Russia

| RUSSIA

With a joint statement, the autonomist leaders of Tatars, Circassians, Scandinavians, Baskirs and activists of other minorities reject the results of the local elections held throughout the country two weeks ago. The vote heavily influenced by the repression of every alternative voice to Putin is defined as a "shameful political farce" in a "Russian Federation that has no future"


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.

| 22/09/2023
| ASIA TODAY

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.

| 20/09/2023
| ASIA TODAY
by Vladimir Rozanskij

The fate of the Grozny strongman, whose militias are on the front line of the war in Ukraine, continues to hold sway in Russia despite the (uncertainly dated) videos circulated to deny that he is in serious health condition. Chechnya is neuralgic for political balances throughout the Federation.

| 19/09/2023
| RUSSIA

Today's headlines: prisoner exchange between the US and Iran; Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra could be granted parole at the end of February; Indonesia reassesses plans to relocate its citizens for Chinese industries; Beijing asks consulates in Hong Kong to share information on personnel; In South Korea, free therapy for teachers.

| 19/09/2023
| ASIA TODAY

Today's headlines: ChatGPT lands in Protestant churches in South Korea; Japanese municipalities are in favour of more foreign labour; A woman accused of kidnapping and trafficking children is sentenced to death in China; India beats Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup cricket final; The Mufti of Uzbekistan speaks out against the burqa.

| 18/09/2023
| ASIA TODAY

Today's news: Afghan Taliban have arrested 18 members of an NGO. Japan has a record number of centenarians, 73.74 per 100,000 people. Five Indonesians in six prefer democracy to strongman rule. Not seen for weeks, China’s Defence minister is thought to be under investigation for corruption. Ignoring warnings, hundreds of devout Jews, many with young children, are on pilgrimage to the Ukrainian city of Uman. Turkey and Russia resume talks over building a natural gas hub in Turkey.

| 16/09/2023
| ASIA TODAY
Editor's choices
 
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| 21/09/2023
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| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
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| 12/09/2023
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| 12/09/2023
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| 11/09/2023
| VIETNAM – UNITED STATES
 
by Andrea Lembo *
At the funeral of the auxiliary bishop of Tokyo, the PIME missionary, who replaced him at the helm of the Shinsei Kaikan Catholic Cultural Centre, remembered the prelate who loved to refer to God through the typically Japanese image of hot spring water. ...
| 06/09/2023
| JAPAN
 
On the same day that Pope Francis praised Mongolian culture and traditions, the authorities in China’s Inner Mongolia region, where a fifth of the population is Mongolian, described them as “historical nihilism” in the name of sinicisation. ...
| 05/09/2023
| CHINA – MONGOLIA – VATICAN
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”