CAMBODIA
Two Cambodian journalists and a tuk-tuk driver have been sentenced after posting critical comments on Facebook about the government, in relation to the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. The sentences amount to four years’ imprisonment for the tuk-tuk driver, two years for one journalist, whilst an editor-in-chief was given a six-month suspended sentence. The driver, Hok Ren, aged 51, is the latest in a string of dozens of ordinary Cambodian citizens to have come under the government’s scrutiny due to comments posted on Facebook.
INDIA
Thousands of students, parents, activists and political leaders are marching through Delhi towards Parliament, after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organised a demonstration calling for reforms to the Indian education system. Hundreds of police officers and paramilitary personnel have been deployed. Tension has risen after the activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk – on his 21st day of a hunger strike in support of the CJP – was forcibly taken to hospital, where he is continuing his fast. Despite its name, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is not a political party. Originally launched as a satirical campaign, it has since evolved into one of India’s largest youth protest movements.
IRAN – UNITED STATES
Iran and the United States have exchanged fresh attacks as the conflict enters its ninth day: Washington has stated that it has launched a new wave of strikes inside Iran – targeting command centres, air defence posts and maritime assets – whilst Tehran has claimed to have struck US targets in Syria and Jordan. The latest escalation has pushed oil prices above $90 a barrel, whilst the British military reported that a ship was on fire south of the Strait of Hormuz.
CHINA
Wang Jibing, 56, has won one of China’s most prestigious literary awards – the Lu Xun Literary Prize, named after the writer regarded as the father of modern Chinese literature. This was for his poetry collection *Low Flight*, inspired by the daily challenges faced by delivery riders. Wang began working as a delivery rider around 2019, gaining popularity on social media. He is part of a large group of manual labourers who are being celebrated for their work, which offers an insight into the pressures they face.
FIFA WORLD CUP – SOUTH KOREA
BTS – the hugely popular South Korean hip-hop group – performed in the first ever half-time show – lasting a record 27 minutes – at a Football World Cup final. The event took place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Spain were crowned world champions after a 1–0 victory over Argentina. The seven-piece group performed a shortened version of their global hit ‘Dynamite’. Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira and Burna Boy also performed. BTS returned to the stage after a three-year hiatus due to compulsory military service in South Korea.
RUSSIA – USA – CHINA
Printed circuit board substrates from the American company Rogers, used in the manufacture of military radars and signal jammers, continue to reach Russia via Chinese intermediaries, as revealed by The Insider and Nordsint. Its materials, known as laminates, are indispensable for high-power electronics in the microwave and millimetre-wave bands, and air defence radars are particularly reliant on them. Rogers laminate is also the material of choice for the communication modules of conventional drones.
KAZAKHSTAN
According to the Kazakh Institute for Social Development (Kior), the level of trust in Kazakhstan’s president, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev, has reached 86.9 per cent. According to sociologists, 84.1 per cent of the population consider the socio-political situation in Kazakhstan to be ‘stable’ or ‘favourable’, 85.8 per cent of the population are satisfied with their lives, and 50.5 per cent have seen their situation improve over the past year. Among respondents aged between 18 and 28, 65.6 per cent hope to see an improvement in their lives over the coming year.
