ASIA TODAY Beijing develops underwater drones to patrol the South China Sea

Today’s news: Bangkok removes Covid from the list of diseases that prevent entry into the country; Hong Kong police arrest a citizen for playing the harmonica during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral; Riyadh finances the construction of the first mosque in Cuba; the founder of the Gulagu humanitarian project denounces that Russian intelligence tried to assassinate him.

CHINA

Beijing developed underwater drones; they were first spotted at the Sanya naval base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea. Capable of operating without a crew, these submarines are part of a “key program” that has remained secret. Experts believe that they could be signs of a much broader project that would affect the United States and the United Kingdom.

THAILAND

The government approved a ministerial decree excludes Covid-19 from the list of diseases that prevent entry to Thailand or obtaining residency. The rule will enter into force after its publication in the Royal Gazette, expected shortly. Among the diseases that will remain in force are leprosy, tuberculosis, drug addiction, chronic alcoholism and syphilis in its third phase.

HONG KONG

Police arrested for “sedition” a citizen “guilty” of playing the harmonica in front of the British consulate building during the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. These days there has been no lack of tributes to the monarch and feelings of nostalgia for a colonial past of greater freedom, in the face of a present characterized by violations of freedom and rights to please Beijing.

SAUDI ARABIA – CUBA

Riyadh will finance the construction of the first mosque in Cuba. The place of worship will be built in Havana and will host the sermons and prayers of the small local community of some 9,000 faithful. Until now, the rites were held in private homes or in improvised spaces, while Friday sermons are held in the “House of the Arabs”, which once belonged to a wealthy immigrant follower of Islam.

PAKISTAN

As a result of the floods, in Pakistan spread infections that could get out of control. According to Unicef ​​the situation is “extremely serious”. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people live in the open; the water and mud spread over hundreds of kilometers begin to recede. Cases of malaria, dengue fever, infections and dysentery are on the rise. Yesterday nine more deaths were recorded, bringing the number of victims to 1,559, including 551 children.

RUSSIA – FRANCE

The founder of the humanitarian project gulagu.net, Vladimir Osečkin, declared that he suffered an assassination attempt in France by “a person linked to the FSB”, the Russian intelligence service. The event took place in Biarritz, where he lives with his family; the attempt failed because Osečkin accidentally observed the mark of the red laser pointer on the wall of his house.

KAZAKHSTAN

In Kazakhstan, the authorities began to control and seize the trucks that transport European products purchased to circumvent sanctions against Moscow for the war in Ukraine. Eight trucks were stopped on the highway and at the customs terminals. The drivers had their license confiscated and are prohibited from leaving the country.