Malaysia: three bills passed to decriminalise attempted suicide

Today's headlines: the US imposes new sanctions on Burma's coup junta, but without hitting major projects. In China at least 31 people died in a restaurant explosion. The South Korean president arrived in Vietnam today. Pakistan will grant the port of Karachi to the Emirates in exchange for emergency funds. The Catholic Archbishop of Moscow interviewed by Ria Novosti about the Vatican's peace initiatives.

MALAYSIA

Yesterday, Malaysia's upper house of parliament passed a third bill, called the Mental Health Amendment, to decriminalise suicide attempts. Two other measures had been voted on the day before. The legislation aims to authorise police officers to rescue victims who are attempting suicide, an act that will no longer be tried under criminal procedure, some MPs explained.

MYANMAR - UNITED STATES

The United States issued sanctions against the Myanmar Ministry of Defence and two banks (the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank and the Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank) used by the military junta to purchase weapons in foreign currency. However, the measures do not target gas extraction projects, which are the main source of revenue for the military coup.

SOUTH KOREA - VIETNAM

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Hanoi today for a three-day official visit to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. Yoon's delegation consists of more than 200 people related to Korean business and companies. Vietnam is South Korea's third largest trading partner.

CHINA

Nine people were arrested following an explosion at a restaurant in Yinchuan, north-west China, which caused at least 31 deaths, probably due to a gas leak. Among those in custody is the owner of the restaurant. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an investigation and "all-out efforts" in the rescue operation.

PAKISTAN - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Pakistan has set up a committee to negotiate an agreement with the United Arab Emirates, which will be granted the use of the port of Karachi in exchange for emergency funds after the agreement with the International Monetary Fund to receive funding expired. This is the first intergovernmental transaction authorised by a law passed last year to raise funds in a situation of deep economic crisis characterised by record inflation, fiscal imbalances and low reserves.

GEORGIA

In the first months of 2023, Georgia took first place for table wine imports to Russia, overtaking Italy for the first time in 30 years thanks to easier payments, contracts and transport, with a 64% growth to 24 million litres compared to 23 million from Italy, which is also growing, as are the wines of Spain, France and Portugal.

RUSSIA

The Catholic Archbishop of Moscow, Msgr. Pezzi, gave an interview to Ria Novosti to support the importance of the Vatican's peace initiatives with the mission of Card. Zuppi, and to assure loyalty to the Russian government's policies on the part of the Catholic community, which counts "about one million baptised people" throughout the country.

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