Across the country, Myanmar’s security forces are arresting and forcibly disappearing thousands of people, especially boys and young men, in a sweeping bid to crush a three-month uprising against a military takeover. In most cases, the families of those taken don’t know where they are, according to an Associated Press analysis of more than 3,500 arrests since February. UNICEF, the U.N. children’s agency, is aware of around 1,000 cases of children or young people who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained, many without access to lawyers or their families. Source: Myanmar’s military disappearing young men to crush uprising – The Washington Post
Category Archives: News to use
Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works
Argentina man faked covid certificate to fly from Miami to Buenos Aires, authorities say – The Washington Post
It was only the following day, when he landed in Buenos Aires and health officials took his temperature, finding he had a fever of 101.3 degrees, that he made his confession: He probably had covid-19 — and should not have boarded the plane.
“Due to this irresponsible, selfish behavior, 200 people are at risk despite having done the right thing while traveling,” Florencia Carignano, Argentina’s top immigration official, told reporters this week.
Canada authorizes Pfizer vaccine for age 12 and older – The Washington Post
Soldiers leaving Myanmar’s air force by the dozens, report says – UPI.com
Dozens of soldiers with Myanmar’s Air Force have deserted the military as air strikes continue against civilian populations in the country, according to a recent press report. Aung Zay Ya, a sergeant who said he left the military to joint the opposition Civil Disobedience Movement in Myanmar, said about 80 air force officers have defected in protest since the military coup Feb. 1, Myanmar Now reported Tuesday.
Source: Soldiers leaving Myanmar’s air force by the dozens, report says – UPI.com
Japan bans removal of prized agricultural seeds, seedlings abroad
The ban comes in response to concerns seeds and saplings of domestic varieties of plants registered in Japan, such as the high-end lime-colored Shine Muscat grape, have been grown and sold abroad in recent years without the local developers’ permission.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries says China and South Korea have cultivated the Shine Muscat grapes and exported them to Southeast Asia and other areas.
Japan has been promoting its exports of fruits and vegetables to other Asian countries.
A revised seed and seedling protection law that came into effect on April 1 now enables plant breeders to designate where their varieties are permitted to be grown and exported when registering their species.
In line with the revised law, the farm ministry announced last month it has decided to ban the export of seeds and seedlings of 1,975 agricultural products, including 273 whose plant variety registrations with the ministry are pending.
Source: Japan bans removal of prized agricultural seeds, seedlings abroad
2 Indian delegates at G-7 test positive for COVID-19: source
The development forced Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to pull out of attending the last-day session of the three-day meeting in the British capital. India is not a G-7 member but is participating in part of the talks as a guest, together with Australia, South Africa and Brunei, this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Jaishankar, who has not tested positive for COVID-19, said Wednesday, “Was made aware yesterday evening of exposure to possible Covid positive cases.”
“As a measure of abundant caution and also out of consideration for others, I decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual mode. That will be the case with the G7 meeting today as well,” he said in a Twitter post.
Source: 2 Indian delegates at G-7 test positive for COVID-19: source
Myanmar’s Shadow Government Forms People’s Defense Force
US backs waiving COVID vaccine property rights | CIDRAP
A statement from United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said, “The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines.” The statement was made during talks at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) general council meeting. The proposal was first floated last fall, but many wealthy countries opposed it. The WTO will require unanimous agreement on the temporary waiver of property rights, and is expected to formally vote on the issue in June. Proponents of the waiver say it will be in place for a handful of years, until the pandemic is under control. “This is a global health crisis, and the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures,” Tai said. “The Administration’s aim is to get as many safe and effective vaccines to as many people as fast as possible.”
Source: US backs waiving COVID vaccine property rights | CIDRAP
Red Cross sounds alarm over Nepal’s COVID-19 crisis | CIDRAP (Me: India’s failure now impacts Nepal)
“Nepal is recording 57 times more cases than this time last month,” IFRC said, adding that the country’s test positivity rate was 44% last weekend, a sign that thousands of infections are undiagnosed and prompting fears of mass deaths if virus spread isn’t stopped.
IFRC’s Nepal chairperson Dr Netra Prasad Timsina said in the statement, “What is happening in India right now is a horrifying preview of Nepal’s future if we cannot contain this latest COVID surge that is claiming more lives by the minute.”
Source: Red Cross sounds alarm over Nepal’s COVID-19 crisis | CIDRAP
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