NEW YORK, 16 March 2022, (TON):The UN General Assembly adopted, by consensus, a resolution, introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, that proclaims March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

UN said “it was aimed at promoting a culture of tolerance ad peace globally.”

The resolution was sponsored by 57 members of the OIC, and eight other countries, including China and Russia.

Under its terms, the resolution strongly deplores all acts of violence against persons on the basis of their religion or belief and such acts directed against their places of worship, as well as all attacks on and in religious places, sites and shrines that are in violation of international law.

“Islamophobia is a reality,” Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan, told the 193-member Assembly.

He noted that the phenomenon was growing and must be addressed.

KABUL, 16 March 2022, (TON): US President Joe Biden announced the allocation of $3.5bn belonging to the Afghan people to cover lawsuits by 9/11 families.

Afghanistan’s foreign currency reserves, which this money is part of, had been frozen by the US administration since August 2021, when the Taliban took over Kabul.

The move sent shockwaves far beyond Afghanistan as the country was thrown into yet another phase of the American war: the intentional starvation of the Afghan people.

The range of sentiments expressed by media commentators and Afghan and non-Afghan “experts” alike vacillated between anger and shock, horror and surprise.

These reactions seemed to reflect a remarkable insistence, a refusal, to see the US for what it is – a brutal empire through and through. When an empire shows you what it is, believe it.

To be surprised at Biden’s decision to steal Afghan money is to have been invested in the image America has sold to the world, that it is a force for humanitarian good, despite the decades of destruction, the reign of terror it operated with impunity, the torture, renditions, raids, drones, extrajudicial assassinations, and now the mass starvation of an entire nation.

NEW DELHI, 16 March 2022, (TON): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said “Indian students were positively discouraged by universities in Ukraine from leaving.”

In his statement on the situation in the war-torn country, he said that 22,500 Indian citizens have returned safely from Ukraine.

Mr Jaishankar said "despite our efforts, however, a large majority of students elected to continue staying in Ukraine. We must understand the predicament in this regard.”

He said “there was natural reluctance to leave the educational institutions and affect the studies. Some universities actively discourage and showed reluctance to offer online courses. Many of them received conflicting advice regarding safety.”

He added that in the period leading to February 24, the political signals were confusing as well.

Mr Jaishankar said "public urgings not to be taken by alarmism and reports of force withdrawal created a confusing picture. The net result was that about 18,000 Indian nationals were caught in the midst of conflict when it started.”

NEW DELHI, 16 March 2022, (TON): An Indian court in Karnataka has upheld a ban on the hijab in class in the southern state of Karnataka, governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi of the Karnataka High Court said in a judgement “we are of the considered opinion that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice.”

He said “the government had the power to prescribe uniform guidelines, dismissing various petitions challenging the order.”

Students who had challenged the ban in court had said wearing the hijab was a fundamental right guaranteed under India’s constitution and an essential practice of Islam.

Lawyer Anas Tanwir, who said “he will represent the girls now planning to move the Supreme Court, called the Karnataka court’s ruling disappointing and erroneous.”

DHAKA, 16 March 2022, (TON): The International Development Association, a concern of the World Bank, will provide $120 million for the development of climate smart agriculture and water management project.

Bangladesh and the World Bank signed a loan agreement in this regard held at the Economic Relations Division, a wing of the Ministry of Finance.

ERD Secretary Fatima Yasmin and WB acting country director Dandan Chen signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

The project will be implemented jointly by Bangladesh Water Development Board under Ministry of Water Resources, Department of Agricultural Extension under Ministry of Agriculture and the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

DHAKA, 16 March 2022, (TON): Japan has extended a grant of US$314,631 to three NGOs - Research, Training and Management International, Community Initiative Society and NOWZUWAN.

A press release said “Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka ITO Naoki signed the ‘Grant Contracts’ for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) at the Embassy of Japan here with the respective organizations.”

RTMI has been awarded $127,442 as grant for the project for Installation of Clinical Lab Equipment in Sylhet District.

At present, RTMI is providing the medical services to local people, and established a Diagnosis facility at the Human Resources Development Center as part of medical care which located in Sylhet City.

With the assistance of the GGHSP funding, RTMI will install the Clinical Lab equipment in the Medical and Health Human Resource Development Center to strengthen the patient diagnosis and treatment system for the low-income groups, and improve the human resources development environment for medical professionals and the health care services.

DHAKA, 16 March 2022, (TON): New US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said “the US-Bangladesh cooperation on economic issues, development, security and climate change demonstrates the range of strong partnership and future potential between the two nations.”

He said in a statement after presenting his credentials to Bangladesh President Md. Abdul Hamid "our bilateral relationship is broad and dynamic.”

He said “beyond the work of government, the United States and Bangladesh are closely linked through our people-to-people ties.”

He further said "together, we have delivered greater prosperity to both our peoples while working to make the Indo-Pacific region more open, more secure, and more prosperous.”

Noting that this year marks 50 years of friendship between US and Bangladesh, Haas said he looks forward to using his tenure to solidify the ties for the next 50 years and beyond.

He added "I would like to thank the people of Bangladesh for your extremely hospitable welcome.”

WASHINGTON, 15 March 2022, (TON): Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Secretary Blinken condemned the Iranian missile attacks near Erbil that violated Iraq’s sovereignty and expressed solidarity with the Iraqi people.

The Secretary and the Prime Minister agreed the attack demonstrates the need for Iraqi unity and the urgency of forming a government accountable to the Iraqi people that protects Iraq’s territorial integrity.

BAGHDAD, 15 March 2022, (TON): Iraq’s prime minister met with Kurdish officials and inspected the site of an Iranian missile attack near the American consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was received by Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the semi-autonomous Kurdish-controlled region.

The Iraqi premier also inspected damage caused by some 12 ballistic missiles that landed near the US consulate, which is new and unoccupied, and caused damage to a nearby local television channel.

Iran claimed responsibility for Sunday’s missile barrage, calling it retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard earlier last week.

No injuries were reported in the attack on the city of Irbil. But it marked a significant escalation between the US and Iran and upset Iraq’s leadership which called it a violation of international law and norms and summoned the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad in protest.

Hostility between the US and Iran has often played out in Iraq, whose government is allied with both countries.

TEHRAN, 15 March 2022, (TON): Iran’s foreign ministry has said “the country will not tolerate security threats emanating from Iraqi soil a day after the elite Revolutionary Guards launched ballistic missiles on purported Israeli targets in the Kurdish capital, Erbil.”

Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters “it is in no way acceptable that one of our neighbours, which has deep ties with us, becomes a focal point for threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

He claimed Israel has repeatedly created security problems for Iran through Iraqi soil, including by organising anti-establishment rallies and terrorist groups in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.

Khatibzadeh said “prior to missile attack, Iraq had been repeatedly warned both publicly and through diplomatic channels that it must not allow its borders to become “focal points for conspiracy, plots and sabotage against Iran.”

He said “the Islamic Republic of Iran expects Iraq’s central government that it will end this situation once and for all, and won’t allow its borders to be taken advantage of, especially considering all the claims of improving ties to new levels that exist between the two countries.”