Panama Supreme Court rejects port concession to Hong Kong company

Today's headlines: Vietnam is seeking to sell the luxury items of Truong My Lan, convicted of embezzlement; The Panama Supreme Court has ruled that the port concession to Hong Kong was unconstitutional; Despite the ceasefire, Kurdish-led militias have declared their readiness to continue fighting against Damascus.

HONG KONG – PANAMA

Panama's Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the concession held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong's CK Hutchison Holdings to operate two ports in the Panama Canal was unconstitutional. The ruling strengthens the position of the United States, which is attempting to block Chinese influence in the area. The court has not disclosed what will happen to the ports now.

VIETNAM

A yacht and two Birkin bags are among the luxury items owned by Truong My Lan that the Vietnamese government is trying to sell to recover some of the money stolen by the woman, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzlement from a bank. The Ho Chi Minh City Civil Judgment Enforcement Agency said this week that it is looking for experts to estimate the value of two Hermès Birkin crocodile leather handbags seized from Truong My Lan.

SINGAPORE

Today, Singapore's ban on unwanted visitors came into force, and airlines flying to the city-state are required to prevent passengers reported as potential threats from boarding, under penalty of a fine of nearly £8,000. Those subject to the ban include individuals with criminal records in Singapore or who have overstayed their visas, those who have worked illegally or attempted to enter the country under a false identity.

TIBET

The Carlsberg brewery has agreed to divest from a joint venture in Tibet due to complications and legal disputes with its Chinese partner, Tibet Development, according to which the acquisition of 100% control of the operation will “improve resource management and increase control over Tibet Lhasa Brewery”, which in turn will help to “consolidate and improve its market position”.

SYRIA

Kurdish fighters have declared that they intend to ‘fight to the last breath’ against government forces in north-eastern Syria, the BBC reports. The ceasefire between the two sides will expire on 7 February. ‘We don't want war, but if we are forced to go down this road, we will fight. Every neighbourhood will turn into hell for them,’ said a member of the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG). There also remains the issue of managing the prisons where thousands of ISIS fighters are being held.

RUSSIA – UKRAINE

According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, the total losses of Russia and Ukraine in almost four years of war are reaching two million people, including the dead, seriously wounded and missing, currently 1.2 million Russians and over 700,000 Ukrainians. In 2025 alone, the Russian army lost 425,000 soldiers between dead and wounded, at a rate of 35,000 per month, now decreasing due to the winter break.

UZBEKISTAN

According to the website Podrobno.uz, in 2025, birth and marriage rates in Uzbekistan fell slightly after many years of continuous growth, but the number of marriages to foreigners remained high, increasing from 300 in 2021 to 3,400 in 2025, compared with a decline in marriages between Uzbek citizens, 267,000 compared to 271,000 in 2024, the lowest in the last 15 years, and 884,000 children compared to 926,000 in 2024.