JAPAN
Import curbs must stop: G7
The G7 industrial powers yesterday called for the “immediate repeal” of import curbs on Japanese food products, a reference to China’s restrictions after the nation began releasing wastewater from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The G7 trade ministers, in a statement after a weekend meeting in Osaka, did not mention China, but they also denounced what they consider its rising economic coercion through trade. “We deplore actions to weaponize economic dependencies and commit to build on free, fair, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationships,” the 10-page statement said.
KAZAKHSTAN
Dozens die in mine fire
The nation was in mourning yesterday after 36 people died in a fire at an ArcelorMittal mine, the worst such disaster in years which has prompted the nationalization of the company’s local affiliate. The Ministry of Emergency Situations said at 10am that “the bodies of 36 miners were found and 10 workers were still being sought.” However, the chances of finding them alive are “very low,” rescuers said the night before, due to the lack of ventilation in the mine and the force of Saturday’s explosion, which spread over 2km. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev traveled to the scene on Saturday and ordered that cooperation with ArcelorMittal be “brought to an end.” Speaking to victims’ relatives at the Karaganda mine in the country’s center, Tokayev called ArcelorMittal “the worst enterprise in Kazakhstan’s history in terms of cooperation with the government.” The Kazakh government and the steel giant announced a preliminary agreement to “transfer ownership of the [local] firm in favor of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said.
CHINA
Defense forum begins
The Beijing Xiangshan Forum, the nation’s biggest annual show of military diplomacy, started yesterday, although China is still missing a defense minister, who typically hosts this event. Beijing hopes to use the forum to promote President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) vision and draw developing countries closer, as it faces increased coordination between the US and its allies to curtail its military ambitions. Russia is being given center stage at the forum. Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu was initially listed as the first guest speaker at today’s opening ceremony, but as of last night, his name was not on the agenda. The US Department of Defense has sent a delegation led by Xanthi Carras, China country director in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense.
MYANMAR
Former minister charged
Former minister for information Ye Htut has been arrested and charged with encouraging dissent against the military, the junta said yesterday, the latest in a series of high-profile arrests. In a statement, the junta information team said the 64-year-old had been detained on Saturday evening in connection with “spreading wrong information on social media.” “U Ye Htut was arrested last night and charged under section 505 (a),” a security source said. Section 505 outlaws any action deemed to undermine the military. The law carries a maximum jail term of three years. His arrest comes a week after pro-junta Telegram channels accused him of exposing the address of a retired military officer on social media.
‘GREAT OPPRTUNITY’: The Paraguayan president made the remarks following Donald Trump’s tapping of several figures with deep Latin America expertise for his Cabinet Paraguay President Santiago Pena called US president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming foreign policy team a “dream come true” as his nation stands to become more relevant in the next US administration. “It’s a great opportunity for us to advance very, very fast in the bilateral agenda on trade, security, rule of law and make Paraguay a much closer ally” to the US, Pena said in an interview in Washington ahead of Trump’s inauguration today. “One of the biggest challenges for Paraguay was that image of an island surrounded by land, a country that was isolated and not many people know about it,”
DIALOGUE: US president-elect Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform confirmed that he had spoken with Xi, saying ‘the call was a very good one’ for the US and China US president-elect Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) discussed Taiwan, trade, fentanyl and TikTok in a phone call on Friday, just days before Trump heads back to the White House with vows to impose tariffs and other measures on the US’ biggest rival. Despite that, Xi congratulated Trump on his second term and pushed for improved ties, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The call came the same day that the US Supreme Court backed a law banning TikTok unless it is sold by its China-based parent company. “We both attach great importance to interaction, hope for
‘FIGHT TO THE END’: Attacking a court is ‘unprecedented’ in South Korea and those involved would likely face jail time, a South Korean political pundit said Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol yesterday stormed a Seoul court after a judge extended the impeached leader’s detention over his ill-fated attempt to impose martial law. Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside the Seoul Western District Court on Saturday in a show of support for Yoon, who became South Korea’s first sitting head of state to be arrested in a dawn raid last week. After the court extended his detention on Saturday, the president’s supporters smashed windows and doors as they rushed inside the building. Hundreds of police officers charged into the court, arresting dozens and denouncing an
RELEASE: The move follows Washington’s removal of Havana from its list of terrorism sponsors. Most of the inmates were arrested for taking part in anti-government protests Cuba has freed 127 prisoners, including opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferrer, in a landmark deal with departing US President Joe Biden that has led to emotional reunions across the communist island. Ferrer, 54, is the most high-profile of the prisoners that Cuba began freeing on Wednesday after Biden agreed to remove the country from Washington’s list of terrorism sponsors — part of an eleventh-hour bid to cement his legacy before handing power on Monday to US president-elect Donald Trump. “Thank God we have him home,” Nelva Ortega said of her husband, Ferrer, who has been in and out of prison for the
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