DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ India, world’s largest democracy, leads global list of internet shutdowns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Of 187 internet shutdowns recorded worldwide, 84 took place in India, according to the report published Tuesday by Access Now, a New York based advocacy group that tracks internet freedom. India has the world’s second largest digital population, following China, with more than 800 million internet users. Pradeep Guar/Mint/Getty ImagesIn recent years, the government has repeatedly justified blocking internet access on the grounds of preserving public safety amid widespread fears of mob violence. Rest of the worldLast year saw more internet shutdowns worldwide than ever before, Access Now said, prompting the group to raise fears of “digital authoritarianism” as governments continue the trend. Apart from India, other countries that saw internet shutdowns last year include Ukraine, Iran and Myanmar.

☆ Macron flies to Africa to counter waning French influence
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Feb 27 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron will fly to Africa this week in a bid to counter Russian efforts to dislodge France from the continent, after Paris suffered a series of military and political setbacks in its former sphere of influence. France withdrew its forces from Mali last year after the junta there started working with Russian military contractors, ending a decade of operations against Islamist insurgents. Macron has accused Russia of feeding anti-French propaganda in Africa to serve "predatory" ambitions. But French presidential advisers denied in a briefing on Friday that Macron was in a charm offensive to win back lost influence. During the trip, Macron will focus on the environment, with a participation to a summit on forests in Gabon, and will also meet African artists.

☆ Burkina Faso marks official end of French military operations on its soil
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Thiam Ndiaga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Head of Burkina Faso's army Colonel Adam Nere receives a flag from French Lieutenant-Colonel Louis Lecacheur during a military handover ceremony to officially mark the end of French military operations on Burkinabe soil, at the base of Kamboincin, Burkina Faso February 18, 2023. Burkina Faso's General Staff of the Armed Forces/Handout via REUTERSOUAGADOUGOU, Feb 19 (Reuters) - France and Burkina Faso have officially marked the end of French military operations in the West African nation, the Burkinabe armed forces said on Sunday, after a flag-lowering ceremony at the French special forces' camp a day earlier. In a statement, the General Staff of the Burkinabe Armed Forces said it had participated with the leadership of France's Sabre special forces in "a solemn flag-lowering ceremony marking the official end of the Task Force's operations on Burkinabe soil". The French armed forces ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The departure of the some 400 French special forces from Burkina Faso follows a sharp deterioration in relations that included Ouagadougou asking France to recall its ambassador.

☆ Russia’s Wagner Deepens Influence in Africa, Helping Putin Project Power
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Benoit Faucon | Joe Parkinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

As Wagner fighters play a central role in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Russian mercenary group is quietly expanding its alliances in Africa, say European officials, penetrating new mineral-rich areas, exploiting the exit of Western powers and creating alliances with local fighters. Wagner fighters and instructors are working with the government of the Central African Republic in a bid to seize areas rich with precious minerals that could be exported through Sudan, say Western security officials. Wagner is also looking to expand its influence in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, while consolidating its relationship with the military junta in Mali.

☆ Mali says Russia's Lavrov to visit to strengthen defence ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BAMAKO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay a two-day visit to Mali this week, the Malian foreign ministry said on Sunday, describing the visit as a reflection of a shared wish to strengthen defence and security ties. "This high-level visit is in line with the political choice made by the Transitional Government to expand and diversify strategic partnerships," the Malian ministry said in a statement. Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Mali that Moscow was committed to strengthening cooperation to help root out the militants. Mali has previously said Russian forces in the country are not mercenaries but trainers helping local troops with equipment bought from Russia. Lavrov is currently in Baghdad for talks on improving bilateral ties and energy cooperation.

JAKARTA, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to send a top general to Myanmar to talk to its junta leaders in the hope of showing Myanmar's military rulers how Indonesia made a successful transition to democracy, President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday. We have the experience, here in Indonesia, the situation was the same," the president, who is widely known as Jokowi, told Reuters in an interview in his offices in Jakarta. The military took over in Myanmar in 1962, isolating the country and suppressing dissent for decades until a tentative opening up began in 2011. Other members have appeared increasingly frustrated with the Myanmar military and are keen to maintain a ban on its top officials taking part in ASEAN forums. Managing rifts over Myanmar, and escalating tension in the disputed South China Sea, will be among the main challenges for Indonesia in its role as ASEAN chair.

☆ Protesters mark Myanmar coup anniversary, junta due to make statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Filipino activists stage a protest in solidarity with Myanmar citizens, two years since Myanmar's military coup, outside the Embassy of Myanmar in Makati City, Philippines, February 1, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezFeb 1 (Reuters) - Protesters marked the two-year anniversary of Myanmar's military coup with a "silent strike" in major cities and rallies overseas on Wednesday, as exiled civilian leaders vowed to end what they called the army's "illegal power grab". Myanmar's military took power after complaining of fraud in a November 2020 general election won by Suu Kyi's party. PROTESTS IN BANGKOKIn the main commercial cities of Yangon and Mandalay, images on social media showed deserted streets in what coup opponents said was a silent protest against the junta. State media recently announced tough requirements for parties to contest, a move that critics say could sideline the military's opponents and cement its grip on politics.

☆ UN expert warns Myanmar's military plans to seek legitimacy in 'sham' election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The independent U.N. special investigator on Myanmar warned Tuesday that the country's military rulers plan to seek legitimacy by orchestrating a "sham" election this year and urged all countries to reject the illegal and "farcical" vote. Tom Andrews also called for nations that support human rights and democracy to recognize the underground umbrella organization for opponents of military rule as the legitimate representative of Myanmar's people. "You cannot have a free and fair election when the opposition is arrested, detained, tortured, and executed," journalists are prohibited from doing their job, and it is a crime to criticize the military, Andrews said at a news conference. Andrews called for recognition and support for the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military. It was established by elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized power.

[1/2] Myanmar's military parade to mark the 72nd Armed Forces Day in the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmar March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies imposed further sanctions on Myanmar on Tuesday, marking the two-year anniversary of the coup with curbs on energy officials and members of the junta, among others. Washington imposed sanctions on the Union Election Commission, mining enterprises, energy officials and current and former military officials, according to a Treasury Department statement. It marks the first time the United States has targeted Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) officials under the current Myanmar sanctions program, a Treasury spokesperson said. Washington also targeted former and current Myanmar military officials, the Treasury said, accusing the Air Force of continuing to launch air strikes using Russian-made aircraft against pro-democracy forces that have killed civilians.

[1/2] Myanmar's military parade to mark the 72nd Armed Forces Day in the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmar March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies imposed further sanctions on Myanmar on Tuesday, marking the two-year anniversary of a military coup with curbs on energy officials and junta members, among others. Washington imposed sanctions on the Union Election Commission, mining enterprises and energy officials, among others, according to a Treasury Department statement. It marks the first time the United States has targeted Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) officials under the current Myanmar sanctions program, a Treasury spokesperson said. Mining Enterprise No 1 and Mining Enterprise No 2, both state-owned enterprises, as well as the Union Election Commission, were also hit with sanctions by Washington.

☆ Myanmar army set to cement rule with tough new election criteria
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Richard Horsey, senior adviser to the International Crisis Group, who was based in Myanmar for 15 years, said the rules aimed to restore a political system the military can control. Who would fund a political party right now?" The junta says it is committed to democracy and seized power because of unaddressed violations in a 2020 election won in a landslide by the ruling NLD. The NLD in November described the election as "phoney" and said it would not acknowledge it. The election has also been dismissed as a sham by Western governments.

☆ Myanmar opium cultivation surging under military rule - UN report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Opium cultivation in military-ruled Myanmar jumped 33% last year, reversing a six-year downward trend in the strife-torn country, a United Nations report said on Thursday. The growth was "directly connected" to the political and economic turmoil in Myanmar since the military took power in a coup nearly two years ago, an official at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said. "Without alternatives and economic stability it is likely that opium cultivation and production will continue to expand," warned UNODC Myanmar country manager Benedikt Hofmann. The eastern Shan State, which borders China, Thailand and Laos, saw the biggest increase in cultivation, at 39%. The value of opium produced annually in Myanmar can reach up to $2 billion, with much of the drug smuggled out to neighbouring countries and on to the global market, the report added.

☆ Thai PM walks out of news conference over question on ex-leader Thaksin
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha campaigns as the PM candidate for the United Thai Nation Party (Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party) ahead of a general election this year in Bangkok, Thailand, January 9, 2023. REUTERS/Chalinee ThirasupaBANGKOK, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The mere mention of Thailand's ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra prompted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to walk out of a news conference this week, irked by talk of the exiled political heavyweight's long-touted return. I don't like it," Prayuth said on Wednesday cutting off a reporter's question about Thaksin, before walking away from the podium and out of the venue. Paetongtarn, 36, last week declared her readiness to be prime minister with the Pheu Thai Party, which won most seats in the 2019 election but not enough to form a government. Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ France to withdraw troops from Burkina Faso within a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( John Irish | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Vincent Bado/File PhotoPARIS, Jan 25 (Reuters) - France will withdraw its troops from Burkina Faso in the next month after the military junta asked it to leave, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday, in a move that will further reduce its presence in a region facing a growing Islamist insurgency. Protests by opponents of the French military presence have surged in Burkina, partly linked to perceptions that France has not done enough to tackle the Islamist militancy that has spread in recent years from neighbouring Mali. France retains some 200-400 special forces in Burkina. Burkina's national television reported on Saturday that the government had suspended a 2018 military accord with Paris on Jan. 18, giving France one month to pull its troops out. Paris also has a large military presence in Chad.

☆ Myanmar activists, victims file criminal complaint in Germany over alleged atrocities
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BANGKOK, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Myanmar activists and 16 alleged victims of abuse have filed a criminal complaint in Germany, accusing top generals of instigating genocide against Rohingya Muslims and other atrocities since a military coup two years ago. A spokesman for Myanmar's military government did not answer a call seeking comment on the complaint filed in Germany. The 16 individual complainants in the Myanmar filing include ethnic Rohingya and others who survived or witnessed crimes in Myanmar since the coup, Fortify Rights said. In the case of the Rohingya, Myanmar authorities have previously said security forces were carrying out legitimate operations against militants who attacked police posts. The junta has also denied the military had carried out atrocities since the coup, disputing casualty figures given by activists and terming opponents "terrorists".

REUTERS/Ruma PaulCOX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Mohammed Ismail says four of his relatives were killed by gunmen at the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh between April and October last year. The group has fought against Myanmar's security forces and some Rohingya say it has been recruiting fighters, often through coercion, in the Bangladesh camps. Ismail, who lives with his parents, wife and brother, says he fears for his life and understands why some Rohingya are fleeing Bangladesh. A FRAUGHT CHOICEReuters spoke with several refugees who returned to the Bangladesh camps after abandoning journeys to Malaysia, via Myanmar, out of trepidation. "People are risking their lives on sea journeys as there is no future here and criminal activities are rising," Aziz said.

☆ Europe's royals, in Athens, bids farewell to Greece's last king
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] A person holds a flag as people queue to pay respects to former King of Greece Constantine II at Saint Eleftherios chapel, where he lies at rest before the funeral service, in Athens, Greece, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza VradiATHENS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - European royalty gathered in Athens on Monday for the funeral of former King Constantine of Greece, born a prince but spurned by his country which abolished the monarchy in 1974. He died at the age of 82 last week in an Athens hospital. Royals from Europe, including Britain's Princess Anne, sister of King Charles, and her husband and Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, were expected to attend the funeral, at the Metropolitan Cathedral in central Athens, under tight security. In a referendum after the fall of the junta in 1974, Greece rejected monarchy again.

☆ Daughter of Thailand's exiled former PM Thaksin to seek premiership
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The daughter of Thailand's self-exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra has declared her readiness to run for prime minister in an election this year, as the main opposition seeks to regain power after being ousted in a coup eight years ago. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whose father Thaksin and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra both led governments toppled by the army, will run under the Pheu Thai Party, the latest incarnation of a populist movement founded by her billionaire family two decades ago. "We want the party to win the election by a landslide so the promises we made to the people can be realised," she said. Both Yingluck and Thaksin are living overseas to avoid jail terms handed down under military rule. Prayuth, 68, joined the new United Thai Nation Party last week, hinting at a bid to remain premier.

REUTERS/Nir EliasSINGAPORE, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Israel's Cognyte Software Ltd (CGNT.O) won a tender to sell intercept spyware to a Myanmar state-backed telecommunications firm a month before the Asian nation's February 2021 military coup, according to documents reviewed by Reuters. Intercept spyware can give authorities the power to listen in on calls, view text messages and web traffic including emails, and track the locations of users without the assistance of telecom and internet firms. MPT uses intercept spyware, a source with direct knowledge of the matter and three people briefed on the issue told Reuters although they did not identify the vendor. Reuters was unable to determine whether the sale of Cognyte intercept technology to MPT was finalised. While intercept spyware is typically described as "dual-use" technology for civilian and defence purposes, Israeli law states that "dual-use" technology is classified as defence equipment.

☆ Greece's last king Constantine II to be buried privately in Athens
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Sons of Greece's former King Constantine II, Crown Prince Pavlos, Prince Nikolaos and Prince Philippos leave the Maximos Mansion following a meeting with members of the Greek government, in Athens, Greece, January 11, 2023. REUTERS/Alkis KonstantinidisATHENS, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Greece's former King Constantine II, who died on Tuesday night aged 82, will be buried privately at a former royal estate north of Athens, the Greek government said on Wednesday. Deposed by military rulers and spurned by his subjects who voted to ditch the monarchy in 1974, Constantine II was the only son of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece. Constantine II, godfather to Britain's Prince William and a second cousin to King Charles, would be buried privately in Tatoi, the summer palace of the former Greek royal family, where his ancestors are also laid to rest, the government said. Constantine II was 27 years old and had only recently ascended to the throne, in 1964, when he was forced into exile with a young family in late 1967.

☆ Former Liberian rebel seeks to overturn Swiss war crimes ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Alieu Kosiah, a former rebel commander who fought against former President Charles Taylor's army in the 1990s, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021 in Switzerland's first ever war crimes trial. The indictment has since been expanded to include crimes against humanity - the first time these charges are brought in a Swiss trial. A 2011 Swiss law allows prosecution for serious crimes committed anywhere, under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Unlike Sierra Leone which had its own civil war at the same time and later held war crimes trials, no prosecutions have taken place in Liberia. In November, a former Liberian rebel commander was sentenced to life in prison by a French court and a Finnish appeals court is hearing a Liberia war crimes case.

Tun Min Latt is in pre-trial detention; his lawyer could not be reached for comment. Min Aung Hlaing’s two children face no legal action over the assets, according to the two people with knowledge of the case. They added that Thai authorities did not consider them relevant to the investigation against Tun Min Latt. The discovery of the documents indicated close ties between Tun Min Latt and the Myanmar junta chief’s family. Since the coup, Min Aung Hlaing’s forces have launched a bloody crackdown on dissent, killing thousands of opponents, according to the United Nations, which accuses Myanmar's troops of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

☆ Constantine, the former and last king of Greece, dies at 82
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

ATHENS, Greece — Constantine, the former and last king of Greece, who won an Olympic gold medal before becoming entangled in his country’s volatile politics in the 1960s as king and spent decades in exile, has died. Prince Constantine on his sailboat at the Olympics in 1960. With minimal nostalgia for the monarchy in Greece, Constantine became a relatively uncontroversial figure. Crown Prince Constantine, left, arrives at the Raiding Forces' Headquarters on July 5, 1956. Prince Charles and King Constantine II of Greece attend Sunday service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in King's Lynn, England, on Dec. 9, 2007.

☆ Former King of Greece Constantine II dies at 82
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie arrive at Fredensborg Castle in Denmark to a dinner given to celebrate the 75th birthday of Queen Margrthe II of Denmark on April 16th, 2015. Ritzau Scanpix 2023/Thomas Lekfeldt via REUTERSATHENS, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Greece's former King Constantine II, whose nine-year reign coincided with one of the most turbulent periods in the country's political history, died on Tuesday aged 82, state website ERT news reported. Constantine II, the only son of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece, ascended to the throne in 1964 after his father died but his reign was marred by political instability which culminated in a military coup on April 21, 1967. With his wife Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, the former king, a sailor whose team won a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, had five children. Constantine, Prince William's godfather, and his family had lived in London for years, before returning to Greece.

☆ French minister says France still committed to Burkina Faso despite tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Benoit TessierOUAGADOUGOU, Jan 10 (Reuters) - A French minister said on Tuesday her government would not stop supporting Burkina Faso in its fight against Islamist militants and wished to remain involved despite growing anti-French sentiment and diplomatic tensions. Relations between France and Burkina Faso, a former French colony, have deteriorated following two military coups this year that were partly spurred by local authorities' failure to protect civilians from jihadist attacks. Tensions flared last month, when the Burkina Faso government requested the replacement of France's ambassador. Protests by opponents of the French military presence surged this year, partly linked to perceptions that France has not done enough to improve security. Zacharopoulou said French troops would remain in Burkina Faso "as long as their presence is desired".

Search resuls for: "Junta"

25 mentions found