Philippines: three dead in a school shooting linked to bullying

Today’s headlines: in the US-Iran talks, an agreement has been reached on a roadmap for the negotiations and a coordination mechanism between the two countries regarding the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a ceasefire in Lebanon. Japan has increased entry visa fees for foreign nationals fivefold. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Rahman is visiting Malaysia to resume the flow of workers. Crimea has suspended fuel sales following Ukrainian attacks on refineries.

PHILIPPINES

Three students have died and a further seven have been injured in a shooting that took place this morning at San Jose National High School, in the city of Tacloban in the Philippines. According to the police, the attack took place at around 9.20 am inside the school. Two suspects have been arrested: a 15-year-old pupil at the school and an outsider. Initial investigations suggest that the motive may be linked to grudges stemming from incidents of school bullying.

IRAN-UNITED STATES

The first round of talks between the United States and Iran, aimed at achieving a lasting peace, concluded in Lucerne, Switzerland, with encouraging signs. The mediators, Qatar and Pakistan, announced a roadmap to reach a final agreement within 60 days and the creation of a high-level committee to oversee the process. Among the most concrete outcomes is the establishment of a direct line of communication to prevent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels. A coordination mechanism has also been set up regarding the conflict in Lebanon, a central theme of the negotiations. Technical talks will continue over the coming days in Switzerland.

JAPAN

Japan has announced a sharp increase in entry visa fees for foreign nationals, with rises of up to five times the current rates. From 1 July, the cost of a single-entry visa will rise from 3,000 to 15,000 yen, whilst that for a multiple-entry visa will rise from 6,000 to 30,000 yen. This is the first increase in fees since 1978. The government has explained the decision as a need to keep pace with inflation and the weakness of the yen, which is at its lowest level against the US dollar in 40 years.

CHINA-US

China has imposed export restrictions on 10 US companies operating in the defence and rare-earth mining sectors, in response to the inclusion of numerous Chinese firms on the US blacklist. Beijing has also banned public bodies from purchasing products from 46 US companies, including Lockheed Martin, RTX (Raytheon) and Boeing’s defence division. The decision follows renewed tensions following President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing and the subsequent publication of a new US blacklist. Among the Chinese companies affected by the US blacklist are Alibaba, Baidu and BYD. The Chinese measures came into force immediately.

BANGLADESH-MALAYSIA

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman, on a visit to Putrajaya – the first stop on his maiden international trip, which will then take him to China – has called on Malaysia to reopen its labour market as soon as possible to Bangladeshi workers.

During a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, he highlighted the contribution made by Bangladeshi workers, students and professionals to the economies of both countries. The regularisation of undocumented workers and the repatriation of detained citizens were also discussed. Both sides agreed to make recruitment more transparent, fairer and less costly, and to begin negotiations for a free trade agreement.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE

Fuel sales at petrol stations in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, have been suspended for the general public. This was announced by the pro-Russian governor Sergey Aksyonov, who specified that fuel will be reserved exclusively for government bodies responsible for security and essential services on the peninsula. The decision follows a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries and energy infrastructure, which have led to the temporary closure of several facilities and supply issues in the domestic fuel market.

TAJIKISTAN

Tajikistan has introduced new legislation requiring all employers to organise at least 20 minutes of physical activity per day for their employees. The relevant amendments have been made to the Health Code, and the law was passed by parliament and signed by the president on 17 June, as reported by Asia Plus, with the stated aim, as outlined by Justice Minister Muzaffar Ašuryon, of “preventing obesity and diabetes and improving public health”; the requirement applies to all organisations, regardless of ownership.

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