Today’s news: Beijing breaks off talks with US on nuclear arms control in Taiwan. Knesset rejects creation of commission of inquiry on October 7, Netanyahu pleased. Japanese PM apologizes to victims of forced sterilization. Indian economy records fastest growth rate among emerging nations.
IRAN – SRI LANKA
Colombo has made substantial progress in paying off its oil debt to Iran under the programme “tea for oil”. The country has disbursed 55 million dollars of the 250.9 million planned for the purchase of crude oil through exports of the drink. The process began last August and in the first four months of 2024 Sri Lanka exported 4.1 million kilograms of tea to Iran, tripling the amount compared to 2023.
CHINA – TAIWAN – USA
Beijing has broken the conversations (in the initial phase) on nuclear arms control with the United States in protest against Washington’s arms sales to Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory. A setback that could have serious consequences for global efforts to control the atomic arsenal, with the dragon ever closer to Moscow in terms of rearmament.
ISRAEL – PALESTINE
The Knesset, the Israeli parliament, last night rejected a bill to create a commission of inquiry on the Hamas attack on October 7 that sparked the war in Gaza. Of 120 MPs, 53 voted against and 51 in favour, a result that pleases Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly rejected its creation for “personal gain”, according to critics.
JAPAN
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida apologized for the controversial rule on forced sterilizationsin force from 1948 to 1996. “The responsibility of the government,” he said, “as the executor of the eugenics law is extremely heavy, I express my sincere apologies,” bowing to the victims. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had ordered compensationsdenying the prescription.
INDIA
India’s economy is expanding at the fastest pace among major emerging nations, with a forecast growth of 7% by 2024. Tax revenues are also growing. These factors are apparently prompting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to increase spending on the economy. budget 2024/25which will be debated in Parliament on 23 July. More funds are expected to be allocated to infrastructure and social programmes, including rural housing.
MYANMAR
A rebel group from the Mandalay region continues seizing land in a key area after the failure of a truce signed in January between the insurgents and the Myanmar coup junta, brokered by China. The Mandalay People’s Defence Forces took control of large parts of Madaya, 30 km north of Mandalay. The army is believed to have suffered numerous casualties in the battle, including 150 prisoners.
RUSSIA
In anticipation of a possible new mobilization in the fall, the Russian Defense Ministry announced record numbers for spring recruitment, which brought in more than 150,000 new soldiers from April 1 to June 1. This is the highest figure in the past eight years and exceeds the annual call-ups of previous years, which remained at a maximum of 135,000.
CENTRAL ASIA
According to estimates published by experts on the Geostatistika Telegram channel, 100 million people will live in Central Asia by 2050. The water deficit will grow by up to 30%, as these countries consume three times more water to achieve a measure of agricultural production than in more developed countries, with the risk of substantial land loss.
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