Kachin people protest military coup – Myanmar

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YANGON, Myanmar – Kachin ethnic people in Myikyina city staged a protest against the military coup on March 10, with a purpose of attempting to restore democracy in Myanmar.

The dead woman

In the confrontation with security forces, in which live rounds were used, two people died, including a 20-year-old woman and four others were wounded.

Myikyina is the capital of Kachin state and is famous for the Chinese government’s dam project which was temporary suspended due to the public protests. In Kachin state, Kachin Independent Army, an ethnic insurgent group, controls some areas.

By Htay Win
Photo credit Aye Yar waddy

Niger: Peaceful and democratic change of power

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In a first since the country’s independence in 1960, President Mahamadou Issoufou will not use any constitutional amendments or tricks to extend his stay in power and will step down at the end of this term, handing power over to his democratically elected successor, former Foreign Minister Mohamed Bazoum.

According to The Economist, 13 African heads of state have exceeded their term of office in the past six years.

by Milan Sime Martinic

Hackers hack into 150,000 security cameras worldwide

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An international hacker collective wanting to show how monitored we are and how easy surveillance systems are to hack, breached camera-maker Verkada, gaining access to the video systems of all its customers which included hospitals, prisons, schools and police stations, and companies such as Tesla, Cloudflare and others, according to Swiss hacker Tillie Kottmann, who claimed credit on behalf of the collective.

By Milan Sime Martinic

Zuma consulting lawyers about decision to appear

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DURBAN, South Africa – The ANC top leaders has agreed to give former president Jacob Zuma space to continue speaking with lawyers about his refusal to appear before the commission after their meeting on Monday.

The meeting was meant to change Zuma’s mind about appearing before the state capture of inquiry. However, the officials’ attempts failed as Zuma told them that as much he respected the constitution, he also had his rights.

While addressing the media, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said, “The top six heard his explanation and agreed to give him space to continue consulting with his lawyers on these issues which he has actually raised on whether to appear before the commission.”

Magashule said in his presentation, Zuma detailed his reasons for defying the Constitutional Court which had ordered him to appear before the commission. Zuma also told the top six officials that he did not have a problem with the commission itself and that he would appear only if its chairperson, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, was to recuse himself.

By Zakithi Dlamini

Philippine president calls for hunting of communists, ‘massacre’ ensues

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President Rodrigo Duterte launched a campaign Friday targeting everyone he classifies as “communist rebels.”

By Sunday, 9 people were dead in raids by the military and police in what Vice President Leni Robredo, who is Duterte’s rival, called a “massacre” that needs to be cleared up.

Opponents fear the president, who is famous for saying, “Kill them,” when ordering persecutions of drug dealers, is using his declaration of persecuting rebelling communists as a way to silence vocal critics and activists who now say they fear for their lives.

By Milan Sime Martinic

Brazil’s leftist ex-president da Silva can run again

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SAO PAULO, Brazil – A judge in the country’s Supreme Court declared the corruption trials against former President Lula da Silva invalid and thus the conviction for which he served time in prison also invalid. Further, it means he can run in the presidential elections of 2022.

Lula, Brazil’s leftist icon, would challenge right-wing populist incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro, suspected to have engineered the investigation that convicted Lula on corruption charges, which judges and prosecutors now agree was manipulated and is questionable.

The former union leader ran the country from 2003 to 2011 and still enjoys great support, especially among the poor in Brazil. During Lula da Silva’s tenure, Brazil experienced a boom, but in 2018 the conviction made his candidacy impossible. Despite polls showing he was likely to win the election, he was sent to prison and taken off the ballot, Bolsonaro then won the elections and took the presidency. The 75 year-old Lula has not indicated whether he wants to run again, but his supporters are already celebrating.

According to recent polls, if the elections were held today, he would have more votes than Bolsonaro.

By Milan Sime Martinic

Russia and China want to build a lunar station together

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Both nations have signed a letter of intent to build a “complex of facilities for experimental research on the surface and/or orbit of the moon,” announced the Russian space agency Roskosmos Tuesday, adding that the program that the program be open to “all interested states and international partners.”

By Milan Sime Martinic

At least 98 dead, over 600 injured in explosions in Equatorial Guinea

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Soldiers and civilians were among the victims as dynamite and explosives depots caught fire and exploded in several detonations at a military base in the city of Bata. The country’s president has said the tragedy occurred because of “negligence and inattention” that allowed farmers’ bush burnings to get out of hand.

By Milan Sime Martinic

Chicago considering more monument removals

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The city is currently weighing removing Abraham Lincoln statues, part of a “racial healing and historical reckoning project” that began last summer under Democratic mayor Lori Lightfoot.

The city removed a statue of Christopher Columbus a few months ago.

Other statues being considered for removal are of presidents George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant and William McKinley.

By Sid Douglas

Joe Rogan admits censorship by Spotify

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As part of the $100m deal to be a 100% Spotify guy, Rogan agreed to have the streaming platform not republish some early episodes, including interviews with Milo Yiannopoulos, Gavin McInnes, and Alex Jones.

Rogan later did a new interview with Jones on Spotify, but the old eps remain unavailable.

Rogan also gave a public apology in regards to correcting false information about left-wing anarchists setting fires in Oregon, which many believe was also part of the Spotify deal.

The JRE host said that when Spotify didn’t want a few episodes on their platform, he was like, “Okay, I don’t care,” and that there won’t be any further editorial control over what he does.

By Sid Douglas

Reporters from Myanmar Now news agency escape military arrest

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YANGON, Myanmar – Their office was raided Feb. 8, but staff had already fled the scene. Instead, authorities took their computers and office equipment.

Last week, security forces arrested reporter Kay Zan Nway of Myanmar Now while she was reporting news during a protest.

Myanmar’s state-run media announced Feb. 8 at night that the military had revoked the licenses of five media outlets working in Myanmar. They are Myanmar Now, Kit Thit, Mizzima, DVB and 7 days media.

By Htay Win
Photo credit- Shine