Al-Aqsa, clashes in mosque between Israeli police and Muslims

Today's headlines: The UN to address latest ban on women with Taliban;  Pakistan's Supreme Court orders elections in Punjab on 14 May; Myanmar junta using 1970s' military strategy in Chin State; Filipino workers are demanding a minimum wage; Japan is also sending military aid; Gas and petrol prices rise in Kazakhstan; Chechen activists reveal the existence of a secret prison.

ISRAEL - PALESTINE

Israeli police entered the al-Aqsa Mosque in the early hours of the morning and clashed with some Muslims who had barricaded themselves inside. At least 12 Palestinians were injured. At least nine rockets were fired from Gaza during the night and Israel responded by hitting what are believed to be Hamas weapons production sites. The incident occurs during the month of Ramadan and before Passover. In 2021, clashes at the mosque had triggered 10 days of war.

AFGHANISTAN

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan (Unama) announced that it will hold talks with the Taliban authorities to "shed light" on the new ban imposed by Kabul that prevents women throughout the country from working with the UN. The female staff of the international organisation, who are essential for reaching a part of the population, had until now been spared the restrictions imposed on national and foreign non-governmental organisations.

PAKISTAN

The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the Election Commission to hold elections in the province of Punjab on 14 May, reversing an earlier decision that they would be held in October to coincide with national elections. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had spearheaded the dissolution of the provincial assembly led by his party to obtain early elections, rejoiced at the verdict.

MYANMAR

According to some residents of Chin State, the Burmese coup junta is implementing the 'four cuts' strategy, already used in the 1970s 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, hindering the flow of goods. The regime imposed martial law in most of Chin State to crush anti-golpe resistance.

PHILIPPINES

Despite surprising economic growth between 2021 and 2022, wages in the Philippines have remained unchanged, while inflation, which had reached 8.7%, fell to 7.6% last month. But workers are lobbying the government to raise wages nationwide to cope with rising prices of consumer goods. Minimum wages in the Philippines vary by region: the highest is set at 570 pesos per day (EUR 9.60) in the capital Manila area and the lowest is 341 pesos per day (EUR 5.70) in the Bangsamoro region in the south of the country.

JAPAN

Tokyo has announced that it will offer financial aid to friendly nations to upgrade their defence apparatus, signalling an unmistakable departure from the policy banning international funding for military purposes. The government announced that the Overseas Security Assistance will be a separate programme from the Overseas Development Assistance that has so far financed development projects around the world. The first countries expected to receive funds are the Philippines and Bangladesh.

RUSSIA

Humanitarian activists of the 1Adat Telegram channel from Chechnya revealed the existence of a secret prison in Groznyj, held by the head of the Omon agents, Adam Khizriev, in which various instruments of torture are used, as revealed by some of those arrested, with interrogations on their knees over coals, the use of electric shocks and beatings to obtain confessions.

KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy has decided to raise the prices of petrol and diesel by 11 and 20 per cent respectively, Minister Bolat Akčulakov announced, in order to 'narrow the gap with neighbouring countries and not face a total fuel deficit, which would endanger the country's energy security'.

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