In a letter to the authorities and the people, the apostolic vicar speaks of days “marked by the pain and uncertainty of war”. He calls for a “common and tireless commitment to peace”. Iranian attacks continue, with two buildings and a hotel hit overnight. In the background are the sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis that have inflamed the country in the past.
Nakhchivan was hit in the enclave that is supposed to be reconnected to Baku with the corridor provided for in the agreement signed by Trump to end the war with Armenia. The historic dispute with Iran over overlapping territories and different interpretations of the Shiite variant of Islam. Tehran denies responsibility, but Aliyev says he is ready to “defend his country's security and territorial integrity”.
Behind the lowest GDP target since 1991 lies the recognition that the growth model on which China built its rise has lost most of its momentum. Technology is replacing real estate as the driving sector. Behind the new Five-Year Plan lies a geopolitical map, with military spending still growing by 7 per cent. Xi Jinping's purges have left many empty seats among the delegates.
Following the sinking of an Iranian frigate off Galle, Sri Lankan authorities are closely monitoring the presence of a second Iranian ship in the country’s exclusive economic zone. The vessel, which some sources believe to be a logistics vessel, has reportedly requested assistance due to technical problems amid rising tensions in the Indian Ocean.
The government has identified the site, Minamitorishima, Japan’s easternmost island. Uninhabited and off-limits to tourists, it has “some unexplored landmass capable of hosting a facility,” according to Japan’s Industry Minister.
Pakistani rockets continue to strike Taliban political and military targets in Afghanistan, with the UN reporting at least 66,000 people displaced and dozens of civilians killed. Pakistan also faces anger from its own Shia community following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US and Israeli attacks against Iran.
