Other news of the day: the UN will dialogue with the Taliban on the new prohibition that affects women. The Supreme Court of Pakistan orders the call for elections in Punjab for May 14. The Chin State coup junta uses a military strategy from the 1970s. Filipino workers demand an increase in the minimum wage. Japan will now provide financial aid for military purposes. Fuel prices rise in Kazakhstan. Chechen activists reveal the existence of a secret prison.
ISRAEL – PALESTINE
The Israeli police broke into the Al Aqsa Mosque this morning, confronting some Muslims who had barricaded themselves inside.. At least 12 Palestinians were injured. Overnight at least nine rockets were fired from Gaza and Israel responded by attacking suspected Hamas weapons production sites. The incident occurs during the month of Ramadan and on the eve of Passover. In 2021, clashes at the mosque culminated in a 10-day war.
AFGHANISTAN
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced that will hold talks with the Taliban authorities to “clarify” the new ban imposed by Kabul that prevents women from all over the country from working with the UN. Until now, the female staff of the international organization -essential to reach a part of the population- were not subject to the restrictions imposed on domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission to call elections in Punjab province on May 14, reversing an earlier decision that they would be held in October to coincide with national elections. The verdict was greeted with jubilation by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had spearheaded the dissolution of his party-led provincial assembly to win early elections.
MYANMAR
According to some people in Chin State, the Burmese coup junta is applying the “four cuts” strategy, the same one that was used in the seventies to prevent the supply of food, funds, information and recruits. The army has cut telephone lines in the municipality of Matupi and blocked access to one of the region’s main arteries, hampering the flow of goods. In addition, the regime imposed martial law in most of Chin State to crush anti-coup resistance.
PHILIPPINES
Despite the country’s astonishing economic growth between 2021 and 2022, wages for Filipinos have not changed – unlike inflation, which fell from 8.7% to 7.6% last month. Nevertheless, workers pressure the government to raise wages across the country and to be able to face the increase in the prices of consumer goods. The minimum wage in the Philippines varies by region: the highest is set at 570 pesos a day (9.60 euros) in the capital area, Manila, and the lowest is 341 pesos a day (5.70 euros). in the Bangsamoro region, in the south of the country.
JAPAN
Tokyo announced that it will offer financial aid to friendly nations so they can improve their defense system, indicating a clear departure from the policy that prohibits international financing for military purposes. The government announced that Overseas Security Assistance will be a separate program from Overseas Development Assistance, which has so far financed development projects around the world. The Philippines and Bangladesh would be the first countries to receive funds.
RUSSIA
Humanitarian activists from Chechnya’s Telegram channel 1Adat revealed the existence of a secret prison in Grozny, which would be under the control of the head of Omon agents, Adam Khizriev. Some people who were detained revealed that different instruments of torture are used there: interrogations kneeling on hot coals, use of electric shocks and beatings to extract confessions.
KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy decided to raise gasoline and diesel prices by 11% and 20% respectively, Minister Bolat Akčulakov announced. The goal is to “reduce the gap with neighboring countries and avoid a total fuel deficit, which would jeopardize the country’s energy security.”
