Category: WORLD

Vientiane, Dec 13 (IANS) Laos’ National Assembly (NA)’s ninth legislature has closed its eighth ordinary session, with the government instructed to take tougher action to address public debt, high inflation, spiraling costs, and fluctuating currency exchange rates.

The session passed resolutions aimed at bolstering political stability, maintaining social order, fostering economic growth, and promoting inclusive development across ethnic communities, Lao national TV reported on Friday.

The meeting approved reports on the implementation of the 2024 economic-social development plan, state budget, monetary policy, and the 2025 action plan, Xinhua news agency reported.

The session urged the government to address inflation, stabilize exchange rates, and regulate commodity prices. It also called for increased state investment in cultural and social sectors, with an emphasis on workforce development, healthcare improvements, and expanded social security coverage.

To boost tourism and generate national income, the assembly emphasized the importance of upgrading infrastructure, including roads and facilities in key tourist destinations.

The Laos government anticipates that the gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by 4.6 per cent in 2024, surpassing the National Assembly’s approved target of 4.5 per cent.

This growth is expected to be driven by the services, transportation, and wholesale and retail sectors.

Last month, a training programme themed ‘Improvement of Connectivity and Promotion of Local Industry’ was held in Vientiane to strengthen connectivity and promote local industries.

The training course was designed to promote a deeper understanding of strategies that can be used to address critical challenges confronting the Lao economy, Lao Economic Daily.

Several topics were discussed during the training sessions, including the economic landscape of Laos before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the evolution and progress of special economic zones, strategies for promoting foreign direct investment and enhancing connectivity, and advancing the development of local industries.

Additionally, participants focused on addressing macroeconomic challenges, including foreign reserves, inflation, and pressures on the exchange rate.

–IANS

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Tokyo, Dec 13 (IANS) The former site of the headquarters of Unit 731, a notorious Japanese germ-warfare unit during World War II (WWII), reopened to the public on Friday, featuring a special exhibition showcasing evidence of its germ-warfare activities.

Nearly 2,100 items, including archives, historical materials, relics and publications collected by the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in recent years, were unveiled at the exhibition, according to Zhang Yang, deputy director of the facility, reports Xinhua news agency.

Zhang said that some of the newly displayed evidence serves as crucial supplements to existing historical materials and provides valuable resources for further research on Japanese germ warfare activities during WWII.

According to Zhang, this exhibition has also put on display various medical journals published in Japan between the 1920s and the 1940s, totalling 347 volumes. Joint research by the exhibition hall and Heilongjiang International University has identified 42 medical papers authored by core members of Unit 731, including Shiro Ishii and Masaji Kitano.

Jin Shicheng, a researcher with the exhibition hall, said that these wartime medical journals document numerous so-called “research achievements” published by Unit 731 members involving bacterial and viral diseases such as anthrax and plague.

“This evidence highlights interactions and personnel exchanges between Japanese wartime medical universities, army hospitals and research institutions with Unit 731, exposing the role of Japan’s medical community in supporting the war of aggression against China,” Jin said.

The exhibition also showcases litigation documents on incidents involving chemical weapons abandoned by the Japanese army in China, along with confessions from Japanese war criminals.

In addition, 616 relics collected by the facility in recent years and donated by private owners, including military sabres, uniforms, medical equipment, bacterial bombs and Japanese military medals, are on display.

Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin as the nerve centre for Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during WWII.

At least 3,000 people were used for human experiments by Unit 731, and more than 300,000 people in China were killed by Japan’s biological weapons.

Since last winter, the exhibition hall has attracted over 3.5 million visitors.

–IANS

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Ulan Bator, Dec 13 (IANS) Overnight temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling minus 42 degrees Celsius in Otgon soum, an administrative subdivision of Zavkhan province in western Mongolia, from Thursday to Friday, according to the country’s weather monitoring agency.

This marks the coldest temperature recorded in Mongolia so far this winter, the National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring announced in a statement on Friday.

The agency has forecasted that most parts of Mongolia will experience colder-than-average temperatures throughout the winter, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mongolia is known for its harsh winters, heavily influenced by the Siberian high-pressure system.

Last winter, nearly all 21 provinces of the country endured extreme wintry conditions, known locally as “dzud,” accompanied by record snowfall, the largest since 1975. Around 90 percent of the country’s territory was covered in snow up to 100 centimeters thick, leading to the death of approximately 8 million livestock.

“Dzud” is a Mongolian term describing a severe winter during which large numbers of livestock perish due to frozen or snow-covered grazing lands.

Last week, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added Mongolia’s Mongol nomad migration and its associated practices to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

According to a statement from the country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, the UNESCO’s decision was made during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, taking place in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay, from Dec. 2 to 7.

Mongolian nomadic culture is rooted in the interdependence between pastures, livestock and herders, and herder families moving between pastures to give the earth time to rejuvenate, as noted by UNESCO.

The migration process is steeped in tradition. The head of the household determines the date for relocation, and the entire family contributes to the preparations, which include cleaning the area and readying the animals, said UNESCO.

A unique aspect of this cultural heritage is the role of the wife, who dresses in her finest attire and leads the migration as a gesture of gratitude and respect for Mother Nature, according to UNESCO.

–IANS

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United Nations, Dec 12 (IANS) More than 1.1 million people have fled their homes across Syria since the recent hostilities erupted two weeks ago amid reports of food and fuel shortages, UN humanitarians have said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the United Nations and its partners continue humanitarian activities as the security situation allows, with some partners operating in a limited scope in the cities of Damascus, Tartous, Latakia and Raqqa. The world body is closely monitoring the situation.

In Syria’s northwest, the lack of flour and fuel has shuttered Aleppo bakeries, the office said. There are limited vegetable supplies. Electricity outages are reported in some neighborhoods. Fuel prices remain high, Xinhua news agency reported.

OCHA said hostilities near Tishreen Dam in the Aleppo governorate have extended electricity outages since Tuesday, affecting more than 400,000 people in some areas, such as Menbij and Kobani cities, disrupting access to water and other key services.

Despite the challenges, and as security allowed, the United Nations and partners have provided food to more than 700,000 people in northwest Syria since the escalation of hostilities.

In the northeast, humanitarian access and delivery remains challenging, according to OCHA. Checkpoints are restricting movement in the cities of Raqqa, Tabqa, Hassakeh and Derik, where reports of looting continue. More than 40,000 displaced people are staying in around 200 collective centers.

Humanitarian organizations are distributing food, hygiene kits, cash, and psychosocial support to children and adults.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday had said that he is “deeply concerned” by the recent and extensive violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, urging parties to de-escalate violence throughout the country, his spokesperson said.

“The Secretary-General is particularly concerned over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Syria, and stresses the urgent need to de-escalate violence on all fronts, throughout the country,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said at a daily press briefing.

–IANS

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Damascus, Dec. 13 (IANS) Russia hopes to keep its military bases in Syria as they are important in the fight against terrorism, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said late Thursday.

“I think there is general agreement that the fight against terrorism and the IS is not over, it requires collective efforts. In this regard, our presence played an important role in the fight against international terrorism,” state-run RIA news agency reported, citing Bogdanov.

The Russian diplomat added that Moscow has established contacts with the political committee of Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and discussed issues of ensuring the security of the Russian diplomatic mission and citizens in the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he is “deeply concerned” by the recent and extensive violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, urging parties to de-escalate violence throughout the country, his spokesperson said.

“The Secretary-General is particularly concerned over the hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on several locations in Syria, and stresses the urgent need to de-escalate violence on all fronts, throughout the country,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN chief, said at a daily press briefing.

Turkey too on Thursday appointed an acting charge d’affaires at its embassy in Damascus, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkey’s Ambassador to Mauritania, Burhan Koroglu, was appointed as the acting charge d’affaires at the Turkish embassy in Damascus.

Turkey closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012, citing escalating violence and its call for then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down amid the country’s civil war that began in 2011.

The country’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday discussed regional conflicts, bilateral ties, and mutual cooperation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Ankara, according to the Turkish presidency.

In their meeting, Erdogan emphasised the importance of strengthening relations between the two nations, which have surpassed a century, said a statement from his office.

He expressed his commitment to increasing mutual trade volume and deepening cooperation across various sectors, said his office.

–IANS

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Seoul, Dec 13 (IANS) South Korea has called on major nations to seek ways of actively using zero-carbon energy resources and joining hands to achieve technology innovation in an effort to address various global economic challenges, the finance ministry said on Friday.

The Seoul government made the point during the Group of 20 (G20) meeting for finance and central bank deputies, which took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday and Thursday (local time), according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

It was the first meeting in the financial track for this year’s G20 gatherings under South Africa’s presidency, reports Yonhap news agency.

During the meeting, Deputy Finance Minister Choi Ji-young said the participating nations need to implement measures to ensure the stable global financial system and plans to reform multilateral development banks.

Choi also stressed the need to come up with guidance on the efficient use of financing to respond to downside risks for the global economy, maximize zero-carbon energy resources and push for technology innovation centering on artificial intelligence so as to boost productivity and achieve sustainable development, the ministry said.

The G20 finance ministers’ meeting is scheduled to take place in Cape Town in February to discuss economic and financial issues of mutual concern, it added.

Meanwhile, the three major global credit appraisers shared a common view on Friday that South Korea’s credit rating remains stable despite the recent political turmoil, the finance ministry said.

The three credit appraisers — Moody’s Ratings, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) — made the assessment during separate virtual meetings with Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on the day, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The meetings came about a week after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law.

—IANS

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Seoul, Dec 14 (IANS) South Korean National Assembly is set to hold a parliamentary session Friday to question the Prime Minister and other officials who attended a controversial Cabinet meeting shortly before President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law declaration.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) will also report a new impeachment motion against Yoon over his failed bid to impose martial law, days after he survived impeachment due to a lack of quorum, Yonhap news agency reported.

During Friday’s interpellation session, opposition lawmakers are expected to question the Cabinet members about Yoon’s public address the previous day, which largely centred on defending his martial law declaration and denying it was an act of insurrection.

The opposition has requested the attendance of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, among others.

At another interpellation session Wednesday, Han apologised over the martial law turmoil and said no one agreed with Yoon’s plan at the brief Cabinet meeting held just minutes before the declaration.

The DP plans to put Yoon’s new impeachment motion up for a vote at a parliamentary plenary session on Saturday.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session.

Following the scrapping of the first motion, the DP vowed to push for the passage of Yoon’s impeachment every week.

–IANS

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Gaza, Dec 13 (IANS) At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others injured in Israeli attacks at residential houses in the refugee camp of al-Nuseirat in central Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said.

Palestinian Civil Defence spokesman Mahmoud Basal told Xinhua that the Israeli bombing targeted a residential block that contains the government post office building, which was sheltering displaced people.

Rescue operations are still ongoing amid a lack of equipment and heavy overflight by Israeli warplanes, Basal said, adding that the death toll could rise as many of the injured are seriously wounded, Xinhua news agency reported.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the attacks.

Earlier on Wednesday at least 10 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone attack on a gathering in central Gaza City, said the Palestinian civil defence in the Gaza Strip.

Civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said in a press statement that the victims include children and women, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli army has not commented on this incident yet.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Sunday that its troops recently completed a targeted operation to dismantle underground militant infrastructure in the Jabalia area in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 44,835, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) The Russian Embassy in India hosted a distinguished reception to honour Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, with Russia’s esteemed Order of Friendship.

The event, held on Thursday evening in New Delhi, celebrated the Catholicos’ exceptional contributions to fostering ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, alongside his significant humanitarian efforts.

Denis Alipov, Ambassador of Russia to India, presented the honour on behalf of the President of Russia, emphasising the Catholicos’ unwavering dedication to promoting dialogue between the two sister Churches. The accolade also acknowledged his role in facilitating groundbreaking partnerships, such as the collaboration between Moscow’s Central Clinical Hospital of St. Alexis and Kerala’s St. George’s Hospital.

This recognition, presented by the President of Russia, honours individuals who have significantly fostered friendship and understanding between nations.

Youhanon Mar Demetrios, Metropolitan of the Delhi Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, also addressed the gathering, highlighting the shared values and mutual respect that underpin the relationship between the Churches.

The ceremony was attended by prominent diplomats, including ambassadors from Belarus, Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Mongolia, as well as representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and other nations. Members of the business, social, and religious communities, along with Russian expatriates, graced the occasion.

A performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria by the Delhi Chamber Choir, adds a touch of cultural grandeur to the solemn event and was a special highlight of the evening.

The recognition of Baselios Marthoma Mathews III marks a significant milestone in the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church.

–IANS

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Aden, Dec 13 (IANS) The Yemeni government forces said that they have repelled three infiltration attempts by the Houthi group in the country’s southwestern province of Taiz, killing two militants and wounding several others.

The Taiz Military Axis, representing government forces, issued a statement condemning the continued Houthi escalation of hostilities, which includes targeting civilians and military installations of the government in Taiz, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, government forces thwarted three separate infiltration attempts by the Houthi group during the past hours.

Houthi artillery positions that were responsible for shelling residential neighborhoods in Taiz city and its western countryside were also targeted by government troops.

The latest confrontation follows recent Houthi drone attacks on government positions in the Dhubab area west of Taiz and bombardments of residential areas controlled by government forces, according to the statement.

Yemen has remained in a fragile calm since October 2, 2022, when the government and the Houthi group failed to extend and expand a UN-brokered truce.

Despite diplomatic efforts over the years, neither side has shown willingness to revive negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, which, according to UN estimates, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and pushed millions to the brink of famine.

–IANS

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