Today’s news: The European Parliament calls on Delhi in a resolution to take “all necessary measures” to stop the violence in Manipur. Damascus authorizes the transit of UN vehicles through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing for six months. The Thai Foreign Minister met with Aung San Suu Kyi; he is the first senior foreign official allowed to do so since the democratic leader was arrested. Pyongyang bans smoking in public, but it only applies to women, accused of “capitalist culture.” The Japanese prime minister travels to the Gulf to talk about energy.
IRAQ
Iraqi Christians take to the streets to protest against the attacks on Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, which culminated in the decision – under pressure from Shiite militias and self-styled Christian leaders – by President Abdul Latif Rashid to withdraw decree 147/2013 ratifying his appointment as Chaldean patriarch . The center of the protest is Ankawa, near Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the demonstrators denounce a “clear and total violation” of minority rights. Independent Christian MP Faruq Hanna Atto declared that the decision “encourages discrimination and aggravates conflicts.”
INDIA – EUROPEAN UNION
The European Parliament yesterday adopted a resolution calling on Delhi to take “all necessary measures” to stop violence in the Indian state of Manipur and protect religious minorities, especially Christians. The proposal had been presented by five political groups during the plenary session in Strasbourg and coinciding with the arrival in France of President Narendra Modi to participate today in the official acts of July 14. India’s immediate response condemns the motion and speaks of “interference” in internal affairs.
SYRIA – UN
After days of uncertainty, Damascus informed the United Nations Security Council that it has decided to grant permission for UN vehicles and its specialized agencies to use the Bab al-Hawa border crossing to bring aid “in full cooperation and coordination”. The letter sent to Secretary General Antonio Guterres specifies that the permit will last six months.
MYANMAR – THAILAND
The foreign minister of the outgoing government of Thailand made a secret visit to Naypyidaw where he met – for the first time in the case of a foreign dignitary – with the imprisoned democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Zin Mar Aung, foreign minister of the government in exile, spoke of “hostage diplomacy” and criticized a meeting that “further complicates” the possibility of resolving the “Burmese question.”
NORTH KOREA
Pyongyang has launched a campaign against the practice of smoking in public, but it only applies to women. Men ignore the ban without consequences, in a country where the slightest transgression can lead to forced labor or even the death penalty. On the other hand, Kim Jong-un himself is a chain smoker. The situation is very different for female smokers, accused of promoting “capitalist culture.”
PAKISTAN
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will hand over power in August to an interim government, ending speculation about his term extension and paving the way for general elections. He replaced Imran Khan in April 2022 due to a vote of no confidence. It corresponds to the Electoral Commission to announce the date within 60 days following the dissolution of the Lower House.
JAPAN – MIDDLE EAST
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar will be the three scales of the middle east tour by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, focused on the issue of energy and the Japanese technology proposal for the transition towards the goal of zero emissions. The trip will take place between July 16 and 19 and is considered “important” to “build a personal relationship of trust with the leaders.”
RUSSIA – CHINA – INDIA
The flow of oil and gas exports from Russia to India and China – the so-called “Eastern Express” – appears to have suffered an abrupt and unexpected interruption. Indeed, it has fallen to the minimum level of the last six months -below three million barrels per day- close to one million less than in previous months, due, among other things, to the restoration works in the port of Primorsk, in the Baltic.
UZBEKISTAN
As the first act of his new term, Uzbek President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev dismissed 12 khokim (mayors) and several senior officials. All of them are accused of being “traitors” for not having supported the presidential initiatives for economic development in the territory entrusted to them, “where the investment environment is completely unsatisfactory.”
