CHINA
A six-year-old Chinese girl is reported to have died in March 2025 after receiving an experimental gene therapy to treat Snijders Blok-Campeau syndrome, a rare, non-fatal genetic disorder. An investigation by Science and Retraction Watch claims that the parents, who had funded the treatment with over $800,000, had not been adequately informed of the risks. The girl died a week after the infusion. The researcher in charge is said to have subsequently published a study in Nature without citing the case.
In response to the allegations, the Faculty of Medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University stated that it attaches “the utmost importance” to the case and has set up a special working group to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
JAPAN
Japan intends to tighten the criteria for obtaining permanent residence as early as October, according to local media reports. Among the planned changes is a requirement for applicants to demonstrate an income higher than the average for Japanese households. Furthermore, applicants must be able to count on a future pension equivalent to that accrued after 30 years of contributions to the employees’ pension scheme, calculated on the basis of their declared income. The new guidelines, which are still in draft form according to the Asahi Shimbun, aim to tighten the requirements for obtaining permanent residence.
INDIA-UKRAINE
Two days after the death of a seafarer in an attack on a ship in the Black Sea, the Indian government has urged its citizens to exercise extreme caution when considering assignments on ships operating in the area. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, five Indian seafarers have died. Attacks on commercial vessels have increased since April 2026, with missiles and drones striking ships in transit. On 18 July, another vessel with an Indian crew was attacked after departing from Odessa. Risks also remain high in the waters of the Gulf, where thirteen Indian citizens have died and three are missing.
ISRAEL-PALESTINE
Whilst settler violence in the West Bank continues unabated – with two mosques set alight last night – and opinion polls consistently show the governing coalition in a minority ahead of the upcoming elections on 27 October, the internal tribunal of Likud, the party of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected the leader’s attempt to cancel the primaries scheduled for 17 August “should they be unable to take place due to the war”. Netanyahu had proposed entrusting the selection of Knesset candidates to a committee appointed by him. According to the party’s judges, there is no reason to postpone or cancel the primaries, emphasising that Likud “is not a one-man party” and would lose its identity if it became one. Some MPs fear that, in the face of these difficulties, Netanyahu may seek to tighten his grip on the candidate selection process.
THAILAND
In just one week in Thailand, online scams have defrauded victims of over 177 million baht (over 4.6 million euros – ed.). According to the police’s Anti-Cyber-Scam Centre, 5,716 complaints were filed between 19 and 25 July – 220 more than the previous week – although financial losses fell by around 22 million baht. False offers to sell goods and services remain the most common form of fraud, with 4,429 cases (77.5 per cent of the total) and over 48 million baht stolen. Bangkok recorded the highest losses, followed by Nonthaburi and Khon Kaen.
RUSSIA
The Moscow Duma has approved a bill that includes assisted reproduction techniques in the free medical care programme for widows of war veterans and the wives of disabled veterans. In vitro fertilisation procedures will be free of charge, but citizens will have to cover the costs of collecting and cryopreserving biological material themselves. The spouse must also provide, whilst still alive, consent authenticated by a notary for the use of their biological material after death.
KYRGYZSTAN
The National History Museum in Bishkek hosted an event marking the 40-day countdown to the 6th World Nomad Games. Information on the preparations for the Games, including the venues and cultural events, was presented to the public, and the event was attended by actors, singers, bloggers, artists, media representatives and other prominent figures. Altynbek Maksutov, director of the cultural programme for the Games, spoke about the Kyrčyn ethnic village currently under construction and the other cultural events to be held.
