Companies from 13 countries help the coup military to manufacture weapons

Other news of the day: Vice President Tsai Ing-wen is the new leader of the ruling party in Taiwan. A former MP was murdered in Kabul. The Iraqi prime minister is willing to maintain a US troop presence. Air disaster in Nepal: four missing are being searched for. In Russia, a Jehovah’s Witness was convicted of extremism.

MYANMAR

Companies from 13 countries have supplied materials for the ruling coup junta to produce weapons to be used against the armed opposition. This was revealed by the report of a United Nations study group. Includes companies from the US, France, India and Japan.

TAIWAN

the vice president Lai Ching-te is the new leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has been in power since 2016. The appointment places him in the front row to compete for the country’s presidency. The term of the current head of state Tsai Ing-wen expires in 2024. In November, the DPP suffered a crushing defeat in local elections.

AFGHANISTAN

It was The former deputy Mursal Nabizada was shot to death. An armed group attacked his Kabul home; His brother was also injured and a bodyguard was killed. The victim was a member of the Lower House of Parliament until the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

IRAQ

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is not opposed to the US troops remain in the country, a statement that will infuriate pro-Iranian Shiite militias. There are currently 2,500 US troops on Iraqi soil, half the number deployed between 2014 and 2018 in the campaign against ISIS.

NEPAL

The search continues for the four missing in the plane crash near Pokhara airport. A Yeti Airlines plane fell into a gorge shortly before landing. So far there are 68 victims, 52 Nepalese and 15 foreigners.

RUSSIA

The Kyzyl court in the Republic of Tuva sentenced a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Anatolij Senin, to six years in prison on charges of extremism. He is the first convicted in the Mongolia and Siberian region. He had been arrested for “transmitting video recordings of religious content, incitement to prayer and religious songs, and study of the Bible.”

GEORGIA

The Rustavi 2 television channel broadcast an audio recording with the voice of the mother of former President Saakašvili (currently in prison) in which she criticizes opposition politicians. The woman explains that her son returned to Georgia “for Russia”, unleashing a hornet’s nest of controversy and mutual accusations of treason and plots with the Kremlin.