Thai election candidates unveiled

Today's headlines: clashes continue between Israeli police and Palestinians at al-Aqsa; Vietnam to monitor TikTok;  Xi Jinping changes his position on the Kurily Islands; In India thousands of cattle run over by trains.

THAILAND

Two generals involved in coups, a pro-cannabis health minister, and a businesswoman whose father fled into exile after being forced out of the country's government: they include some of the figures nominated for premier and presented yesterday by Thai parties ahead of the May 14 elections. The opposition Pheu Thai party has chosen Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as its main candidate and is currently ahead in the polls.

VIETNAM 

Vietnam's government said it will monitor TikTok's operations starting in May in an effort to ensure that the platform complies with the country's content management, tax payment, and trade policy regulations. According to a statement from a government representative, the Chinese app has allowed the circulation of "toxic, offensive, false and superficial" content.

CHINA - RUSSIA - JAPAN

Chinese President Xi Jinping, on a recent visit to Moscow, changed Beijing's position regarding the territorial conflict between Russia and Japan over the Kurily Islands, which since the days of Mao Tzetung in 1964 supported Tokyo's claims, while now the Chinese "do not support either side," despite the "defense of territorial integrity."

ISRAEL - PALESTINE

Israeli police clashed a second time with Palestinians at the al-Aqsa Mosque yesterday after arresting and turning away some 350 people. According to the Jordanian Islamic organization that runs the site, Israeli security forces entered the compound last night before the end of Ramadan prayers and tried to evacuate worshippers using rubber bullets. In response, Palestinians threw objects at the police.

INDIA

According to government data released yesterday, Indian trains ran over 13 thousand head of cattle in 2022, a 24 percent increase over 2019. India's rail network is unfenced and allows animals to graze freely, but the situation damages trains and increases the likelihood of derailments.

RUSSIA

Aleksej Moskalev, the father of Maria, the little girl who showed anti-war drawings, was arrested in Minsk while on the run, but even his lawyers do not know where he is now. Meanwhile, the Moscow court is deciding to take away parental authority from him and his mother Olga, who is separated from her husband and has not seen their daughter in more than seven years.

KAZAKHSTAN-TURKMENISTAN

Kazakhstan's new Mažilis (parliament) ratified the agreements with Turkmenistan on the border regime between the two countries, which had been signed on Oct. 25, 2021 in Ašgabat to ensure the legal foundations of resolving any conflict, and now they will be able to "ensure the strengthening of national security" of the Astana republic.

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