​Beijing 2022 Olympics: diplomatic boycott by U.S.

Today's headlines: Hong Kong pilots quarantined 150 days in a year. New Washington super-radar against North Korean missiles. Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence halved to two years. India will produce 600 thousand Russian Kalashnikovs. Five explosions at the Syrian port of Latakia. Record levels of pollution in the Uzbek capital.

CHINA-US

In protest of the Chinese regime's humanitarian violations, the United States will not send government delegations to the Beijing Winter Olympics next February. New Zealand and most likely Australia and the United Kingdom will follow suit. China has responded that there will be consequences for the boycott.

HONG KONG

Per Covid-19, Cathay Pacific pilots spent up to 150 days in quarantine in one year. This is the result of the substantial "zero tolerance" policy adopted by the Chinese autonomous region, in line with measures taken by the central government in Beijing.

NORTH KOREA

North Korean ballistic missiles will be the first target of the new super-radar built by the USA. The defensive system will be positioned in Alaska and will reach full operation in 2023. Pyongyang has not tested long-range missile launchers since 2017, but has continued to conduct short-range launches, including a supposed hypersonic rocket and a submarine-launched missile.

MYANMAR

General Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military junta that toppled Burma's civilian government in February, has halved the sentence handed down to Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday from four to two years in prison. Like former President Win Myint, the country's democratic leader will also serve her sentence under house arrest.

INDIA-RUSSIA

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin closed the annual summit between their governments with a series of trade and military agreements. Most importantly, Delhi won a contract to produce 600 thousand Russian Kalashnikov machine guns. Moscow will continue to supply the Indians with the S-400 anti-missile system.

SYRIA-ISRAEL

Five explosions ripped through the Syrian port of Latakia, where most of the supplies for Bashar al-Assad's regime and its allies in the decade-long civil conflict are shipped. Damascus has blamed Israel for the blasts. Tel Aviv has failed to comment. Syrian authorities speak of material damage without specifying whether there are any casualties.

UZBEKISTAN

According to the air quality control station, located at the US Embassy in Tashkent, the pollution index in the Uzbek capital has reached a record level of 190 ug/m3. In some neighborhoods these days fine dust storms are observed. The maximum level should not exceed 60-70.