DHAKA, 02 December 2020, (TON): European Union wants united role of international community for sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis while saying that not all are doing equally on their part. 

EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink said EU has been doing its part at the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council and even at the OIC level to create pressure on Myanmar. 

Besides, EU also imposed targeted sanctions on some high-ranking military officials of Myanmar. 

While addressing to Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Bangladesh Teerink said "not all are working equally, noting that some of the regional countries are not doing enough.” 

She also spoke about the EU- Bangladesh relations including on trade and migration. 

For decades, Rohingya, an ethnic Muslim minority group, in Myanmar, has faced institutionalized discrimination, such as exclusionary citizenship laws. Still, resentment of the minority group has run deep for generations.  

ADDIS ABABA, 02 December, 2020, (TON): The UN says it has signed a deal with Ethiopia’s government to allow “unimpeded” humanitarian access to the embattled Tigray region, at least the parts under federal government control, a media report said on Wednesday. 

This will allow the first aid to the region of six million people that has been cut off during fighting that began a month ago between the federal and Tigray regional governments, each regarding the other as illegal. 

For weeks, the UN and others have pleaded for aid access amid reports of food, medicines and other supplies running out. 

A UN humanitarian spokesman said “We are of course working to make sure assistance will be provided in the whole region and for every single person who needs it.”  

“The UN and humanitarian partners in Ethiopia are committed to engaging with the federal government of Ethiopia and all parties to the conflict to ensure that humanitarian action in Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions be strictly based on needs and carried out in compliance with the globally agreed upon principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality,” the spokesman added. 

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people have been killed so far, and the UN has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe as civilians flee the fighting. 

The UN says some two million people in Tigray need assistance, a doubling from the number before the fighting and some one million people are displaced, including more than 45,000 Ethiopians who have fled into neighboring Sudan as refugees. 

For weeks, the U.N. and others have pleaded for access amid reports of supplies running desperately low for millions of people. 

BRUSSELS, 02 December 2020, (TON): NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, at the first session of the NATO foreign ministers meeting on Tuesday, said: “We call on Taliban to reduce violence, but of course, that’s only the first step.” Stoltenberg said that NATO supports the Afghan peace process and, as part of that, the NATO adjusted its presence. 

“What we need to see is a lasting peace agreement. And part of that has to be a ceasefire. So, the reduction of violence should only be the first step,” Stoltenberg said. 

He added “The ambition is intra-Afghan peace solution. And, of course, that has to include a comprehensive ceasefire.” 

He said that NATO supports the Afghan peace process and, as part of that, NATO adjusted its presence in Afghanistan. 

“While United States has decided to further reduce its troop numbers to 2,500, NATO’s training mission continues. And over half of our forces are, now, non-US. Ministers made clear that all Allies remain committed to the mission. And to supporting Afghan security forces in the fight against terrorism. As we continue to assess the situation in Afghanistan, it is clear that we will face a turning point early next year,” he said. 

Once again, he said: “If we stay, we risk continued fighting. And an even longer-term engagement. If we leave, we risk Afghanistan once again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. And the loss of the gains made with such sacrifice.” 

He also mentioned that all the NATO allies including the US are committed to continuing support for the Afghan security forces. 

NATO defense ministers are likely to make a final decision about the future of the Resolute Support Mission in February, after President-elect Joe Biden takes office. European diplomats expect the tone to change under Biden, but probably not the U.S. intention to leave Afghanistan as soon as possible. 

Since the attacks of 1st September, 2001 in the US, NATO countries have been engaged militarily in Afghanistan under a mandate from the UN. 

KABUL, 02 December 2020, (TON): The World Bank in a letter to President Ghani on November 23 stated that it will stop $200 million aid to Afghanistan “till banking sector data is shared.” 

The World Bank has said that such assessment can only be undertaken if the bank is provided access to a range of basic data, including data on the banking sector. 

World bank stated in letter “Unfortunately, we have not been able to obtain banking sector data from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) despite several written requests. This data is not sensitive and was shared with the World Bank prior to the release of funds under previous Incentive Programs.”  

The letter mentioned that the cabinet’s recent approval of the new Public Investment Management (PIM) Regulations was a policy before action under the 2020 Incentive Program. 

“A key policy intent of the new Regulations was to align PIM and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) processes, and to ensure rigorous oversight and management of any associated fiscal risks. While the PIM Regulations have been passed, we understand that there are important inconsistencies between the PIM Regulations and recent amendments to the PPP Law, which have transferred responsibility for management of PPPs from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to the Administrative Office of the President (AOP),” according to the letter. 

These amendments to the PPP Law were approved despite the written advice of the World Bank and IMF, as conveyed in a letter to the Minister of Finance dated October 13. 

“Please rest assured that issues related to the PIM Regulations will not impact planned disbursement against the remaining nine policy actions, and we would still expect to disburse US$180 million out of a total allocated US$200 million as soon as banking sector data is shared,” it added. 

The World Bank has committed $600 million in aid to Afghanistan and so far, they have provided $400 million to the country. To date, the World Bank has provided a total of over 5.1 billion for development and emergency reconstruction projects, and eight budget support operations in Afghanistan. This support comprises over $4.7 billion in grants and $436.4 million in no-interest loans. 

ISLAMABAD, 2 December 2020, (TON): The counsel for the Indian High Commission informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday that Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia was concerned about the detention of Indian national convicted of espionage, Ismail, even after the latter had served out his term.

Appearing before the IHC larger bench, the counsel for the Indian High Commission, Barrister Shahnawaz Noon, apprised the court about the latest situation.

Barrister Noon informed the IHC larger bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb that India was concerned with regard to the prolonged detention of India spy Ismail after completion of his sentence.

Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan apprised the court that the matter had already been taken up with the Interior Ministry. Since this too was related to the breach of Official Secret Act, the ministry has sought some time to respond, he explained.

Justice Minallah observed that there was no need to detain a prisoner after completion of sentence. “The court would pass an appropriate order by next date if the matter remains unresolved,” he remarked.

The IHC bench sought a report from the attorney general by the next date of hearing on 14 January 2020.

AZAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR, 2 December 2020, (TON): Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has said that Saudi Arabia has always supported Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir. 

Rejecting the impression of withdrawal of support by Saudi Arabia to Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir issue, he said in the recent meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers Council in Niamey, Niger, the kingdom had once again robustly explained its stand on the dispute and helped highlight it on the global level.

Sardar Masood, in separate interviews with the US-based Muslim Network TV and Saudi Arabia’s daily Arab News, said at the Niamey meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan, in his address to the Niamey conference, stated in unequivocal terms that peace and security of South Asia was not possible without the settlement of the Kashmir conflict, according to a press release issued here on Tuesday.

The AJK president said the statement by Prince Faisal assumed more significance because Saudi Arabia was the current chair of the OIC. The people of Pakistan, and Jammu and Kashmir had expected that the brotherly country of Saudi Arabia would adopt a strong position on the situation of Kashmir, he said, but regretted that the United Arab Emirates had adopted silence on the Kashmir issue.

ISLAMABAD, 02 December 2020, (TON): Pakistani martial artist, Irfan Mehsood, on Tuesday, has achieved his 38th Guinness World Record by achieving the latest of the most star jumps in one minute.

“I did 27 star jumps in one minute carrying a 60 lb pack. The record was attempted in Dera Ismail Khan in September this year.

I have become the only player to achieve the most push-up records,” he told while talking to media on Tuesday.

Irfan, who hails from Ladha Tehsil of South Waziristan, also holds the record of most (60) push-ups in one minute with one leg raised and carrying a 40-lb pack.

Irfan also have records of the most jumping jacks in one minute carrying an 80 lb pack, most knuckle push-ups (59) carrying 60 lb pack in one minute, most side lunges (72) in a minute, most push-ups (39) on fingertips and carrying a 60-lb pack in one minute and most push-ups (40) with one leg raised and carrying an 80-lb pack in one minute.

He also holds the record for most side lunges in one minute with 54 lunges in total.

Some of the other records he broke included most full-contact knee strikes 87 in one minute using one leg; fullest contact knee strikes 83 in one minute (alternate legs); most push-ups (one leg raised, carrying a 40-lb pack) 31 in one minute; Most push-ups (one leg raised and carrying an 80-lb pack) 21 in one minute; most knuckle push-ups 25 (with one leg raised, carrying a 40-lb pack) in one minute; most thumb push-ups 35 in one minute; Most Bo staff strikes 261 in one minute.

TEHRAN, 02 December 2020, (TON): Iranian Parliament on Tuesday approved a bill that would suspend UN inspections of its nuclear facilities and require the government to boost its uranium enrichment if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions.

The bill has been introduced to show of defiance after the killing of a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh last month and the approval of the bill requires endorsement by the Guardian Council.  

The bill would give European countries one month to ease sanctions on Iran’s key oil and gas sector, and to restore its access to the international banking system. The U.S. imposed crippling sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement, triggering a series of escalations between the two sides.

The bill, if approved, would allow the authorities resume enriching uranium to 20%, which is below the threshold needed for nuclear weapons but higher than that required for civilian applications. It would also commission new centrifuges at nuclear facilities at Natanz and the underground Fordo site.

BEIJING, 02 December 2020, (TON): China successfully landed a spacecraft on the moon’s surface on Tuesday in a historic mission to retrieve lunar surface samples, Chinese state media reported.

China launched its Chang’e-5 probe on Nov. 24. The uncrewed mission, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, aims to collect lunar material to help scientists learn more about the moon’s origins.

The mission will attempt to collect 2 kg (4-1/2 lbs) of samples in a previously unvisited area in a massive lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum, or “Ocean of Storms”.

If the mission is completed as planned, it would make China the third nation to have retrieved lunar samples after the United States and the Soviet Union.

The lander vehicle that touched down on the moon’s surface was one of several spacecrafts deployed by the Chang’e-5 probe.

OTTAWA, 02 December 2020, (TON): Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau while addressing the Indian community in Canada during an online event on Monday to mark the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev said he would be remiss if he did not recognise the “news coming out of India about the protest by farmers. The situation is concerning, and we are all very worried about family and friends and I know that is a reality for many of you.” Trudeau is the first world leader to comment on the farmers’ protests.

“We believe in the importance of dialogue and that’s why, we’ve reached out to multiple means, directly to the India authorities to highlight our concerns. This is a moment for all of us to pull together,” the Canadian leader in a video posted by the World Sikh Organisation.

Making this assertion here, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “We have seen some ill-informed comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when pertaining to the internal affairs of a democratic country.”

In a message, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said, “It is also best that diplomatic conversations are not misrepresented for political purposes.”