Jakarta: Putin and Xi to attend November Bali G-20

Today's headlines: Thousands of members of Unification Church protest in Seoul against "discrimination" in the Japanese media after the murder of former Premier Abe; Floods submerge Pakistan's Balochistan province, the death toll rises to 205; In China, the practice of sending critical voices to psychiatric clinics continues; Over 20 thousand Russian Jews have moved to Israel since the beginning of Moscow's war against Kiev. 

ASIA

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin plan to attend the November G-20 summit in Bali in person, according to an interview with Indonesian leader Joko Widodo in Bloomberg. It would be the first in-person meeting between the Kremlin chief and the Western bloc, with U.S. President Joe Biden in the lead, since the start of the war in Ukraine. 

VIETNAM

Hanoi has introduced a new law, effective Oct. 1, requiring technology companies to store user data and open local offices. Activists speak of a decision aimed at strengthening network control. It will also apply to industry giants such as Google and Meta (Facebook), as well as telecom operators. 

SOUTH KOREA-JAPAN

Thousands of Unification Church members gathered in Seoul yesterday to protest "discrimination" in Japanese newspapers since the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe. Tetsuya Yamagami, a suspect in the murder, allegedly harbored hatred toward the church for bankrupting his mother. The controversy has also created problems within the Tokyo government. 

PAKISTAN

Heavy rains continue to hit Balochistan, where a flood-related emergency is underway. With the three fatalities recorded in recent hours, the total death toll has risen to 205. More than 107,000 livestock drowned in the floods. All major road or rail routes connecting the province with the rest of the country are disrupted. 

CHINA

Police and government officials in China continue the practice of locking dissidents and critical voices in psychiatric clinics on specious charges of "mental illness." According to Safeguard Defenders they are silenced by "arbitrary" and baseless measures. Among the facilities used are medical clinics, hospitals, and group homes. 

RUSSIA - ISRAEL

The Israeli Jewish Repatriation Agency "Sokhnut," whose Russian section was dissolved in July, reports that since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine more than 20 thousand Russian Jews have moved to Israel. On the territory of the Russian Federation there are 165 thousand according to official statistics, not counting those who try to prove Jewish descent in order to expatriate.

SAUDI ARABIA - UZBEKISTAN

President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman to discuss an investment package in various sectors, from the green economy to new technologies and digitalization, innovation in general, and entrepreneurship. The Arabs are serious about expanding their influence in Central Asia.

• AsiaToday