NEW DELHI, 11 January 2022, (TON): Iran has offered to assist India in the transportation of wheat and medicines to Afghanistan, which has been reeling under a serious humanitarian crisis.

According to the Iranian foreign ministry “the offer was made by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during a telephonic conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.”

The Iranian foreign ministry said “in the conversation, Amir Abdollahian also called for the formation of an inclusive government in Kabul.”

It said in a statement “regarding Afghanistan, Amir Abdollahian stressed the need to form an inclusive government in the country. He also referred to India’s humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, announcing measures and cooperation by the Islamic Republic of Iran to transfer this aid in the form of wheat, medicine and vaccine to the country.”

This came a day after India on Friday delivered two tons of essential life-saving medicines to Afghanistan, in what is the third consignment of humanitarian assistance to the country since Taliban took over.

NEW DELHI, 11 January 2022, (TON): India is looking towards a constructive dialogue in the upcoming 14th round of military discussions with China.

On Monday, sources in the security establishment said that the Indian side is looking forward to constructive dialogue to resolve the balance [remaining] friction areas.

This will be the 14th Senior Highest Military Commander Level (SHMCL) meeting to resolve the standoff in eastern Ladakh, now on for more than 21 months.

Corps Commanders will take place on the Chinese side of the Chushul-Moldo Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point. This will be the first time that Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta will lead the Indian delegation.

DHAKA, 11 January 2022, (TON): Two warships of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), JS URAGA and HS HIRADO, left Chittagong Port Jetty after a three-day goodwill visit.

A press release said “on the eve of the departure of the two ships from the port of Chittagong, the well-equipped band of the navy bid farewell by performing the band in the traditional manner.”

Capt. Masudul Karim Siddiqui, Chief Staff Officer, Chittagong Naval Area, and representatives of the Japanese Embassy to Bangladesh, as well as local high-ranking officials of the Navy were present.

During the stay of the two ships in Bangladesh, a delegation including the Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh paid a courtesy call on Commander Chittagong Naval Area, Commander BN Fleet, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation and Chairman Chittagong Port Authority.

DHAKA, 11 January 2022, (TON): Bangladesh strongly condemned the hijacking of a cargo ship Rawabi allegedly by Houthi militias off the coast of Al Hudayah governorate of Yemen.

The UAE flagged ship was carrying medical equipment for a Saudi field hospital in the island.

According to a press release “describing the attack as obstructions to humanitarian and relief work in the war-affected area of Yemen, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said that the incident was morally unjustifiable and ‘shows utter lack of respect for international norms and values.”  

Bangladesh also expressed concern about the incident and said “such insensible and illegal acts are being deliberately repeated and directed against the humanitarian and relief activities being conducted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners.”

Bangladesh said “the hijacking of the ship was ill-motivated and ‘constitutes a terrorist act and piracy against the ship and its crew which was a gross violation of international humanitarian law.”

Bangladesh called upon the people responsible for incident to urgently evacuate from the ship and release the vessel.

GENEVA, 10 January 2022, (TON): The Russian and US delegations arrived in Geneva for consultations on security guarantees. Already tonight, representatives of the two countries will hold a preliminary meeting.

Geneva can already be called a traditional meeting place for representatives of Moscow and Washington. Only last year, the first face-to-face summit of the Russian Federation, the United States, a series of consultations on strategic stability took place here.

Now the next step is contact, on which the future of European security largely depends.

At the same time, the external situation in Geneva remains surprisingly calm. The streets are not crowded, families with children are just returning from Christmas holidays.

Security measures have been strengthened only at hotels where members of delegations live. And opposite the American mission, where the meeting will take place, two white tents were erected. It is there that Russian and foreign journalists covering the talks are expected to gather early Monday morning.

The meeting will take place against the backdrop of a surge in coronavirus infection that Switzerland has been experiencing in recent days. The omicron strain is rapidly spreading in the country, a new anti-record of incidence was recorded last Thursday 32 thousand new cases of infection per day.

MOSCOW, 10 January 2022, (TON): Kazakhstan’s Health Ministry said that 164 people have been killed in protests that have rocked the country over the past week.

The figures reported on the state news channel Khabar-24 are a significant rise from previous tallies.

It is not clear if the deaths refer only to civilians or if law-enforcement deaths are included.

Kazakh authorities said earlier on Sunday that 16 police or national guard had been killed.

Authorities previously gave the civilian death toll as 26.

According to the ministry “most of the deaths, 103 were in Almaty, the country’s largest city, where demonstrators seized government buildings and set some afire.”

The country’s ombudswoman for children’s rights said that three of those killed were minors, including a four-year-old girl.

The ministry earlier reported more than 2,200 people sought treatment for injuries from the protests, and the Interior Ministry said about 1,300 security officers were injured.

ABUJA, 10 January 2022, (TON): According to a local official “gunmen in northwest Nigeria’s Kebbi state have freed 30 students and a teacher after seven months of captivity.”

More than 1,400 children were abduted in Nigeria last year according to the United Nations, mostly during attacks on schools and colleges by gunmen known locally as “bandits”.

The UN added “students are often quickly released after ransom payments but 200 were still missing in September.”

Thirty students of Federal Government College and one teacher have arrived in Birnin Kebbi “following their release,” Yahaya Sarki, a spokesman for the Kebbi state governor.

He added in a statement “they shall undergo medical screening and support while being reunited with their families. It was unclear if ransom was paid for the release of the students or if any others were still in captivity.”

ADEN, 10 January 2022, (TON): The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen has started the second phase of its project to repair and rebuild Aden International Airport.

The project includes repairs to the runway, passenger terminal building and cargo area, as well as energy efficiency upgrades.

Through the development of Aden International Airport, the project aims to boost transport infrastructure, support social bonds and improve the quality of services for travelers and airlines.

WASHINGTON DC, 10 January 2022, (TON): US Assistant to the President for National Security Jake Sullivan said in a statement “the US administration is ready to respond to any attacks by Iran on American citizens in the light of Tehran’s imposition of sanctions against more than 50 people.

As noted in the document “Iran announced the imposition of sanctions against 52 Americans.”

Sullivan said “if Iran attacks any of our citizens, including 52 people, whose names were named yesterday, it will face serious consequences.”

Iran added more than 50 officials to the list of US citizens who have been sanctioned in connection with the assassination of the commander of the Al-Quds Special Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

AMMAN, 10 January 2022, (TON): The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center is continuing to distribute winter kits in Jordan as part of the project’s second phase.

KSrelief, in cooperation with the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization, recently distributed 4,708 blankets and 2,354 winter bags to needy Jordanian families and Syrian and Palestinian refugees in a number of governorates, helping 11,770 people.

The Saudi Press Agency reported “the aid comes within the framework of projects being implemented by the Kingdom to alleviate the suffering and improve the livelihoods of refugees and families in Jordan.”

The center also distributed food and shelter aid to the neediest families in Afghanistan. KS relief teams distributed 600 food baskets with a combined weight of more than 36 tons in Kabul to help 2,100 people.