Japan ready to restart nuclear power plant closest to Fukushima

Today's news: United Arab Emirates and Vietnam have signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement; In Pakistan extremist group attacks district for anti-polio vaccinations, three dead; Beijing promotes measures to foster the family and support the birth rate; At least four South-East Asian countries want to join the Brics (while safeguarding relations with the West).

JAPAN

Tokyo is ready to restart the nuclear power plant closest to the epicentre of the devastating earthquake, and subsequent tsunami, that caused the Fukushima disaster in 2011. According to local experts, this would be a ‘milestone’ in the Rising Sun's attempt to relaunch the use of atomic energy, starting from unit 2 of the Onagawa power plant in the north-east, which is about to be back in operation after a long maintenance period for some minor damage suffered during the earthquake.

UAE - VIETNAM

The United Arab Emirates and Vietnam have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa), the first on free trade that Hanoi establishes with a Middle Eastern country as a result of a year of negotiations. The aim is to encourage exports and investment in agriculture, energy, technology and logistics. In 2023, the trade turnover between the two countries reached about USD 4.7 billion, a 6% increase over the previous year.

PAKISTAN

Vaccination campaigns are still being targeted by Islamic fundamentalist groups. At least one policeman was killed today in Upper Orakzai, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in the north-west of the country, when a group of armed men attacked a health district hosting anti-polio vaccination teams. Two of the attackers were reportedly killed in the firefight.

CHINA

Beijing yesterday outlined a series of steps to support the family and encourage the birth rate at a time of demographic crisis after decades of a one-child policy. Last year, the birth rate reached an all-time low and India overtook China in population. Among the measures under consideration: better maternity insurance, maternity leave, subsidies and medical resources for children.

SOUTH-EAST ASIA

Indonesia and Vietnam, together with two other South-East Asian countries, have announced their intention to join Brics, the body that opposes the Western bloc, while emphasising that they want to maintain good relations with Washington and Brussels. In the group of candidate countries - which for the time being have been recognised as ‘partners’ of the 9 member countries - there are also Malaysia and Thailand, called upon to maintain a balanced position between the two fronts.

IRAN - RUSSIA - ISRAEL

One of the consequences of the latest Israeli attacks on fuel depots in Iran will be the impossibility for a few months of supplying Russia with new ballistic missiles for use against Ukraine. This is explained in X by the Israeli expert Angel Pfeffer, according to whom the weapons will not even be available to Hezbollah militiamen in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

UZBEKISTAN

In the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan, the Liberal Democratic Party of President Savkat Miziyoyev won with 42.7%, as announced by the head of the electoral committee Zajniddin Nizamkhodzhaev, gaining 64 seats. Another 29 went to Millij Tiklanish's democrats, 21 to the social democrats, 20 to the popular democrats and 16 to the ecologists.

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