A new conservative political party is looking to tap into discontent among men who say it is unfair that they have to put in 18 months of military service when women are not obliged to serve. A new conservative party set up in South Korea ahead of the general election in April has provoked debate about the future of the nation's military by calling for women to complete compulsory military service if they want to subsequently take up careers in the police, fire brigade or the corrections service.  At present, all able-bodied Korean men are required to serve at least 18 months in one of the branches of the nation's armed forces, but all female members of the military are volunteers. That policy has been sustainable for the armed forces until now but — faced with a shrinking population — it will soon be unsustainable for national defense, the leaders of the New Choice Party said recently as they began their election campaign. Announcing the party's platform in late January, joint-founders Keum Tae-sup and Ryu Ho-jeong said requiring women to complete the same mandatory service would help to solve gender conflicts in Korean society as well as bolster the nation's armed forces. Imbalance in North-South forces At present, approximately 360,000 men and women serve in the South Korean ground forces, facing the 1.1-million-strong North Korean army across the heavily fortified border. As the South's birthrate continues to decline, however, it is anticipated that its army will have a pool of 290,000 service personnel to call on in a decade and just 190,000 in 20 years from now. North Korea, however, will still have a standing army of more than 1 million men and women. "Gender is a heated topic in South Korea at the moment, especially as we get closer to the election," said Kim Seong-kyung, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.  "In the last general election, the threat posed by North Korea was high up on the agenda and won or lost votes for parties, but we also saw women increasingly gaining a voice and the spread of feminism in Korean society as women spoke out against cyber-bullying because of their gender and other similar issues," she told DW. "But when young women raised their voices and we saw the MeToo movement here, young men reacted against that," she said. "These are the young men who feel that the nation's patriarchal system no longer exists, that their lives are really difficult, that only they have responsibility, and a sense of anger that only men have to serve in the military." Targeting dissatisfied men That resentment towards women has manifested itself in the emergence of a populist conservative party that is unabashedly targeting dissatisfied 20- and 30-year-old males. Another New Choice Party policy that is proving successful is the proposal to scrap the scheme that allows pensioners to travel free on Seoul's subway system, which the party is portraying as adding to the burden on working men. Han Ye-jung, a lawyer in Seoul, is strongly opposed to the party's proposals. "They say they are doing it to guarantee gender equality? That's not good enough," she said. "This is a male-dominated society, where men are the priority and enjoy all the privileges simply because they are men," she said. "For me, the price that they have to pay for that privilege is the time they have to serve in the military." Han believes that military service should remain optional for women and there should be no link between mandatory service and future job opportunities in other public sector jobs, but she stressed that the issue will not need to be addressed imminently. "That party will not win many votes in the election in April because they just do not have enough support for their policies, which is not surprising as they are doing nothing to appeal to female voters," she said. Alternative solutions Some analysts have put forward alternative solutions to the problem of a dwindling population in a country facing a belligerent and unpredictable neighbor, including longer periods of conscription and increased integration of technology into the armed forces, but both have drawbacks. Men are unlikely to want to serve even longer in the armed forces, while technology is expensive and far from infallible, while existing systems still require human oversight. Neither of South Korea's two main parties — the ruling People Power Party of President Yoon Suk-yeol, and the main opposition Democratic Party — has made commitments on women compulsorily serving in the armed forces. And the Defense Ministry this week said it was not drawing up plans to introduce female conscription.   Kim agrees that the New Choice Party is a fringe political group that is unlikely to attract sufficient votes to give it a voice in the new parliament, although the issues facing the armed forces that it has raised will need to be addressed sooner or later.   "There are simply not enough people in South Korea at a time when tensions with North Korea are worsening," she said. "This is the reality and we also need to reflect changing mindsets among the younger generations. We need to have the discussion on whether women should also serve in the military and the issue is going to become even more heated in the next couple of years."  

Authorities in Iran have launched legal action against a male pop singer whose latest song encouraged women to take off their mandatory headscarves, the judiciary said on Sunday. Mehdi Yarrahi released a song on Friday entitled "Roosarito," which means "Your Headscarf" in Farsi. The song expresses support for last year's protests against Iran's mandatory headscarf policy, which erupted after Jina Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the country's morality police. "A legal case was filed against Mehdi Yarrahi following the release of an illegal song which defies the morals and customs of the Islamic society," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. What did Mehdi Yarrahi's song say? The lyrics of Yarrahi's song call on women to "take off their (head) scarves" and said the Iranian people demand that it be made optional. The music video also includes clips of women dancing with their hair uncovered and contains the protest slogan "Woman, life, freedom." Yarrahi won the prize for best pop singer in 2018 at the Fajr festival, Iran's most important government-organized music event. But he has criticized authorities in recent years. Another of his songs, "Soroode Zan" or "Woman's Anthem," became popular among the protest movement, particularly in universities. The judiciary said the new legal action would also cover this song. Yarrahi has also criticized what he says is the marginalization of people in his native Khuzestan province, which has a large Arab minority.

The death penalty will still exist for serious crimes, but judges will have the option to impose alternative punishments such as lengthy prison sentences or whipping. Lawmakers in Malaysia voted to scrap the country's mandatory death penalty and natural-life prison sentences on Monday. Previously, some offenses such as murder and drug trafficking came with automatic death sentences, meaning judges had no leeway. Under the new provisions, judges will have the option to impose alternative punishments like 30- to 40-year prison sentences or whipping. "The death penalty has not brought the results it was intended to bring," Deputy Law Minister Ramkarpal Singh said during a parliamentary debate. More than 1,300 people facing the death penalty or imprisonment for natural life will be able to seek a sentencing review under the new rules.  Rights groups welcome 'important step' Although the reforms stopped short of ending capital punishment entirely, Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network executive coordinator Dobby Chew said the new policy was a "good way forward." "For the most part, we are on the right track for Malaysia — it's a reform that has been a long time coming," he said. Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson also called the move an "important step forward for Malaysia." "This is an important breakthrough that will cause some serious conversations in the halls of upcoming ASEAN meetings," he told the AFP news agency. "Malaysia should show regional leadership by encouraging other governments in ASEAN to re-think their continued use of the death penalty, starting with Singapore which has recently gone on a post-COVID execution spree."

Indian administrated Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on Monday chaired a meeting of the COVID Task Force to review the public health response to COVID-19 and asked the divisional and district administrations to ensure universal testing of all foreign travelers to Jammu and Kashmir in the light of the emergence of new COVID variant Omicron. Local Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Health & Medical Education, Home, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, besides Divisional Commissioners Kashmir/ Jammu, Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, Srinagar, Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi and Budgam, along with MD, National Health Mission, Director, Family Welfare, and other concerned officers participated in the meeting. As per the official press release issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government, it was informed that the Central Government issued guidelines for detecting cases of COVID variant Omicron from countries declared at risk. The Chief Secretary underlined the need to adhere to the laid down guidelines and test all the incoming foreign travelers through international flights. As per the guidelines, the negative travelers will be sent for home quarantine of seven days and re-tested on the eighth day, whereas, the COVID positive patients will be sent to institutional quarantine centers for 15 days and their samples will be sent for genome sequencing at ICMR designated testing laboratories. In the meeting, it was emphasized that de-boarding from international flights must comply with the COVID appropriate behavior (CAB) and set protocols and a special COVID helpdesk is forthwith established at the Srinagar airport. Besides, Secretary, Disaster Management was asked to monitor the situation and submit a daily report for timely intervention of the concerned agency. The Chief Secretary impressed upon the Health Department to establish genome sequencing facilities at Government Medical Colleges, Srinagar and Jammu to fast-track the detection of Omicron variant and other mutations. Moreover, district administrations of Budgam and Srinagar were asked to establish government quarantine centers and further explore arrangements for paid quarantine facilities for institutional quarantine to deal with any emergent situation. The Health and Medical Education Department was asked to conduct equipment audit to establish functionality of COVID related infrastructure including COVID dedicated hospitals, ventilators, Oxygen supported beds and Oxygen plants. The Department was directed to ensure readiness of manpower and machinery to cater to a peak caseload of at least 7500 patients per day and firm up the inventory of oxygen supply and medicines. Further, the Chief Secretary directed the Deputy Commissioners to enhance testing rate and contact tracing for positive patients to trace infection trajectory and establish micro-containment zones at an early stage. Additionally, the Deputy Commissioners were directed to reduce the daily reported cases through strict enforcement of Covid-19 Appropriate Behavior, COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures and protocols, and micro-containment zones. Source: ANI BM

Turkey has declared that fully vaccinated travelers from India will no longer be subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine rule, with effect from September 4, the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi informed on Saturday. The announcement will ease the travel restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers of 12 years of age and older, travelling from India or those who stayed in India in the last 14 days. The vaccines that have been approved by WHO or the Turkish Government are covered under this exemption. In addition to WHO-approved vaccines, the vaccines approved by the Turkish Government are Pfizer Biontech, Sputnik V and Sinovac. For the same, a traveller must have taken the second dose (if Johnson&Johnson one dose is sufficient) at least 14 days prior to the date of travel. Indian travellers who are vaccinated with Covishield will also be allowed to travel to Turkey. Once, Covaxin gets a nod from WHO, travellers vaccinated with the same will also be able to visit Turkey. The fully vaccinated travellers are also required to submit their negative PCR test report taken 72 hours before departure in order to be exempt from the quarantine. Non-vaccinated travellers are required to undergo mandatory quarantine for 10 days in a hotel or a location mentioned in the declaration. As of September 4, the Turkish government has successfully vaccinated 79 per cent of its population above 18 of age with the first dose and 62 per cent population above 18 of age with both doses. The tourist inflow numbers in Turkey between January-July 2021, despite the pandemic, were recorded at 11.9 million. In July 2021, 4.3 million international visitors visited Turkey. Source: Khaleej Times BM

As the coronavirus situation has deteriorated in United Kingdom, so all London returnees will have to maintain 14-day institutional quarantine. The direction came from the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the regular cabinet meeting on Monday. Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam delivered the information at a press conference after the meeting. The Cabinet Secretary said, those who will return from London have to maintain the quarantine strictly. The Prime Minister gave us the responsibility, returnees will not be discouraged, but they have to maintain strong quarantine. Whoever comes from London, even they have corona negative certificates, have to maintain 14-day quarantine on mandatory basis. They will be taken to institutional quarantine. He said, there are facilities for institutional quarantine at Ashkona Hajj Camp and Diabari. As well as some hotels will be made ready. Steps will be taken for maintaining quarantine locally in Sylhet. He also informed that there is a meeting in this regard tonight. There it will be informed by giving logical time from which day it would be activated. AH  

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said that if the passengers arriving from United Kingdom fail to show negative certificates for coronavirus sample tests then they will have to stay for seven days mandatory quarantine. He said this at the inaugural ceremony of ‘Gene expert machine and mobile laboratory’ at the Ashkona Hajj Camp in the capital on Wednesday morning. The Health Minister said, the precautionary measures have been taken so that the new strain of coronavirus traced in the United Kingdom cannot spread in Bangladesh. He said, we have the ability to face the coronavirus and it has been enhanced further through inaugurating new laboratories. Zahid Maleque said, earlier passengers back from Europe used to stay for three days quarantine and also corona tests were performed for them. As new strain of coronavirus has been traced in Europe so will keep those passengers in seven days quarantine instead of three days. He said, corona infections are rising in Europe, America and India but we have been able to keep it in control. As coronavisrus is under control, so peaceful situation is prevailing and we are passing our lives in discipline. Economy of the country is in good shape and major export sector- garments is in operation. The minister said, yet no situation has been created in the country for lockdown. We have adequate hospital beds and we will increase the number if needed. He said, we are not in deficit of oxygen supply, as one of our oxygen factories is shut at the moment, so we have continued oxygen import from India. It will continue until our oxygen factory goes in operation. AH        

From now medical report to prove rape incident will not be mandatory. The High Court delivered the unprecedented verdict regarding the rape case in the country. The punishment can be awarded considering the surrounding situation and testimony. The High Court bench led by Justice Rezaul Haque delivered the verdict on Wednesday. In this context if a victim files a delayed case then it would not be termed as lying. The High Court verdict said, for not conducting medical test the incident of rape could not be proved or the appellant did not commit rape- showing these excuses the accused cannot be acquitted. Rejecting the appeal against punishment of life term imprisonment awarded by the lower court under women and children repression prevention act, the High Court bench of Justice Vishmadev Chakrabarty and Justice Md. Rezaul Haque delivered the verdict on February 27. Recently the complete written copy of the 15-page verdict was published. On Tuesday (October 13) an ordinance was issued keeping capital punishment for rape. AH        

Bangladesh Railway has relaxed its previous directive that made National Identity Card (NID) mandatory for passengers while buying train tickets and travelling. In a media statement, the Railways Ministry confirmed the matter on Thursday. The previous directive was relaxed considering the interest of passengers, it said. Four members of a family can purchase tickets by showing one NID from now. Earlier on August 13, the ministry requested passengers to use their NID for train travels. Source: UNB AH

To be a teacher of government primary school from now the female candidates along with the male candidates have to obtain educational qualification of graduation. Keeping this provision after revising the previous regulations the primary and mass education ministry has issued a new regulations for appointing the primary school teachers. Earlier the candidates who had HSC certificates could be primary teachers. Primary and Mass Education Secretary Akram Al Hosen said in the ministry on Tuesday that from now the qualifications for both male and female candidates have been upgraded to graduation for appointing primary teachers. As the qualifications are upgraded, so works are also on to upgrade their salary grade, he said. There are 65 thousand 593 primary schools in Bangladesh. In these institutions teachers will be appointed directly and by promotion like the previous process. According to the new regulations, for appointing Assistant Teacher and Head Master the qualification has been fixed for graduation or graduation with honors or equivalent degree with second class or equivalent CGPA from any recognized university. Earlier this qualification was for appointing all Head Masters and male Assistant Teachers. Earlier to get appointed for head master, candidates aged from 25 to 35 years and for assistant teacher, candidates aged from 18 to 30 could apply. Now the age limit is fixed from 21 years to 30 years for the head master and assistant teacher posts. It is said in the regulations that for the direct posts 60 percent will be filled up by female candidates, 20 percent by the dependent and the rest 20 percent by the male candidates. AH