Today's headlines: students arrested for attempted assault on Japanese embassy in Seoul released, further investigation under consideration; Attempts at rapprochement, and border agreement, between Xi and Modi at BRICS summit; Vietnamese youth traffickedin Laos under pretext of jobs; 22-year-old ex-soldier tours Taiwan island for a month warning of imminent risk of war with China; The flight of Russians over war in Ukraine reaches record numbers, more than a million in one year.
Today's news: Lao police arrest Chinese human rights lawyer who defended Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates. Suicide bombing in Pakistan kills at least 44 people and wounds another 200. Seven satellites made in Singapore were successfully launched from India. In Herat the Taliban torch musical instruments that “cause the youth to go astray.” At the Russia-Africa summit, Putin rewards the Zimbabwean president for his "loyalty".
Like Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia is still reeling from the devastating effects of unexploded ordnance. Both Russia and Ukraine have already used this type of weaponry. US President Joe Biden announced supplies for Ukraine. Human Rights Watch reports that China and Russia “are both actively researching and developing new types of cluster munitions.”
Qiao Xinxin was detained in a cross-border operation by Beijing security forces. According to local sources, he was picked up by three Laotian and six Chinese police officers linked to the Communist Party. The dissident and former contributor to Radio Free Asia founded the 'Internet Firewall of China' movement against net restrictions.
The meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations opens today until Thursday. Indonesian President Jokowi proposes a " forum for dialogue " to end violence in Myanmar (ex-Burma), which "harms innocent people". Indonesian and Singaporean diplomats fired upon in Shan State are unharmed.
Today's headlines: Manipur issues "shoot on sight" order to curb violence between ethnic groups; Bloody day in Pakistan with 16 killed, including seven teachers; May 7 Arab League foreign ministers ready to normalize relations with Damascus, isolated Qatar; Fires in northern Laos have burned half the forest land.
