India launches world’s largest census

Today’s headlines: Trump suggests an end to the war in the Middle East even without an agreement; a five-point plan from China and Pakistan; New prime minister in Mongolia, the third in nine months; Beijing wants to ban the keeping of the ashes of the deceased in empty flats, a phenomenon that has grown alongside the property market bubble; Thai government: fines for online April Fools’ jokes.

INDIA

After a long series of delays stretching back years, the first phase of the 2027 Census begins today in India, the world’s largest population census exercise, designed to update data that has remained unchanged since 2011. The census will be conducted in two phases, the Housing List and the Population Enumeration, with 1 March 2027 set as the reference date. For the first time, the census will be conducted digitally. The registration of dwellings will continue until 15 May, whilst the second phase, namely the population enumeration, will be conducted in February next year.

MIDDLE EAST WAR  /1

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has stated that military action against Iran could end soon, within “two or three weeks”. The US may withdraw even without a formal agreement, claiming to have achieved its main objective: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons for years. Meanwhile, however, Israeli-American attacks on Iran and Iranian attacks on Israel and the Gulf states continue. Among the new victims is another Bangladeshi worker in the United Arab Emirates.

MIDDLE EAST WAR /2

In a statement issued following a meeting between their foreign ministers, Wang Yi and Mohammad Ishaq Dar, China and Pakistan have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gulf and the Middle East, urging peace negotiations and the resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The two countries want to bring an end to the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. Pakistan, thanks to its relations with all parties involved, is acting as a mediator. In a five-point initiative, Beijing and Islamabad highlight diplomacy, the safeguarding of sovereignty and the protection of civilians as key priorities. The urgency of ensuring the security of maritime routes and reviving peace talks was also emphasised.

MONGOLIA

Mongolia’s parliament has confirmed Uchral Nyam-Osor as the country’s new prime minister, the third in just nine months, following the resignation of his predecessor due to internal tensions within the Mongolian People’s Party and a legislative deadlock. During the parliamentary session, 88 out of 107 MPs voted in favour of his appointment to the second-highest office in the state. The new prime minister, aged 39, has promised to cut red tape and stabilise import prices, according to the official Montsame news agency.

CHINA

The Chinese government intends to ban the practice of storing the ashes of the deceased in empty flats to avoid the high costs of cemeteries. ‘Ash flats’ have become commonplace due to a shortage of cemetery space and house prices having fallen by as much as 40% following the property bubble. Many families have begun to transform these flats into ritual spaces and ancestral shrines, identifiable by their closed curtains or sealed windows.

THAILAND

The Thai government has issued a stern warning to social media users ahead of 1 April, stating that those who play “pranks” online for April Fools’ Day could face serious legal consequences, including hefty fines and even imprisonment. Deputy government spokesperson Airin Panrit explained that, although the day is traditionally dedicated to fun and strengthening relationships through humour, the current global context makes the risk of social panic a serious matter.

RUSSIA

In the North Caucasus, weather conditions are putting the population under severe strain, and a state of emergency has been declared in Chechnya due to torrential rain, landslides and flooding from the mountains, and floods of ‘wet snow’, as has also occurred in a similar manner in Dagestan, where Governor Sergei Melikov has ordered the evacuation of many villages due to the massive rise in river and stream levels, and mudslides from the mountains.

KAZAKHSTAN-JAPAN

To tackle the current energy crisis, Japan is considering the possibility of importing oil from Kazakhstan, despite logistical difficulties, to be overcome through projects involving the Japanese company Inpex, which envisage ‘staged transport’ with cargo transfers to other countries, starting with Turkey. However, these would not be stable solutions and would depend heavily on the completion of further infrastructure, such as the Caspian gas pipeline.