Briefly

JAPAN

Warrants issued for Ghosn and helpers

Tokyo prosecutors on Thursday issued arrest warrants for a former US special forces soldier and another person suspected of smuggling former Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn out of Japan, Kyodo News reported. Prosecutors also issued a warrant for Ghosn for illegally leaving the country, Kyodo said. Ghosn fled to Lebanon, his childhood home, as he was awaiting trial on charges of underreporting earnings, breach of trust and misappropriation of company funds. He denies all charges.

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban kill at least 29 security personnel

At least 29 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed in Taliban attacks since the weekend. The surge in hostilities signals a deadlock in the sporadic peace talks involving US and Taliban negotiators in Doha. The Afghan Defense Ministry said on Sunday government forces had killed 51 Taliban fighters in the weekend assaults. But the Taliban hit back, carrying out attacks on security checkpoints in the northern province of Kunduz on Tuesday night in which a security official said 15 members of the Afghan army were killed. The Taliban also attacked a police station on Monday in Pul-e Khomri, capital of Baghlan Province, killing 14 policemen.

VIETNAM

Traffic carnage claims 133 lives

Known as Tet in Vietnam, the seven-day lunar new year holiday, which ended on Wednesday, saw 198 traffic accidents which killed 133 people and injured 174 others, the country's Traffic Police Department said on Thursday. More than 17,600 traffic accidents occurred in Vietnam in 2019, killing over 7,600 people, severely injuring some 13,600 people and slightly hurting about 8,500 others, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

ARGENTINA

IMF: Public policy needs clarity

Greater certainty around Argentina's public policies could help reactivate growth and investments in the recession-hit South American country, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday."As new public policies are announced, it will decrease uncertainty, which is very high in the Argentine economy," said Alejandro Werner, the IMF's director for the Western Hemisphere."That will help reactivate growth, reactivate investments."