Myanmar: Chinese-brokered ceasefire between militias and military junta

Today's news: US military forces hit Houthi targets in Yemen; Health problems for the 79-year-old leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam; Netflix removed a film offensive to Hindus; In Papua New Guinea 14-day state of emergency announced, but calm has returned; In Kazakhstan, oil workers' strikes continued for a month.

MYANMAR

The alliance of ethnic militias that launched an offensive against Myanmar's coup army at the end of October has reportedly agreed a ceasefire with the military. This was announced to the Reuters agency by one of the leaders of one of the groups who asked to remain anonymous for safety. The agreement reached with the mediation of the Chinese envoy Deng Xi Jin would include the promise of the ethnic militias not to advance further in the reconquest of territories.

YEMEN

US and British forces have carried out aerial bombardments against Houthi targets in Yemen, in response to attacks by the pro-Iranian group on commercial ships in the Red Sea, US President Joe Biden said. More than 12 sites have been hit so far, including the capital Sanaa and the port of Hudaydah.

VIETNAM

The leader of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, will not be able to welcome, for the second time in a week, the visit of a foreign political leader, in this case the President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, due to health problems. Trong, 79, who has led the party since 2011, is at the top of Vietnam's one-party political system, but has not appeared in public since December 26.

INDIA

Netflix has removed a film produced in Tamil Nadu due to an outcry on social media over a scene in which the daughter of a Hindu cleric is seen eating meat, when most Hindus are vegetarians. “Annapoorani - The Goddess of Food” was released in theaters in December but yesterday it was no longer available on the platform. Several members of extremist Hindu organizations said the film hurt "Hindu sentiments."

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Last night President James Marape declared a 14-day state of emergency in the capital of Port Moresby and suspended several civil servants, after a police strike resulted in rioting and looting. According to local residents the city has returned to a "new normal" today: "We expect the unlooted supermarkets to reopen today and I heard they have increased security," they added.

KAZAKHSTAN

The strike of workers of the oil company West Oil Software in the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan has continued for a month now, with hundreds of people remaining outside in front of the Žetybaj wells since 11 December, a situation deemed "explosive" by the trade unionists themselves recalling similar events in 2011, which ended in bloody clashes.

RUSSIA

The strike of workers of the oil company West Oil Software in the Mangistau region of Kazakhstan has continued for a month now, with hundreds of people remaining outside in front of the Žetybaj wells since 11 December, a situation deemed "explosive" by the trade unionists themselves recalling similar events in 2011, which ended in bloody clashes.

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