BEIJING, 22 December, 2020, (TON): The foreign ministers of China and Russia say the United States should return to a 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement between Iran and major world powers "unconditionally" at an early date and lift sanctions against Iran as well as third-party entities and individuals.

The Russian and Chinese foreign ministers made the remarks while addressing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers of the remaining parties to the landmark deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on Monday, which was presided over by European Union foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that US withdrawal from the JCPOA and its so-called "maximum pressure" policy on Iran are the root causes of challenges pertaining to Tehran's nuclear program.

Wang said that, at present, the Iranian nuclear situation has come to a critical juncture. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has made it clear that the United States has the willingness to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Meanwhile, the United States continues to intensify its pressure on Iran.

The top Chinese diplomat also called on Iran to fully resume its nuclear commitments as per the JCPOA and proposed that the deal's signatories hold consultations in this regard as soon as possible so as to start the process of US returning to the agreement.

Also attending the meeting were Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

Under the circumstances, Wang put forward four suggestions on the Iran nuclear issue, the first of which is to unswervingly uphold the agreement. The second is to promote an early return of the US to the Iran nuclear deal. The third is to settle disputes fairly and objectively during the implementation of the deal, while the fourth is to properly handle regional security issues.

Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who also addressed the meeting, said for his part that the US should not put forward any preconditions for its return to the JCPOA, Russian Foreign Ministry quoted him as saying.

"We believe that the US return to the JCPOA should be without any preconditions. Our partners and we are ready for meaningful work in this area, and we are ready to help the Americans to step on the path of correction. This is in our shared interest," Lavrov added.

President Donald J. Trump withdrew the United States from the JCPOA agreement in May 2018, saying it failed to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its role in regional wars. The US reimposed sanctions on Iran.

KABUL, 22 December, 2020, (TON): Afghan Journalist Rahmatullah Nekzad was shot dead by unknown assailants using a silenced pistol while walking to a nearby mosque, a police spokesman said.

He is the fifth journalist killed in the last two months in the country. 

Nekzad was head of the Ghazni Journalists' Union, he had worked on a freelance basis for the Associated Press news agency and the Al Jazeera broadcast network, according to the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee.

Arrested at various times by the United States, the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents, his peers said he prided himself in telling all sides of a story. He is survived by six children.

The killing of prominent Afghan journalist Rahmatullah Nekzad draw strong condemnation in Afghanistan, with the country's president Ashraf Ghani calling it a "terrorist attack."

The international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders has called Afghanistan one of the world's deadliest countries for reporters.

The Afghan Journalists' Safety Committee said at least seven media personnel have been killed this year, including two journalists killed in separate bombings last month. Nekzad was the fifth journalist to be killed in the past two months.

The war imposed and constant abuses by warlords constitute a permanent threat to journalists, the media and press freedom in Afghanistan.

NEW YORK, 22 December, 2020, (TON): The Security Council on Monday recognized the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in promoting international peace and security.

In a presidential statement, the Security Council recognizes the positive contribution of the ICJ to the rule of law at the international level and its key role in adjudicating disputes among states, thus defusing tensions and restoring peaceful relations among states.

The Security Council notes the growing number of cases brought to the ICJ on all aspects of international relations, demonstrating confidence in the court, said the statement. 

The council recognizes the need to enhance efforts aimed at capacity building and assisting member states, upon their request, in the implementation of their respective obligations under the UN Charter, including the obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means, it said.

The statement said the Security Council expresses its continued commitment to foster interaction between itself and the ICJ in accordance with their respective mandates under the UN Charter.

JERUSALEM, 22 December, 2020, (TON): Israel's military chief, Aviv Kochavi, on Monday warned Iran that any attack against Israel will be responded with a forceful attack.

"Lately, we've noticed a rise in Iranian threats against Israel," Kochavi said during a ceremony, referring to fears of Iranian retaliation to the recent death of an Iranian nuclear scientist who was allegedly assassinated by Israel.

Kochavi said that if Iran or Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese armed group and party, "will take action against the State of Israel, they will find themselves in a very costly endeavor."

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) will strike all those involved in activities against Israel or against Israeli targets, whether in part or in full, whether near or far," he warned.

"I say these things simply, clearly and with complete commitment: our retaliatory steps have been prepared and rehearsed. I advise our enemies not to test us," he said.

Iran–Israel proxy war is bound in threats, hostility of Iran's leaders against Israel, and their declared objective to dissolve the Jewish state. Iran sees Israel's actions in Syria as provocative. Israel is opposed to Iran's growing military role on its border. The nuclear dimension of Iran is also rearing its head.

LONDON, 22 December, 2020, (TON): Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that there were still problems in Brexit trade talks and that Britain would thrive without a deal.

“The position is unchanged: there are problems,” Johnson told reporters when asked if there would be a trade deal. “Its vital that everybody understands that the UK has got to be able to control its own laws completely and also that we’ve got to be able to control our own fisheries.”

“WTO terms would be more than satisfactory for the UK. And we can certainly cope with any difficulties that are thrown our way. Not that we don’t want a deal but that WTO terms would be entirely satisfactory,” he said.

Johnson said he spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron, about border issues, but not about Brexit.

“Its his birthday by the way, but we vowed to stick off Brexit because that negotiation is being conducted as you know via the European Commission and that’s quite proper,” Johnson said.

A Brexit trade deal would ensure that the goods trade which makes up half of annual EU-UK commerce, worth nearly a trillion dollars in all, would remain free of tariffs and quotas.

Failure to agree a deal on goods trade would send shockwaves through financial markets, hurt European economies, snarl borders and disrupt supply chains.

In the case of a “no deal” on trade, Britain would lose zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the European single market of 450 million consumers overnight.

The UK officially left the EU on 31 January, 2020, but trade and other sectors remain within the bloc's structures until the end of the year.

Unless Johnson can strike a trade deal with the EU in the next 10 days, the UK will leave the bloc’s informal membership on 31 December at 2300 London time without one and the trade between the two sides will fall back on rules and tariffs established by the World Trade Organization in 1995.

BANGUI, 21 December 2020, (TON): According to Central African Republic, Russia and Rwanda sent hundreds of troops into the country after an alleged coup bid took place before presidential and parliamentary polls scheduled for next week.

On Saturday, the government of the CAR accused former president Francois Bozizé of an attempted coup after three powerful rebel groups merged and started to advance on the capital Bangui.

“Russia has sent several hundred soldiers and heavy weapons” in the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement, government spokesman Ange MaximeKazagui said on Monday.

“The Rwandans have also sent several hundred men who are on the ground and have started fighting.”

Rwanda confirmed the deployment, saying the move was in response to the targeting of its troops in the UN peacekeeping force by rebels supported by Bozizé, who ruled the CAR from 2003 to 2013.

There was no immediate confirmation from Moscow although the Kremlin voiced “serious concern” about events in CAR.

KABUL, 21 December, 2020, (Media Report): A UN aid agency warned on Monday that about 16 million Afghans, including 5.5 million who were lacking food insecurity, have been in urgent need of aids in Afghanistan.

The Kabul-based Office for Coordination of the Humanitarian Aids (OCHA) said in a statement that 16 million Afghans will be in need of humanitarian aids in 2021.

The agency said over the past five years, the food security situation in the war-torn country, has steadily deteriorated and the percentage of insecure people doubled from 37 in 2015 to 76 in 2020.

"The number of people in crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity has risen from 13.9 million in November 2019 to 16.9 million, or 42 percent of the population in November 2020," the statement read.

According to OCHA, the economic and social conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic have also exacerbated protection risks for vulnerable families.

Many Afghans, according to the source, had already depleted limited financial, mental, and social coping capacities due to prolonged conflict or recurrent natural disasters.

Financial strains and fear of catching COVID-19 meant that facility-based primary health and trauma services were underutilized in 2020, resulting in deteriorating health needs in 2021, the statement noted.

BERLIN, 21 December, 2020, (TON): German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday urged Iran not to waste the opportunity offered by the prospect of Joseph Biden’s United States administration returning to the nuclear non-proliferation deal.

Speaking after a video conference of officials from the countries in the JCPOA deal, Maas said that Iran should avoid taking any tactical steps that would make it hard for Biden to reverse President Donald Trump’s decision to quit the deal.

“To make possible a rapprochement with the U.S. under Biden, there should be no further tactical manoeuvres of the kind we’ve seen too many of in the recent past,” he told reporters. “This chance, this last window of opportunity, must not be wasted.”

Under the agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran dismantled much of its nuclear program and gave international inspectors extensive access to its facilities in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

President Donald J. Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in May 2018, saying it failed to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its role in regional wars.

The US reimposed sanctions and moved to wipe out Iran’s oil exports, prompting Iran to resume some of its nuclear activities. Following the US killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020, Iran announced plans to halt most of its commitments to the deal. However, Joe Biden has pledged to return to the deal.

WASHINGTON, 21 December 2020, TON:  - US legislature likely to back $1.9 billion for the telecom network equipment removal program.  It was briefed by sources on Sunday to the issue.

A senior congressional aide has reported on planned broadband spending for the first time since it was confirmed, Lawmakers will also support $ 3.2 billion in emergency broadband benefits for low-income Americans.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that 7 billion has been invested in the Covid-19 aid bill to increase broadband access, adding to the low-income program that "millions of students, Families and unemployed workers will be able to afford broadband they need during the epidemic.

The Federal Communications Commission said in June that it had formally designated China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation as threats, with a statement saying US companies needed 8.3 billion in state funding. It has been banned from buying goods from companies.

Huawei said it was disappointed with the FCC's decision, it further added “to force removal of our products from telecommunications networks. This overreach puts U.S. citizens at risk in the largely underserved rural areas – during a pandemic - when reliable communication is essential.”

It is fully funds the FCC's development of new and more accurate broadband availability maps to help the agency better fund public funding for broadband deployments.

ISLAMABAD, 21 December 2020, (TON): Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said on Sunday that the government and World Bank will conduct a three-month study on Pakistan’s ocean waters for assessment of carbons sequestered by the country’s ocean waters and mangrove forests.

Talking to media, Mr Aslam said a blueprint had been planned to assess economic value of millions of tons of carbons stored in the ocean waters and mangroves in the country.

“The study will help identify the scale of Pakistan’s ocean waters’ carbon storage potential. It will also help weigh up the amount of carbon storage capacity of the country’s entire ocean ecosystem as well as the carbons stored so far in the ocean waters and coastal mangrove forests.”

He added: “We believe that so far the country’s ocean waters have stored carbons worth economic value estimated to be billions of dollars.”

“On March 19, 2015, United Nations’ Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) had completed its review and accepted Pakistan’s claim for extension of its continental shelf limits, extending Pakistan’s sea limits from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles,” he recalled.

“These vital ecosystems sequester and store significant amounts of coastal blue carbon from the atmosphere and ocean. These coastal ecosystems are now considered of unprecedented importance for their role in climate change mitigation,” Mr Amin Aslam added.