Today's headlines: birthrates in South Korea drop again, below 250,000 for first time; Cantonese language targeted in Hong Kong over national security law; India grants Singapore exemption from its freeze on rice exports; More than one million Pakistanis have migrated to Gulf countries since April 2022.
A summit between the Cooperation Council of the Gulf States and Central Asian countries was held in Jeddah. The aim: to broaden economic cooperation starting from religious commonality. Every year about 50,000 Saudi tourists visit the historical cities of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
Today's headlines: Pyongyang launches 12th ballistic missile of the year after days of threats to the US; Bahrain first nation in the world for calorie consumption, over 4,000 per capita; Chinese naval base in Cambodia will accommodate warships and aircraft carriers; In first, Taiwan military exercises to include the defence of the international airport; After child deaths, Delhi wants to raise drug standards; In rural Russian Far East only 3.2% of homes have hot and drinkable water, heating, electricity.
Data from Israel’s Defence Ministry show defence exports top US$ 12.5 billion. Accords partners represent about 25 per cent of the total. Sales jumped by 50 per cent over the previous three years. Asia-Pacific accounted for 30 per cent of sales, followed by Europe with 29 per cent.
Today's headlines: Iran sets record with 142 executions in May, at least 307 since start of year; Japan launches "special bonds" to finance child care plans; Annual inflation in Pakistan hits 38 percent, highest figure among South Asian countries; Jakarta offers "golden visa" to attract talent from around the world; Bangladesh looks to Qatar for liquefied natural gas supply; A new church for the Russian Orthodox community in Manama.
The Shura Council 'unanimously' repealed the controversial Article 353 of the Penal Code. It allowed rapists to avoid jail time by marrying the victim. For the Minister of Justice now 'they will not escape just punishment'. The rules must be updated 'as societies and cultures evolve'.
