AUSTRALIA
Synagogue vandalized
Authorities yesterday denounced “hate-filled” vandals who daubed swastikas and other graffiti on a Sydney synagogue in the early morning. The vandalism on the Southern Sydney Synagogue was “a hate-filled attack by individuals that have got hate in their hearts,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told journalists. “I think the painting of a swastika on a Jewish building shows you everything you need to know about how appalling these particular individuals are and what their ultimate aim is.”
Photo: EPA-EFE
AUSTRALIA
Bumbling arsonists sought
Police on Thursday released CCTV video of an apparent arsonist who set their own pants alight and had to run from the scene without them. Footage of the incident on a fast-food outlet in Melbourne showed two people in dark hoodies and trousers with a container of what police described as “flammable liquid.” One of them tried to set the fluid alight at the front of the outlet, just out of the view of a camera. In an instant, the person is seen again engulfed in flames and then hurriedly removing the burning trousers before running off bare-cheeked with an apparently unharmed accomplice. Victoria state police, who distributed the footage, asked for witnesses to the attack, which happened in the early hours of Dec. 25. “Investigators have released CCTV and images of two people they believe may be able to assist with their inquires,” they said in a statement.
Photo: AFP / Victoria Police
JAPAN
Russian sanctions approved
Tokyo yesterday approved additional sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine, including freezing the assets of dozens of individuals and groups and banning exports to dozens of organizations in Russia and several other countries that have allegedly helped it evade sanctions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said that the additional sanctions shows its commitment to the G7’s effort to bolster action against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. “It is Japan’s contribution as part of the international effort toward achieving global peace and resolving the problems surrounding Ukraine because of Russian invasion,” Hayashi said.
Photo: AP
VENEZUELA
Maduro to take oath
President Nicolas Maduro was due to take the oath of office for a third term yesterday despite a global outcry that brought thousands out in protest on the ceremony’s eve. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who came out of hiding to lead a demonstration in Caracas on Thursday, was briefly detained after the rally, according to her team, reigniting international condemnation of Maduro’s alleged vote steal and cowing of critics. The government denied arresting her.
Photo: Reuters
YEMEN
Tanker salvage completed
An oil tanker that burned for weeks in the Red Sea after being attacked by Houthi rebels and threatening a massive oil spill has been salvaged, a security firm said yesterday. The Sounion had 1 million barrels of crude oil aboard when it was struck and later sabotaged with explosives by the Houthis. It took months to tow the vessel away, extinguish the fires and offload the remaining crude oil. “Over three challenging weeks, the fires were extinguished, cargo tanks patched and pressurized with inert gas and the vessel declared safe,” said private security firm Ambrey, which helped lead the response alongside a European naval force and salvagers.
‘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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