUSSELS, 10 December, 2020, (TON): With prospects for a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU looking precarious, Britain's retail industry repeated a warning on Friday that shoppers faced higher food prices from next year if new tariffs were imposed in the absence of an agreement.

Britain's Brexit transition period ends on December 31. In the absence of a deal, Britain would trade with the European Union on World Trade Organisation terms, meaning new tariffs.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday there was a "strong possibility" Britain would not secure a deal.

"Currently, four-fifths of UK food imports come from the EU and without a tariff-free deal, supermarkets and their customers face over 3 billion pounds ($4 billion) in tariffs from 2021," said Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

The BRC said tariffs would force food retailers to raise prices to mitigate the additional costs.

It said many non-food retailers would also face large tariff bills for EU-sourced products, including clothes and ceramics.

Under the UK new tariff schedule, which would apply from Jan. 1 if a deal is not agreed, 85% of foods imported from the EU would face tariffs of more than 5%.

The average tariff would be more than 20%, including 48% on beef mince, 16% on cucumbers and 10% on lettuce.

The BRC also highlighted the challenges January posed for seasonal produce, with a much higher proportion of fruit and vegetables imported from the EU at that time of year.

For example, the UK sources 85 percent of its tomatoes from the EU in January copared with 30 percent in June.

If there is no agreement to protect approximately $1 trillion in annual trade from tariffs and quotas, businesses on both sides will suffer.

The two sides have set a deadline of Sunday to come to an agreement and prevent a chaotic break.

MOSCOW, 11 December, 2020, (TON): Russia’s navy has said it will join a military exercise next year that will become its first joint drill with NATO countries in 10 years.

In a statement on Thursday, Russia’s Southern Military District said the country’s navy would participate in the Aman-2021 exercise that is due to take place in February off the coast of Pakistan.

A total of 30 countries will take part in the drills, with 10 engaging their fleets and the rest sending observers.

The participating countries include Russia, Pakistan, China and Japan, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing a statement from the Black Sea fleet that will be representing Russia at the exercise.

The drills will also involve the NATO member fleets of the UK, the US, and Turkey.

The last time Russia’s navy participated in drills with NATO warships was in 2011 during the Bold Monarch exercise off the coast of Spain, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

However, the Russian navy has in the decade since held joint exercises with Turkey, with which Moscow has enjoyed a closer relationship than other NATO countries.

A NATO official said the 30-member military bloc had no plans currently to take part in exercises with Russia, but the participation of individual nations was up to them to decide.

Tensions skyrocketed between NATO and Russia after the 2014 annexation. Cooperation has been suspended in response to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine but political and military channels of communication remain open.

Russia and NATO’s relations have reverted back to their Cold War hostility.

WASHINGTON, 11 December 2020, (TON): US President Donald Trump made a telephone call on Thursday and talked to Morocco’s King Mohammed the VI. Both sides agreed that there should be step forward for the normalization of security situation in the Middle East with reference to restoration of relations between Israel and Morocco.  President Trump agreed to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, which is long pending territorial dispute between French-Algerian backed Polisario Front and legitimate Government of Morocco.  

Media reports about “Morocco-Israel deal” around the worlds, including some very renowned newspaper and news agencies, are fake and without any foundation that “Israel and Morocco agreed on Thursday to normalize relations in a deal brokered with U.S. help”. The fact cannot be denied that till to-date no meeting between any representative of Morocco and Israel has taken place. In case, if world media consider it true why world media is shy in naming the official representatives of Morocco and Israel who held talks or signed an agreement. However, there is a truth that President Trump outlined during the telephone call that Washington agrees to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara. In reaction, the French backed Polisario Front, a foreign-funded movement that seeks to establish an independent state in Western Sahara has condemned US policy and said that the Polisario Front would neither allow US to continue with the policy nor support signing of any peace deal between Morocco and Israel.

President Trump efforts for enforcement of “the Abraham Accords” between Israel and Arab as well as Muslim nations is based on sincerity of purpose, however, the Accord is being misinterpreted. The Arab nations are determined to allow Jews live in peace  along with Muslims in Middle East if the Palestine is recognized on the basis the claimed territories by former leader Yasser Arafat.