North Asia

The Russians are used to considering the countries of the 'Asian backyard' as a natural part of their sphere of influence, and Moscow can hardly rejoice at the Turks' activism in the region. But Putin today is nevertheless forced to maintain good relations with Erdogan.

Mongolia signed a declaration with other countries in favour of the development of nuclear power to reduce greenhouse gases. This is one of the country's latest initiatives to promote its domestic mining industry, which represents an important part of the country’s economy. This will require a reassessment of relations with Russia.

Many people merge and mix with the figure of the president in economic, military, religious, and social affairs, but also for ideological and cultural reasons.

Today's news: 309 people have died in attacks by Myanmar's coup junta on civilians since the beginning of the resistance counter-offensive; Widodo's government intends to return almost 1,500 Rohingya to Myanmar. In Russia; Prigožin's son takes over 'family' businesses; North Korea closed its embassies in Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo

The local authorities have decided to close the museum room where the famous writer Varlam Šalamov wrote the Tales of Kolyma, the most intense narration of the life of the deportees in Siberia at the time of Stalin. The decision followed a complaint about the precarious condition of the building, a symbol of a memory that is increasingly troublesome in Russia today.

Today's news: 462 Chinese citizens arrested in Laos. Freedom of the press is increasingly squeezed in Malaysia. Taiwan tries again to join the CPTPP. Afghanistan gets the release of some funds from the World Bank. There is an ongoing measles epidemic in Russia. The New Zealand government wants to abolish the use of the Maori language

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.

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

Convened in Moscow in the two symbolic places par excellence - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Kremlin's Congress Hall - the "Sobor" became a celebration of a "multinational people," which in every way opposes the disintegration of the state, and defends its greatness beyond all borders.

At the Moskovskaya Premiera Film Festival, the work of young director Eduard Žolnin, entitled Angelus, offers a metaphysical reinterpretation of small everyday things that recalls the great masterpieces of Andrei Tarkovsky.

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.

At the Minsk summit, Kazakhstan's President Tokaev responded to Secretary Tasmagambetov (a Moscow loyalist) by saying that 'there is no need to constantly raise alarms, even when problems exist'. There is a tendency for several members of the post-Soviet alliance to sideline themselves in pursuit of their own national interests.