Paolo Fossati

Prime Minister Abe promises aid for the repatriation and relocation of Myanmar refugees. During her official visit, the Myanmar leader held bilateral talks to encourage investment and trade between Japan and Myanmar. The Rohingya crisis has had a negative impact on Myanmar’s economy.

His presence had become "a distraction from everyday activities". Thich Quang Do was under house arrest since 2003 for his commitment to religious freedom and democracy. The elderly monk has returned to his remote province of origin.

Addressing inequality does not depend on a country’s wealth but on political will. The gap between the super-rich and the rest of humanity continues to grow. Most of the world's wealth is concentrated in three regions: North America, Europe and Asia. The total number of Asia’s billionaires rose to 784, toping North America’s 727.

The summit will be held in Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay, central Myanmar, on 15 October. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Armed Forces commander-in-chief and the representatives of ten militias that signed the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) will be present to discuss the basic principles for a future federal system of government and the policy of one army.

The “positively developing situation on the Korean Peninsula” was at the centre of the talks. For Kim, the dialogue between the two countries will continue "based on the deep confidence between the two leaders". South Korean President Moon Jae-in says China’s Xi Jinping will visit North Korea in the near future, whilst Kim is expected in Russia.

Rescue teams will continue search operations for the missing until next October 11th. The government has announced that it will declare destroyed Palu areas "mass graves" and leave them "intact". There are 200,000 people in desperate need. Food and clean water are scarce and many of the 70,000 displaced people still depend on aid. More than 82 thousand military and civilians, in addition to volunteers, assist the survivors on the ground, while the army helicopters reach the remote areas.

Myanmar’s “blatant violation of human rights" is the cause, said EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom. European officials will vet the possibility of stripping Myanmar of a special trade status. EU is also set to punish Cambodia for restrictions on democracy.

The ads posted on the Carousell website sparked controversy and outrage in Indonesia. Singapore’s Labour Ministry slapped 243 charges on company and employee responsible for posts. The city-state has about 250,000 maids, mostly from Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar.

Vietnamese President Trần Đại Quang died on 21 September after a long illness. Đặng Thị Ngọc Trinh became acting president, Vietnam’s first female head of state. Conservative and the regime’s strongman, the 74-year-old Trọng is behind a major crackdown against corruption. He is expected to take office in a few weeks.

Each settlement will include a market, a school, a public park and a clinic. The Burmese government continues to repeat that the country "is ready to welcome refugees". Facilities already built in 19 locations, some of which are for Rakhine ethnic people. Taking advantage of the widespread feeling of fear, the nationalists demand that the Muslim and Buddhist communities be separated.

During the homily, Pope Francis was moved when he addressed them "a warm welcome". The two Synodal Fathers are Mgr Joseph Guo Jincai and Mgr John Baptist Yang Xiaoting. For one priest, "Today at the Synod there are only two bishops, but in the future, we hope to see many more.”

Researchers at the Chinese University in Hong Kong published a study on ground-level ozone (O3) and fine particulate in China. Industry is the main cause of both pollutants. The average concentration of PM2.5 in Chinese cities is more than twice the world average.