Japan accuses China of violating its airspace with a spy plane
Today's news: Joe Biden and Modi discussed the conflict in Ukraine after the Indian Prime Minister's historic visit; Patriarchs and heads of the Churches of the Holy Land: ‘Interminable negotiations. A way to peace must be found'; Vietnamese authorities continue to crack down on social media users who criticise the government; Journalist found dead in Turkmenistan.
JAPAN - CHINA
Japan accused a Chinese spy plane of violating its airspace, in what would be the first known case of a direct violation; the violation allegedly occurred in the Danjo Islands for about two minutes at 11:29 local time yesterday. Japan's Cabinet Secretary called the violation ‘absolutely unacceptable’. The incident comes amid rising tensions where China vies for influence against the US and its allies, including Japan.
INDIA - UKRAINE - USA
US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Modi discussed the war between Russia and Ukraine on Monday, following Modi's visit to Ukraine, and the situation in Bangladesh, where protests led to the ouster of former leader Sheikh Hasina earlier this month. Modi wrote online that he had discussed the situation in Ukraine on the phone with Biden and ‘reiterated India's full support for a speedy return to peace and stability’.
HOLY LAND - CHURCHES
Gaza ceasefire talks continue ‘interminably, with leaders of the warring parties apparently more concerned with political considerations than with ending the quest for death and destruction’. This was denounced by the heads of the Churches of the Holy Land in a new communiqué, renewing their call for a rapid ‘path of peace’ in the region.
ISRAEL - GAZA
If 40,000 people were standing side by side in Paris, the first person would be at Notre-Dame and the last at Versailles, writes Al Jazeera. The line would be 24 kilometres long. 40 thousand Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip in the 320 days since 7 October. Among them almost 17 thousand children, 2.6% of all children in Gaza. At least 53 children have been killed every day since 7 October, as have 72 men and women.
VIETNAM
The Vietnamese authorities are continuing their crackdown on social media users considered critical of the state and the Communist Party, using two articles of the Penal Code that human rights groups say are too vague. After seven months of pre-trial detention, the authorities in Hanoi announced their intention to prosecute Facebook user Phan Van Bach under Article 117 of the Penal Code for ‘production, storage, dissemination of information’.
UKRAINE - RUSSIA
About 300 faithful, as well as some priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Upz, linked to the Russian Orthodox Church and now at risk of closure after the Kiev parliament's decision on the matter, signed an appeal to Metropolitan Onufryj (Berezovskij), the local head of the Church, asking him to officially declare the severing of all relations with the Moscow Patriarchate.
TURKMENISTAN
Radio Azattyk correspondent in Turkmenistan, 35-year-old Khudajberdi Allašov, who was found lifeless at home after long periods of stress and depression caused by continuous persecution of him by the government, has died, and the community of independent journalists is wondering how to react in the face of the excesses of authoritarianism, violence and torture.
.png)
15/07/2023
