INDONESIA
Fishers rescue Rohingya
Fishers rescued nearly 100 Rohingya refugees, including 79 women and children, in Aceh province after officials said they were planning to push them back out to sea. The Acehnese fishers told reporters that rescuing the Rohingya was a moral duty. “It is nothing more than a sense of humanity and part of our tradition in the north Aceh fishermen community,” said local fisherman Hamdani Yacob near the town of Seunuddon in northern Aceh. “We hope that the refugees will be looked after in our village.” Authorities in Aceh confirmed that the refugees had been taken ashore on Thursday and provided temporary housing. The fishermen had rescued them earlier in the week and they were anchored just off the coast, but officials had said they planned to push them back out to sea with a new boat, gasoline and food. Local authorities capitulated following protests from the local fishermen. “If the government is incapable, us the community will help them, because we are human beings and they [the refugees] are human too and we have a heart,” said Syaiful Amri, another local fisherman.
UNITED NATIONS
Sanctions warning issued
Iranian Ambassador Majid Ravanchi on Thursday said that he believes a US resolution to extend an arms embargo against his country would be defeated and warned that it would be “a very, very big mistake” if the administration of US President Donald Trump then tries to re-impose UN sanctions. Ravanchi said that restoring UN sanctions would end the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers and release Tehran from all its commitments. “If that happens, Iran will not be under constraint as to what course of action it should take,” he said. “All options for Iran will be open.”
UNITED KINGDOM
Council laments beach influx
An English seaside resort on Thursday declared a major incident after thousands of people flocked to the beach on the hottest day of the year so far amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Temperatures rose to a record 33.3°C at Heathrow Airport in west London, the Met Office said, a day after highs of 32.6°C saw huge crowds flock to the coast. Local authorities in Bournemouth said they were “appalled” at the scenes on its beaches, as the sunny weather saw an influx of thousands of people, describing gridlocked roads, illegal parking, piles of rubbish and anti-social behavior, including drunken fights. “The irresponsible behavior and actions of so many people is just shocking and our services are stretched to the absolute hilt trying to keep everyone safe,” Bournemouth Council leader Vikki Slade said.
The pledge by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to “work, work, work, work and work” for her country has been named the catchphrase of the year, recognizing the effort Japan’s first female leader had to make to reach the top. Takaichi uttered the phrase in October when she was elected as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Many were initially as worried about her work ethic as supportive of her enthusiasm. In a country notorious for long working hours, especially for working women who are also burdened with homemaking and caregiving, overwork is a sensitive topic. The recognition triggered a
A plan by Switzerland’s right-wing People’s Party to cap the population at 10 million has the backing of almost half the country, according to a poll before an expected vote next year. The party, which has long campaigned against immigration, argues that too-fast population growth is overwhelming housing, transport and public services. The level of support comes despite the government urging voters to reject it, warning that strict curbs would damage the economy and prosperity, as Swiss companies depend on foreign workers. The poll by newspaper group Tamedia/20 Minuten and released yesterday showed that 48 percent of the population plan to vote
‘HEART IS ACHING’: Lee appeared to baffle many when he said he had never heard of six South Koreans being held in North Korea, drawing criticism from the families South Korean President Lee Jae-myung yesterday said he was weighing a possible apology to North Korea over suspicions that his ousted conservative predecessor intentionally sought to raise military tensions between the war-divided rivals in the buildup to his brief martial law declaration in December last year. Speaking to reporters on the first anniversary of imprisoned former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol’s ill-fated power grab, Lee — a liberal who won a snap presidential election following Yoon’s removal from office in April — stressed his desire to repair ties with Pyongyang. A special prosecutor last month indicted Yoon and two of his top
The Philippines deferred the awarding of a project that is part of a plan to build one of the world’s longest marine bridges after local opposition over the potential involvement of a Chinese company due to national security fears. The proposals are “undergoing thorough review” by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which acts as a lender and an overseer of the project to ensure it meets international environmental and governance standards, the Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways said in a statement on Monday in response to queries from Bloomberg. The agency said it would announce the winning bidder once ADB
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