ASIA TODAY An organization of indigenous peoples for the protection of biodiversity at the UN

Today’s news: Pyongyang supports Russia “until victory in Ukraine.” New terrorist attack in Pakistan against polio vaccinations, 9 dead. In polls among American Muslims, there is a tie between the Green candidate, Jill Stein, and Kamala Harris. Taiwan wants to increase economic sanctions against clandestine abortions. Baselios Thomas I, head of the Syrian Orthodox of India, died.

UN

The 200 countries participating in the UN COP16 summit on the protection of biodiversity – which is being held in Cali, Colombia – have approved the creation of a permanent body of consultation with indigenous peoples on UN decisions on nature conservation. The advisory body is seen as a step forward in recognizing the role indigenous peoples play in global nature conservation.

NORTH KOREA-RUSSIA-UKRAINE

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, Choe Son Hui, He said his country will support Russia until its “victory” in Ukraine. He made this statement in Moscow after meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. Neither minister mentioned Western reports about Pyongyang’s deployment of troops alongside Russian troops. For its part, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersono, Li Jian, when asked, said that North Korea and Russia “are two independent sovereign states and the way to carry out bilateral relations is a matter of their competence.”

PAKISTAN

Nine people, including five girls and a man, died and 29 were injured in an explosion which occurred on Friday in Mastung, southwestern Pakistan. “The target was a police van that was on its way to pick up a polio vaccination team,” said police chief superintendent Rehmatullah. The explosion was caused by an improvised device attached to a motorcycle parked near a girls’ school in the city of Mastung.MIDDLE EAST – UNITED STATES

According to the last national survey on Muslims in the United States that was published before the presidential elections on November 5, the preferences of this group of voters are tied with the Green Party candidate, Jill Stein (42%) – very critical of US policy regarding the conflict in Gaza – and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris (41%). According to the study published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Donald Trump is expected to obtain around 10% of the Muslim-American vote. A similar survey in 2020 had revealed that 69% of Muslims voted for Joe Biden in the previous presidential election.

TAIWAN

Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice has announced its intention to propose amendments to the Penal Code to increase fines for illegal abortions at 80,000 Taiwanese dollars (about 2,300 euros) from the current anachronistic 3,000 Taiwanese dollars. The fine for those who perform an abortion for profit would rise to 500,000 Taiwan dollars (14,300 euros). In Taiwan, women can have abortions under a number of conditions under the “Genetic Health Law.” However, the Ministry stated, abortions should be limited, because the fetus is “a living being that is growing to become a person.”

INDIA

In a hospital in Kochi, Kerala, the Catholicos died at the age of 95. Baselios Thomas I, head of the Syrian Jacobite Church, a historic Orthodox Syriac rite confession linked to the Patriarchate of Antioch. In a message of condolence, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) remembers him as “an iconic figure in the Indian Christian community” whose “tireless efforts to promote ecumenism, interreligious dialogue and social harmony have been a source of inspiration for people of all denominations.

RUSSIA

Deputies of the “New Men” party in the Moscow Duma proposed a bill that would ban all types of religious and prayer gatherings in condominiums with many apartments to prevent the activities of any religious association or group regardless of their legal registration, as that “such gatherings disturb the peace of other residents.”