Vietnamese journalist Pham Doan Trang gets 9 years in prison

Today's headlines: a hundred people are stuck on the roof of the World Trade Center in Hong Kong, after a fire broke out; Covid-19 cases in Korea rise again; in Kashmir, three Indian policemen are killed in an armed attack; the U.S. suspends the sale of F-35s to the Emirates; Naval'nyj recounts price increases in his penal colony via Telegram.

VIETNAM

Journalist Pham Doan Trang, who documented police brutality and human rights violations in Vietnam, was sentenced to 9 years in prison by a Hanoi court for "propaganda against the state." Despite economic and social progress, Vietnam's communist government maintains strict censorship of the media.

SOUTH KOREA

Cases of Covid-19 have started to rise again in South Korea: today the country has recorded 7,850 new infections. The number of patients in critical condition has also risen to 964. The government in Seoul is considering the reintroduction of infection control measures such as curfews.

HONG KONG

More than 100 people were trapped on the roof of the World Trade Center in Hong Kong after a fire broke out. At least 8 people are currently reported injured. Rescue operations are underway. The fire appears to have started in the engine room and spread to the building's renovation scaffolding.

CAMBODIA

Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prak Sokhonn, will be appointed Asean Special Envoy for Myanmar announced Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is due to chair the Southeast Asian organization in 2022. In January, the Phon Penh strongman will travel to Yangon, reversing the stance Asean had held in recent months toward Burma's military junta.

INDONESIA

Indonesia and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding on military cooperation. Under the agreement, joint military exercises are planned as well as the fight against illegal fishing, a problem Jakarta is struggling to address due to continued incursions by Vietnamese and Chinese vessels.

KASHMIR

Militiamen from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist group fired on a law enforcement convoy in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir, killing three policemen and wounding 11 others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and search operations are underway near the city of Srinagar.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - UNITED STATES

Washington has suspended the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Abu Dhabi. The billion deal was tied to the conclusion of the Abraham Accords sought by President Donald Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said he wants to ensure Israel maintains its "military advantage" in the region, but according to the Wall Street Journal, which first unveiled details of the affair, the U.S. wants to make sure the aircraft are not subject to Chinese espionage.

RUSSIA

Detained politician Aleksej Naval'nyj recounted v his amazement at the 40%.rise in food prices in one month in teh detention camp where he is being held via Telegram. Twice a month, inmates have the right to go to the store of the penal colony, with the spending limit of 9 thousand rubles (just over 100 euros), "like an average pensioner, but I am really shocked by the prices," Naval'nyj said.