Following is a abstract of present world information briefs.

Brittney Griner’s return reignites debate about prisoner swaps

Thursday’s launch of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner in change for a convicted Russian arms seller has resurfaced an previous query: Do prisoner swaps do extra hurt than good? Amid the celebrations following Griner’s return some critics, together with members of Congress and federal legislation enforcement, argued such trades solely encourage international states to focus on Americans to achieve leverage over the United States.

Russian-installed Kherson official says withdrawing hryvnia from circulation in January

The Russian-installed administration of Ukraine’s Kherson area stated on Saturday that it had begun altering regionally circulated Ukrainian hryvnia forex into Russian roubles, with hryvnia circulation in Moscow-controlled areas of the area to finish on Jan. 1. In a video printed on Telegram by the area’s Moscow-appointed administration, Andrei Peretonkin, head of the Russian central financial institution’s native department, stated: “For the sake of the convenience of residents and to allow for a smoother integration of the region into the Russian economic space, this week banks in Kherson region began currency exchange operations.”

Nobel awards to happen in Stockholm with full glitz and glamour

Nobel laureates congregated within the Swedish capital Stockholm on Saturday for the primary totally in-person award ceremonies full with a proper banquet because the COVID-19 pandemic that curtailed occasions prior to now two years. The ceremony begins at 1500 GMT and options glamorous formal put on, with the boys in white tie and tails and ladies in flowing robes and stylish hairdos. Ceremonies in 2020 and 2021 have been scaled again and there was no banquet.

One killed, a number of lacking after explosion on island of Jersey

One individual was killed and plenty of others have been lacking after an explosion early on Saturday morning at a block of flats on the island of Jersey, off the coast of northern France. “Tragically we have one confirmed fatality,” Robin Smith, Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police, stated in a video assertion. The explosion occurred simply earlier than 0400 GMT and the fireplace has since been extinguished.

Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai jailed over 5 years on fraud cost

Pro-democracy Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Saturday to 5 years and 9 months in jail for fraud, convicted of violating a lease contract for the headquarters of a liberal newspaper he used to run. Lai, 75, was discovered responsible of two counts of fraud for protecting up the operations of a non-public firm, Dico Consultants Ltd, on the headquarters of the now shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, in what was dominated a breach of its land lease.

Tunisians protest in opposition to president every week earlier than parliamentary elections

Hundreds of Tunisians protested on Saturday in opposition to President Kais Saied every week earlier than elections to a brand new parliament created by his constitutional modifications, accusing him of an undemocratic coup. Saied shut down the earlier parliament final yr and dominated by decree earlier than rewriting the structure this yr to present the presidency extra powers, strikes rejected by most political events.

Police in Germany’s Dresden give all-clear after hostage-taking

Police stated they’d ended a suspected hostage-taking within the jap German metropolis of Dresden on Saturday, after evacuating a shopping center within the historic metropolis centre and shutting the well-known Striezelmarkt Christmas market. “All-clear! The hostage situation in #Dresden is over!” police stated on Twitter, including that two individuals who seemed to be unhurt have been in its care.

Ukraine will get extra U.S. help as Russia-Iran ties fear West

The United States introduced new army help for Ukraine on Friday and vowed to disrupt Russian ties with Iran, which a British envoy stated concerned Moscow looking for tons of of ballistic missiles and providing unprecedented army help in return. Tehran and Moscow have denied Western accusations that Russia is utilizing Iranian drones to assault targets in Ukraine, the place officers warned on Friday of a winter-long energy deficit after repeated Russian assaults on its power infrastructure.

China tackles medical provide snags, worth gouging amid COVID fears

China stated on Saturday it might cease checking truck drivers and ship crew transporting items domestically for COVID-19, eradicating a key bottleneck from its provide chain community as a dismantling of the nation’s zero-COVID coverage gathers pace. The nation this week made a dramatic pivot towards financial reopening, loosening key components of the COVID coverage in a shift that has been welcomed by a weary public but additionally is now stoking issues that infections might spike and trigger additional disruptions.

Taiwan pledges deeper Japan safety cooperation as senior lawmaker visits

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen pledged on Saturday to deepen safety cooperation with Japan to make sure freedom within the Indo-Pacific, throughout a gathering with a senior member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Although Japan and Chinese-claimed and democratically ruled Taiwan do not need formal diplomatic ties, they’ve shut unofficial relations and each share issues about China, particularly its elevated army actions close to them.

(With inputs from businesses.)