US-China: Congress passes law against forced labor products from Xinjiang

Today's headlines: 19 confirmed dead in a fire in Japan; Burmese junta sentences Rohingya who tried to flee the country to 5 years in prison; from April to June this year only two North Korean defectors arrived in the South; Palestinian embroidery added to UNESCO intangible heritage list.

USA - CHINA

The U.S. Congress has passed a law requiring companies to prove that imported goods from Xinjiang were not made with forced labor. The bill had met with criticism from Nike, Coca Cola and Apple that operate in the region. Washington terms Beijing's crackdown on the Uyghur Muslim minority "genocide."

NORTH KOREA

Today North Korea celebrated the 10th anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il, father of the current leader. Unlike other years, Kim Jong-un did not visit the family mausoleum; state media simply published appeals for the country's unity. From April to June of this year, only two North Korean defectors arrived in South Korea, the lowest number ever in a single quarter.

JAPAN

19 deaths have been confirmed  so far  in a fire that broke out at a medical clinic in Osaka, but the final toll could be higher. Investigative sources reported that "a man started the fire." The incident took place in Osaka's Kitashinchi district, where many bars and nightclubs are located.

MYANMAR

A Myanmar court sentenced 109 Rohingya refugees to five years in prison for attempting to leave the country. Those convicted were part of a larger refugee group of 228 people intercepted by the Burmese navy in late November off the coast of Bangladesh. Following armed clashes between the army and ethnic militias, hundreds fled and took refuge in Thailand yesterday.

PHILIPPINES

The death toll from typhoon Rai, which hit the Philippines, has risen to 6. More than 300 thousand people have abandoned their homes in search of shelter. Communications have been interrupted and more than 200 flights cancelled. Yesterday winds reached 195 km/h; today they stopped at 155 km/h.

PAKISTAN

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Islamabad next week will be used to find solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where the health care system has collapsed. The conference will be attended by the Taliban and representatives from Pakistan, China, Russia and the United States. Japan, Australia, Canada and Germany have also been invited.

PALESTINE

The traditional Palestinian embroidery technique has been included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. The decision was made yesterday during the 16th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage. "It is an important step to protect our Palestinian identity, heritage and narrative in the face of the occupation's attempts to steal what it does not possess," said Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

RUSSIA

A decree has been issued in Moscow banning 400 Central Asian migrants from entering Russia for 40 years, guilty of street brawls and "other impermissible activities," according to Interior Ministry Migrant Department Director Tatiana Dmitrieva. Moscow is currently home to 1.3 million migrants, more than 80% of whom have jobs, including 31% from Uzbekistan, 26% from Tajikistan and 25.4% from Kyrgyzstan.