WASHINGTON, 13 December 2022, (TON): US efforts to negotiate the freedom of a former Marine held in Russia as part of the swap involving basketball star Brittney Griner were thwarted by Moscow’s demand for the release of a convicted murderer held in Germany, according to a top US official and media reports.

The swap of Griner for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout raised questions as to why the US side had failed to secure the simultaneous release of Paul Whelan, a former Marine accused by Moscow of spying a charge Washington flatly rejects.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby was asked Sunday about reports negotiations stumbled over a demand for the release of Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel in Russia’s domestic spy organization serving a life sentence for murder in Germany.

BEIJING, 13 December 2022, (TON): China will drop a travel tracing requirement as part of an uncertain exit from its strict “zero-COVID” policies that have elicited widespread dissatisfaction.

At midnight on Monday, the smart phone app will cease to function, meaning residents’ travels will not be traced and recorded, potentially reducing the likelihood they will be forced into quarantine for visiting pandemic hot spots.

China’s ruling Communist Party allows no independent parties to conduct verification and such apps have been used in past to suppress travel and free speech. It’s part of a package of apps that includes the health code, which has yet to be disabled.

The move follows the government’s snap announcement last week that it was ending many of the most draconian measures.

UNITED NATIONS, 13 December 2022, (TON): At least 3,774 children have been killed in Yemen’s civil war between March 2015 and September 2022, UNICEF said, a week after it launched a multibillion-dollar global funding drive.

According to the latest statistics published by UNICEF, a further 7,245 children had been maimed in the conflict.

The organization called for an urgent renewal of the ceasefire agreement, which lasted from April until the beginning of October and saw a lull in front-line fighting.

UNICEF said some 3,904 boys were recruited as child soldiers from March 2015 to September 2022.

NEW DELHI, 13 December 2022, (TON): The Congress on Monday hit out at the government over the India-China troops clash along the LAC in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, alleging that the Modi government was suppressing the border issue due to which China was acting with increasing audacity.

AICC general secretary of communications Jairam Ramesh said “the Congress has been trying to wake up the government on the Chinese actions on the border but it is silent in order to protect its political image.”

Mr Ramesh said "we are proud of the bravery of the armed forces. China's actions on the border are completely unacceptable.”

He added “for the last two years, we have been repeatedly trying to wake up the government, but the Modi government is trying to suppress the matter only to save its political image. The audacity of China is growing because of this.”

RIYADH, 13 December 2022, (TON): Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Monday met his Gabonese counterpart Michael Moussa-Adamo in Riyadh.

The Saudi minister and Moussa-Adamo reviewed relations between their countries and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

They also discussed regional and international developments.

By S. Habib

India's relations with the United States were just beginning to grow after the dissolution of former Soviet Union when Malabar series of exercises began in 1992, as a bilateral exercises between India and US navies and gained further prominence with joining of the navies of Australia and Japan. In the initial years, other member countries were not too keen on the inclusion of Australia in these exercises.  However, all four countries had also come together as a part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) then onward, Australian, Indian, Japanese, and U.S. maritime forces routinely operated together in the Indo-Pacific, nurturing an obliging approach toward regional security and stability.

The four Quad members have played a major role in purposefully redefining the "Asia-Pacific" as the "Indo-Pacific", to deepen trans-regional ties between the Indian and Pacific Ocean areas, and to, in their words, deal more effectively with the rise of China. 

As United States identifies China as its main strategic competitor so she has  increased diplomatic, economic, and defense engagement with India alongwith powers like Australia and Japan to balance China therefore, the region may be heading towards steeper competition.

The Exercise Malabar planning and conduct lead rotates each year among participating nations, along with the exercise location to demonstrate the combined ability to exercise across the entire Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

The 26th edition of the multinational maritime exercise  near Yokosuka in-between 8 and 15 November, 2022.  This was the third time that all four nations had participated in Malabar to advance the collective planning, integration and employment of advanced warfare tactics between participating nations. Japan leaded the exercise this year.

The sea phase witnessed live weapon firings, surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills and tactical procedures.  Object of the sea phase was the conduct of War at Sea exercise which enabled all four navies to consolidate interoperability and sharpen their tactical skills.  The high-tempo exercise saw the participation of eleven surface ships including a nuclear powered aircraft carrier with its integral air elements, along with four long-range maritime patrol aircraft, integral helicopters and two submarines. The exercise also involved exchange of ‘Sea Riders’ between various participating ships.

Indian Navy surface units participated including a Shivalik-class FFG, Kamorta-ClassCorvette, a P-8I aircraft, and Marine Commandos (MARCOS) personnel. The high-tempo exercise saw the participation of eleven surface ships including a nuclear powered aircraft carrier with its integral air elements, alongwith four long-range maritime patrol aircraft, integral helicopters and two submarines. The exercise also involved exchange of 'Sea Riders' between various participating ships. One of Malabar 2022’s major highlights was the execution of a ‘War at Sea’ exercise, which allowed the QUAD navies to strengthen interoperability and hone tactical abilities.

U.S. Navy forces participating include the embarked staffs of CSG 5, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 along with the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), and guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG 69).

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) surface units participated including JS Hyuga (DDH 181), JS Shiranui (DD 120),JS Takanami (DD 115), JS Oumi (AOE 426) along with a P-1 aircraft.

Royal Australian Navy (RAN) also participanted including His Majesty’s Australian Ships Arunta (FFH 151) and Stalwart (A304) and Submarine Farncomb along with a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.

In addition to operational exercises, bilateral logistics and support agreements were also validated between the participating countries during this edition of the Malabar exercise.

Significance of the Malabar naval exercises is first, of course, to check rise of China and second is that to work together against China as all the four countries have different issues with of China. The theme of making this platform for the four countries is to work out mechanisms on how to challenge China on the high seas. Though the Quadrilateral initiative was to improve relationships with New Delhi and other threes to gave the impression of "encircling" China”. For example, India felt unaided herself in clashes with China at Galwan in the Himalayas while Japan is also now increasingly feeling the need to be strengthened at the states Andaman & Nicobar as well as Lakhswadeep. Amphibious Warfare exercise involving defending islands as well as capturing/re-capturing exercises could help both the countries. It is also noteworthy here that the Chinese Navy is the largest in the world now in terms of fleet strength. In addition, it is rapidly increasing the number of aircraft carriers at its disposal, even while creating a string of artificial islands in the South China Sea.  

Following the Malabar exercises, members of the Quad also discussed to convert the security arrangement into an "Asian NATO" with "shared security and geopolitical goals". China marked it as "a bulwark against the rise of China", and a Chinese diplomat protested the concept as an attempt to "wind back the clock of history’. The foreign secretary of Sri Lanka also raised concerns in October 2020 about the militarization of the Quad in the Indian Ocean.  In 2021, China described the Quad as “a military alliance aimed against China’s resurgence.” Beijing has concluded that the Quad represents one of the most consequential challenges to China in the years ahead.

China and Russia are regularly conducting joint naval war games as of their bilateral military relations. India thinks China as enemy but on the other hand partner of Russia.  In another case, India thinks Pakistan as enemy but Pakistan also enjoys good relationship with America.  Geography of India is very critical and dangerous. Therefore, it is voiced insight India that India always got over excited and called every country as friend even in official statement. So India should not take side of any group else, it will be a disaster for India and then for whole world so India should become neutral and non-aligned for world peace. Rather than becoming a superpower, and trying to compete with China in war, India should have to work to finish hanger from the country as per Global Hunger Index depicts, India stands at number 107 while China with legendry number of only 4.  Remember availability of life necessities in India is bitter when 1.4 billion Indians were begging for oxygen only. Also comparison between India and China can also be made in GDP per capita, growth rate and living standards as well. So before indulging herself in war games, India should pay attention to her local and domestic issues for the prosperity of her people. International community should also work for humanity and peace rather than mounting conflicts and conducting war games in south Asia.

By Ali Hassan

Child marriage is inversely proportional to the literacy rate of any society which further leads to economic crises. Bangladesh is maintaining highest rates of child marriage in the world and is rated among the top 10 countries in the world for child marriage. According to a report, 59% of girls in Bangladesh are married before their 18th birthday and 22% are married before the age of 15. Bangladesh has the third highest prevalence of child marriage in the world, and the second highest absolute number of women married or in a union before the age of 18 globally as 4,382,000. 4% of boys are married before the age of 18.

Child marriage is moderately more common in rural areas where 60% of girls are married before they reach the age of 18 years as compared to 55% in urban areas, the metropolitan area of Rajshahi has the highest proportion of child marriage in Bangladesh which is seven out of ten girls are married by the age of 18.

The circumstances under this particular issue and different other issues enhanced and started attacking on the economy of Bangladesh are lack of policy formulations and implementations, lack of implementing  rule of law, bad governance and carelessness which further led state to face different crises. Moreover, according to the reports and direct interviews MOWCA currently has limited capacity to convene other ministries and ensure implementation of the National Action Plan. The institutional strengthening of this body should focus on improving its internal tracking of the monitoring & evaluation framework and encouraging its consultation with civil society. Government agencies, donors, implementing organizations, researchers, and advocates appear to be addressing CEFM in an uncoordinated way that can generate misunderstanding, resentment, confusion, and inefficiencies. Current consultative bodies include only some of these actors, missing an opportunity for a fully coordinated approach.

Furthermore, there is a leading factor of forced marriages in the child marriage where the young girls who are under age of 18 are forced to marry an old aged man which also resulted in many suicide incidents which is again an alarming situation. Most importantly Bangladesh is an Islamic state with the Muslim majority and hence forced marriage is not allowed in Islam. Both the groom and the bride must consent to the marriage. The consent of the woman is essential, and must be obtained, and any marriage which is forced is considered to be batil or void. In addition, child marriages lead to the faster population growth which results in consumption of more resources than production which consequently leads to the economic crises. The same is the case with Bangladesh. 

However, in response to address this particular issue, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina committed to end child marriage by 2041, but her government has not sought civil society input and is unhelpful in affirming loopholes in child marriage laws. Bangladesh’s move towards middle income status is seen as making them less responsive to international pressure. Moreover, Ministry of Women’s and Children’s Affairs Ministry Of Women And Children Affairs (MOWCA) is in charge of the National Plan of Action to End Child Marriage which is currently  working closely with UNICEF and UNFPA on child marriage. Moreover, Education Ministry also collaborates on child marriage projects and Ministry of Home Affairs set up women’s helpdesk in a police station in Jamalpur in 2015 with support from UNFPA to respond to gender-based violence (GBV) (UNFPA & UNICEF).

UNICEF/UNFPA through Global Programme support a number of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), including Plan, Population Council; helped the government with National Action Plan, now helping to get monitoring & evaluation plan finished and released but yet the government of Bangladesh does not have a standing coordinating body on CEFM that includes civil society District/Local Governments. Bangladesh’s village or union level councils must include at least 3 women; some of these councils are forming standing committees on GBV and CEFM Local governments are commonly engaged in child marriage projects, but do not have an integrated approach across sectors.

However, the public awareness has taken this particular issue into account as recently on 8^th August 2022, BBC highlighted a Bangladeshi student named Sanjida Islam Choya who has also been named to the list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2022 for her role in the fight against child marriage in Bangladesh which a very positive gesture for Bangladesh generally and particularly for the women empowerment in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, but students like Sanjida will soon change the fate of Bangladesh and upcoming government is also expected to take this issue into serious accounts and get resolved as soon as possible.

CAPE CANAVERAL, 12 December 2022, (TON): A Tokyo company aimed for the moon with its own private lander Sunday, blasting off atop a SpaceX rocket with the United Arab Emirates’ first lunar rover and a toylike robot from Japan that’s designed to roll around up there in the gray dust.

It will take nearly five months for the lander and its experiments to reach the moon.

The company ispace designed its craft to use minimal fuel to save money and leave more room for cargo. So it’s taking a slow, low-energy path to the moon, flying 1 million miles from Earth before looping back and intersecting with the moon by the end of April.

By contrast, NASA’s Orion crew capsule with test dummies took five days to reach the moon last month. The lunar flyby mission ends Sunday with a Pacific splashdown.

DHAKA, 12 December 2022, (TON): Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has played a unique and ground-breaking role for the development of mass media and welfare of journalists of the country.

He said "a vast revolution has taken place in the country's private television and radio sectors under the supervision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. There are now 45 private TV channels, 27 FM radios and 32 community radios got license.”

The minister said “this while addressing a roundtable meeting on 'independence of mass media and human rights' organised by the Resident Coordinator Office of the United Nations at a hotel in the capital.”

ISTANBUL, 12 December 2022, (TON): Erdogan’s office said “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a 30-km security corridor on Turkiye’s border with Syria in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

The statement added “referring to Kurdish militants that Ankara considers terrorists, Erdogan reiterated the “importance and urgency” of creating the corridor in northern Syria in accordance with a 2019 agreement between Turkiye and Russia.”

The call came three weeks after Turkiye launched air and artillery strikes in Syria and Iraq in response to a bomb attack in Istanbul on Nov. 13 that killed six people and wounded dozens.

The Turkish government has blamed the bombing on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and its Syrian affiliate the People’s Protection Units, or YPG.