ASIA TODAY Islamabad launches anti-polio campaign for millions of children

Other news of the day: in the two years since the coup in Myanmar the military has set fire to more than 55,000 houses; wind and solar power in China almost ready to cover all domestic energy needs; Damascus opens two more border crossings to facilitate the entry of aid; Caritas Philippines launches fundraiser for Turkey and Syria; new governor of the Central Bank of Japan.

PAKISTAN – AFGHANISTAN

Islamabad has launched a vaccination campaign against poliomyelitis door-to-door after finding evidence of transmission from neighboring Afghanistan. Cases have been reported in Lahore of the same strain found in November 2022 in Nangarhar. The 5-day campaign (previously the target of Taliban attacks) aims to vaccinate 6 million children under 5 years of age.

MYANMAR

In the two years since the February 2021 coup that toppled the democratic government of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s military junta has set on fire 55,484 homes in raids and attacks, 80% of them in the Sagaing region (43,292). Many people are now forced to live in tents or flee. The Magway region is the second with the highest number of houses destroyed (more than 8,000).

CHINA

Wind turbines and solar panels cover almost the entire electric power needed to power households in China. Production increased 21% last year, reaching 1,190 terawatt-hours. The figure is not far from the total requirement, equivalent to 1,340 terawatt-hours, which also rose last year due to increased consumption due to confinement.

TURKEY – SYRIA

Damascus has decided open two border crossings more to allow aid into the country devastated by the February 6 earthquake, which devastated government-controlled Aleppo as well as the rebellious province of Idlib. Meanwhile, the official figure reaches 40 thousand victims and, despite the work of the rescue teams, the hopes of finding survivors they are getting weaker.

PHILIPPINES

Caritas Philippines has launched a fundraising campaign to help the victims of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Those responsible for the Catholic institution have asked all the dioceses of the archipelago – also subject to frequent earthquakes – to promote a second collection during Sunday masses. The money raised will be sent at the end of the month.

JAPAN

The Japanese government has appointed academic kazuo ueda as governor of the central bank. He succeeds Haruhiko Kuroda, whose second five-year term will expire on April 8. The election was described as “surprising” by several experts, who expected the appointment of a banker already linked to the institution and with a long history, such as the current deputy governor Masayoshi Amamiya.

RUSSIA

Russians who return after long periods outside their country are detained at the airport for questioning for two to three hours, in order to clarify the reasons for the expatriation and request information about their acquaintances abroad. The aim of the authorities is to identify those who express opinions contrary to Moscow’s military operations, also searching mobile phones and the contents of luggage.