Vincenzo Faccioli Pintozzi

Tensions rise between Seoul and Tokyo sparked by controversy over abuses during World War II, compensation claims, differences of view on North Korea. This has led the two nations to interrupt different channels of dialogue. The Churches of the two countries at the forefront of reconciliation.

South Korean president Moon Jae-in "ready to welcome" the North Korean dictator at the ASEAN summit to be held in Busan in late November. The visit, explains the democratic leader, "would give Pyongyang the possibility of developing cooperation plans with the nations of South-East Asia".

Shin Ok-ju heads the Grace Road Church, a quasi-Christian group that preached the imminent end of the world. She convinced at least 400 South Koreans to move to Fiji to avoid doomsday. Once there, they had their passports taken away and were subjected to abuse.

The shrine is one of the most famous and visited in the whole of Japan. The monks have decided to share offerings intended for maintenance with the neediest in Nara prefecture. The Otera Oyatsu Club has 1,250 participating temples and is fighting to eliminate child malnutrition.

The protest is being held to denounce last Sunday’s violence. Although without authorisation, organisers decided to go ahead anyway. For weeks, Honk Kong has been the scene of large-scale protests against a pro-Beijing law.

The Taiwan government wants to increase penalties against those who spread misinformation designed to influence next January’s presidential elections, which will pit incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen from the Democratic Progressive Party against pro-mainland challenger Han Kuo-yu from the Nationalist (Kuomintang) Party.

The tremors reached magnitudes 5.4 and 5.9 respectively. No tsunami warning was issued. People died in their sleep under their collapsed homes. At least 60 people were injured.

The industrial sector has been hit hard in the past year. Almost two million jobs disappeared because of the clash with Washington. The politburo seeks new ways to shore up employment, a key sector for the country’s political and social stability. Meanwhile, multinationals leave.

Before meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Khan at the White House, the US president talked about the relationship with Pyongyang. The two sides are in touch again: That is “very positive”. For Trump, when the two are “ready we'll be meeting" to discuss denuclearisation.

The ruling coalition won 71 seats in the Upper House but sees chances of reforming the constitution to boost military slip away. Abe is only a few months from becoming Japan’s longest-lasting prime minister.

Yesterday nearly half a million people took to the streets. The protesters want the Territory government to renounce the notorious extradition law. At the end of the protest, some "bandits" attacked a group of democrats who were returning home: almost 50 wounded.

Chinese officials in charge of Hong Kong affairs are working on an action plan to present to the country’s leaders. Hong Kong police will be key to handle protests. Beijing continues to support Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, but she has to clean up “the mess she created.”