Indonesia rocked by street protests over government fuel price hike
Today's headlines: Xi Jinping will fly to Kazakhstan on 14 September; Torrential rains flood India's hi-tech capital; An Israeli bullet killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh; Russia buys bullets and rockets in North Korea; Russian computer scientists flee; Azerbaijan moves closer to the EU.
INDONESIA
Thousands of people are expected to demonstrate in the country today in protest against the government's decision to increase the regulated cost of fuel by 30%. Budget problems led to the executive's move, in what is the first increase in fuel prices since 2014.
CHINA
Xi Jinping will visit Kazakhstan on 14 September, his first foreign visit since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. After the Kazakh stop, the Chinese president is expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan. From 13 to 15 September, the pope will also be on an apostolic trip to Kazakhstan.
INDIA
Torrential rains have flooded Bengaluru (Karnataka), home of India's 'Silicon Valley'. Many parts of the city are flooded and without electricity. There is also a red alert for bad weather in Kerala, where heavy rainfall is expected in the next 24 hours.
ISRAEL-PALESTINE
In all probability an Israeli soldier killed Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in error, according to Israeli military authorities. The conclusion arrived at the end of an internal investigation. The Palestinian-born reporter died of a gunshot wound during an Israeli raid in the West Bank last May.
RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA
US intelligence reports that the Russians are buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from the North Koreans to supply the Ukraine invasion. Sanctions and export controls by the US and EU have undermined Russia's ability to obtain ammunition and spare parts for its weapons systems.
RUSSIA
The government is trying to stop the exodus of IT specialists from the country, but their demand on the domestic market is plummeting due to the closure of many foreign and local specialist firms. In January, their employment was 144,600; in August it was 85,200. They are relying on new software imports from other non-hostile countries.
AZERBAIGIAN
Baku is getting closer to Europe. It has been invited to the informal summit of EU leaders in Prague in October, together with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and other non-member states. Greece and Cyprus, however, oppose Turkey's participation.
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15/07/2023
