Today’s news: Joe Biden and Modi discuss the conflict in Ukraine, after the historic visit of the Indian Prime Minister. Patriarchs and heads of the Churches of the Holy Land: ‘Never-ending negotiations. A path to peace must be found.’ Vietnamese authorities continue to crack down on social media users who criticise the government. Journalist found dead in Turkmenistan.
JAPAN – CHINA
Japan has accused a Chinese spy plane violating its airspace, in what would be the first known case of a direct violation; the violation reportedly took place over the Danjo Islands for about two minutes at 11:29 a.m. local time yesterday. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary called the violation “absolutely unacceptable.” The incident comes amid rising tensions as China jostles for influence vis-à-vis the United States and its allies, including Japan.
INDIA – UKRAINE – USA
The American president, Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Modi discussed the Russia-Ukraine war on Mondayfollowing Modi’s visit to the country and the situation in Bangladesh, where protests led to the ouster of former leader Sheikh Hasina earlier this month. Modi wrote online that he had spoken to Biden on the phone about the situation in Ukraine and “reiterated India’s full support for a speedy return to peace and stability.”
HOLY LAND – CHURCHES
Ceasefire talks in Gaza continue “endlessly, with the leaders of the warring parties apparently more concerned with political considerations than with ending the quest for death and destruction,” they said. Those responsible for the Churches of the Holy Land in a new statement, renewing its call for a rapid “path to peace” in the region.
ISRAEL – GAZA
If 40,000 people stood side by side in Paris, the first would be at Notre-Dame and the last at Versailles, Al Jazeera writesThe line is said to be 24 kilometers long. 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in the 320 days since October 7. Among them are nearly 17,000 children, 2.6% of all children in Gaza. At least 53 children have been killed each day since October 7, as have 72 men and women.
VIETNAM
Vietnamese authorities continue their offensive against social media users considered critical with the state and the Communist Party, citing two articles of the Penal Code that human rights groups say are too vague. After seven months of pre-trial detention, Hanoi authorities announced their intention to prosecute Facebook user Phan Van Bach under Article 117 of the Penal Code for “production, storage and dissemination of information.”
UKRAINE – RUSSIA
Some 300 believers and priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Upz, which is linked to the Russian Orthodox Church and is now at risk of closure following the decision of the Kiev parliament on the matter, have signed an appeal addressed to Metropolitan Onufryj (Berezovskij), the local head of the church, asking him to officially declare the severance of all relations with the Moscow Patriarchate.
TURKMENISTAN
Radio Azattyk correspondent in Turkmenistan, Khudajberdi Allašov, 35, who was found dead at his home after long periods of stress and depression caused by the ongoing persecution he was subjected to by the government, has died, and the independent journalist community is wondering how to react to the excesses of authoritarianism, violence and torture.
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