China: more than 240,000 people evacuated due to heavy rains

Today's news: Indonesia wants to impose new tariffs on Beijing's exports, Philippines initiative of swapping plastic waste for rice meets success, Turkey closes border crossings with Syria after a series of clashes; Moscow against 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 caused the Yangtze River and other waterways to swell. According to the state news agency Xinhua, the storms affected 991,000 residents in Anhui province. Tens of thousands of officials were deployed to monitor dams and embankments along the Yangtze. The local meteorological bureau issued warnings of 'geological disasters'.

INDONESIA

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

PHILIPPINES

In Mabini, Batangas Province, a programme is running to exchange plastic collected on the coasts for bags of rice. According to a project volunteer, more than 4.3 tonnes of waste has been collected in two years, while 2.6 tonnes of rice have been distributed to low-income families, who are able to reduce their food expenditure in this way. 36% of the plastic waste released into the sea comes from the Philippines.

JAPAN

For the first time in 20 years, Japan's 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 yen banknotes have been changed and now enter circulation equipped with new anti-counterfeiting technology. The 10 thousand one features Eiichi Shibusawa, considered the 'father of Japanese capitalism'. The teacher Umeko Tsuda, in favour of a more important role for women in society, appears on the 5,000 yen banknote, while the 1,000 yen banknote features the microbiologist Shibasaburo Kitasato.

TURKEY - SYRIA

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

RUSSIA

Russia's sports ministry 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 up to No. 5 in the Atp rankings Dmitry Medvedev, but also many wrestlers and gymnasts, described as 'a team of traitors and foreign agents'.

TAJIKISTAN

Since 1 July in Tajikistan, the salaries of civil servants, military personnel and also students' scholarships have been increased by 40 per cent, according to promises made by President Emomali Rakhmon in his year-end message 2023. The minimum wage in general rises from 600 to 800 somoni (just under 70 euro), one of the lowest in the world.

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