Today's headlines: Assad in Beijing collects support for Syrian reconstruction from Xi Jinping; India-China clash over visas for three female athletes from Arunachal Pradesh at the Asian Games; South Korean opposition leader facing arrest warrant breaks hunger strike; In Mariupol so many Russian soldiers hospitalised, there is no more room for civilians in hospitals.
In a Senate hearing, the Philippine authorities admit that the country remains at the top of the sad rankings on the worldwide spread of the phenomenon. "Serious shortcomings in terms of computer security: we lack the tools to identify the perpetrators of these crimes and reach them".
Today's headlines: clashes continue in Manipur, 10 injured yesterday; In Laos, the debt trap with China may be bigger than imagined; Dust and volcanic gases in the Philippines cause school closures; In South Korea, video game champions might get exemption from military service; Still no agreement for Nagorno-Karabakh after the capitulation of Armenian militias under fire from Azerbaijani army; African countries abandon the rouble for the Chinese yuan in purchases from Russia.
The Philippines plans to go before a yet-to-be-named international tribunal seeking damages against Chinese vessels operating in the Philippine section of the disputed South China Sea China’s aggressive policy is blamed. Beijing rejects the accusations; instead, it points the finger at Japan over its release of contaminated waters from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Today's headlines: Monsoons hike vegetable costs in Malaysia; Two environmental activists released in the Philippines; India is proposing a bill to reserve some seats in Parliament for women; Saudi Arabia, the talks with the Houthi representatives for peace in Yemen were positive; In Russia, the Chinese yuan is increasingly used; Moldova is implementing a "war mobility" project.
Pope Francis expelled Pio Aclon, who served in the Diocese of Borongan, after an enquiry; the decision was read in all parishes. For the Bishops' Conference, “there will be no cover-up on the sexual abuse cases involving the clergy.”
