According to Agence France Presse,On July 16th,The United Nations Human Rights Office detailed in a stern report how the North Korean authoritiesControl and exploit the people of the country through a widespread and multi-level system of forced labor. It is reported that this report is based on 183 interviews conducted between 2015 and last year with victims and witnesses who fled North Korea and resided abroad.

The report states that,North Korea has mandatory state allocation of work and revolutionAssault teams "force people to engage in" arduous physical labor ", usually in the fields of construction and agriculture. Such projects may last for months or even years, during which workers must live on site and receive almost no compensation.besides,Other forms of labor mobilization include mobilizing people to work abroad and earn foreign exchange for the country, such as some people being sent to Russia and Qatar to help build facilities for the World Cup football tournament. But they90% of the salary is taken away by the authorities, working under surveillance, having passports confiscated, and having almost no rest time. The most serious problem is in detention facilities, where victims of forced labor have to work under the threat of physical violence and inhumane conditions.UN Human Rights Chief TurkI am deeply saddened by this and believe that North Korea may constitute a crime against humanity.

military

01Russia's spring conscription ends, 150000 people enlisted

According to Xinhua News Agency, on July 16th, the website of the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the spring conscription in Russia has ended, and 150000 people have enlisted. Eligible conscripts have the right to choose to serve in different types of armed forces and branches of the military based on their health status and professional psychology. The Russian side used 15 military transport planes, 14 military trains, 172 civil aviation planes, as well as multiple passenger trains and Russian military transport vehicles to participate in the recruitment and transportation work.

The Russian Ministry of Defense emphasized that the recruited soldiers were not sent to deployment points in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, nor did they participate in special military operations. Most of the conscripts are sent to the Russian armed forces and other military units, where they will master modern military technology and receive relevant military professional education. Some of the conscripts were sent to research and production units and military sports departments. The Russian Ministry of Defense also stated that those who have completed their military service have been discharged on time and returned to their hometowns.

02The United States will deploy F-35 squadrons in Japan

According to news from Washington, on July 15th, the US Navy announced that the F-35C Lightning II fighter squadron will be heading to Iwakuni base in Japan to join the 5th Carrier Air Squadron, replacing the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets that have long been the mainstay of the fleet.

It is reported that,The F-35C Lightning II fighter jet is a variant of the F-35 designed specifically for aircraft carriers. Its wingspan is the widest among all F-35 models and it is equipped with a tail hook that hooks onto the carrier deck during landing. The F-35C also has foldable wingtips, which can save space and facilitate the carrier to accommodate more aircraft. Defense analysts say that the deployment of F-35C squadrons by the US military in Japan is a significant upgrade in the capabilities of the Japanese Navy. The F-35 fighter jets will be stationed at the Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southwestern Honshu. Once there is a mission, they will be ordered to take off and rendezvous with the USS Washington aircraft carrier at sea.

01Singapore's housing sales drop to 20-year low

On July 15th, Singapore's Urban Renewal Authority released data showing that developers sold 228 homes last month, slightly higher than the 221 homes sold in May. Overall, this means that Singapore's housing sales in the first six months of 2024 will be less than 2000 units, the lowest level since data began in 2004. In recent years, global billionaires have flooded into Singapore, and the Singapore real estate market has been booming, leaving many local residents feeling overwhelmed. In 2023, the prices and rents of private residential properties in Singapore will surpass those in Hong Kong, China, and take the lead in Asia.

The housing supply structure in Singapore is mainly composed of HDB flats, supplemented by private homes. About there80% of Singaporeans live in government provided HDB flats, which are priced by the government. As the government does not need to pay for land and subsidizes construction costs, their prices are at least 50% -70% lower than similar private homes. Private residences include private apartments, shared apartments, and detached houses, built by private developers. Only about 20% of high-income families and foreigners live in private residences built by developers. After meeting certain conditions, owners of HDB flats can resell them and enter the market. Nowadays, the prices of public housing have also been affected by the high prices of private residential properties. Although the authorities have taken a series of measures to curb the rise in housing prices, they have been of little use.

02The export value of Vietnam's textile industry reached approximately 19.5 billion US dollars in the first half of this year

According to data from Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade, the export value of the textile industry reached approximately 19.5 billion US dollars in the first half of this year, with textile and clothing exports reaching 16.3 billion US dollars, an increase of 3%; Textile fibers reached 2.16 billion US dollars, an increase of 4.7%; Various raw materials and auxiliary materials reached over 1 billion US dollars, an increase of 11.1%. This year, Vietnam's textile industry aims to achieve an export value of 44 billion US dollars.

Van Minh Duc, General Manager of Nam Dinh Textile Co., Ltd. in Vietnam, stated that the company has sufficient export orders this year and is beginning to receive orders for the first and second quarters of next year. It is expected that the company's revenue for the whole year of this year will increase year-on-year35%. The representative of Xing'an Textile Corporation also stated that the company is working hard to implement various tasks for the second half of this year. The market is expected to perform better in the third quarter of this year compared to the second quarter. It is expected that the company's revenue will increase by over 5% and pre tax profit will increase by 15% for the whole year of this year.