In other news today: 18 Afghan migrants found dead in a truck in Sofia. The World Food Program cuts food rations to the Rohingya due to lack of funds. Japan wants to criminalize sexual relations with minors under 16 years of age. Armenian Prime Minister Pašinyan presents a new text for the peace agreements with Azerbaijan. The University of Hong Kong prohibits the use of ChatGPT.
SYRIA-TURKEY
Hundreds of Syrians living in Turkey have returned to their war-torn country after last week’s devastating earthquake. The Turkish government allowed Syrians with identity cards from the earthquake-affected Turkish provinces to leave the country for up to six months. Almost four million Syrians have settled in Turkey since the outbreak of the civil war in their country 12 years ago. Some earthquake survivors are making their way to border crossings in an attempt to reunite with their relatives in Syria those who have not seen for years.
AFGHANISTAN-BULGARIA
Bulgarian police detained four people after finding the bodies of 18 dead Afghan migrants, including that of a child, in an abandoned truck near the capital, Sofia. The truck was carrying timber and illegal immigrants that were hidden in compartments. They had illegally crossed the border into neighboring Turkey and hid in the forest for two days before being loaded onto the truck near the southeastern Bulgarian town of Yambol.
BANGLADESH-BURMA
The World Food Programme, the UN food agency, has declared that starting next month it will be forced to cut food rations Rohingya refugees due to lack of funds. The monthly ration will be reduced from $12 to $10 per person from March 1. The organization warned that further cuts will be necessary if there is no new financing before April. Bangladesh refugee camps are home to 750,000 Rohingya who fled Myanmar.
JAPAN
The Japanese government wants consider sexual relations with minors under 16 years of age a crime raising the legal age of consent, which is currently from 13 years. It would be part of reforms to the country’s penal code, which critics say are long overdue and urgently needed to protect vulnerable minors from sexual offences. Today, the age of consent in Japan, which has not changed since its promulgation in 1907, is one of the lowest in developed countries.
RUSSIA
In St. Petersburg, the lifeless body of yet another “big shot” – the administrative director of the Ministry of Finance Marina Jankhina – was found. She was discovered on the ground by a passerby on Samšina street. She would have committed suicide by throwing herself from the balcony of her house on the 16th floor, where her documents and personal belongings were found.
ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN
Armenian Prime Minister Pašinyan announced that he had sent Azerbaijan the “final text” of the peace agreements, with the final corrections being discussed in the government in a closed-door meeting. He also introduced it to the co-chairing countries of the Minsk Security Group, Russia, France and the US.
HONG KONG
The University of Hong Kong Banned the use of ChatGPT or other AI-related tools in college classes, homework, and assessments. If using them, students must obtain written permission from the course instructor or risk being accused of plagiarism.
