Bangladesh, violent protests in the textile industry. Hundreds of factories closed

Today's news: Overnight clashes in Gaza, the US Secretary of State in Israel to mediate a humanitarian concerns;  Zhou Shuzhuang, one of the founders of the 'Tiananmen Mothers' died yesterday in Beijing without ever getting answers or justice for her son killed in the massacre; Rebel groups wrest a strategic border area in Shan State from the Burmese army; At least 27 dead in a fire at a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in northern Iran; Elections in Pakistan postponed to 8 February; Abu Mazen's visit to Russia is 'on the agenda' but without a specific date; Pro-polygamy propaganda punished in Uzbekistan.

BANGLADESH
Hundreds of clothing factories closed due to violent protests by thousands of workers who took to the streets yesterday demanding a triple of wages. The 3,500 textile companies represent approximately 85% of the 55 billion dollars in annual exports. What weighs heavily are the terrible conditions in which the four million workers in the sector find themselves working, with a monthly salary of 75 dollars.

ISRAEL - GAZA
A night of conflict in the Strip between the Israeli army and militiamen, with the military reportedly surrounding Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighs US calls for a humanitarian pause, but the army has already said there will be no truce with Hamas. US Secretary of State Blinken in Israel, waiting for the Hezbollah leader's speech.

CHINA
Zhou Shuzhuang, one of the founders of the "Mothers of Tiananmen" group which is fighting to obtain justice for the massacre of June 4, 1989, has died in Beijing at the age of 87 after having fought in vain for a long time against the Chinese Communist Party. The woman never fully recovered from the death of her 24-year-old son Duan Changlong. Every year, on the anniversary of the crackdown, the group writes to Chinese leaders, asking them to make the archives public and grant compensation.

MYANMAR
Armed ethnic groups have conquered three cities in north-eastern Myanmar, in the Shan State, near the border with China, in a battle that lasted six days at the end of which they drove out the Burmese army troops. The anti-junta alliance is formed by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, the National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army.

IRAN
A devastating fire broke out this morning in a rehabilitation center for drug addicts in northern Iran, killing at least 27 people but the toll is still provisional. This was reported by the Mizan portal, close to the judiciary, according to which 12 other people were transported to hospital in Langarud, a town in the province of Gilan.

PAKISTAN
The elections in Pakistan have been postponed to February 8, 2024, as announced yesterday by the electoral commission, while the country is grappling with overlapping political, economic and security crises. Excluded from the vote was former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was prevented from participating after being convicted of fraud and detained for revealing state secrets.

RUSSIA - PALESTINE
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that the visit to Russia by the president of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas, is "on the agenda" but for now a specific date cannot be set. The appointment was scheduled even before the aggression of the "Hamas movement" in Israel, all the more now he will have to evaluate the progress of the conflict together with Vladimir Putin.

UZBEKISTAN
In Uzbekistan, the propaganda of polygamy, the religious celebration of marriages (Niqokh) without civil registration or with minors, clothing with the face covered by the Niqab and other behaviors linked to the Muslim religion will be punished. The decision is sanctioned by decree of President Šavkat Mirziyoyev, with heavy fines and imprisonment of up to two weeks.