Today's headlines: Indonesians forced to pray outdoors as earthquake relief operations continue; In Malaysia parties ponder joining the national unity government or not; the Cuban president visits Xi Jinping; in South Korea the truckers' strike continues; India proposes a new law on online personal data.
RUSSIA
Online Russian employment aganecies advertise vacancies for manual laborers to go and dig trenches in Ukraine in occupied areas, with the promise of payment for travel, board and lodging, as well as a salary of 7,000 roubles (about 150 euro) for 10 hours of work a day, providing private houses vacated by displaced persons or fugitives.
ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN
The Csto Eurasian military alliance is meeting in Yerevan to decide whether to intervene collectively in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, helping the Armenians in ways yet to be defined. Meanwhile, protests continue in Yeravan against the arrival of Vladimir Putin, organised by opposition parties.
INDONESIA
Hundreds of Indonesian Muslims prayed outdoors today after an earthquake in the Cianjur district of West Java damaged the local mosque. The worshippers gathered in a volleyball court. Rescue operations continue: yesterday a 6-year-old boy was rescued from the rubble.
MALAYSIA
The Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), Malaysia's conservative Islamist party, today announced that it will discuss with the rest of the Perikatan Nasional coalition whether or not to accept new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's invitation to join the national unity government. Umno announced yesterday that it will support the executive. Several other parties joined the government on the news.
SOUTH KOREA
President Yoon Suk-yeol warned that the government might intervene and break the nationwide truckers' strike, which has been called an illegal move to hold the country 'hostage' at a time of economic crisis. The strike, which started yesterday, is blocking supply chains. The truckers are demanding better wages and working conditions.
CHINA - CUBA
This morning Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Beijing. Chinese state TV did not provide further details. Diaz-Canel's visit comes at a time when the 'zero covid' policy no longer seems to hold: more than 20,000 new employees have left Foxconn, where, according to Reuters sources, iPhone production could drop by up to 30%.
INDIA
India has reworded its proposed law on the protection of personal data online. According to privacy advocates, it will give the government excessive powers over user data. India is one of the largest markets in the world in this respect. The new law would allow companies to transfer personal data outside India, but only to certain countries identified by the government.
QATAR WORLD CUP
Some people have noticed the presence of many Palestinian flags at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, despite the fact that Palestine is not participating in the championship. In many cases these are activists aligned against the normalisation of relations between Israel and the Gulf countries. In the days leading up to the World Cup, the first direct flight between Israel and Doha took place.