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Suu Kyi defends Myanmar for jailing two Reuters’ journalists

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Suu Kyi defends Myanmar for jailing two Reuters’ journalists

On Thursday, Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi vigorously defended the jailing of two Reuters journalists who were reporting on the Rohingya crisis saying that the duo had violated the official secrets act.

Facing ire on unprecedented violence and intimidation against Rohingya Muslims forcing them to flee to Bangladesh and other countries, Naypyidaw has now been trying to justify the imprisonment of two Reuters journalists for  reporting the crisis.

Suu Kyi hit back at global criticism of the journalists’ trial widely seen as an attempt to muzzle the free press saying, “They were not jailed because they were journalists” but because “the court has decided that they had broken the Official Secrets Act”.

Read More: Myanmar court sends Reuters journalists to jail for 7 years

Aung San Suu Kyi, who lost her positive image being the Noble Peace Prize Laureate, acknowledged that the brutal crackdown on the Muslim minority,  which the UN has cast as “genocide”,  could have been “handled better”, but insisted the two reporters had been treated fairly.

Reuters journalists, Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were each imprisoned for seven years last week for breaching the country’s draconian Official Secrets Act while reporting on atrocities committed during the military crackdown in Rakhine state.

International media has also exerted pressure on the de-facto leader Suu Kyi to use her moral force inside Myanmar to defend the two journalists.

Read More: Myanmar books 2 Reuters journos for reporting on violence against Rohingya Muslims

She has challenged the critics of the verdict, including the UN, rights groups and the US Vice President Mike Pence, to “point out” where there has been a miscarriage of justice, Suu Kyi said the case upheld the rule of law.

While discussing the issue at a discussion at  the World Economic Forum (WEF), she said, “The case was held in open court… I don’t think anybody has bothered to read the summary of the judge,” adding the duo still had the right to appeal.

Army-led “clearance operations” that started last August drove  more then 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh,  having scars of widespread accounts of atrocities — rape, murder and arson — by Myanmar security forces.

A UN fact-finding panel has called for Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing and several other top generals to be prosecuted for genocide. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has said it has jurisdiction to open an investigation, even though Myanmar is not a member of the tribunal.

Myanmar does not want its Rohingya back as the country denies them citizenship while the Buddhist-majority public falsely labels them as “Bengalis”.

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India rejects Pakistan’s claims over Karachi attack, asks Islamabad to look inward

India has strongly rejected Pakistan’s allegations over the Karachi attack, asking Islamabad to focus on addressing terrorism within its own borders.

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India on Sunday strongly rejected Pakistan’s allegations linking New Delhi to the recent militant attack in Karachi, describing the accusations as “baseless” and urging Islamabad to focus on tackling terrorism operating from within its own borders.

Responding to the claims, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistan should “look inward” rather than blame other countries for its internal security challenges. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India categorically rejects the allegations and termed them an attempt to divert attention from Pakistan’s domestic issues.

The remarks came after Pakistan alleged Indian involvement in the attack on a Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi. Pakistani authorities claimed that militants targeted the security installation, leading to casualties among security personnel. However, India dismissed the accusations and reiterated its longstanding position that Pakistan must take credible action against terrorism and dismantle terror infrastructure operating from its soil.

Karachi attack and Pakistan’s allegations

According to Pakistani authorities, militants launched an assault on the Rangers’ provincial headquarters in Karachi, triggering an exchange of gunfire. At least three Rangers personnel were killed, while security forces said several attackers were neutralised during the operation. A militant group linked to the Pakistani Taliban reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

Despite these developments, Pakistan alleged external involvement in the attack, accusations that India has firmly denied. New Delhi maintained that Islamabad should concentrate on eliminating terrorist networks rather than making unsupported allegations against other countries.

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Pakistan hit by 5.5-magnitude earthquake, no casualties or damage reported

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Pakistan on Friday, with authorities reporting no immediate casualties or significant damage.

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earthquake-tremors

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Pakistan on Friday, sending tremors across several parts of the country. However, authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant property damage.

According to seismic monitoring agencies, the earthquake was recorded at a considerable depth, which may have reduced the impact on the surface. Residents in several cities reported feeling the tremors, prompting many to move outdoors as a precaution.

Emergency and disaster management authorities began assessing the situation soon after the quake. Initial assessments indicated that no major damage to infrastructure or loss of life had been reported. Officials continue to monitor the situation for possible aftershocks.

Pakistan lies in a seismically active region due to the interaction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence in several parts of the country.

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Twin earthquakes strike Venezuela within 39 seconds, triggering panic in Caracas

Venezuela witnessed two powerful earthquakes within 39 seconds, triggering panic in Caracas, damaging infrastructure and leading authorities to declare a state of emergency.

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Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within just 39 seconds, causing widespread panic, damaging buildings and disrupting key infrastructure in and around the capital, Caracas.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake measured magnitude 7.2 and struck on Wednesday evening near the coastal town of Moron. Just 39 seconds later, a stronger 7.5-magnitude tremor hit roughly 45 kilometres away, creating what seismologists described as a “doublet” earthquake sequence.

The back-to-back quakes sent residents rushing into the streets as buildings shook violently across Caracas. Several structures suffered severe damage, with reports of building collapses in parts of the capital. Rescue workers were deployed to search through rubble while emergency teams assessed the extent of the destruction.

Visuals shared on social media showed scenes of chaos at Simon Bolivar International Airport, where parts of the terminal roof reportedly collapsed, filling sections of the facility with dust and smoke. Passengers were seen evacuating the airport as power flickered during the tremors. Authorities later announced the closure of the airport because of significant damage.

More than 20 aftershocks were recorded following the twin earthquakes, raising concerns about additional structural damage. The USGS warned that the disaster could result in significant casualties and economic losses, while landslides were also reported in affected areas.

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency following the earthquakes and urged citizens to remain cautious as emergency response efforts continued. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado also expressed solidarity with those affected by the disaster.

The earthquakes are being described as among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century. Authorities continue to assess the full scale of the damage and search for possible victims trapped beneath collapsed structures.

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