Emanuele Scimia

Clashes with guards in protective suits. Demands for end to restrictions. Anti-Covid-19 health measures blamed for the deaths of 10 people yesterday in a building fire. Demonstrations multiply across the country. In Chongqing a man arrested for demanding freedom in public.

The fundamentalist formation won the most seats in the election with a message focused on religion. In the Federation states where it is in power, it has banned cinemas and allowed the caning of homosexuals. The new premier said he wants to work instead for inclusion among different ethnicities and faiths.

Today's headlines: the treatment of women in Afghanistan judged a crime against humanity; The technology war between the U.S. and China continues; Laos fails to stop crime in the Golden Triangle; Qatar will lend $10 billion to Turkey; Ukrainian Orthodox Church increasingly distances itself from Moscow.; Armenia-Russia disagreements over Yerevan's conflict with Azerbaijan.

Accused along with five pro-democracy figures of failing to register the charity in accordance with the law. The cardinal refused to accept a lighter sentence than his co-defendants. The maximum sentence imposed is €492. According to the defence, the trial was an attack on freedom of assembly.

Despite being shut out of the SWIFT international payments system, Russia did not turn to China’s (CIPS). Putin was betting on the yuan-centred system to replace the one based on the dollar after the attack on Ukraine. Refineries in China have stopped buying crude oil from Russia for December, waiting to see the effect of new Western sanctions on Russia’s oil sector.

The situation is still tense at Foxconn in Zhengzhou, the world's leading iPhone assembler. About 412 million Chinese are in lockdown. Contagions are also on the rise in Beijing. International Monetary Fund: China's year-end growth forecast at 3.2%; recommended strengthening of vaccination campaign to reverse negative trend.

The Philippines and China claim parts of the vast body of water. The US vice president visits Palawan Island, near the crisis area. Washington wants to boost its military presence in the island nation, proposing to build two outposts in the Philippine province nearest to Taiwan.

They prefer small jobs to boring and poorly paid employment in the manufacturing industry, the beating heart of the national economic miracle. More than 80% of companies in the sector have labour SHORTAGE problems. They are turning to the use of robots or transferring operations abroad to keep production going.

North Korean ballistic rocket falls near Japan as Chinese president meets with Asia-Pacific leaders in Bangkok. On 15 November at the opening of the G20 in Bali almost 100 Russian missiles had hit Ukraine. Xi-Kishida meeting: Tokyo calls for Beijing's contribution to curb Pyongyang; differences over Senkaku islands and Taiwan.

For Xi Jinping, the new Pericles, China’s “consultative” democracy is the true one since it involves everyone. Yet, China’s regime forgot to consult everyone, like the people who continue to protest against anti-COVID lockdowns, or dissidents, be they religious or academic, who languish in prison or lose their job for not toeing the party line.

There are distinctions in the text, but it is the first time since the outbreak of the conflict that the Chinese have signed a document of this magnitude. The 'limitless' friendship between China and Russia seems less and less solid. Beijing calls for restraint after missile falls on Polish territory.

The goal is to split Beijing from Moscow by working on the global economic crisis. Australian Prime Minister holds a “constructive” meeting with Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader and France’s Macron oppose the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Beijing is ready to speed up a trade deal with South Korea. Now everyone is waiting for the summit’s final declaration.