former state media journalist sentenced to 7 years for “espionage”

Today’s news: the fragile truce between Lebanon and Israel remains (attack on Hezbollah positions). Singapore and Thailand sign agreements to strengthen cooperation. Delhi negotiates a mineral pact with Mongolia and searches for lithium in the Himalayas. Tehran sells 92% of its oil exports to China, with a minimum discount of 30%.

CHINA

A former journalist for state media was sentenced today to seven years in prison for “espionage.” Dong Yuyu62 years old and detained since 2022, actively participated in academic and journalistic circles in the United States and Japan, and met regularly with foreign representatives. At the time of his arrest he was in Beijing having lunch with a Japanese diplomat. He was a senior official at Guangming Daily, one of the five major newspapers linked to the Communist Party.

ISRAEL – LEBANON

On its second day, the fragile truce between Israel and Lebanon appears to hold, despite the exchange of accusations between the parties that the ceasefire barely reached after a year of fighting between the Jewish State and Hezbollah has been violated. Yesterday, Israeli aviation claimed to have hit facilities in the south used by the pro-Iranian Shiite movement to store medium-range rockets, while the army had attacked “suspicious” vehicles in a prohibited area.

SINGAPORE – THAILAND

Singapore and Thailand expand their cooperation in new areas, such as food and energy security, the green economy and digital connectivity, defence, trade and investment. This was announced by both Prime Ministers, Lawrence Wong and Paetongtarn Shinawatra, after a meeting held yesterday in Bangkok with the aim of strengthening cooperation in view of the 60 years of diplomatic relations that will be completed in 2025.

INDIA – MONGOLIA

India is negotiating a preliminary agreement with Mongolia over shipments of minerals, particularly coal and copper, a government source explained. At the same time, Delhi is exploring the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir for lithium, while across the border the target is critical raw materials subject to various auctions as part of the development of green energy alternatives.

IRAN – CHINA

Tehran sells 92% of its exports of oil to China, with a minimum discount of 30%. This is stated by Hojatollah Mirzaei, director of the Research Center of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, according to whom the situation amounts to a “colonial trap of the 19th century” in which Iran has fallen and from which there is no way out. Beijing dictates both the type of goods and the prices of black gold received.

RUSSIA

Last year, 220 bookstores closed in Russia, 2.5 times more than the previous year, the president of the Russian Book Distribution Association, Svetlana Zorina, told Vedomosti. Among the reasons, “dumping by market agents, which destroyed traditional mechanisms,” as well as numerous editorial restrictions.

UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan’s security services reported a joint operation with the police that led to the arrest of 17 people in Tashkent, including minors. The detainees intended to “form an illegal association with the aim of joining the Islamic State”, that is, Isis terrorists, attracted to the jihadist fight through the Internet.