The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested nine Indian fishermen and seized one mechanised boat for allegedly fishing in that country's waters, besides damaging fishing nets in a separate incident, Indian officials said. The fishermen were arrested near Neduntheevu, sources said, adding that one boat was also seized by the Lankan navy. In a separate incident, the Lankan navy personnel allegedly damaged fishing nets in 20 mechanised boats near Katchatheevu, the officials added. They also allegedly hurled stones and bottles on the the Indian fishermen. Fishermen's association representative Sesuraja rued the acts of the Sri Lankan Navy, saying damage to equipment caused distress to the fishermen. Meanwhile, the fishermen operating mechanised boats decided to strike work indefinitely.
Nepal protesters demand return of monarchy
Riot police in Nepal clashed for hours on Monday with thousands of protesters demanding a return of the monarchy that was abolished more than a decade ago and the reinstatement of a Hindu state. Police blocked the main road to the prime minister’s office, using batons to beat the protesters, who responded by throwing rocks and sticks. There were no reports of serious injuries. It was the latest in a series of protests against PM K P Sharma Oli’s government by a variety of groups, including a faction of his governing Communist party. The unrest, fuelled by Oli’s failure to honour an agreement to split his term as PM with the co-leader of the governing party, has increased distrust of the political system. The protesters on Monday accused the government of corruption.
Indonesian jet with 62 aboard crashes
A passenger jet carrying more than 60 people crashed into the Java Sea last week, minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Indonesia’s transportation ministry said that the last contact with the plane, Sriwijaya Air Flight 182, was made at 2.40 pm (1.10 pm IST). The Boeing 737-524 was bound for the city of Pontianak on Borneo. It had 62 people aboard, according to an official from Sriwijaya Air, an Indonesian airline based in Jakarta. Four minutes after taking off amid heavy rain, the 26-year-old plane lost more than 10,000 feet of altitude in less than 60 seconds, according to Flightradar24, the flight-tracking service. The Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency said it had found pieces of debris in waters just northwest of Jakarta that it believed may be from the plane’s wreckage, but it said that darkness had impeded its search.
US lost 1,40,000 jobs in Dec
The US posted a surprise decline in payrolls in December and all of the 1,40,000 jobs lost were held by women, according to data. Analysts had expected an uptick in employment in December but instead American businesses shed 1,40,000 non-farm payroll. The country’s unemployment rate stayed steady at 6.7%, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly jobs report shows that the economy lost 1,40,000 net jobs in December, marking the first month of job loss since the economy started adding back jobs in May 2020,” said the National Women’s Law Center, a nonprofit focused on achieving gender justice in courts and public policy. “All of the jobs lost were women’s jobs, with women losing 1,56,000 jobs and men gaining 16,000.” December’s numbers reflect a slowdown in US economic recovery, which has been mostly stagnant as the coronavirus continues to spread.
53 pro-democracy leaders arrested in HK
Hong Kong police arrested 53 former lawmakers and democracy proponents for allegedly violating the new national security law by participating in unofficial election primaries for the territory’s legislature last year. The mass arrests, including of former lawmakers, were the largest move against Hong Kong’s democracy movement since the law was imposed by Beijing last June to quell dissent in the semi-autonomous territory. “The operation targets the active elements who are suspected to be involved in the crime of overthrowing, or interfering (and) seriously destroy the Hong Kong government’s legal execution of duties,” John Lee, Hong Kong’s security minister, said. He said those arrested were suspected of trying to paralyse the government, via their plans to gain a majority of the seats in the legislature to create a situation in which the chief executive had to resign and the government would stop functioning. In a video posted by former lawmaker Lam Cheukting on Facebook, police turned up at his house and told him he was “suspected of violating the national security law, subverting state power”.
New record set in US with 300,000 cases
The US broke its single-day record for new Covid cases for the second consecutive last week with more than 300,000 cases. It was the first time the country had crossed the 300,000-case mark. Amid no slowdown in the virus spread, President-elect Joe Biden said he intends to release nearly all available doses of the vaccine soon after he is inaugurated, rather than hold back millions of vials to guarantee second doses will be available. Meanwhile, reports of a contagious new variant in the US, published by several news outlets, are based on speculative statements made by Dr Deborah Birx of the White House task force and are inaccurate, officials said.
Putin, Merkel talk possible joint vaccine production
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the possibility of jointly producing vaccines in a phone call, the Kremlin said. “Issues of cooperation in combating the pandemic were discussed with an emphasis on the possible prospects for joint production of vaccines,” the Kremlin said in a statement. It added that an agreement was reached to “continue contacts on the issue” between health ministries and specialised agencies. While Germany is using the vaccine by Pfizer and the German company BioNtech, Russia has put into circulation its homemade jab - Sputnik V.
Kim threatens to build more nukes
North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, vowed to advance his country’s nuclear capabilities, declaring that it will build land- and submarine-launched solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as make its nuclear missiles smaller, lighter and more precise, the North’s state media reported. Kim called the US the “biggest enemy” and said Washington’s hostile policy toward North Korea would not change regardless of who occupies the White House. Kim’s comments were seen as applying pressure on the incoming administration of President- elect Joe Biden, who has called Kim a “thug”. Kim said he won’t use his nuclear weapons first unless threatened. He also suggested he is open to dialogue “if Washington is too”.
Trump extends H-1B visa ban
US President Donald Trump has extended pandemic-related bans on green cards and work visas - including H-1B visas largely used by highly-skilled Indian nationals - to large groups of applicants through March 31, while a federal appeals court sided with him on a rule that requires new immigrants to have their own health insurance. The twin developments on the final day of 2020 encapsulated how Trump has made US immigration policy more restrictive without support from Congress. President-elect Joe Biden has promised to undo many of Trump’s actions but it is unclear how quickly and even to what extent. Federal judges have limited the impact of the pandemic-related visa bans, which were set to expire Dec. 31.
Taiwan rolls out new passport
Taiwan rolled out a newly redesigned passport that gives greater prominence to the island's day-to-day name, aiming to avoid confusion with China amid the Covid-19 pandemic and Beijing's stepped-up efforts to assert sovereignty. Existing Taiwanese passports have "Republic of China", its formal name, written in large English font at the top, with "Taiwan" printed at the bottom, creating confusion internationally, according to the government. During the early days of the pandemic Taiwan says some of its citizens were confused with Chinese nationals and on occasion unfairly subject to the same Covid-19-related entry bans when the disease was well under control in Taiwan though not in China. The new passport enlarges the word "Taiwan" in English and removes "Republic of China", though that name in Chinese and in small English font around the national emblem remains.
Six gorilla rangers killed in ambush
Armed men have killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga national park, a sanctuary for endangered mountain gorillas, the park said. The identity of the assailants was not immediately clear, said Olivier Mukisya, a Virunga spokesman. Previous attacks against the rangers have been blamed on various militias who fight to control land and natural resources in eastern Congo. More than 200 rangers have been killed in the past, including 12 in last April in the deadliest such attack in recent memory. Dozens of armed groups operate in eastern Congo, many remnants of militias that fought in civil wars around the turn of the century that resulted in millions of deaths from conflict, hunger and disease.
Zimbabwe journalist arrested for third time in six months
Zimbabwean journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on charges of communicating false information, his third arrest inside six months, his lawyer said. Chin’ono, who has a large social media following, has been critical of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule, accusing his government of corruption and mismanagement. His comments have been unusually outspoken for a journalist in Zimbabwe, where critics are often dealt with harshly. The United States embassy in Harare said it was concerned for Chin’ono’s welfare. Police spokesman Andrew Phiri said he could not comment on Chin’ono’s latest arrest, which the journalist himself tweeted about, saying: “The police have come to arrest me! Let everyone know!”
