04/19/2025, 11.11
ASIA TODAY
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The Bhagavad Gita among UNESCO Memory of the World

Today's news: Strong quake shakes border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan; Ahmadi community member lynched by Islamic extremists in Karachi;   Pew Research Center survey reveals number of Americans with an unfavourable opinion of China is beginning to decline; In Phnom Penh, Xi Jinping signs another partnership agreement to resume work on the Funan Techo canal.

INDIA

The Bhagavad Gita, a milestone in the Hindu tradition, and Bharat Muni's Natyashastra have been inscribed by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Register, a global initiative that aims to preserve documentary heritage of inestimable value. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it ‘a global recognition of our timeless wisdom and rich culture’. The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, while the Natyashastra is considered the fundamental text for the Indian tradition of theatre, dance and music.

AFGHANISTAN

A strong earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck the border region between Afghanistan and Tajikistan today, causing tremors that were also felt in parts of northern India and Pakistan, including Kashmir and Delhi. The quake struck at 12.17 local time and the extent of the damage is not yet clear. The epicentre was located in the border area between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, a region prone to seismic activity due to tectonic movements.

PAKISTAN

A 46-year-old man was lynched yesterday in Karachi when several hundred supporters of the religious party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) stormed a place of worship belonging to the Ahmadi community in the Saddar area. The police, who are trying to identify the perpetrators, have recovered CCTV footage showing that the victim was filming TLP protesters from behind the community hall with his mobile phone when someone in the crowd spotted him and targeted him.

CHINA-UNITED STATES

Just as the trade war rages between Washington and Beijing, the Pew Research Center has released the results of a survey conducted in late March (i.e. before Trump's press conference on tariffs) showing that for the first time in five years, the percentage of Americans with an unfavourable opinion of China has fallen slightly compared to the previous year, from 81% in 2024 to 77% in 2025. The percentage of those with a very unfavourable opinion of China fell by as much as 10 percentage points, while those who consider China an enemy of the United States fell from 42% last year to 33% today.

CAMBODIA-CHINA

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Phnom Penh, the People's Republic of China and the Cambodian government signed a partnership agreement worth .15 billion to finance the Funan Techo canal project in Cambodia. The ambitious project for the 151-kilometre waterway, which is expected to connect a branch of the Mekong River to a port on the Gulf of Thailand, was launched last year, but work was halted shortly after the groundbreaking ceremony due to financing problems.

JAPAN

According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, a record number of suicides among young people was recorded in 2024, while the total number of suicides fell to the second lowest level ever. In 2024, a total of 20,320 people took their own lives, 1,517 fewer than the previous year. This is the second lowest figure since 1978. However, the number of elementary, middle and high school students who committed suicide increased by 16 to a record 529.

RUSSIA

Unknown individuals attempted to set fire to the home of the chief imam of the Rostov region in southern Russia, Mukhammed Bikmaev, who in June 2024 had led negotiations with rioters at the local detention centre, who had stormed the isolation zone. Local governor Yuri Slusyar said that all attempts to spread discord, terror and hatred in the region would be strongly opposed.

TURKMENISTAN

The president of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, visited Japan, where he signed several agreements with the Tokyo authorities for the construction of a new gas and oil refinery in the velayat of Akhal and other joint energy initiatives, involving Sumitomo Heavy Industries in the construction of the city of Arkadag.

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