NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
Syria war: Damascus and its allies clashed Monday with other nations at the annual conference of member states of the global chemical weapons watchdog, underscoring how politicized the body has become since Syria joined. Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad used the opening day of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons meeting to denounce an international investigation that last month accused Damascus of launching a deadly sarin attack in April. European Union representative Jacek Bylica, however, said the investigation showed “a clear case of violation” of the treaty outlawing chemical weapons and said “the perpetrators of such horrific crimes must be held accountable.”
Missing submarine: Water entered the snorkel of an Argentine submarine and caused one of its batteries to short circuit before the vessel went missing 12 days ago, a navy spokesman said Monday. Hopes for survivors have been largely crushed by reports of an explosion detected near the time and place where the ARA San Juan was last heard from on Nov. 15. Since then, there have been no signs of the sub or debris despite an intensive multinational search. Experts have said the 44 sailors aboard had only enough oxygen to last up to 10 days if the sub remained intact but submerged. Before the submarine went missing, the captain reported an electrical problem in a battery compartment and the vessel was ordered to return to its base in the coastal city of Mar del Plata.
Poland probe: Police issued a public appeal for witnesses Monday after unknown attackers smashed windows at a Muslim cultural center in the capital of Warsaw, while prosecutors opened a probe into a far-right protest in the south of the country over the weekend. About a dozen windows were shattered overnight at the Muslim center. No one was hurt. Acts of hatred and xenophobia are being reported more frequently in Poland since the Law and Justice party came to power two years ago. The government promotes Catholicism and refuses to take in non-Christian refugees as part of an European Union relocation plan, citing security concerns.
Secession poll: A month after Spain cracked down on Catalonia’s drive for independence, an opinion poll shows that less than a quarter of the region’s residents would like the secession bid to continue after the Dec. 21 election. The poll published Monday in El Pais newspaper showed 24 percent of Catalans favor pressing ahead with independence after the election while 71 percent would prefer an agreement with the central government on resolving Catalonia’s problems within Spain. Spain fired Catalonia’s government, dissolved the regional parliament and called the election after lawmakers there declared independence Oct. 27. Former regional leader Carles Puigdemont is fighting extradition from Belgium.
India evictions: Police on Monday took the unusual step of using elephants in an attempt to evict hundreds of people living illegally in a protected forest in the country’s remote northeast. Police used bulldozers and the elephants in a show of force, and the forest dwellers responded by hurling rocks. Police commissioner Hiren Nath said five protesters were injured in a scuffle after police used tear gas in the Amchang forest area in Assam state. State Forest Minister Pramilla Brahma said the area is an elephant habitat and the unauthorized settlements were forcing the pachyderms to leave in search of food. Wild elephants have entered villages, destroyed crops and even killed people.