Today’s news: new economic cooperation agreements between Italy and China. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, flights to and from Beirut suspended. Myanmar, ethnic militias tighten control in Shan State. In Turkmenistan, difficulties in obtaining credit are increasing.
JAPAN-QUAD
The foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, the countries that make up the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), expressed their Concern over the situation in the South China Sea referring to the maritime clashes between Chinese and Philippine ships and promised to strengthen military cooperation. The statement was made public after a meeting held today in Tokyo.
ITALY-CHINA
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has promised to revive relations with Beijing: after meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Meloni signed a three-year plan to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries. Last year, Italy withdrew from the Belt and Road Initiative, arguing that Chinese investments had not brought any benefits.
LEBANON-ISRAEL
Numerous flights to and from Beirut airport have been cancelled The Lebanese airline Middle East Airlines has said that tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have increased following Saturday’s attack in the Golan Heights that killed 12 children. Israel and the United States have accused Hezbollah, which has denied any responsibility.
MYANMAR
Following the recapture of the town of Lashio in Shan State by one of the ethnic militias fighting the coup army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), United Wa State Army (USWA) troops also entered the townThe USWA is a very powerful ethnic militia with close ties to China, but has declared that it will maintain a neutral stance in fighting between the army and the resistance.
BANGLADESH
The government of Bangladesh yesterday reestablished Internet connections following protests in recent weeks, but restrictions on access to social platforms remain in place. The university student groups that had started the protests (initially against reserved quotas in public jobs and then against the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina) made it known that will resume their protests if their leaders are not released from prison.
TURKMENISTAN
Banks in Turkmenistan are increasingly refusing to grant loans to citizens due to increasing defaults by customers, anonymous banking sources in Ashgabat have reported. According to them, defaulters are being entered into an ever-growing blacklist, with even those who are not on it being denied credit.
RUSSIA
The Russian coal industry is on the brink of survival, with a negative balance in the first half of 2024 of almost 200 billion rubles less than the previous year, according to the Gajdar Institute, due to widespread decarbonisation. It is precisely the countries closest to Moscow, such as China, India and Turkey, that have reduced their purchases.
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