ASIA TODAY Pyongyang sent 500 workers to China in violation of UN sanctions

Today’s news: More than 500 dead as storms hit Southeast Asia. Israel makes the return of displaced people from the north one of its war objectives, a step closer to an offensive in Lebanon. India condemns Ali Khamenei’s remarks on the treatment of Muslims in the country. First case of monkeypox in 2024 in Malaysia.

NORTH KOREA – CHINA

North Korea, violating international sanctions, sent 500 workers to China for the first time since the pandemic, Radio Free Asia reportedThe 500 workers were sent in late August. The transfers – to countries such as Russia and China – were due to end by the end of 2019, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2397, which aims to put pressure on Pyongyang to end its nuclear programme.

MYANMAR – SOUTHEAST ASIA

The death toll in Myanmar from Typhoon Yagi has risen to more than 220, with nearly 80 still missing. The storm passed through northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar last week, killing more than 500 people across the regionThe UN has also warned that more than half a million people in Myanmar are in urgent need of food, clean water, shelter and clothing due to the war.

ISRAEL

Under pressure from Netanyahu, the Israeli security cabinet has included the return of displaced people to their homes among its war aims. in northern Israelabandoned under Hezbollah rocket fire. This is a step that brings the start of an Israeli offensive in Lebanon even closer. Meanwhile, increasingly insistent rumours claim that the departure of Defence Minister Gallant is imminent, and that he will be replaced by former Likud member Gideon Sa’ar, in a move that would mark a victory for Netanyahu over the Israeli army leadership in the weeks-long stand-off over the handling of the war.

INDIA – IRAN

India condemned Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s commentson the treatment of Muslims in the vast South Asian country, calling his remarks “misinformed and unacceptable.” “We cannot consider ourselves Muslims if we are not aware of the suffering that a Muslim is going through in Myanmar, Gaza, India or anywhere else,” Khamenei had in fact said in a post on social media on Monday. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “strongly deplores” these comments.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia has today reported the first case of mpox (monkeypox) in 2024 after a man tested positive for the less severe clade II variant. The case was detected yesterday in a man who had symptoms including fever, sore throat and cough since Sept. 11. The patient, a Malaysian national, had not travelled abroad in the 21 days prior to the onset of symptoms, the ministry added. Since July last year, Malaysia has detected a total of 10 cases of mpox, all of which are clade II variants.

ARMENIA – JAPAN

Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan paid a visit to Japan, meeting in Tokyo with his counterpart Takeo Akiba, discussing regional and international issues in light of the “Crossroads of Peace” project proposed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pašinyan to open economic, political and cultural borders.

RUSSIA

Among the many measures to tighten conditions for immigrants in Russia, the Moscow Duma has proposed changes to the citizenship law, under which all new citizens of the country must automatically be registered for compulsory military service, on pain of being deprived of their newly received passport, and “several new measures” have been announced.