ASIA TODAY Netanyahu’s government loses pieces: abandons ultra-conservative Maoz

Other news of the day: China’s per capita income growth is slowing. The United States and Thailand participate in the Cobra Gold military exercises. New Japanese sanctions on Russia. Government crisis in Nepal. Putin promises a salary to the priests who go to the front in Ukraine.

ISRAEL

Avi Maoz, controversial leader of the ultra-conservative party Noam, left his position in the government last night. Maoz accuses Prime Minister Netanyahu of not fulfilling his commitment to implement policies for the affirmation of “Jewish national identity”.

CHINA

In 2022, the rent per capita of the Chinese grew only 2.9% in one year, which represents a strong decrease compared to the previous year (+8.1%). It is a growth rate similar to that of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Per capita spending also fell 0.2%.

THAILAND-UNITED STATES

Annual military maneuvers resumed Cobra Gold, on Thai territory, of US forces with local units. It is Washington’s largest deployment in years, with 6,000 troops. Bangkok, for its part, has 3,000 troops on the ground.

JAPAN

Tokyo adds 143 names to its list of sanctioned Russian individuals and entities for the invasion of Ukraine. The punitive measures include the freezing of assets and the prohibition of exports to the affected subjects. On the list is the mercenary group Wagner.

NEPAL

government crisis in the Himalayan country. The Marxist-Leninist Party announced its departure from the Maoist-led coalition executive. The central point of the dispute is the appointment of the new head of state, because Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his support for an opposition candidate.

RUSSIA

Putin has promised a state salary to Orthodox priests who actively support the war operations, bless the soldiers and personally go to Ukraine to accompany them. The Russian president wants to equate them to army officers, guaranteeing compensation to them or their families in case of death or serious injury at the front.

MOLDOVA

Igor Grosu, Speaker of the Chişinău Parliament, stated that “the issue of Moldova’s accession to NATO is not on the agenda. To be honest, we would like to, but it’s not the right time, to avoid confusion and hysteria about it.”