Today’s News: Chinese Police Uphold Restrictions Against Activists and Dissidents Imposed During Party Congress; in Iran, the “dirtiest man in the world” died at the age of 94: he spent almost 60 years without washing; Hanoi prohibits the departure of a Redemptorist priest from the former Saigon from the country; the Russian war in the Ukraine blocks international studies on the melting of arctic glaciers.
PAKISTAN
Former Pakistani Prime Minister imran khan He plans to promote a march with his supporters from the eastern city of Lahore to the capital, Islamabad, where he will arrive on October 28 to call for early elections. Last week there were already some minor protests after the court ruling that removed him from his parliamentary post.
INDONESIA
The government launched a new residence permit that allows tourists with at least 185,000 euros in the bank to settle “for a maximum of 10 years” in the country, especially in Bali. Like other countries, from Mexico to Thailand, the goal is to attract wealthy clients and revive the sector, affected by the pandemic. The permission is called “Second Home Visa” and will come into force at Christmas.
CHINA
Although the 20th Communist Party Congress is over, the police continue to hold activists and dissidents under house arrest or restrictions. One of them was arrested for violating the custody measure. These measures, which aim to “maintain stability” – and range from house arrest to prevent activism to escorting dissidents – have increased under Xi Jinping.
IRAN
In Iran, he died at the age of 94, “the dirtiest man in the world”, so nicknamed for not having washed in almost 60 years. Amou Haji, a hermit from the southern province of Fars, refused soap and water for fear of viruses and bacteria. Apparently, he fell ill shortly after taking a bath, forced by his fellow citizens, and died a few months later.
VIETNAM
Prohibited from leaving the country Fr Truong Hoang Vua Redemptorist priest from Ho Chi Minh City appreciated for your work assistance to the disabled and maimed by the war of the South Vietnamese army. Security forces detained him at the airport as he was trying to board a flight to Manila on his way to the United States. The ban is related to “reasons of social order and security”.
RUSSIA – UKRAINE
All international projects to study the melting of Arctic glaciers have been stopped as a result of the war in Ukraine and Western collaborators have withdrawn. This decision has left inactive the “Arctic Council”, founded in 1996 to deal with the climate crisis in a vast area, 56% of which is in Russian territory.
TAJIKISTAN
In Kulob, Tajikistan, a new rail link was opened that will allow commercial cargo to be transported to Turkey and Iran via Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The route will serve to export mainly products from China, but will also offer local producers more opportunities to trade with Europe.
