South Asia
China announced that it had “standardised” the names of 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters. In response, India rejected the action and said that China “assigning invented names” does not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh continues to be an “integral part” of India. [India Today]
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit the Maldives and Sri Lanka during a five-country visit that starts on January 4. [The Hindu]
Central Asia and the Caucasus
Armenia on Thursday lifted a ban on Turkish goods that was imposed after Turkey supported Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. The decision, which takes effect on January 1, creates more favourable conditions for Armenia’s efforts at normalising ties with Turkey. [RFE/RL]
On Thursday, jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was transferred from a military hospital to a prison, a move that was condemned by his lawyers and opposition activists. Saakashvili, who has been in prison since October 1 for alleged fraud charges, is reported to have been tortured by authorities. [RFE/RL]
East and Southeast Asia
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that the United States (US) risks paying an “unbearable price” if it continues “encouraging” Taiwanese independence forces. “Taiwan has no other way forward other than reunification with the mainland,” Wang noted. [Reuters]
Two former editors of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy news website Stand News have been charged with sedition and were denied bail on Thursday, a day after the website announced it was closing down following a raid on its office by the police. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam defended the charges by accusing Stand News of “inciting other people” by publishing seditious material and undermining national security. [Associated Press]
Europe
The British National Health Service is preparing to set up COVID-19 “surge hubs” at healthcare facilities amid a record high surge in daily cases. These temporary units will be able to treat around 100 patients. [Al Jazeera]
On Thursday, Russia reported a record 115,000 excess deaths in November 2021, 82% higher than pre-pandemic numbers. Russia’s total excess deaths since the beginning of the pandemic is now at 929,000. The Kremlin implemented a week-long partial lockdown at the start of the month but infections have remained high. Only 46% of the population is fully vaccinated. [The Moscow Times]
On Thursday, European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for an international arms embargo and increased sanctions on Myanmar’s junta following the massacre of at least 30 pro-democracy rebels and a number of civilians, including women and children, in Kayah state last week. He added that the Union is willing to implore stricter sanctions on the military regime. [Euractiv]
Latin America and the Caribbean
On Thursday in Buenos Aires, the police received a threat of a bomb attack on Casa Rosada, the national government building, which also houses the president’s office. After a thorough search of the premises, however, city and federal police determined that the threat was not real. [Telesur]
Certain Latin American and Caribbean countries are now surpassing their European and North American counterparts in terms of vaccine coverage, new data from the Pan American Health Organization has revealed. Cuba, Chile, and Brazil, for instance, are among the top ten countries in the world in terms of citizens who are considered fully vaccinated. This marks a huge step from about six months ago, when the region was accounting for around half of COVID-19 deaths around the globe; this figure has now dropped to about 10%. [CNN]
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
At least four protestors were killed in Khartoum after Sudanese security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas at thousands of people who were rallying against the military leadership and the October 25 coup. [Associated Press]
An attack staged by Somali militant group Al Shabaab in Mogadishu on Thursday killed at least seven people. The attack happened amid an ongoing dispute between President Mohamed Farmaajo and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble. [Reuters]
North America
On Thursday, a jury in New York found drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals liable in contributing to the opioid crisis in the United States (US) particularly through the “deceptive” marketing of its brand-name fentanyl drugs, Actiq and Fentora.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a release after the verdict, “Teva Pharmaceuticals US and others misled the American people about the true dangers of opioids.” The Israel-based manufacturer says it plans to appeal the verdict. [ABC News]
The United States (US) Navy on Thursday announced that it had seized 385 kg of heroin worth approximately $4 million from a shipping vessel in the Arabian sea. A Navy spokesperson said the vessel likely came from Iran, as all nine crew members identified themselves as Iranian. In the last year, the US Navy has confiscated $193 million worth of illegal drugs during operations at sea. [NBC News]
Oceania
Despite a record number of COVID-19 cases, authorities in Sydney urged citizens to enjoy New Year’s festivities on Friday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged people to “enjoy the evening,” while New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet told people to “head out and enjoy New Year’s.” This comes after the state reported 21,151 new infections on Friday. On Friday, Australia registered more than 32,400 new cases. [Reuters]
On Thursday, Australia’s national cabinet scrapped the day six rapid antigen test for confirmed COVID-19 cases. The statement released by the Prime Minister’s office stated that a confirmed COVID-19 case should continue to take the RT-PCR test instead of the rapid antigen rest on day six if they are symptomatic. “An asymptomatic close contact must take a rapid test, while a close contact who is symptomatic or who returns a positive RAT test must have a PCR test.” [9 News]
Sub-Saharan Africa
Mali’s National Conference on Refoundation has confirmed that the junta will not abide by its original pledge to restore civilian power following an 18-month transition period, thereby rejecting the Economic Community of West African States’ demand to hold elections on February 27, 2022. In fact, the military has now extended its mandate by up to five years, effectively consolidating its power following coups in August 2020 and May 2021. [Africa News]
Following a drop in COVID-19 cases and hospital admission rates across the country, South Africa has removed overnight curfew rules that banned movement between midnight and 4 am. The government has said that while the new Omicron variant is highly transmissible, it has a lower hospitalisation rate, while adding that its peak has likely passed. [BBC]