World Briefs - Five in 5: April 13

A file photo of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) with finance minister Rishi Sunak (L), at 10 Downing Street in London. Picture: ANDY RAIN EPA-EFE

A file photo of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) with finance minister Rishi Sunak (L), at 10 Downing Street in London. Picture: ANDY RAIN EPA-EFE

Published Apr 13, 2022

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Indonesia passes bill tackling sex crimes

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday to tackle sexual violence, aimed at building stronger cases and helping victims to secure justice in a country where sexual abuse has often been regarded as a private matter.

A majority of MPs backed the bill, overcoming opposition from some conservative groups in the world’s biggest Muslim majority country after six years of deliberation.

Critics objected to the bill’s limited scope, with only some sex crimes included and rape omitted. The government said rape is covered in a revision of the criminal code being drawn up.

Sexual violence complaints have been rising in Indonesia. Reuters

Conflict casts pall over world trade

GENEVA: The World Trade Organization (WTO) has warned that Russia’s war in Ukraine had darkened the prospects for world trade as it sounded the alarm against the global economy dividing into rival blocs over the conflict.

The WTO said the war would damage world trade growth this year and drag down global GDP growth as well.

“Restricting trade will threaten the well-being of families and businesses,” said WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She urged countries to work together to facilitate trade amid sharp inflation pressures and supply chain difficulties.

“Smaller supplies and higher food prices mean the poor could be forced to do without.” AFP

A file photo of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) with finance minister Rishi Sunak (L), at 10 Downing Street in London. Picture: ANDY RAIN EPA-EFE

British PM, wife, minister fined for Covid-19 breaches

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie and finance minister Rishi Sunak have been notified by police that they will be fined over Covid-19 lockdown breaches, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Police said they would issue at least another 30 fines for people who attended gatherings in Johnson’s offices and residence in breach of strict Covid-19 lockdown rules, taking the total to more than 50.

The London force investigated claims that Johnson and officials organised and attended at least a dozen boozy events in 2020 and 2021 that violated Britain’s curbs.

Johnson has apologised for the parties, which included Christmas celebrations and a drink-fuelled gathering the evening before Prince Philip’s funeral.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said Johnson and Sunak should resign as they “have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public”. Reuters

Taliban members (foreground) of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice keep watch during a demonstration against videos of allegedly showing Afghan refugees being beaten by Iranians went viral, near the Ahmad Shah Massoud square in Kabul on April 12, 2022. Picture: Wakil KOHSAR AFP

Iran summons Afghan envoy after diplomatic mission attacks

Iran summoned the Afghan envoy to Tehran on Tuesday and is stopping all consular services in Afghanistan, Iranian state TV reported, after protesters threw rocks at Iranian diplomatic missions in Kabul and Herat.

The protests came after videos on Twitter showed Afghan refugees in Iran being humiliated by Iranians. Iranian officials denied there was mistreatment of Afghan refugees in Iran.

Iran’s foreign ministry said the Taliban, which rules Afghanistan, is responsible for the security and safety of Tehran’s diplomats.

Over 5 million Afghans live in Iran. Reuters

Mexican drug cartels swop arms for cocaine

Mexican drug cartels appear to be shipping high-powered weapons to Colombia to purchase shipments of cocaine, a trade Colombian authorities say is fuelling the deadly struggle between rival traffickers for control of the nation’s drug routes.

A bevy of machine guns, assault rifles and semi-automatic handguns are flowing into the country, Colombian law enforcement officials said. Among the weapons popping up in traffickers’ arsenals is the Belgium-made FN Five-seven pistol, sources said. Nicknamed the “cop killer”, the 5.7-calibre weapon can penetrate bullet-proof vests. Most of the 1 478 long arms confiscated from Colombian armed groups in 2020 and 2021 were foreign-made and imported clandestinely along the smuggling routes used to get drugs out.

Mexican drug gangs have easy access to guns bought in the US, Colombian authorities said.

Now cartel emissaries are increasingly paying for shipments of cocaine with guns, authorities say. The potent firepower of the cartel-supplied arsenal has potential implications for Colombia’s security. Reuters