Under pressure from local businessmen, Parliament wants to relax stringent regulations on the protection of the sea and working conditions on fishing vessels, which are often linked to human trafficking. The current law had been passed in 2015 under pressure from the European Union, which threatened a ban on local fish products. But now, with industrial production in crisis, Thailand hopes to catch up by 'liberalising' the sector.
The economic crisis is being felt by street vendors for Avurudu, the national holiday celebrated in these hours that marks the beginning of the year for both Sinhalas and Tamils.
Today's news: Crowds rush to return to Gaza City but Israeli army does not open check-point; Landslides in Sulawesi cause 18 deaths; Hanoi also wants to establish a demarcation line in the Gulf of Tonkin, in response to China; Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes let fellow Chinese win the Beijing half-marathon.
Having archived the historic friendship between Putin and Netanyahu, the change in Russian-Israeli relations did not begin on 7 October 2023, but when Israel began openly supporting Ukraine more than a year earlier. And on the Moscow-Tehran-Beijing axis, Middle Eastern issues are both symbolic and practical.
In many regions of the two countries, rivers have been flooding since the beginning of April. Among the worst affected areas are the Kazakh region of Atyrau and the Russian city of Orsk. Astana rejects the criticism that it did not manage the discharge of snow accumulations properly. There is controversy over the Russian civil defence not taking measures to mitigate the impact of the water.
After Iran attacks Israel, Francis issues an appeal in St Peter's Square to avoid "an even greater military conflict”. Instead, nations should stand for peace and pursue the paths of negotiation. Calling for a two-state solution, he insists that this is a “deep and legitimate desire" for Israelis and Palestinians. On Gaza, “Let us help that population, plunged into a humanitarian catastrophe”.
