Anthropic has documented the use of Claude to track Catholic and Tibetan Buddhist leaders, Christians in Taiwan, and the Falun Gong. A religious affairs intelligence unit that once employed many teams has been reduced to a single office, yet this is enough to produce thousands of investigations per month.
Today's news: the Hong Kong government wants to prosecute activist Agnes Chow in Canada too. Israel accuses Hamas of using sexual violence as a weapon of war. After the death of 6 Nepalese soldiers in the Russian army, the Himalayan country has asked Moscow to no longer recruit its citizens. A cyclone in India has caused at least 9 deaths and displaced 8,000 people.
From Canada the words of the Catholic activist - already imprisoned for the 2019 protests - recounting her suffering from continued police pressure even after her release from prison in 2021. She only regained her passport to attend a master's programme in Toronto after a 'patriotic education' trip to Shenzhen and 'letters of repentance'. The troubled choice of exile. "For such a powerful country to send people who fight for democracy to prison is not proof of vulnerability?".
The Climate Action Network granted its annual award during the climate conference, noting that the Kishida government has been making a sale pitch for renewable energy linked to oil, gas and coal projects. Japan is one of more than 20 countries that announced plans in Dubai to triple global nuclear energy by 2050.
Today's news: Red Crescent volunteers also among victims of new Israeli bombings in northern and southern Gaza; Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party have won three of the four state elections, a prelude to the 2024 general election; 11 people are confirmed dead and 12 missing following the eruption of the Marapi volcano in Indonesia
Seeking a better life with fewer constraints on their crisis-hit businesses. Tokyo and Osaka represent attractive alternatives to Singapore, where prices have skyrocketed. The fallout on the Japanese real estate market.
At least 200 farmers tried to rally at the presidential office with a lorry full of caged dogs but police stopped them before they could release the animals. Failure to include farmers in the discussions over the bill to ban dog breeding for human consumption and poor compensation for going out of business were the main cause of the protest.
A practice used as a tool of class struggle during the Cultural Revolution. The president has decided to revive the old model of social governance promoted by Mao 60 years ago, mobilising the masses to 'solve problems at the local level'. In reality, it is a way to control discontent and the economic crisis. Fears of strengthening surveillance.
Recognition of the photo and video collection is sought for 2025, 80th anniversary of the US attack. If accepted, it will be the first time that documents related to the atomic bomb are added to the UN organisation's Memory of the World Register.
The troubles of a Henan couple have been trending on Chinese social media. After paying a hefty down payment for an unfinished apartment, they were roughed up when they complained while their social media videos were censored. They eventually decided to return to their hometown. The “most diligent, law-abiding, and optimistic citizens do not deserve the Chinese dream” reads one, bitter online comment, echoing a political slogan proposed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Today's news: In a meeting in Busan, the governments of China, Japan and South Korea explore a way to restart cooperation after a period of high tensions; Beijing launches an investigation into one of the country's most important shadow banks; India has increased its milk production by almost 23% in five years; The Bay of Bengal hosts joint exercises between the armies of India and Russia; Ašgabat starts distributing cheap flour rations.
The first avian flu case of the season was found on a farm in Saga Prefecture. Last year, the country had to cull 17.71 million chickens because of the virus. The local prefecture, the government, and the World Health Organisation are mobilising to put in place countermeasures to prevent the spread of the H5N1 virus.
Today's headlines: Special anti-migrant checkpoints have been set up at the Finland-Russia border. The Philippines is considering rejoining the International Criminal Court. Anti-junta militias continue to advance in Myanmar. To boost tourism and business, China will allow travellers from six countries, including Italy, to enter the country visa-free as of 1 December.
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