Briefly

JAPAN

Nursery school teachers held over alleged abuse

Three female teachers who previously worked at a nursery school in the central Japanese prefecture of Shizuoka were arrested on Sunday for repeatedly abusing infants in their care, local media reported. The teachers were detained hours after police searched the private school called Sakura Hoikuen in the city of Susono, local reports said on Sunday. This came after the city said on Wednesday that the teachers were involved in 15 cases of abuse between June and August, including holding 1-year-olds in their care upside down by their feet, forcibly removing their pants, and threatening them with knives, among other abusive acts. Police were expected to examine the records they have acquired.

SINGAPORE

Country to see new wave of COVID-19

Singaporeans should expect a new wave of COVID-19 infections with more people traveling and due to the upcoming year-end festivities, the Straits Times website quoted Health Minister Ong Ye Kung as saying on Sunday. "There is bound to be more infections but it is not something we have not seen before. This year alone, we have already seen three infection waves," he said. Ong said at an event held at Nanyang Junior College on Sunday that it is more important to monitor developments overseas and watch if a new variant of concern emerges when winter hits the Northern Hemisphere. Singapore reported 1,052 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total tally to 2,171,550.

IRAQ

PM completes cabinet formation

The Iraqi parliament approved the nomination of two more ministers on Saturday, completing Prime Minister Mohammed Shi'a al-Sudani's 23-member cabinet a month after the approval of his government. A statement by the parliament media office said the lawmakers approved by an absolute majority the nomination of Bangen Rekani as Minister of Construction, Housing, Municipalities and Public Works, and Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi as Minister of Environment. After the approval, the two were sworn in before the parliament, according to the statement.

PERU

President resolved on serving full term

Peruvian President Pedro Castillo on Friday said "nothing will prevent "him from serving his full term in office, a day after Peru's Congress voted to start impeachment proceedings against him for alleged "moral incompetence". Castillo voiced confidence that the "democratic sectors" of public authority and the social forces "will be on the side of institutionality and governability". Castillo said he welcomes a call to dialogue and a "political truce" between the executive and legislative branches of Peru made in a preliminary report by a high-level group of the Organization of American States, which visited the country on Nov 21-22.

Agencies - Xinhua