More than 240,000 people evacuated due to heavy rains

Today’s news: Indonesia wants to impose new tariffs on Beijing’s exports. In the Philippines, exchanging plastic waste for rice works. Turkey closes border crossings with Syria after a series of clashes. Moscow opposes admitting Russian athletes without a flag to the Olympics.

CHINA

More than 240,000 people have been evacuated in eastern China due to heavy rains that have caused the Yangtze River and other waterways to swell. According to state news agency Xinhua, the storms affected 991,000 residents in Anhui province. Tens of thousands of officials were deployed to monitor dams and dikes along the Yangtze. The local meteorological bureau issued warnings of “geological disasters.”

INDONESIA

Indonesia plans to impose Tariffs of up to 200% on some products manufactured in China to protect its manufacturing industry (especially textiles) from dumping practices triggered by competition between Beijing and Western countries. Yesterday, President Joko Widodo called economic experts to discuss the tariffs, which will be announced in a couple of weeks.

PHILIPPINES

In Mabini, Batangas province, a program is underway exchanging plastic collected on the coasts for bags of riceAccording to a volunteer working on the project, more than 4.3 tonnes of waste have been collected in two years, while 2.6 tonnes of rice have been distributed to low-income families, who can thus reduce their food spending. 36% of plastic waste dumped into the sea comes from the Philippines.

JAPAN

For the first time in 20 years, Japanese banknotes The 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 yen notes have been changed and are now entering circulation equipped with new anti-counterfeiting technology. The 10,000 yen note features Eiichi Shibusawa, considered the “father of Japanese capitalism.” Professor Umeko Tsuda, an advocate of a greater role for women in society, appears on the 5,000 yen note, while the 1,000 yen note features microbiologist Shibasaburo Kitasato.

Türkiye – SYRIA

Türkiye closed the main border crossings with northwestern Syria last nighta region where several Turkish troops are stationed, which were attacked by Syrians yesterday. In recent days, the Syrian community in Turkey has been the target of a series of attacks across the country. Police have so far arrested 474 people and news of Syrians killed or injured in the clashes have circulated on social media.

RUSSIA

The Russian Ministry of Sport has expressed its disappointment at the admission to the Paris Olympics of several dozen Russian athletes who will compete without a flag, including some top tennis players, including ATP number 5 Dmitry Medvedev, but also many wrestlers and gymnasts, described as a “team of traitors and foreign agents”.

TAJIKISTAN

Since July 1, salaries of civil servants, military personnel and student grants have increased by 40% in Tajikistan, in line with promises made by President Emomali Rakhmon in his 2023 end-of-year address. The minimum wage has risen from 600 to 800 somoni (just under 70 euros), one of the lowest in the world.