Following the scandal involving the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, a new storm has erupted with Hu Chenglin, president of the Shaanxi Taoist Association – the cradle of this ancient religious tradition deeply rooted in China – being publicly accused. All this despite the emphasis on ‘moral rigour’ in the government’s directives to religions. But when faith is reduced to a ritualised political exercise, the exchange of interests becomes an even stronger temptation.
From 4 to 8 May, Sharks International 2026 took place, the world’s leading event in the sector for experts and enthusiasts. The event was attended by 800 people representing 82 countries, with over 800 papers presented. Sri Lanka is a crucial hotspot of high biodiversity in the Indian Ocean, yet heavily exploited for shark and ray fishing.
Today’s headlines: Trump raises cases of the arrested pastor and Jimmy Lai in talks with Xi: openness on the first, a wall on the second; Iranian authorities are denying medical treatment to a Christian convert, who is in prison with heart problems and two tumours; A new meeting between the South Korean president and the Japanese prime minister in Lee’s hometown; India’s anti-terrorism unit has charged 10 people responsible for an attack in Delhi in November and linked to al-Qaeda.
There is a growing popular demand for ‘left-wing’ politics. Among the demands is a tax on the super-rich in response to social inequality. Young people are joining radical left-wing groups in search of the ‘truth’ and clashing with Nazis on the streets. In a climate of weariness, any demand holds great potential. The steady, though not yet catastrophic, decline of United Russia and Putin.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court backs Hindu nationalists, ending the practice that since 2003 had allowed Muslims and Hindus to pray in the same historical complex on different days. The ruling specifically cites the Ayodhya case, which has had a domino effect in archaeological studies and claims in various parts of India.
The US president's long-awaited visit to the Chinese capital was marked by optimistic tones, but no joint statement on what the two leaders discussed. There is talk of deals on soybeans and new Boeing aircraft, but competition over artificial intelligence remains. Chinese analysts stress Xi Jinping’s notion of “constructive strategic stability”.
