ASIA TODAY Protests in Thailand against senators who did not elect Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister

Today’s news: Heavy monsoon rains continue in Asia, claiming new casualties. They arrested a man in Indonesia who was denounced by a religious foundation. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has stated that he will create a new party if they dissolve his. A kindergarten teacher was executed in China. Russia and the United States are vying for ASEAN’s allegiance.

THAILAND

More than 100 protesters gathered yesterday in Bangkok to protest against the senators that they did not appoint favorite Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the progressive Move Forward party, as the new prime minister. The parliamentarians, elected in 2019 by the Military Junta, did not respect the popular vote and the young people in the streets demanded his resignation. A second round of parliamentary consultations has been set for July 19.

INDONESIA

A man was arrested in Indonesia for “hate speech” under the computer law of 2008, due to the prosecution of a powerful religious foundation, the Majlis Ta’lim Zaadul Muslim Albusyro. Wahyu Dwi Nugroho, 32, had criticized the foundation on TikTok for a banner where he said neighborhood residents should work in business activities approved by Muslim clerics. Human rights defenders consider that the computer law can be manipulated in any type of controversy.

ASIA – CLIMATE CHANGES

The monsoon season it is intensifying across the continent. In the past two weeks, rains have triggered floods and landslides in India, China and Japan, killing more than a hundred people. South Korea is in a state of high alert after three days of flooding and more than 6,000 people have already been evacuated. So far there have been at least 10 deaths.

PAKISTAN

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed that will form a new party if the current Executive dissolves the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. “Even if they disqualify me and put me in jail, the party is going to win anyway,” he said, referring to the more than 100 court cases that are still pending. According to the former cricket star, the support of the people is still very strong.

CHINA

A kindergarten teacher was executed in China who killed a child and poisoned 24 others by putting sodium nitrite in their food. Wang Yun, 39, unsuccessfully appealed the sentence, initially handed down in September 2020 by the Jiaozuo City Intermediate People’s Court in Henan Province. Although Beijing does not publish data on executions, according to Amnesty International, China is the country that executes the most death sentences in the world.

RUSSIA – ASEAN

Russian Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov met with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in his capacity as president of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, accompanied by Chinese Politburo member Wang Yi, colleagues from Laos and Sri Lanka and the Sultan of Brunei, to prepare the meeting on security, in view of the fact that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken along with other representatives will also arrive in Jakarta, and Moscow wants ASEAN’s neutrality to be guaranteed with respect to to the war in Ukraine.

GEORGIA

The debate on the Security Code continues in the Tbilisi Parliament, against the backdrop of constant riots and protests caused by the government’s decision to reinstate compulsory military service and decree general mobilization. Minority parties are strongly opposed and accuse of discrimination some provisions, such as exempting Orthodox priests and recruiting students in case of need.