Disaster abates in Russia
The day after an armed riot by Wagner mercenaries towards Vladimir Putin’s authorities was defused on the final minute, neither Putin nor the mercenary chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, made a public look, including to the sense of uncertainty and confusion pervading Russia. The swirl of occasions over the previous couple of days has left questions on Putin’s authority and the way forward for the warfare in Ukraine.
The armed rebellion, which Prigozhin led, known as into query Russia’s justifications for its warfare in Ukraine and the competency of its army management. Wagner forces marched towards Moscow with the purpose of difficult Russia’s army management, and whereas they took management of a midsize Russian metropolis, Rostov-on-Don, they failed to assemble a lot public help.
By Saturday evening, Aleksandr Lukashenko, the chief of Belarus, had stepped in and organized for Prigozhin to go to Belarus and keep away from prison prices, and for the Wagner fighters to keep away from repercussions.
Response: Residents cheered and embraced the mercenaries as they left Rostov-on-Don on Saturday. My colleague Roger Cohen writes that Prigozhin’s description of his actions as a “march for justice” can have resonated with some, maybe many, Russians.
Is China offering deadly assist to Russia?
Beforehand unreported shipments between a state-owned Chinese language firm and a Russian munitions manufacturing unit are elevating new questions on Beijing’s position in Russia’s warfare towards Ukraine.
On two separate events final yr, Poly Applied sciences, a state-owned Chinese language firm, despatched tens of hundreds of kilograms of smokeless powder to an ammunition manufacturing unit in central Russia with a historical past of supplying the Russian authorities. These shipments have been recognized by Import Genius, a U.S.-based commerce information aggregator.
U.S. officers have expressed issues that China might funnel merchandise to Russia that may assist in its warfare effort — what is called “deadly assist” — although they haven’t mentioned outright that China has made such shipments.
Takeaway: There isn’t any recognized direct hyperlink between the shipments of smokeless powder and the Ukrainian battlefield, however some specialists mentioned the shipments constituted deadly help.
Context: China has remained formally unaligned within the warfare. In follow, nonetheless, it has change into an vital accomplice for Russia, after proclaiming a “no limits” partnership early final yr.
Taiwan’s #MeToo Wave
A flood of accusations of sexual harassment and assault has reached the very prime of Taiwan’s political institution, prompting a reckoning with ladies’s rights on the democratic island — one in every of Asia’s most progressive locations. Practically on daily basis, recent allegations emerge, setting off discussions on discuss reveals and social media.
Senior social gathering and authorities officers in President Tsai Ing-wen’s governing Democratic Progressive Celebration have been among the many first accused, forcing her to apologize for her social gathering’s mishandling of inside complaints. The scandal is complicating the social gathering’s report as a champion of liberal values and poses a danger to its credibility with youthful voters forward of an election subsequent yr.
Catalyst: The outpouring of complaints was set off by a preferred Netflix political drama, “Wave Makers.” The present includes a subplot about sexual harassment in a Taiwanese political social gathering, and one character’s response — “Let’s not simply let this go this time” — has change into a rallying cry on-line.
Context: Taiwan stands out for the numerous strides that girls have made, however the flood of sexual harassment accusations factors to what students say is entrenched sexism and a tradition that’s fast in charge victims.
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Asia Pacific
The Shikoku pilgrimage in Japan
On Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s 4 foremost islands, a 750-mile route hyperlinks 88 Buddhist temples that declare a connection to Kukai, the celebrated monk who based one of many main faculties of Buddhism in Japan.
Previously, the route was traveled virtually solely by Buddhist pilgrims, however the trek has grown to incorporate younger folks on journeys of self-discovery, older hikers having fun with their retirement and even international guests. Our author additionally discovered a outstanding custom of generosity. The folks of Shikoku follow osettai, the act of giving items to pilgrims, which might come within the type of a trinket, a meal, a automotive experience or perhaps a place to sleep.
