Category: Media

China sent eight nuclear-capable bombers, four fighter jets and an anti-submarine patrol aircraft into Taiwan’s southwestern air defense zone.

Taiwanese military analysts said Sunday the weekend’s record number of Chinese military planes flying into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) symbolize Beijing’s commitment to the “one China” principle and also serve as a test for the Joe Biden administration.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, 15 Chinese military planes intruded into Taiwan’s ADIZ on Sunday. And , 13 Chinese aircraft entered the identification zone on Saturday.

Lieutenant General Chang Yen-ting (張延廷), a retired Air Force deputy commander, stated the PLAAF’s incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ on Saturday and Sunday are akin to “hitting three birds with one stone.”

Chang observed that in contrast to former President Donald Trump’s unpredictable style, Biden’s approach to regional diplomacy seems easier to grasp. Therefore, China dispatched its military planes as a “stress test” to see how Biden would react.

Chang pointed out that although the H-6K bomber is a slow aircraft, it is a variant designed for offensive missions with a maximum range of up to 5,000 kilometers. The presence of such a plane proves the PLAAF has transformed from a defensive air force to an offensive one, he stated.

The retired commander said that China’s ADIZ operations were “obviously targeted toward the U.S.” and were meant to “militarily intimidate Taiwan.”

The 12-century Spånga church, located between two immigrant-dense areas formally classified as ‘vulnerable’, has been subjected to a second fire attack in barely a week.

Spånga church was hit by yet another attack, sparks near-universal condemnation.

Spånga parish has been subjected to attacks on several previous occasions. In December 2018, an explosive device was detonated in the same parish. No one was convicted for the blast.

Hailing from the 12th century, the Spånga Church is one of the oldest in the Swedish capital. It is located on the outskirts of Tensta and is flanked by Rinkeby, both notorious for their heavy presence of immigrants (about 90 percent of the population) and a plethora of problems, including violent crime. Both areas are dominated by immigrants from Muslim countries and are formally classified as “particularly vulnerable” (which many consider to be a palatable euphemism for a “no-go zone”) due to failed integration and major problems including unemployment, rampant crime and Islamic extremism.

Attacks against churches have become a familiar sight in Sweden. Last year alone, a number of churches, mostly those in troubled suburban areas, were subjected to various types of attacks and vandalism, including those in Gottsunda, Uppsala and Rosengård, Malmö.

According to its pastor, the alarm was triggered when a window was smashed and flammable liquid thrown at the front gate and one of the windows. However, the fire was quickly put out by the police, who used a powder extinguisher.

​As recently as Wednesday night, the very same church was subjected to another attack, with three Molotov cocktails.

“We look at what has been thrown in and whether the night’s event has a connection with the one that happened four days ago,” police spokeswoman Eva Nilsson told SVT, adding that the crime has been initially classified as arson. The second attack in a week triggered reproach and condemnation.“An attack on a religious building is a violation of values deeply rooted in human identity. We strongly oppose this and express our deep sympathy” Björn Cedersjö of the Swedish Christian Council said.

Around 20 #Chinese soldiers and four Indian soldiers reportedly injured in the clash at Naku La in Sikkim. The incident begins when Chinese troop patrol attempted to intrude in Indian territory across, Jan 20, brawl ensued four days ago.

It’s clarified that there was a minor face-off between Indian Army & Chinese PLA troops at Naku La, Sikkim on 20th January. It was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols: Indian Army

Media reports say, around 20 Chinese soldiers were reportedly injured in the clash at Naku La in Sikkim. On the Indian side, 4 soldiers sustained injuries.

Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed in Sikkim, reports that soldiers from both sides were injured in a major clash has been reported between troops of the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) amid talk of de-escalating tensions along the Line of Actual Control.

Government sources in New Delhi informed the media on Monday that the clashes took place three days ago at Naku La in Sikkim sector scores of soldiers from both sides were injured. 

Three days ago, a Chinese PLA patrol attempted to intrude across #NakuLa in Sikkim resulting in a clash and soldiers from both sides have been injured.

Police intervened on Amsterdam’s central Museum Square, where hundreds of protesters gathered, reported public television broadcaster NOS ,despite the pandemic rule. Fearing a riot or a disease-spreading event, Mayor Femke Halsema had designated the square as a “high-risk zone” and gave police the power to preemptively frisk people for weapons.

Anti-lockdown protests in Netherland, nationwide, more than 100 people were detained Sunday, police said. Stein near Maastricht close to Belgium clashes with police occurred as they broke up an illegal party reportedly attended by 100 people.

Not allowed to protest in democratic Netherland. People are still gathering around museum square where the protest should take place couple hours ago.tweet

Protest of hundreds of opponents of the first nighttime curfew in Netherlands have clashed with police in Eindhoven, Amsterdam and other cities,resulting in scores of arrests.

Clashes broke out on Sunday in Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Stein, a small city near the Dutch-Belgium border, over the introduction of a nationwide curfew to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

The violence came hours after a group of young people torched a viral testing centerovernight in Urk, a fishing industry city northeast of the Dutch capital.

Security forces in both cities used water cannon as well as batons, horses and dogs and in Eindhoven tear gas to quell the protests.

Vehicles set ablaze and shops plundered near Eindhoven’s main railway station, regional broadcaster Omroep Brabant .

Dutch rail company NS urged travelers to avoid the Eindhoven station.

Today is Sunday, which means Belarusians traditionally went to the rally.Freedom for #IharLosik!” “From Khabarovsk to Brest – there should be no place for dictatorship!” Three neighborhoods of Minsk Mikhalova, Paudniovy Zahad and Malinovka united for an evening march.

Minsk Court Upholds Extension Of Belarusian Opposition Figure, Maryya Kalesnikava’s Pretrial Detention.

January 23

A court in Minsk has upheld an extension of the pretrial detention of Belarusian opposition figure Maryya Kalesnikava, who faces national-security charges after she urged people to protest against a disputed presidential election.

“Maryya Kalesnikava’s defense appealed the extension of her stay at a detention facility with the Minsk City Court on January 21.

The legal arguments were turned down. Maryya will remain at the detention facility until March 8,” would-be Belarusian presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka said in a statement on January 22, quoting Kalesnikava’s lawyer Lyudmila Kazak.

She was arrested in September 2020 and charged with calling for actions aimed at damaging the country’s national security via media and the Internet — namely calling on people to protest against the election results.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is criticized for his handling country’s pandemic, said on his official Twitter account that he is under medical treatment.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and that the symptoms are mild.

Mexico’s president, has been criticized for his handling of his country’s pandemic, not setting an example of prevention in public, said on his official Twitter account that he is under medical treatment.

“I regret to inform you that I am infected with COVID-19,” he tweeted. “The symptoms are mild but I am already under medical treatment. As always, I am optimistic. We will all move forward.”

Plane crash kills 4 soccer players, club president in Brazil in Tocantins fire that the twin-engine Baron model had a capacity of six occupants. When firefighters arrived at the crash site, 500 metres from the runway, the aircraft was being consumed by fire. At least two explosions were registered, according to the official report.

Four players and the president of Brazilian soccer club Palmas died in a plane crash on Sunday in the northern state of Tocantins, the team said.

The accident occurred when the plane suddenly plunged to the ground at the end of the runway while on takeoff, the club reported in a statement.

The players were on their way to Goiania, in the central region of the country, to play a match against Vila Nova.

The victims were identified as president Lucas Meira and players Lucas Praxedes, Guilherme Noé, Ranule and Marcus Molinari, as well as the pilot. There were no survivors, the club said.

Palmas Futebol e Regatas was founded in 1997 and plays in Brazil’s fourth division.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX creates new world record; launches 143 satellites on single rocket

Elon Musk’s SpaceX created a new world record by launching 143 satellites on a single rocket last night. SpaceX has beaten the Indian space agency ISRO’s record of deploying 104 satellites in a single launch in February 2017. The launch vehicle for the SpaceX record-breaking flight was the Falcon 9 rocket.

The 143 satellites launched last night include commercial and government CubeSats, microsats and 10 Starlink satellites. Onboard was also a spacecraft belonging to Nasa. With these satellites, SpaceX aims to provide near-global broadband internet coverage all over the world by 2021. According to sources, SpaceX offered a very low price of 15,000 dollars per kilogram for each satellite to be delivered to a polar sun-synchronous orbit.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa won a second term on Sunday in an election marked by record abstention as the country battles a crippling third wave of coronavirus contagion.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a center-right moderate and former leader of Portugal’s Social Democratic Party, to serve a second and final 5-year term.

Former TV commentator Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa scored a resounding victory in Portugal presidential election on Sunday.

Official results showed the incumbent president winning around 61% percent of the vote. The lead is enough for Rebelo de Sousa to secure another 5-year term and avoid a runoff election.

Portugal’s president was returned to office for a second term Sunday, in an election held amid a devastating COVID-19 surge that has made the European country the worst in the world for cases and deaths.

Andre Ventura attracted curiosity as the first extremist to break into Portuguese mainstream politics. Ventura, 37, could conceivably place second, likely far behind Rebelo de Sousa but drawing a level of support that until recently was unthinkable. Results expected midnight.

Portuguese were thinking of postponed of election amid covid cases. But election on Sunday bring the nation close to End of election.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, 72, is regarded as the clear front-runner among seven candidates. He is an affable, approachable law professor and former television personality who, as president, has consistently had an approval rating of 60% or more.

To win, a candidate must capture more than 50% of the vote. But a severe surge in coronavirus infections in recent days could keep turnout low and perhaps lead to a run-off between the two top candidates, which would take place on 14 February.

Portugal has increased polling stations and allowed for early voting to reduce crowding on election day.

Portugal has 10.8 million registered voters, some 1.5 million of them living abroad.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib was inspired by Netaji Subhas Bose: Information Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was inspired by Netaji Subhas Bose, said the Information Minister of Bangladesh Dr. Hasan Mahmud. Paying rich tributes to Netaji Subhas Bose in Dhaka on Sunday, Dr. Mahmud said that Bangabandhu had written in his unfinished autobiography ‘Oshomapto Atmajiboni’ that he was attracted to the leadership of Netaji from his childhood and inspired by him. He said that the contribution of Netaji in the freedom movement of India will always be written in golden letters.

Speaking at a seminar on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Bose in Dhaka on Sunday, Dr Hasan also spoke about India Bangladesh relationship. He said that the cooperation of India was very helpful in achieving the progress of Bangladesh.

He said that India and Bangladesh friendship was forging ahead with strengthening of the alliance and expanding the regional and people-to-people contact which will help in the development of the region, said the official press release.

The Minister said that 20 lakh COVID 19 vaccines received from India as gift was a unique example of love and friendship between the two countries. He also recalled the sacrifice of Indian soldiers during the liberation war of Bangladesh and the shelter given to close to 1 crore Bangladeshi refugees during that period.

High  Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami said that celebration of Netaji’s birth anniversary in Bangladesh was a touching event. He expressed the hope that the close ties between India and Bangladesh will be further strengthened in days to come.