MYANMAR
According to media outlets controlled by the Burmese coup junta, regime soldiers yesterday managed to “completely retake” the town of Thabeikkyin, about 100 km north of Mandalay, an important gold mining centre that has been contested with anti-regime forces since last year. With control of Thabeikkyin and Nawnghkio, junta forces now control two flanks of the city of Mogok, the renowned centre of the ruby mining industry.
THAILAND – CAMBODIA
A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed several targets in Cambodia this morning, following a series of armed clashes on the border between the two countries in which several civilians were killed. Last night, Thailand recalled its ambassador after a Thai soldier lost a limb in a mine explosion, which Bangkok said had been planted recently, while Phnom Penh claimed it was a device dating back to the Vietnam War.
EU – CHINA
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged European leaders to “make the right strategic choice” in the current global context. He made these remarks to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, who are in Beijing for a summit that some Chinese analysts predict could be decisive for relations between China and the EU.
SOUTH KOREA
In South Korea, more and more people are waiting in line for hours to have their fruit cut and packaged. The service, called Fresh Table, was launched in 2021 as the first in-store location, and customers are invited to purchase fruit and bring their own containers, but the service has gained immense popularity and created long queues, especially among watermelon lovers, with waits of up to three hours.
INDIA – RUSSIA
An Indian company in December shipped an explosive compound worth $1.4 million to Russia for military use despite US threats to impose sanctions. One of the Russian companies listed as recipients of the compound in a customs document, known as HMX or octogen, is the explosives manufacturer Promsintez, which according to a Ukrainian security service (SBU) official has links to the army. According to other sources, Chinese-made engines are also being secretly shipped to state-owned companies that manufacture drones in Russia.
TAJIKISTAN
Due to climate change, as documented by Asia Plus, arable land in Tajikistan is becoming increasingly barren, with around 70% of it undergoing severe degradation, and 10% of the population living in these areas, a situation exacerbated by the irrational use of agricultural resources, especially in cotton cultivation and the uncontrolled use of water resources.
ISRAEL – GAZA
This morning, Hamas declared that it had “presented its response and that of the Palestinian factions” to mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza. According to AFP sources, the proposal included changes to the conditions relating to the entry of aid, the areas from which the Israeli army would have to withdraw and guarantees to ensure a definitive end to the war. Meanwhile, a non-binding motion on the annexation of the West Bank was passed yesterday in the Knesset by 71 votes to 13.
