Briefly

IRAN

Interference warned over seized tanker

Iran warned on Monday that its seizure of a South Korean tanker in the Persian Gulf region must not be politicized, after the US and France urged the Islamic republic to release the ship. "We have repeatedly told ... the intervening parties, whether they are the United States or France, that the case does not concern them at all and that they will not help to solve a technical problem if they politicize it," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh. The move came as Teheran urged Seoul to release billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea as part of US sanctions.

INDONESIA

Landslides kill at least 13, scores missing

At least 13 people were killed, including a six-year-old boy, and scores more were missing after landslides hit West Java Province, authorities said on Monday. Torrential rains triggered the disaster on Saturday evening in the town of Sumedang, where a second landslide buried residents and a rescue team that had been searching for the initial victims, said Bandung rescue agency spokeswoman Seni Wulandari.

UNITED STATES

Pompeo brands Houthis as terrorists

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has moved to brand Yemen's Houthi rebels as terrorists, a last-minute move in defiance of aid groups who fear it will worsen a humanitarian crisis. Unless the US Congress blocks the decision, the Houthis will be blacklisted on Jan 19, one day before the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden, whose aides had hoped to mount a fresh push to end Yemen's devastating six-year-old civil war.

SPAIN

Snow keeps schools closed in icy Madrid

Schools in Madrid were closed on Monday while most trains and flights resumed as the capital tried to return to some form of normalcy after a huge snowstorm on the weekend. While many in Madrid enjoyed the rare snowfall, skiing right at the heart of the city and holding mass snowball fights, a cold spell was set to turn the snow into slippery ice this week, and authorities rushed to clear more streets. The snowstorm complicated Spain's efforts to increase the pace of its coronavirus vaccination program amid rising infections. A new batch of vaccines meant to land in Madrid diverted on Monday to Vitoria, in northern Spain.

Xinhua - Agencies