Myanmar court sentences Suu Kyi and Australian economist to 3 years in jail - source
A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Thursday sentenced deposed leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and her former economic adviser, Australian Sean Turnell, to three years in prison, a source familiar with the proceedings said, Reuters reported.
Both had been charged with violating the official secrets act and had pleaded not guilty.
"Three years each, no hard labour," said the source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue. The sentencing took place in a closed court.
Suu Kyi and several members of her economic team had been indicted for the same offence, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. They are among thousands arrested since the junta seized power in a coup early last year, including politicians, lawmakers, bureaucrats, students and journalists, according to Reuters.
The courts have dealt harshly with opponents of the military, handing down prison terms and even the death penalty in some cases. The junta insists Myanmar's courts are independent and those arrested are receiving due process.
VP Harris to visit DMZ after North Korean missile tests
US Vice President Kamala Harris is capping her four-day trip to Asia with a stop at the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula as she tries to demonstrate the US commitment to the security of its Asian allies, Associated Press reported.
The visit on Thursday comes on the heels of North Korea’s latest missile launches and amid fears that it may conduct a nuclear test. Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and had fired one before she left Washington on Sunday. The launches contribute to a record level of missile testing this year.
Before going to the DMZ, Harris met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at his office in Seoul and praised the alliance between the countries as a “linchpin of security and prosperity.” Yoon, a conservative who took office in May, called her visit “another turning point” in strengthening ties. Harris and Yoon were expected to discuss the growing North Korean nuclear threats and the U.S. commitments to defend the South. They were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between Seoul and Tokyo to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region.
Harris earlier spent three days in Tokyo, where she denounced North Korea’s “illicit weapons program” during a speech on an American destroyer at a naval base and attended the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the latest missile tests would not deter Harris from the DMZ and that she wanted to demonstrate America’s “rock-solid commitment” to regional security.
“As you know, North Korea has a history of doing these types of tests,” Jean-Pierre said, calling it “not unusual.”
Yoon had anchored his campaign with vows to deepen Seoul’s economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the US-China rivalry and Russia’s war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently, according to Associated Press.
A new law signed by President Joe Bidenprevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.
South Koreans have reacted with a sense of betrayal, and Harris acknowledged the dispute in a conversation with the country’s prime minister, Han Duck-soo, on Tuesday in Tokyo.
“They pledged to continue to consult as the law is implemented,” the White House said of the meeting.
Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that US officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution, Associated Press reported.
World Cup 2022: Denmark to wear 'toned down' jerseys in protest at hosts Qatar
Denmark will wear "toned down" shirts for the World Cup to protest against host Qatar's human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers, BBC reported.
Kit provider Hummel has also designed a third, all-black kit, to represent the "colour of mourning".
Hummel said it "does not wish to be visible" in a tournament it claims "has cost thousands of lives".
"We support the Danish national team but that isn't the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation," it said.
As part of the design, the Denmark badge is also "toned down". Their playing kit will be a plain red home shirt and an all-white second kit.
Denmark's training kit sponsors will also withdraw their logos to give room for messages critical of Qatar.
Qatar officials have previously disputed the figures on the death of migrant workers working on World Cup facilities, saying the actual total figure at the time in 2021 was 37.
Hummel said: "We wish to make a statement about Qatar's human rights record and its treatment of the migrant workers that have built the country's World Cup stadiums, according to BBC.
"We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn't, we want to make a statement."
However, the Qatar 2022 supreme committee, which organises the tournament, disputed Hummel's claims about the deaths of migrant workers.
"We have engaged in robust and transparent dialogue with the Danish Football Association (DBU)," a statement said.
"We wholeheartedly reject the trivialising of our genuine commitment to protect the health and safety of the 30,000 workers who built stadiums and other tournament projects.
"We have worked diligently alongside the Qatari government to ensure that the tournament delivers a lasting social legacy."
The committee also urged the DBU to "accurately convey the outcome of their extensive communication and work with the [committee]" to Hummel, BBC reported.
England in Pakistan: Hosts edge low-scoring match to take 3-2 lead in Twenty20 series
Pakistan took a 3-2 lead in their Twenty20 series against England with a six-run victory in a low-scoring match in Lahore, BBC reported.
Chasing just 146 for the win, England never recovered from a poor start in the powerplay that saw them reduced to 31-3 inside five overs.
A defiant knock from captain Moeen Ali, who ended unbeaten on 51, left England needing 15 runs off the last over, but some superb death bowling from debutant Aamir Jamal saw them fall just short on 139-7.
Earlier, England fast bowler Mark Wood took 3-20 as Pakistan were bowled out for 145 after 19 overs, Mohammad Rizwan the only batter to offer resistance with 63 from 46 deliveries, according to BBC.
The penultimate game of the seven-match series takes place on Friday, again in Lahore.
Nord Stream leak: West shores up pipeline security, blaming Russia 'sabotage'
European countries say they will ramp up security around oil and gas installations after the suspected sabotage of two major pipelines, BBC reported.
The EU, US and Nato have suggested damage to the pipelines between Russia and Germany was deliberate, but have not blamed Russia directly.
Russia has said it was not involved, and asked if the US was instead.
Russia has previously been accused of using gas supplies as a weapon against the West over its support for Ukraine.
The leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were discovered on Monday and Tuesday.
Neither pipeline was operating at the time, as the Nord Stream 2 project was abandoned when Russia invaded Ukraine, and Russia shut down Nord Stream 1 in September, citing a need for maintenance.
But both pipelines were still full of gas, which bubbled to the surface in an area a kilometre wide on the sea's surface.
Danish Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen said the leaks were likely to last for at least a week, until the gas escaping from the pipes runs out. An investigation has been launched.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed accusations of sabotage as "predictable, stupid and absurd".
Mr Peskov said he was "extremely concerned" about the leaks, adding that the possibility of a deliberate attack could not be ruled out.
In the aftermath of the alleged attacks, Norway - now Europe's largest gas supplier - has decided to deploy its military to protect crucial infrastructure.
Any attack would be handled jointly with allies, he said, according to BBC.
The Navy would be deployed to protect offshore installations, while police could increase presence at onshore facilities, he said.
Equinor, a Norwegian state-owned energy company, also said on Wednesday that it had also stepped up security measures.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he had discussed the protection of critical infrastructure with the defence minister of Denmark, the country closest to the damage.
And in the US, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the country would continue its work to safeguard Europe's energy security.
"We stand ready to provide support and assistance in close coordination with our allies and partners, if needed," Cpt Tamara Lawrence said.
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline - which consists of two parallel branches stretches 745 miles (1,200km) under the Baltic Sea from the Russian coast near St Petersburg to north-eastern Germany.
Seismologists reported underwater blasts before the leaks emerged. Denmark's Defence Command has released footage of the leaks which shows bubbles - the largest is 1km (0.6 miles) in diameter - at the surface of the Baltic Sea.
"There is no doubt that these were explosions," said Bjorn Lund of Sweden's National Seismology Centre.
Mike Fulwood, a senior research fellow at the independent Oxford Institute for Energy Studies told the BBC sabotage was, indeed, the most likely cause of the leaks.
"To rupture an offshore pipeline is a rare occurrence, so three in 18 hours would be a big coincidence," he said.
If the sabotage was indeed committed by Russia, this was a "bizarre" move, he said, as it had already shut supplies off, BBC reported.
He estimated that repairs could take between three and six months, as the damaged sections would need to be replaced. Similar damage to a different pipeline in the past took nine months.
DSP lawmaker Chaudhary joins NC
Democratic Socialist Party leader and incumbent lawmaker Chanda Chaudhary joined the Nepali Congress on Wednesday. Party President and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Deuba welcomed her in the party. Leaders closed to her said that she joined the party after being assured of getting a ticket of first-past-the-post (FPTP) ticket.
Nepse surges by 6. 41 points on Wednesday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 6. 41 points to close at 1,837.46 points on Wednesday. Similarly, the sensitive index plunged by 1. 45 points to close at 359. 59 points. A total of 1,370,477 unit shares of 221 companies were traded for Rs 48 billion. In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green except for Trading, Finance, Others, Mutual Fund. Meanwhile, Mandakini Hydropower Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 20 percent. Global IME Balanced Fund was the top loser as its price fell by 10 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 24 trillion.
Journalists oriented on approaches to countering elections related disinformation, hate speech
Ahead of the federal and provincial elections, Media Action Nepal (MAN), a member and co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition-Consultative Network (MFC-CN), is offering a series of intensive training and mentorship sessions on fair media coverage of elections to journalists in all provinces of Nepal. The first media sensitization workshop was organized in Hetauda of Bagmati Province on Wednesday with 25 participants from Hetauda and Chitwan districts. Out of which 12 participants were girls/women. The participants represented eight newspapers, five television channels, six online news portals and six radio stations. Supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI), the training, mentorship and fellowship seek to equip journalists on fair media coverage, reporting elections, countering disinformation and hate speech, and promoting inclusive and diverse media content. The training workshop has three sessions and the topics of discussion cover professional standards and code of conduct for journalists, media’s approach to human rights and approaches to countering hate speech and promoting inclusive media content. The training sessions were facilitated by Laxman Datt Pant, Global Journalism Trainer and Chairperson of Media Action Nepal and the Co-Chair of MFC-CN, Shree Adhikari, Human Rights Expert and Priyanka Jha, Vice-Chairperson of Media Action Nepal. Pant interacted with the participants focusing on standards for fair media coverage of elections, elections and media professionalism, adherence to ethics and code of conduct and understanding diversity and media’s role in elections. He also focused on election’s code of conduct for journalists published by the Election Commission Nepal (ECN) that is being implemented from 28th September, 2022 until the federal and provincial elections scheduled for November 20, 2022. Adhikari focused on areas of human rights and election-provision and standards, constitution of Nepal, stages of reporting in election, media’s approach to human rights reporting. He discussed the laws related to election and the laws that need to be considered while reporting elections. His discussion also included the importance of fair media coverage during three phases of election i.e before election, during election and after election. Jha shared with the participants about understanding elections related misinformation/disinformation and hate speech, issues for media advocacy and promoting inclusive media content. She focused on the importance of the role and responsibilities of journalists and media during the election. Meantime, Srijana Nepal, a participant from Radio Thaha Sanchar in Makawanpur shared, "As the training was right before the election, it was helpful to us to learn about the roles the media should play before, during and after election." Similarly, Shanta Adhikari, a journalist working with Chitwan Patra commented, "Receiving the training before the election provided us an understanding on subjects that need to be focused during election like the political parties and candidates, the issues and the voting process." Ganesh Prasad Ghimire, Secretary of Media Action Nepal highlighted the objectives of the workshop, while Laxman Datt Pant, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal introduced the participants with the work of Media Action Nepal and expressed his appreciation to CFLI for supporting the election reporting training workshops and mentorship program.
