India: 100 Rohingya stranded at sea off the Andamans

Today's headlines: The Taliban ban women from university; Japanese foreign minister's visit to Beijing postponed due to Covid crisis; Philippines worried about Chinese occupation in the South China Sea; Syria: second US raid in a week against Isis; Tensions continue between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Karabakh.

INDIA-MYANMAR

At least 100 Rohingya are stranded on a boat off the Indian Andaman islands. According to some aid organisations, about 20 of the group have already died of thirst, hunger or drowned. Every year, members of this Islamic minority flee Myanmar where they are not persecuted by the authorities.

AFGHANISTAN

The Taliban have closed universities to women. It is the latest restriction of rights imposed by the fundamentalist group in the name of Islamic law. The ban takes immediate effect and is in addition to the one preventing young Afghan women from attending high school. Today, groups of women protested in Kabul against the new measure.

JAPAN-CHINA

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi postponed his planned visit to Beijing this month until the end of January or even later. The postponement is due to the health crisis in China with the rapid spread of the coronavirus after the government ended its draconian Covid-19 zeroing policy.

PHILIPPINES

Manila expressed concern over reports that China is occupying and expanding new coral outcrops and sand bars in the Spratlys, a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. Beijing has militarised several islets in the region in recent years despite protests from the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia.

SYRIA

US troops launched their second raid in a week against Isis militiamen in eastern Syria. In the latest operation, US forces captured six members of the terrorist group, including a senior member.

RUSSIA

Two hearts with the inscription 'Mariupol and St Petersburg' were installed on the square in front of the Hermitage in St Petersburg to symbolise the 'twinning' between the two cities. At night, however, unknown persons covered them with the inscription 'Murderers, you bombed it. Judas!", which was immediately erased, and the installation dismantled.

ARMENIA-AZERBAIGIAN

The Lacinsk corridor, which connects Karabakh to Armenia, continues to be blocked by Azerbaijanis, to the extent that a 62-year-old Armenian died when an ambulance failed to arrive. In retaliation, Armenians from the separatist region blocked Azerbaijan's access to the city of Karvachar, with the support of Russian peacekeeping troops.

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