Cambodia: 10 die in casino fire near Thailand

Todya's headlines: 18 children die in Uzbekistan from syrup made in India; U.S. also reintroduces anti-Covid testing for entries from China; Six out of every ten users on Netflix in 2022 watched a Korean series; Armenian security adviser: by granting Lačinsk corridor to Azerbaijan, Moscow wants to force Armenia and to join "unitary state" with Russia and Belarus.

CAMBODIA-THAILAND

At least 10 people were killed in a widespread fire at the Grand Diamond City, a hotel-casino located in Poipet, a Cambodian town on the Thai border. According to police, about 400 people were in the building when it caught fire. Poipet is an important border crossing between the two countries and is a famous location for its casinos, which many Thai citizens visit because gambling is illegal in Thailand.

INDIA-UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health reported that 18 children in the country allegedly died from the side effects of a cough syrup produced by an Indian pharmaceutical company, Noida-based Marion Biotech Limited. Preliminary investigations have found that the syrup in question contains ethylene glycol, a toxic substance.  The news comes two months after the World Health Organization issued a global alert over four other cough syrups produced by an Indian company that Gambian authorities had linked to 66 deaths caused by acute kidney failure.

CHINA

The United States has also decided to reintroduce mandatory anti-Covid testing for passengers arriving from China starting Jan. 5, with a measure already taken by other countries including India, Japan, Taiwan and Italy. China does not provide data on the spread of the infection, but the British health data company Airfinity estimates that there are currently more than one million infections and 5,000 deaths per day in the country.

SOUTH KOREA

Sixty percent of Netflix subscribers worldwide have watched at least one Korean TV series on the streaming platform this year. "The K-wave is stronger than ever," Netflix said in a statement. The thriller "All Of Us Are Dead" and the series "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" were two of the most watched programs on Netflix in 2022.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The UAE government is pushing private companies to hire locally, with the goal of ensuring that Emiratis make up 10 percent of the private sector workforce by 2026. Starting next month, companies with more than 50 employees that fail to fill 2 percent of skilled jobs with Emiratis risk being fined.

ARMENIA-AZERBAIGIAN-RUSSIA

Yerevan Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said Moscow wants to force Armenia to grant Azerbaijan the Lačinsk corridor and join the "unitary state" with Russia and Belarus. The Russians' actions would be coordinated with the Azeris, but "Armenia will continue to oppose these plans."

UKRAINE-RUSSIA

The superior of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves, Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed) of the ex-Moscow Upz Church, has denounced in an appeal President Zelenskyj's intention to seize parts of the monastery whose lease has not been renewed, particularly the Dormitin Cathedral, where according to the eviction notice he will celebrate his last liturgy on Dec. 31.

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