Islamabad raid on Kabul: Pakistani Taliban leader targeted
Today's headlines: Israeli government approves Trump's plan overnight, but shooting continues in Gaza. New 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the southern Philippines: tsunami warning in the Pacific. Kim celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Korean Workers' Party with Vietnamese leader To Lam and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The President of Kyrgyzstan met his predecessors who had fled abroad in Dubai to “stop fighting”.
PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN
Two powerful explosions rocked the centre of Kabul late yesterday evening, fuelling widespread speculation about a possible targeted air strike by Pakistan against Noor Wali Mehsud, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group long accused by Islamabad of orchestrating cross-border attacks, whose fate is unclear. Afghan Taliban officials downplayed the incident, reporting that there were no casualties or damage. According to witnesses and local media, the explosions occurred on Thursday night near Abdul Haq Square in District 8 in the eastern part of the capital.
ISRAEL-GAZA
At the end of a marathon session that lasted for hours during the night, the Israeli government approved the first phase of the Gaza agreement, the result of negotiations in Sharm el Sheik that should lead to a ceasefire and the release of hostages. However, the bombing continued throughout the night, while the Israeli army declared that the withdrawal of its troops from Gaza City was proceeding “according to plan” (which at the moment would guarantee the maintenance of control over 53% of the Strip) and “under artillery cover”. Yesterday, there were more deaths and injuries, including a refugee at the Holy Family parish who was hit in the abdomen by shrapnel while on his way to Al Ahli Hospital.
PHILIPPINES
A few days after the one in Cebu province, at least one person died in the Philippines due to a new powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale that struck the southern island of Mindanao this morning. The epicentre was located off the coast of Davao Oriental province, 62 kilometres south-east of Manay. The quake prompted residents to flee their homes and buildings and caused power outages in some areas of the region. A tsunami warning was also immediately issued in the Philippines, Indonesia and Palau, but has already been lifted in at least some areas.
NORTH KOREA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised to turn the country into a “prosperous” socialist “paradise” during an event to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers' Party. The country is still facing ‘fierce political and military pressure from its adversaries,’ but its ‘international prestige’ as a loyal member of the socialist forces is increasing every year, he said. On the occasion of these celebrations, Kim is receiving visits from important foreign dignitaries, including Vietnamese leader To Lam and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
TAIWAN
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has said his government will build an air defence system called “T-Dome” to provide multi-layered protection against enemy threats, and has called on China to renounce the use of force to annex Taiwan. The air defence systems currently in use in Taiwan are mainly based on US-made Patriot missiles and locally developed Tien Kung (Sky Bow) missiles. Last month, Taiwan unveiled its latest air defence missile called Chiang-Kong, which is designed to intercept medium-altitude ballistic missiles and reach higher airspace than that covered by the Patriots.
RUSSIA
The Kuban Regional Court in the North Caucasus has imposed a heavy fine on a newlywed couple, Anton and Svetlana Petrenko, who, during their wedding lunch on their farm with many relatives and friends, included a song in Ukrainian, their native language, among the karaoke music. The song was then shared in videos posted on various social media platforms and considered a form of “discrediting the Russian Armed Forces”.
KYRGYZSTAN
The President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Zhaparov, met his predecessors Akaev, Bakiev, Atambaev and Žeenbekov, who live abroad due to various legal problems, and told the Kabar news agency that he had “achieved his goal of getting everyone to sit down around a table”, calling on them to forget the past and “stop fighting” in order to show the whole world that the country today “lives in peace, otherwise no one will come and invest here”.
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