TOKYO, 25 March 2022, (TON): Public broadcaster NHK said “the Japanese government is considering extending additional humanitarian aid of $100 million to Ukraine and neighboring countries, on top of the $100 million in assistance Japan has already announced.”

NHK said “the government is also looking into doubling emergency loans to Ukraine to $200 million and dispatching Self-Defense Force medical officers to support Ukrainian refugees in Poland and other neighboring nations.”

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said “he plans to unveil Japan’s new support measures for Ukraine at a G7 summit meeting scheduled to take place in Brussels.”

WASHINGTON, 25 March 2022, (TON): The United States condemns the DPRK’s ballistic missile launch.

Like the DPRK’s other escalatory tests this year, including at least two intercontinental ballistic missiles, this launch is a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, and demonstrates the threat the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose to the DPRK’s neighbors and the region as a whole.

We stand with the international community to call on the DPRK to refrain from further provocations and engage in sustained and substantive dialogue.

Our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad.

LONDON, 25 March 2022, (TON): The UK will offer the International Criminal Court military, policing and financial support as part of the global response to Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

The substantial assistance will be offered during a meeting of justice and foreign affairs ministers chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, at The Hague.

An additional £1 million in funding will be provided, and soldiers with military expertise will be assigned to the ICC to help uncover evidence of war crimes.

The War Crimes Team within the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command will be mobilised to assist the investigation and are directly engaged with the ICC.

The Deputy Prime Minister will continue his work with international partners at the meeting in The Hague to support the investigation, with Ukrainian Justice Minister, Denys Maliuska, in attendance.

LVIV, 25 March 2022, (TON): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to NATO leaders to increase military support for his country against Russian forces that he warned would next target alliance members in eastern Europe including Poland.

Addressing a NATO summit in Brussels, Zelensky said Ukraine needed fighter jets, tanks, anti-ship weapons and improved air defense to repel Russian troops as the war enters its second month.

Zelensky said “I am sure you understand that Russia has no intention of stopping in Ukraine.”

“It wants to go further. Against eastern members of NATO. The Baltic states. Poland for sure.”

While NATO is expected to step up support for Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance will not send troops or planes to Ukraine.

Zelensky said he was grateful for the support Ukraine had received from individual NATO member states.

DHAKA, 25 March 2022, (TON): Russian ambassador Alexander Mantytskiy said “Russia is exploring scopes for continuing bilateral trade and other financial transactions with Bangladesh bypassing the SWIFT system and the sanctions imposed by NATO member countries.”

He said at a press conference at the Russian embassy in Dhaka “Russian authorities ‘are in constant contact’ with the Bangladesh government to devise ways and mechanisms such as barter and trade in Bangladeshi Taka, Russian Ruble or Chinese Yuan for ensuring smooth continuation of multifaceted cooperation.”

He said “scopes for connecting Bangladeshi banks to the Russian financial message transmission system ‘are also under consideration’ to bypass the SWIFT system.”

The ambassador brushed aside the concerns about the completion of the Rooppur nuclear power plant and supplies of wheat and energy, saying, ‘Russia fulfils its obligation in terms of supplies.’

DHAKA, 25 March 2022, (TON): Bangladesh and Oman signed mutual visa waiver agreement for diplomatic, official, special and service passport holders. 

The deal was signed after the second bilateral consultation between the ministries of Bangladesh and Oman held at the State Guest House, Padma. 

A foreign ministry press release said “Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Oman Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs Sheikh Khalifa Alharthy led their respective sides at the meeting.” 

During the meeting, the delegation leaders expressed keenness to scale up the bilateral ties from the existing phase of ‘friendship and cooperation’ to the level of ‘comprehensive partnership’ and agreed to formulate a time-bound and target-based road-map to achieve the goals of the partnership. 

The discussions covered stock-taking of existing cooperation in the field of manpower, bilateral trade and investment, agriculture, energy security and exchange of visit between trade bodies.

NEW DELHI, 25 March 2022, (TON): India abstained from voting at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the Russia-drafted resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Only two countries - Russia and China - voted in support of the resolution, hence it failed to pass in the UNSC.

The draft resolution demanded "civilians, including humanitarian personnel and persons in vulnerable situations, including women and children are fully protected, calls for negotiated ceasefire for enabling safe, rapid, voluntary and unhindered evacuation of civilians, and underscores the need for the parties concerned to agree on humanitarian pauses to this end."

India, along with 12 other Council members abstained on the resolution.

There were no countries who voted against the resolution.

NEW DELHI, 25 March 2022, (TON): The Karnataka government has refused to budge on the hijab ban even for the sake of students due to take their board exams.

Speaking exclusively to media, the state's minister for primary and secondary education, said “there won't be any provisions or exceptions made for those who want to wear hijab.”

He said “everyone must follow the High Court's order upholding the ban on hijab and take the exam.”

The minister told media "there won't be any concession. The students must follow the high court's judgment. No one will be allowed to take their exams with their hijabs. If the students realise their mistake, they will be allowed to take supplementary exams two months after the board exams, but again, without the hijab.”

The government's stance has placed many Muslim students in a quandary with the Supreme Court also rejecting an appeal for an early hearing on the hijab row. 

Citing exams, the students had sought immediate intervention by the court. In their appeal, they said they were going to miss out on the board exams if the ban on headscarves is enforced.

KABUL, 25 March 2022, (TON): A three-day meeting of the cabinet, chaired by the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlawi Hebatullah Akundzada, was held in the southern province of Kandahar.

The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister, Deputy Ministers and other top members of the Islamic Emirate.

A spokesman for the Islamic Emirate said “the meeting discussion included the procedures of the government departments and measures to overcome to economic crisis and improvement of government departments.”

The meeting was held without media coverage.

KABUL, 25 March 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi met Zamir Kabulov Russian’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and his accompanying delegation in Kabul.

In the meeting, both sides focused on strengthening political, economic, transit and regional relations.

Kabulov called policy of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan balanced and in interest of the region and world, expressing satisfaction with achievements of the new government.

FM Muttaqi praised visit by the Russian delegation which included representatives from Ministries of Defense, Interior, Economy, Industry, Agriculture and Energy, and said “Russia, with better facilities, utilize the opportunity created by the new government to assist in several development projects with Afghanistan.”

Minister Muttaqi said “the new government is focused on regional security and connectivity, and wants Afghanistan as the heart of Asia to play an important role in strengthening transit, trade, industry and economy among the countries of the region.”