Afghan women defy the Taliban, taking to streets March 8 for 'rights and freedom'

Today's news: consumer prices in China rise for the first time in six months, driven by the New Year; Punjab, blasphemy: 22-year-old student sentenced to death for Whatsapp messages, a 17-year-old to life imprisonment; UN enquiry: Iran responsible for 'physical violence' that killed Mahsa Amini; Settlement and settler attacks in the West Bank reacheshttps://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/china-economy-consumer-prices-february-chinese-new-year-4183161 record levels.

AFGHANISTAN
Challenging the bans and repression of the Taliban, groups of Afghan women demonstrated yesterday (in private spaces), coinciding with International Women's Day, to demand the abolition of limits and restrictions. Demonstrations took place in the provinces of Takhar and Balkh, under the slogan "Rights, justice and freedom" and the cry "save Afghan women".

CHINA
Consumer prices rose for the first time in six months on Chinese New Year spending, offering respite to the world's second-largest economy struggling with consumer weakness. The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.7% year-on-year in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), exceeding the +0.3% expected by economists. Key food products such as pork and fresh vegetables are growing, as well as travel.

PAKISTAN
A court in Lahore, Punjab, sentenced a 22-year-old student to death on charges of blasphemy for some messages sent via Whatsapp because, according to the judges, she offended the feelings of Muslims. A 17-year-old will have to serve a life sentence for the same incident. Both deny the charges. The messages allegedly contained derogatory photos and videos about Muhammad and his wives.

IRAN - UN
Iran is responsible for the "physical violence" that led to the death of Mahsa Amini and committed crimes against humanity in its suppression of street protests. This was established by a UN fact-finding mission, which speaks of "trauma to the body" of the young woman "under the custody of the morality police". The authorities resorted to an "unnecessary and disproportionate use of lethal force" to quell the demonstrations chanting "Women, life, freedom".

ISRAEL - PALESTINE
Settlements in the West Bank have expanded at record speed and risk eliminating any possibility of a Palestinian state. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk "the violence of the Jewish settlers and the expansion of settlements are reaching shocking levels". A 16-page report documents the construction of 24,300 new housing units in one year, the highest figure since 2017. Since 7 October, 400 Palestinians have been killed by settlers or the Israeli army.

INDIA - MYANMAR
Delhi yesterday began the deportations of thousands of Myanmar citizens who fled the country due to the wave of violent fighting between the military junta and rebels. The refugees had crossed the north-eastern Indian border, entering Manipur. The repatriation comes a month after the suspension of the free movement agreement, in addition to the construction of a fence along the border.

RUSSIA
The Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Ignatiy of Saratov, in southern Russia, has decided to demolish the Passion Church in the city, closed during the Soviet period, returned in 2012 and still under restoration. In its place, a building dedicated to the patriotic and military education of youth will be built, in agreement with the local civil and military authorities.

KYRGYZSTAN
In Kyrgyzstan, yet another financial pyramid has collapsed, that of the Charge Fast company, leaving hundreds of citizens broke due to the manipulation of sums from 10 thousand to 1.5 million som. The money was presented as a lottery bet; the widespread protests sparked the intervention of the police, noting the widespread diffusion of the phenomenon.

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