Protesters attend a rally against South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law, which was reversed hours later, in Seoul, South Korea on December 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Demonstrators supporting and opposing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held rival protests several hundred metres apart in Seoul on Saturday (December 21, 2024), a week after he was impeached over his short-lived declaration of martial law.

Mr. Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended but he remains in office. He has not complied with various summonses by authorities investigating whether martial law, which he declared late on Dec. 3 and rescinded hours later, constituted insurrection.

He has also not responded to attempts to contact him by the Constitutional Court, which decides whether to remove him from office or restore his presidential powers. The court plans to hold its first preparatory hearing on Friday (December 20, 2024).

Saturday’s (December 21, 2024) pro- and anti-Yoon protests were held in Gwanghwamun in the heart of the capital. There were no clashes as of 4 p.m. (0700 GMT)

Tens of thousands of anti-Yoon protesters, dominated by people in their 20s and 30s, gathered around 3 p.m., waving K-Pop light sticks and signs with sayings such as “Arrest! Imprison! Insurrection chief Mr. Yoon Suk Yeol” to catchy K-pop tunes.

“I wanted to ask Mr. Yoon how he could do this to a democracy in the 21st century, and I think if he really has a conscience, he should step down,” said 27-year-old Cho Sung-hyo.

Several thousand pro-Yoon protesters, chiefly older and more conservative people opposing Mr. Yoon’s removal and supporting the a restoration of his powers, had gathered since around midday.

“These rigged (parliamentary) elections eat away at this country, and at the core are socialist communist powers, so about 10 of us came together and said the same thing – we absolutely oppose impeachment,” said Lee Young-su, a 62-year-old businessman.

Mr. Yoon had cited claims of election hacking and “anti-state” pro-North Korean sympathisers as justification for imposing the martial law, which the National Election Commission has denied.

Emergency personnel work at a Christmas market after a car drove into a group of people, according to local media, in Magdeburg, Germany, on Saturday (December 21, 2024).
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Germans began Saturday (December 21, 2024) mourning another violent attack and their shaken sense of security after a Saudi doctor drove a black BMW into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers on Friday (December 20, 2024) evening, killing at least two people, including a small child, and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities called a deliberate attack.

Authorities identified the suspect as a 50-year-old who has been living in Germany for nearly two decades and practicing medicine there. He was arrested Friday (December 20, 2024) evening at the site of the attack as medical officials tended to the injured, and was taken into custody for questioning.

But on Saturday (December 21, 2024) there were still no answers as to what caused the man to drive into a crowd in the eastern Germany city of Magdeburg.

The violence shocked the country and the city, bringing its mayor to the verge of tears and marring a festive event that’s part of a centuries-old German tradition. It prompted several other German towns to cancel their weekend Christmas markets as a precaution and out of solidarity with Magdeburg’s loss.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser were due to travel to Magdeburg on Saturday (December 21, 2024), and a memorial service is to take place in the city cathedral in the evening.

“My thoughts are with the victims and their relatives,” Mr. Scholz wrote on X. “We stand beside them and beside the people of Magdeburg.”

Magdeburg is a city of about 240,000 people, west of Berlin, that serves as Saxony-Anhalt’s capital. Friday’s (December 20, 2024) attack came eight years after an Islamic extremist drove a truck into crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 13 people and injuring many others. The attacker was killed days later in a shootout in Italy.

The two people confirmed dead were an adult and a toddler, but officials said additional deaths couldn’t be ruled out because 15 people had been seriously injured.

Christmas markets are a German holiday tradition cherished since the Middle Ages, now successfully exported to much of the Western world.

Hours after Friday’s (December 20, 2024) tragedy, the wail of sirens clashed with the market’s festive ornaments, stars and leafy garlands.

Two decades after a catastrophic tsunami destroyed her village, Tria Asnani still cries when she recalls how she lost her mother while trying to escape the giant waves.

Ms. Asnani, now a school teacher, was only 17 at the time. Her father, who was a fisherman, never returned home from sea. She doesn’t know how she survived. “I cannot swim. I could only rely on dhikr (Islamic prayer).”

On Dec 26, 2004, a powerful 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed around 230,000 people across a dozen countries, reaching as far as East Africa.

But Indonesia’s Aceh province, located closest to the earthquake’s epicentre and with 18 of 23 districts and cities located in the coastal line in the Northern side of Sumatra, bore the brunt of the disaster with more than half of the total death toll reported.

The worst-hit areas were in Aceh Besar and Banda Aceh, according to the Aceh Disaster Management Agency.

Ms. Asnani’s Lampuuk village lies in a fishermen’s community in Aceh Besar, known for its white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. However, on that day, it was among the hardest hit, with waves more than 30 meters (98 feet) high which changed the coastline in Aceh and led to land subsidence after the earthquake.

Buildings by the coast were flattened to the ground except for Rahmatullah Mosque, 500 meters (1,600 feet) from the shore, and about one km (0.6 miles) from Ms. Asnani’s house. The photo of the place of worship, left pretty much unscathed, later became iconic.

After the disastrous event, thousands, including Ms. Asnani, had to relocate to start afresh. She moved with her uncle to another region in Aceh to continue her studies. After she got married, she returned in 2007 to her parents’ house which was rebuilt with assistance from the Turkish government and lived there for 10 years.

Many international donors and organizations poured in money to help rebuild the affected areas that lost schools, hospitals and basic infrastructure, made stronger than before the tsunami hit.

Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center at Syiah Kuala University in Aceh recorded more than 1,400 wrecked schools and about 150,000 students had their education process disrupted by the destructive waves in a report published in 2019.

Three “escape buildings” were also constructed in a relatively safer area to accommodate thousands of people if an earthquake and tsunami strike.

Across the province, memories of the tsunami can be felt almost everywhere.

The Aceh Tsunami Museum in Banda Aceh houses photos of the aftermath and vehicle debris, serving as a constant reminder of what was lost that day. Local authorities have also turned a former floating diesel-powered power plant barge that washed about 6 km (about 4 miles) inland by the tsunami into another memorial place.

Both places have become the most popular tourist destinations in the area.

But development never stops and 20 years after the tsunami the Aceh coast is brimming with residential housing, cafes and restaurants, as well as tourism support facilities, while the hills in some areas from which people are currently being mined for sand and stone.

Fazli, the head of Preparedness in Aceh Disaster Management Agency, said that the government initially stipulated that there should be no activity up to one km (0.6 miles) from the coast. Over time, many displaced fishermen returned to their original coastal homes, drawn by their livelihoods and ties to the sea, despite having received housing elsewhere.

He also said the agency has “provided the Acehnese people with information” to deal with a potential tsunami. “People already know what to do,” said Fazli, who, like other Indonesians, uses a single name.

Siti Ikramatoun, a sociologist in Banda Aceh, said that despite years of recovery and rebuilding, the people of Aceh must stay vigilant.

“If people experienced (the tsunami), they may have an instinct to anticipate it. But those who do not have the experience, they won’t get what to do,” Ikramatoun said.

Various communities in Aceh commemorate the tsunami yearly along with the government and local authorities.

In Banda Aceh, art communities in early December spread disaster awareness through theatrical or musical performances that can be easier for people to follow and target all groups, including those born after the tsunami.

Muslina, 43, a civil servant, took her youngest son to the Aceh Tsunami Museum to watch one of the shows. She lost relatives and loved ones 20 years ago and she wants to make sure she always remembers them.

“Earlier my son asked me if there might be another tsunami when he grows up,” she said. “I told him I do not know. Only God knows, but if there is a strong earthquake and the seawater recedes, we run, run, run to find higher ground.”

Pakistani Rangers guard the area with a shipping container in the background with “Imran Khan’s soldiers have arrived” written on it in Urdu, after security forces launched a raid on supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who had stormed the capital demanding his release on Tuesday, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 27, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Pakistan’s military courts sentenced 25 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for attacking military installations during riots which erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in May last year, the Army announced on Saturday (December 21, 2024).

On May 9, 2023, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters allegedly attacked several military installations, including the Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and the ISI building in Faisalabad, to vent their anger against the arrest of their party founder in a corruption case.

Hundreds of suspects were arrested in the countrywide swoop and at least 103 were handed over to the military authorities for trial due to their involvement in attacks on military installations.

In a detailed statement, the military said that the nation on May 9 witnessed tragic incidents of “politically provoked violence and arson at multiple places, marking a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan” when building on a sustained narrative of hate and lies, politically orchestrated attacks were carried out on the Army installations and monuments of Shuhada (martyrs).

“These blatant acts of violence not only shocked the nation but also underscored the necessity of checking this unacceptable attempt of political terrorism to impose own perverted will through violence and coercion,” it stated.

According to the statement, Field General Court Martial sentenced 25 individuals in the first phase, following a thorough review of evidence and the completion of proper legal procedures.

It said that the convicts were awarded prison terms ranging from two to 10 years for attacking the military facilities.

Fourteen individuals received 10-year sentences of rigorous imprisonment, while the others were given shorter terms.

The Army said that promulgation of the sentences of the remaining accused is also being done and will be announced shortly as and when the due process is complete.

The Army termed the development “an important milestone in the dispensation of justice to the nation” and a stark reminder to all those who are exploited by the vested interests and fall prey to their political propaganda and intoxicating lies, to never take law in their own hands ever in the future.

It also said that many accused are also being tried in various Anti-Terrorist Courts and their cases are being pursued as per the law.

Showing its intent to punish the “mastermind”, it stated that “justice would truly be fully served once the mastermind and planners of 9th May Tragedy are punished as per the Constitution and laws of the land.”

It said that Pakistan will vigorously pursue dispensation of justice to ensure the establishment of its writ to uproot this evil of violence-driven disruptive and destructive politics based on hate, divisiveness and baseless propaganda.

All convicts punished by the army retain the right to appeal and other legal resources, as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution.

The convictions, announced following the Supreme Court’s directive conditionally allowing them, primarily relate to attacks on several key military sites including the Jinnah House, General Headquarters (GHQ), and Pakistan Air Force Base Mianwali.

Boys carry bags of bread as people line up on the street to buy in a bakery near Bab Touma, a neighbourhood of the Old City of Damascus, Syria, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Syria’s new rulers have appointed a Foreign Minister, the official Syrian news agency (SANA) said on Saturday (December 21, 2024), as they seek to build international relations two weeks after Bashar al-Assad was ousted.

The ruling General Command named Asaad Hassan al-Shibani as Foreign Minister, SANA said. A source in the new administration told Reuters that this step “comes in response to the aspirations of the Syrian people to establish international relations that bring peace and stability”.

No details were immediately available about Mr. Shibani.

Syria’s de facto ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has actively engaged with foreign delegations since assuming power, including hosting the U.N.’s Syria envoy and senior U.S. diplomats.

Mr. Sharaa has signalled a willingness to engage diplomatically with international envoys, saying his primary focus is on reconstruction and achieving economic development. He has said he is not interested in engaging in any new conflicts.

The United States, other Western powers and many Syrians were glad to see rebel groups led by Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) topple Assad, but it is not clear whether the Islamist group will impose strict Islamic rule or show flexibility and move towards democracy. HTS was part of al Qaeda until Sharaa broke ties with it in 2016.

Syrian rebels seized control of Damascus on Dec. 8, forcing Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war and ending his family’s decades-long rule.

Forces under the command of Mr. Sharaa — better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani — installed a three-month caretaker government that had been ruling a rebel enclave in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib.

Washington designated Sharaa a terrorist in 2013, saying al Qaeda in Iraq had tasked him with overthrowing Assad’s rule and establishing Islamic sharia law in Syria. U.S. officials said on Friday that Washington would remove a $10 million bounty on his head.

The war killed hundreds of thousands of people, caused one of the biggest refugee crises of modern times and left cities bombed to rubble and the economy hollowed out by global sanctions.

A Chhattisgarh police constable, who was facing a probe in connection with an alleged police recruitment scam, was found hanging from a tree in Rajnandgaon district on Saturday (December 21, 2024).

A handwritten message on the palm of the deceased, Anil Ratnakar, on purported attempts to shield officers and implicate junior staff in the scam, has added mystery to the death, with the Opposition targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the State on alleged corruption. Ratnakar’s family has also alleged that he was being harassed by investigators.

Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohit Garg said Ratnakar’s body had been found on Saturday morning. Mr. Garg said Ratnakar and a few police personnel, as well as staff of a timing technology company partnering in the ongoing recruitment drive, were being questioned in connection with alleged irregularities in the drive.

The First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the alleged irregularities notes that “the process was tampered with in an unfair manner” and that the “possibility of involvement of technical team, police staff and others in the above case cannot be ruled out”.

Ratnakar, who was posted at the Jalbandha police post of neighbouring Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, was visiting Rajnandgaon to assist with the same recruitment drive examination in which 20,000 candidates had appeared. So far six persons — four constables and two members of the private company providing technical assistance — have been arrested, Mr. Garg said.

The SP added that a note handwritten with a pen had been found on Ratnakar’s palm, alleging (police) staff were being targeted amid attempts to “save officers who were involved”.

Anil Ratnakar’s older brother Sunil Ratnakar reiterated the allegations, and said that his brother was being framed. He cited a phone call from Anil and said the latter was being harassed and tortured by his seniors.

“He had called from someone else’s number and said he was not even 1% involved. He said that one by one their [his and other police personnel’s] statements were being taken and they were being harassed and tortured,” Mr. Sunil Ratnakar told journalists.

Mr. Garg said the allegations would be probed.

“The matter was serious to begin with and is being handled with seriousness. When the matter was revealed, we had filed an FIR. There will be a thorough probe into what was written on Anil’s hands. We are already probing and checking [the role of] all the officers and if we get any evidence against anyone, strict action will be taken,” Mr. Garg said.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel took to social media platform X and demanded a high level probe. “The police recruitment scam of Rajnandgaon seems to be a serious matter. What constable Anil Ratnakar wrote on his hand before committing suicide shows its seriousness. The meaning of ‘employees are being framed, officers are being protected. All officers are involved’ is clear @vishnudsai [Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s handle] ji. Corruption has definitely taken place. Officials also have a role to play. Now a high level investigation is necessary,” Mr. Baghel said.

Those who require assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts may contact Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health suicide prevention helpline 011-4076 9002 (10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m., Monday-Saturday).

Governor R.N. Ravi distributing a cheque to a beneficiary at the outreach programme held at VIT Vellore on Saturday.

The Controller of Defence Accounts, Chennai, on Saturday organised SPARSH, a mass outreach programme at the Vellore Institute of Technology for the benefit of defence pensioners and family pensioners of the Vellore region.

The programme was organised in association with the Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area of the Indian Army, Chennai and the Vellore District Ex Servicemen Welfare Board.

Governor R.N. Ravi, who presided over the event, honoured Chakra awardees and veterans of the defence forces.

He spoke about the contribution of Vellore to the Indian freedom struggle. He further highlighted the role of the Indian Armed forces in nation building and in rendering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, a release said.

Over 2100 defence and family pensioners took part in the outreach programme. Their grievances were taken up for a speedy resolution.

Lieutenant-General Karanbir Singh Brar, General Officer Commanding, Dakshin Bharat Area; Mayank Sharma, Special Controller General of Defence Accounts; and General Dinakaran, Indian Coast Guard Deputy Inspector were among those present.

Handout picture released by Minas Gerais Fire Department shows firefighters and other rescue teams working on the site of a crash in Teofilo Otoni, Minas Gerais state, Brazil on December 21, 2024. An accident involving a car, a truck and a bus, killed 22 people at BR-116 highway according to a press release by Minas Gerais Fire Department.
| Photo Credit: AFP

A crash between a passenger bus and a truck early Saturday (December 21, 2024) killed 22 people on a highway in Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil, officials said.

The local fire department, which responded to the scene, said 13 others were taken to hospitals near the city of Teofilo Otoni.

The bus had reportedly departed from Sao Paulo and was carrying 45 passengers. Authorities said the bus blew a tyre, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a truck. A car with three passengers also collided with the bus, but all three survived, according to the fire department.

Rescue teams are working on the accident site and there are still more victims to be removed, said Lt. Alonso of the fire department.

Andhra Pradesh tableau.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

The Delhi government’s tableau proposal for Republic Day 2025 was not approved by the expert committee while Mizoram and Sikkim expressed their inability to participate this time. Officials of Andaman and Nicobar Islands along with Lakshadweep did not turn up for the expert committee meeting among 15 States and Union Territories that were originally selected from the roster for next year’s event on January 26, defence sources said. In place of the five states, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have been given a chance, sources stated.

In the backdrop of repeated controversies over selection of tableux for Republic Day parade and complaints from States year after year, ahead of the parade this year, the Defence Ministry proposed a roll-over plan for States and UTs to showcase their tableaux and a roster was prepared for2024, 2025, and 2026 under which every State and UT would get a chance to present at least once during the three years.

“The expert committee looks into various aspects of theme, concept, designs and visual elements. Out of the 15 States and UTs in the roster, the expert committee did not approve the tableau proposal of Delhi,” a source said.

While details of the Delhi government’s proposal and the specific reasons as to why it was not approved were not immediately known, sources observed that in the two decades past, Delhi has presented its tableau seven times.

As to why Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh were selected again consecutively, a source said that there were several States that in the last two decades presented more number of times than the former two States. This includes Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Assam.

Ahead of the Republic Day parade 2024, a controversy ensued as Delhi, Punjab, and Karnataka had alleged discrimination as their proposals were rejected.

Following the agreement on the three-year rollover plan in January this year, several states that were selected to present tableau at the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path presented them at the Bharat Parv at Red Fort, which included Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, Assam, and Uttarakhand.

The Defence Ministry has an elaborate screening mechanism that selects participants for the parade. As per practice, an expert committee comprising artists and Padma awardees drawn from various fields is set up which decides on the theme, aesthetics and criteria and screens proposals from various States, UTs and government departments.

Published – December 21, 2024 11:10 pm IST