The Czech Republic is suspending the operating permit of Belarus’s national carrier, Belavia, until further notice, Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček announced after a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday. The move comes in response to a widely condemned incident on Sunday in which Belarus diverted a Ryanair plane and forced it to land in order to arrest an opposition journalist on board.
Speaking at an EU summit which approved broad sanctions against Belarus over the incident, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said it was important that such acts of state terrorism should not go unanswered. The incident has been strongly condemned by politicians across the board in the Czech Republic and the Czech authorities have called for a thorough international investigation into the matter.
A Friday, 30 April, 2021 - 05:00
Houthi gunmen in Sanaa. (EPA) Washington - Muath Alamri
It is clear that the American administration prioritizes diplomatic work amid a strong drive to mediate in the Yemeni crisis and strenuous attempts to resolve its humanitarian crisis and reach a negotiated political solution between all sides. This was demonstrated through the appointment of a special envoy to Yemen and attention President Joe Biden’s administration has given the crisis in his first one hundred days in office.
The new administration has taken four measures that have changed the priorities of the American position, setting itself apart from its predecessor. The Biden administration first lifted the terrorist designation of the Iran-backed Houthi militias and stopped the “logistic and military support” to the Arab coalition, claiming the designation will impact the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, says the Federal Government is committed to combating the disturbing trend of insecurity in the country.
He noted that his ministry would deploy effective strategies and collaborate with relevant agencies saddled with the responsibility of internal security to overcome the security challenges facing Nigeria.
Aregbesola made the remarks on Friday at the presentation of the Study Tour Reports of the Senior Executive Course 43/2021 Participants at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Represented at the event by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the ministry, K.K. Ayuba, the minister noted that the Ministry of Interior was charged with the responsibility of internal security.