By Ali Hassan

Bangladesh and United States has deep relations since the liberation war and onwards. US foreign policy remained directly involve in the norms and terms of Bangladesh. It has also helped Bangladesh in libration war and getting separated from West Pakistan nominating west Pakistanis as the core enemy of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). To strengthen and enlighten these old ties Edward M Kennedy Jr, son of late US Senator Edward M Kennedy and nephew of late US President John F Kennedy, is on a weeklong visit to Bangladesh along with his five member family – wife Dr Katherine "Kiki" Kennedy, daughter Dr Kiley Kennedy, son Teddy Kennedy, niece Grace Kennedy Allen and nephew Max Allen from 29 October to 5 November, 22 to join the yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of US-Bangladesh relations.

Edward M Kennedy Jr. stated that the Kennedy family feels a special kinship with the people of Bangladesh and will always supports the country's democracy and prosperity as it has supported in previous years since the separation from West Pakistan. Kennedy also gave the speech to commemorate the legacy of his father as an advocate for Bangladesh's fight for independence under the auspices of the US Department of State's Speakers Program and also visited the Banyan tree his father planted to symbolize the friendship between the United States and Bangladesh. Speaking at the "Commemoration of 50 Years of US-Bangladesh Relations" at Nabab Nawab Ali Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University (DU) he said, "Our relationship with Bangladesh is lasting…like that of the Banyan tree that stands for long."Amid academics, students and civil society members, he also recalled the memories of his father, who told stories of Bangladesh's struggle for independence and the bloodshed it witnessed, not only to his family members but also the world.

Moreover, according to an agenda the Kennedy family will visit various cultural attractions and meet with civil society representatives, U.S. government-sponsored exchange program alumni, and Bangladeshi government officials, including the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. So in order to give special importance to the state visit of Edward M. Kennedy Jr. and his family, The Embassy of the United States of America is delighted to announce the historic visit of Edward M. Kennedy, Jr. and his family to mark a milestone in the yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of U.S.-Bangladesh relations during the one-week visit to Bangladesh.

 Furthermore, Edward M Kennedy Jr, and his family also visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi-32 in Dhaka where he commented a message which stated: "We duly appreciate the hospitality and feelings of the people of Bangladesh; we are all tremendously moved by this museum of the memories of Sheikh Family and role in the struggle for independence. I know how my father was to support the independence movement and raise his voice in the United States to get other countries to support your country at most critical time, this house is a testament to the sacrifices".

Moreover, Edward M Kennedy knows as Teddy Kennedy, the father of Edward M Kennedy Jr. had also a marked a milestone by visiting Bangladesh along with his family in 1972 where  he addressed an event in Dhaka University on 14 February 1972 and planted a Banyan tree on the campus. He was a strong supporter of Bangladesh and supported Bangladesh with the strong foreign policy neglecting the president Nixon foreign policy in the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 and breaking Pakistan into two halves as Bangladesh and Pakistan. Soon after the war happened he also travelled to India on 11 August 1971 to witness the plight of the displaced Bengalese. He strongly criticized the Nixon-Kissinger administration’s policy at a press conference in Delhi. He was also the chairman of the judicial sub-committee on refugees. Fast forward, Teddy Kennedy along with his wife and nephew visited Bangladesh in the following year of the independence.

To appreciate and pose affections to the United States and specially the Senator Edward M Kennedy who remained in the front line to support Bangladesh in liberation war in 1971, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conferred the prestigious ‘Friends of Liberation War’ honor on former US Senator Edward M Kennedy posthumously in Dhaka for his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh. The honor was handed over to his son Edward M Ted Kennedy Junior. Recalling the strong opposition mounted by Kennedy Senior against the US government policy of supplying arms to Pakistan, Prime Minister Hasina said that Kennedy worked hard to stop US military and economic aid to Pakistan till the end of the war. She recalled that Kennedy visited the refugee camps in West Bengal where a large number of people from the then East Pakistan had fled to escape from Pakistan.

The separation of East and West Pakistan is undoubtedly the result of great conspiracies within the state and neighboring states as well. But the front line supporters of separation will always be remembered and honored by the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina such as she honored US Senator Edward M Kennedy with the prestigious ‘Friends of Liberation War’ award. Bangladesh is now acquiring the hall of fame and support by the well developed states like US and India in order to grow without recalling its past and neglecting the realities and causes that lead Bangladesh to get separated from Pakistan.

By Nasriya Naffin, TON Sri Lanka

After the country's intermediate regime Central Bank printed money to start the worst currency crisis in its history, health officials reported that Sri Lanka is now seeing an increase in the detection of sexually transmitted diseases as inexperienced sex workers enter the industry.

Health officials claim that the traditional high-risk groups, such as drug users and homosexuals who have multiple partners, are still contributing to the rise of STDs.

The number of HIV patients reported in the first quarter of 2022 was 4,556, an increase of 11.8% from the first quarter of 2021, according to the National STD/AIDS Control Programme. 4,686 HIV patients have been identified as of the second quarter of 2022, up 13.2% from 4,142 in 2021. 2,221 patients with additional sexually transmitted diseases, down from 2,676 patients the previous year, were found in the first three months of 2022. 2,576 patients with additional STDs were discovered in the second quarter, up from 1,753 in 2021.

The public suffers in all nations when currencies crash, after central banks print money to lower interest rates. Similar situations have happened in Latin America too.

Macro-economists in Sri Lanka have strong support for soft-pegging, which allows for flexible exchange rates and covers up interest rate targeting errors by depreciating the currency. In 2022, Sri Lanka's rupee dropped from 200 to 360 to the US dollar after the government's main bank printed money for two years to keep interest rates low in an effort to spur economic growth.

A previous currency crisis brought on by the central bank of the intermediate regime devalued the rupee from 4.76 to 200 during the process of printing money to suppress interest rates. With a reserve collecting peg known as a dual anchor regime. There have been calls to change the central bank law to forbid economists from using flexible or discretionary policy.

However, detractors claim there is no chance for monetary stability with flexible inflation targeting, the most recent dual anchor monetary regime that Western mercantilists are set to legalize and sell to the third world.

A sizable portion of the patients being discovered are under the age of 30, indicating that the country's younger generation are victims. 1688 male patients with STDs between the ages of 15 and 49 and 2610 female patients in the same age range were found during the first half of 2022.

Health officials speculate that the increase may also be due to other factors.Other factors might be in play in addition to the increase in new commercial sex workers. Not just sex workers experienced an increase. Curfews for the coronavirus may also cause some people to become more stressed, which may lead them to seek out commercial sex workers.

Additionally, at high risk for STDs are members of the homosexual and transgender communities who have multiple partners. Their numbers increased as well. It might be as a result of people's increased willingness to undergo testing today.

According to Geethani Samaraweera (Consultant Venereologist) “It can be because now these communities are being more accepted in the society and the new methods we are using in order to reach out to these communities to come and do tests, because it is better to treat that than letting it spread,”

“When we go back around 10 years, of the total patients around 30-35 percent were homosexuals”.

“But year by year it has increased and now of the total amount higher percentage belongs to that category, especially homosexual and transgender.”

“Of the total number of patients, now it has gotten close to 60 percent. It can be either more people are coming to test themselves or the approaches we have taken in order for these communities to come forward and test themselves can be the reasons for that.”

There may be an increase in drug usage which has increased among females as well and mainly abuse of Crystal methamphetamine (ICE) is observed.

“This has become more popular with young people making them more desirable for unprotected sexual activities,” “Even the people who usually use protection will tend not to use it after being infused with this drug.” Samaraweera said.

Increased identification and testing stop the spread of diseases. In order to combat HIV and STDs in general, better sexual education is also required. Online sexual content is being exposed to younger people more frequently, after the education system switched to the online mode when the pandemic began. Because of the lack of proper guidance and education children are more vulnerable.

Some observers also claim that some of the online content is useful for the children too. A disagreement also resulted from an effort to formally educate school children using a companion book called the ‘Hathe Athe Potha’. Divine religions forbid illicit sexual relations and homosexuals as well as drugs. If the people of Sri Lanka follow the Divine religious codes they can easily get rid of HIV and usage of drugs.

ALGIERS, 02 November 2022, (TON): Algeria’s president called for Arab unity to face escalating tensions and crises as he opened the first Arab League summit in three years.

Abdelmadjid Tebboune told the meeting’s inaugural session that “our central and primary cause remains the Palestinian cause.”

The Algerian president also warned that “exceptional global conditions are creating polarization... which is impacting our food security,” without directly mentioning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The regional and international context (is) marked by rising tensions and crises, particularly in the Arab world, which in its modern history hasn’t seen a period as difficult as the one it is currently undergoing,” he added.

MOSCOW, 02 November 2022, (TON): Moscow is ready to strengthen ties with the Arab League and all its members, President Vladimir Putin said in a message to the heads of state and heads of government of Arab League countries participating in the 31st summit.

State news agency reported “Putin’s message focused on strengthening regional and global security.”

The message from the Russian president said “we believe that the military and political issues that the Middle East and North Africa are facing, including the Syrian and Libyan crises and the Yemeni and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, should be resolved based on universally recognized international laws.”

The statement called for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

LONDON, 02 November 2022, (TON): The organization’s Security Council has been told “Palestinians in the occupied West Bank will likely suffer their deadliest year since the UN began tracking violence.”

Middle East Peace Process Coordinator Tor Wennesland told the council’s quarterly open debate that increased Israeli military operations were a major factor in the escalation, although attacks by settlers had also increased.

The UN’s latest figures show that at least 101 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem have been killed by Israeli security forces this year, which is the highest monthly average since records began in 2005.

RIYADH, 02 November 2022, (TON): Yemen’s public health minister has met the supervisor-general of a major Saudi relief group to discuss ongoing efforts to aid the war-torn country’s people.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center met Qasim Mohammed Bahibh in Riyadh on Tuesday to focus on help for Yemen’s health sector.

Bahibh expressed his thanks to Saudi Arabia for its support to lessen his country’s suffering under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

KSrelief has spent almost $838 million on more than 356 health projects in Yemen.

WASHINGTON, 02 November 2022, (TON): White House said “the US announced a clean energy partnership on Tuesday with the UAE worth $100 billion.”

The Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy will aim to develop low-emission energy sources to distribute 100 gigawatts of clean energy worldwide by 2035, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

The two countries will also invest in managing harmful emissions such as carbon and methane, as well as in developing nuclear technology and decarbonizing industrial and transportation sectors.

The statement said “Funds will also go toward supporting emerging economies whose clean development is both underfunded and essential to the global climate effort.”

SEOUL, 02 November 2022, (TON): North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticized the United States for expanding joint military exercises with South Korea that it claims are practice for a potential invasion, and it warned of more powerful follow-up measures in response.

The statement from the ministry came as the US and South Korea conduct aerial drills involving more than 200 warplanes, including their advanced F-35 fighter jets, as they step up their defense posture in the face of North Korea’s increased weapons testing and growing nuclear threat.

North Korea has ramped up its weapons demonstrations to a record place this year, launching more than 40 ballistic missiles, including developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles and an intermediate-range missile fired over Japan.

WASHINGTON, 02 November 2022, (TON): The US has stepped up its export of natural gas to its European allies to support their energy security needs, with the majority going to France, Britain, Spain and the Netherlands.

He said “this is according to Brad Crabtree of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the US Department of Energy, who was speaking during a briefing on Monday. The exports are part of long-term contracts to support EU nations.”

He said “the US, as the world’s top producer and exporter of natural gas, plays a key role in helping European countries diversify their energy supplies, which would allow them to sustain their economies and maintain social and political stability.”

MOSCOW, 02 November 2022, (TON): Russian President Vladimir Putin told Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he wanted real guarantees from Kyiv before it potentially rejoined the grain deal.

According to a statement from the Kremlin “Putin told Erdogan in a phone call that Russia sought real guarantees from Kyiv about the strict observance of the Istanbul agreement, in particular about not using the humanitarian corridor for military purposes.”

The Turkeye and UN-brokered deal allowed Ukrainian grain exports to resume in August, easing a food crisis caused by the conflict.

Russia accused Ukraine of misusing the safe shipping corridor for an attack on Russian ships in Crimea and suspended its participation in the agreement.