Other news of the day: According to research from a local university, a quarter of Hong Kong youth suffer from mental disorders. A new global vaccine plan for developing countries will be discussed at the G7 in Hiroshima. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea resigned due to the controversy over the expenses of the trip to London for the coronation of King Charles. The first Russian Orthodox prayer book in the Malagasy language will be published.
MYANMAR-BANGLADESH
alarm for arrival of cyclone Mocha, which will touch the area between Myanmar and Bangladesh tomorrow with winds of up to 175 km per hour. It is expected to traverse the coast between Sittwe, in Myanmar’s northwestern Rakhine state, and Cox’s Bazar, in Bangladesh. Concern is high, especially over the possible impact on Rohingya communities, who are already vulnerable and displaced. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), more than 230,000 people live in displacement camps “in low-lying coastal areas, which could be particularly affected.”
HONG KONG
According to Research conducted by the University of Hong Kong, up to a quarter of Hong Kong youth suffered from probable mental disorders between 2019 and today, with depression being the most common. Nearly a fifth of those surveyed told the researchers that they had had suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months, while 5% and 1.5% had planned or attempted to end their life. When asked about the impact of the political situation and Covid-19 on the mental health of young people, researcher Stephanie Wong stated that social phenomena and current events may not be the main stressor, but rather add to others important factors, such as the future and family relationships.
JAPAN
At the G7 summit in Hiroshima -scheduled for next week- the establishment of a new vaccine distribution program to developing countries. This was revealed by the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri. The new program aims to establish a fund for the production and purchase of vaccines, the construction of low-temperature storage warehouses and the training of health personnel to prepare for a possible new global pandemic.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea, Justin Tkatchenko, resigned due to the controversy generated around the expenses of the official delegation of his country – a member of the Commonwealth – for the coronation of King Carlos III. The case was sparked by a video her daughter Savannah posted on TikTok, in which she shows first-class air travel and shopping in Singapore. According to the local Post-Courier newspaper, Tkatchenko and her daughter were criticized for traveling with at least 10 officials to attend the coronation of King Charles, which cost more than 820,000 euros.
SYRIA
The United Nations called on the Syrian government to extend the opening of two border crossings to deliver post-earthquake assistance to areas controlled by opposition forces in the 12-year war. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had agreed to open the Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee border crossings for three months from February 13, a week after the earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in Turkey and Syria. . However, according to some observers, the extension seems unlikely.
BELARUS
In Belarus, doubts are growing about the health of Belarusian President Lukashenko. After appearing ill in Moscow during the parade on May 9, in which he could not even walk 300 meters, he has not appeared in public again, and he did not intervene in Minsk to celebrate the Victory for the first time in his 29 years in the power.
RUSSIA-AFRICA
The exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate for Africa announced the publication of the first Malagasy-language Orthodox prayer book in Madagascar, the work of priest Makarij Ratudzunantenaina, who received a special license in Moscow. Texts in other languages such as Swahili, Kirundi and Nigerian Tiv will soon be available.
