World News Roundup: Polish truckers start round-the-clock blockade of fourth Ukrainian border crossing; North Korea vows more satellite launches, beefs up military on border and more

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, looms large over the Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary election as it has ramped up military pressure against the island. China's respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic - WHO official The spike in respiratory illnesses that China is currently suffering is not as high as before the COVID-19 pandemic, a World Health Organisation official said, reiterating that no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent cases.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Polish truckers start round-the-clock blockade of fourth Ukrainian border crossing

Polish truckers and farmers started a round-the-clock blockade of access on Monday to Medyka, one of the busiest border crossings with Ukraine, extending a protest that has left thousand of lorries stranded for days in queues that stretch for miles. The truckers say they are losing out to Ukrainian companies which offer cheaper prices for their services and which are now transporting goods within the European Union, rather than just between the bloc and Ukraine.

Three dead as storm hits Crimea and Russia's Black Sea coast

Fierce storms killed three people on the Russian and Crimean Black Sea coast on Monday, with hundreds evacuated. State news agency TASS reported that one person had been killed in the resort city of Sochi, another on the Russian-held Crimean peninsula, and a third person onboard a vessel in the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from the Russian mainland.

Sierra Leone's capital quiet after attack on barracks

The streets of Sierra Leone's capital Freetown were still mostly empty early on Monday despite the government lifting a curfew imposed because of an attack on a military barracks. The government said security forces had repelled "renegade soldiers" who attempted to break into a military armoury in Freetown during the early hours of Sunday.

Israel, Hamas raise concerns over lists of people due to be freed, says official

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas have raised concerns over the lists of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners due to be released on Monday, the final day of an agreed four-day pause in the fighting, an official briefed on the matter said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Qatari mediators were working with Israel and Hamas to resolve the issues and avoid delays.

Tears and laughter on Gaza beach as children get break from war

Children played on a Gaza beach as displaced families left their cramped shelters for a short break during the truce between Israel and Hamas, but amid the laughter their parents could not forget the hardships of war and homelessness. As children splashed in the shallow water, jumping over small waves, adults in bare feet watched from the shore. Asmaa al-Sultan, a displaced woman from northern Gaza, sat on the sand with her arm around her mother. The older woman was crying quietly.

Beijing frets over Taiwan opposition split as parties go on the attack over China ties

Beijing is fretting that a split in Taiwan's opposition could pave the way for the island's ruling party - which the Chinese government despises - to stay in power, as China took centre stage in election campaigning over the weekend. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, looms large over the Jan. 13 presidential and parliamentary election as it has ramped up military pressure against the island.

China's respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic - WHO official

The spike in respiratory illnesses that China is currently suffering is not as high as before the COVID-19 pandemic, a World Health Organisation official said, reiterating that no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent cases. Maria Van Kerkhove, acting director of the WHO's department of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said the increase appeared to be driven by a rise in the number of children contracting pathogens that they had avoided during two years of COVID restrictions.

In Russia, war and fear trouble one presidential hopeful

Yekaterina Duntsova, who wants to run for president, said the Kremlin should end the conflict in Ukraine, free political prisoners and undertake major reform to halt the slide towards a new era of "barbed wire" division between Russia and the West. Nearly 32 years since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union stoked hopes that Russia would blossom into an open democracy, Duntsova, 40, said she was afraid as she spoke to Reuters in Moscow.

Almost 30 schools closed in Belgium due to bomb alert

Numerous Belgian schools in Brussels and the Brabant region will remain closed to pupils on Monday after a late Sunday evening bomb alert, the Wallonie-Bruxelles Enseignement administration body said on its web page. The 27 schools, which the organising authority decided to close "in strict compliance with the precautionary principle", are being inspected by the police with further information expected throughout the day.

North Korea vows more satellite launches, beefs up military on border

North Korea warned on Monday it would continue to exercise its sovereign rights, including through satellite launches, while its troops were reported to be restoring some demolished guard posts on the border with South Korea. North Korea's foreign ministry said the launch of a reconnaissance satellite last week was prompted by the need to monitor the United States and its allies, state media KCNA reported.