Myanmar’s junta lays landmines along the gas and oil pipelines that run to China

The other news of the day: Japan’s request to have a mine listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site sparks a row with South Korea. Lebanon refuses to hand over Hezbollah's weapons. India allocates US$ 40 billion for food security. In Russia the crackdown against the Memorial civil rights group continues. Clashes break out at the Tajik-Kyrgyz border.

MYANMAR – CHINA

Myanmar’s military has laid landmines along gas and oil pipelines that run to the Chinese province of Yunnan. Ever since last year’s coup d'état, which sparked a civil war, Beijing has urged Myanmar’s ruling junta to protect its vast interests in the country.

HONG KONG

This morning the University of Hong Kong covered up a 33-year-old slogan on a bridge, a tribute to the students slaughtered by the Chinese government in Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing on 4 June 1989. A few weeks ago, the university had removed a statue commemorating the victims of the same massacre.

JAPAN

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his government have applied for the former gold and silver mines on Sado Island to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The request sparked protests in South Korea because during the Second World War, the Japanese used South Korean prisoners at the mine.

LEBANON – PERSIAN GULF

Lebanon’s foreign minister said that, in today's and tomorrow's meetings with Persian Gulf countries, he would not commit to handing over Hezbollah's weapons. The Sunni monarchies want to reduce the influence of the pro-Iranian Shia party, but Lebanon will only accept to prevent its territory from being used for anti-Arab activities.

INDIA

The Indian government will allocate US$ 40 billion in subsidies for food security and the purchase of agricultural fertilizers. The measure will be included in the government budget for 2022/2023, which will be discussed next week. The amount is essentially the same as last year’s.

RUSSIA

Dissolved by court order, the Memorial civil rights group was forced to end the annual school competition "Man in history. Russia and the twentieth century". The event began in 1999 and in 22 years saw the participation of more than 50,000 young people, who were asked to study the history of their families, cities and heroes of the last century.

KYRGYZSTAN - TAJIKISTAN

Clashes broke out on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan over access to one of the roads in the town of Tört-Köçö. Four Kyrgyz were taken to a hospital in Kok-Taš. Eleven Tajiks (three civilians and eight soldiers) were seriously injured. Obidžon Toyčiev, 36, a resident of the village of Khodžaj Alo, is reported to have died.