Shanghai: young people arrested for anti-Xi Jinping Halloween costumes

Today's news: Israeli army strikes a church in southern Lebanon, for Hamas close to agreement on a truce; Pyongyang prepares for a new launch of a spy satellite; Since the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, abuses against women in politics have tripled; US-based NGO awards three imprisoned Vietnamese activists for their pro-human rights struggle; The first Iranian-built cars appear on the Russian market; In Yerevan an unknown person tried to set fire to the synagogue.

CHINA
Shanghai police arrested several young people for celebrating Halloween with masks and disguises that would have shown a political content, so much so that it was dubbed a "festival of dissent" against Xi Jinping. Photos of people dressed up as Winnie the Pooh (a reference to the Chinese president) or health workers in the time of Covid-19, saturated by the government, have gone viral on social media.

ISRAEL - PALESTINE - LEBANON
On the northern front, the Israeli army struck a Greek-Melkite church in southern Lebanon causing serious damage to the structure, but there were no deaths or injuries. Meanwhile, Hamas sources say that an agreement for a "truce" in the fighting is close, with the related exchange of Israeli hostages in the hands of the militiamen while civilian victims continue to grow in Gaza.

NORTH KOREA - JAPAN
Pyongyang has notified the Tokyo government of the imminent (and new) attempt to launch a spy satellite, between November 22nd and December 1st, in the direction of the Yellow Sea. If carried out, it would mark the third attempt by the nuclear-armed state in 2023. The North's regime has also railed against US arms sales to Japan and South Korea.

AFGHANISTAN
Abuse and incitement to hatred against active women politicians have tripled in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in August 2021. The complaint is contained in a report by Afghan Witness, an open source project managed by the Center for Information Resilience, which speaks of an increase of 217% following an analysis of 78 thousand posts on approximately 100 women involved in politics.

VIETNAM
The Vietnam Human Rights Network, based in the United States, announced their annual award for three imprisoned activists, in recognition of their contribution to the cause of human rights in the Asian country. They are Tran Van Bang, Y Wo Nie and independent journalist Le Trong Hung. In 21 years, 60 people and six organizations have received the award first proposed in 2002.

RUSSIA - IRAN
The first models produced in Iran have appeared on the Russian car market, confirming a consolidated link between the two countries. Cars made in Tehran have started to be delivered to Russian dealers, in particular the Khodro Dena sedan, turbo engine, six-speed automatic transmission and top speed of 205 km/h.

ARMENIA
In Yerevan an unknown person tried to set fire to the doors of the local synagogue, caught on video pouring flammable liquid and setting the fire. It is not the first case in recent days, but the Armenian authorities have not provided for special surveillance, even if rights guarantor Anait Manasyan expressed her concern about the "act of xenophobia".

KAZAKHSTAN
The large pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Roche have signed long-term contracts for the production and distribution of medicines and vaccines in Kazakhstan. The long-term goal is for the country to become the main center for filling the shortages of pharmaceutical materials in Central Asia and also in Russia, where Western companies have all left for the war in Ukraine.

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