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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011500

The people of Burkina Faso woke up to military rule on Tuesday, after the army ousted President Roch Kabore, suspended the constitution, dissolved the government and national assembly, and closed the country’s borders.

The army cited a deterioration of national security and Kabore’s inability to unite the West African nation and effectively respond to challenges, which include an Islamist insurgency.

According to Monday’s televised military announcement, the coup was staged without violence and government officials were being detained.

The statement was made by the new junta, which calls itself the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration, or MPSR, its French-language acronym.

“MPSR, which includes all sections of the army, has decided to end President Kabore’s post today,” it said.

Kabore’s whereabouts were unknown on Monday, with conflicting accounts of his situation.

Putsches have toppled governments over the past 18 months in neighbouring West African states of Mali and Guinea. The military also took over in Chad last year after President Idriss Deby died fighting rebels in the country’s north.

Landlocked Burkina Faso, one of West Africa’s poorest countries despite being a gold producer, has experienced numerous coups since gaining independence from France in 1960.

The MPSR said it would propose a calendar for a return to constitutional order “within a reasonable time frame, after consultations with various sections of the nation”.

The US State Department on Monday said it was aware of reports that Kabore had been detained by the military and called for his release. It added that it was “too soon” to officially characterise developments in the West African country, when asked if Washington was undertaking a coup assessment.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemns any attempted takeover of government by the force of arms” in Burkina Faso and called on the coup leaders to lay down their weapons, a UN spokesman said after the army statement.

Kabore had faced waves of protests in recent months amid frustration over killings of civilians and soldiers by militants, some of whom have links to Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

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Italy’s parliament gathered in a joint session of both houses on Monday for the first round of voting to elect the country’s new president to replace Sergio Mattarella, whose term will end on Feb. 3.

ROME, Jan. 24 — Casting their votes were some 1,008 “grand electors,” namely all the members of the parliament plus 58 representatives chosen by regional councils.

With a large majority of blank ballots among all those registered at the end of the day, no majority was found on any name.

The outcome of this first round was largely expected since no official candidate was backed by both alliances — centre-left and centre-right — holding the most parliamentary seats and currently governing the country together in the coalition cabinet.

According to the Italian constitution, a majority of two-thirds in the first three rounds of voting is required to elect a president, followed by a simple majority, or at least 505 votes, from the fourth on.

The parliament in the joint session of both houses will keep gathering this week to hold new rounds of voting until a candidate gathers enough support.

The seven-year term of President Sergio Mattarella will expire on Feb. 3.

The president in Italy is a traditional ceremonial figure that plays a balancing role within the institutional landscape, although the president presides over the Superior Council of the Judiciary and the Supreme Council of Defence.

However, the role becomes crucial in cases of broad political instability, since the president is tasked with helping solve major deadlocks between the government and the parliament.

The next one will be the 13th president of the Italian Republic. 

The president selects a new prime minister candidate when the cabinet loses the confidence of the chambers and resigns; and, in case of no agreement among members of parliament on a new executive, the president would dissolve the parliament and call for new general elections.

For these reasons, the president is usually chosen among figures that all political forces perceive as non-partisan, but at the same time someone with broad political experience and deep knowledge of the constitution.

The election has been preceded by intense talks between the country’s two main political blocks in parliament, the centre-left led by the Five Star Movement and Democratic Party and the centre-right led by the right-wing League and Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party.

The process is being followed attentively by Italian media and people as usual, and there might be additional reasons for that this time.

Mattarella has in fact played a visible role at a social level in the last two years, dispensing reassuring messages that helped the country navigate through the difficult pandemic phase.

Secondly, the next elections to renew the parliament and therefore form the new government are scheduled in spring 2023. In case Draghi will move to the Quirinale presidential palace, early elections might be called one year ahead of the natural end of the legislature.

Xinhua

Published : January 25, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011483

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has won permission from a court here to appeal against his extradition from the United Kingdom (UK) to the United States, where he faces espionage charges.

LONDON, Jan. 24  — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has won permission from a court here to appeal against his extradition from the United Kingdom (UK) to the United States, where he faces espionage charges.

The High Court in London decided on Monday that Assange had an arguable point of law that UK Supreme Court justices may want to consider.

However, the High Court refused him permission for a direct appeal, meaning the Supreme Court will first have to decide whether it should hear his challenge.

Assange’s lawyers now have 14 days to prepare the application to the Supreme Court.

Last month, the High Court ruled that Assange can be extradited, as it overturned an earlier judgment based on concerns about Assange’s mental health and risk of suicide in a maximum-security prison in the U.S.

Assange, 50, is wanted in the United States on allegations of disclosing national defence information following WikiLeaks’s publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked military documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars a decade ago.

He has been held at South London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. 

Xinhua

Published : January 25, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011446

Some 6,000 red lanterns are lit up at the iconic Thean Hou Temple in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year that falls on Feb. 1 this year.

Red lanterns set for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year are seen at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Red lanterns set for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year are seen at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Red lanterns set for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year are seen at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

A man takes photos of the red lanterns at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

People pose for photos next to the red lanterns at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

People pose for photos under the red lanterns at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Red lanterns set for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year are seen at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Red lanterns set for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year are seen at Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

Published : January 24, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011444

“I appreciate China’s help so much. The winter assistance has solved a lot of our problems in these cold and difficult days. The Chinese people has been a good neighbor and friend for long,” local resident Attiqullah said.

Afghanistan’s caretaker government began to deliver the China-aided humanitarian food supplies on Saturday to at least 10 provinces of the country’s 34 provinces, an official said Saturday.

The supplies including 440 tons of rice will be shipped by 20 trucks to 10 most vulnerable provinces, Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, spokesman for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, told Xinhua here.He also said that other shipments of the China-aided humanitarian food supplies will be transported to other provinces in the coming days.

Haqqani said that Afghanistan had received several batches of humanitarian supplies donated by China, and that the ministry was sending the material aid to the vulnerable people in the country’s 34 provinces. He expressed gratitude to China for the humanitarian assistance.

People receive relief assistance donated by China in Maimana, capital of Faryab province, Afghanistan, Jan. 10, 2022. (Photo by Qamaruddin Poya/Xinhua)

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Recently, thousands of needy people in several Afghan provinces received China-aided relief items. In Faryab province, 1,100 destitute people who were surveyed and registered by officials from the provincial directorate of refugees and repatriation received the assistance packages in Maimana, the capital of northern Faryab province, on Jan. 10, head of the directorate Saifuddin Jahadi told Xinhua.

People receive relief assistance donated by China in Maimana, capital of Faryab province, Afghanistan, Jan. 10, 2022. (Photo by Qamaruddin Poya/Xinhua)

The non-food packages included blankets, winter jackets and washing soaps, he said.

“I appreciate China’s help so much. The winter assistance has solved a lot of our problems in these cold and difficult days. The Chinese people has been a good neighbor and friend for long,” local resident Attiqullah told Xinhua after receiving a package.

In Kunduz province, about 300 people received similar assistance packages on Jan. 10, according to Matihullah Rohani, head of the provincial directorate of culture and information.

Since Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August 2021, the impoverished country has suffered economic woes.

China has recently sent batches of humanitarian assistance including foodstuff, COVID-19 vaccines and winter clothes to the Central Asian country.

Workers load China-aided humanitarian food supplies onto a truck in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 22, 2022. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

People receive relief assistance donated by China in Maimana, capital of Faryab province, Afghanistan, Jan. 10, 2022. (Photo by Qamaruddin Poya/Xinhua)

Published : January 24, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011443

In Myanmar’s Wingabaw Elephant Camp, a newborn baby elephant nestled close to his mother. The staff on the side is feeding them with water, as the two-day-old baby is playing happily under the protection of his mother.

A newborn male elephant is seen at the Wingabaw Elephant Camp in Bago region, Myanmar on Jan. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung)

A newborn male elephant is seen at the Wingabaw Elephant Camp in Bago region, Myanmar on Jan. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung)

Mother elephant breastfeeds a two-day-old baby male elephant at the Wingabaw Elephant Camp in Bago region, Myanmar on Jan. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung)

The two-day-old baby male elephant is seen at the Wingabaw Elephant Camp in Bago region, Myanmar on Jan. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/U Aung)

Published : January 24, 2022

By : Xinhua

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011439

Children across China have got the much-needed breather to savor a fun-filled holiday, as they kickstarted their first winter vacation after the implementation of the “double reduction” policy, rolled out in July last year to alleviate the pressures of excessive schoolwork and off-campus tutoring.

Children are no longer drowned in homework and extra classes this winter vacation. “I’ve never had a more pleasant winter vacation since I entered primary school,” said Chang Xinyue, 12, in Taiyuan, north China’s Shanxi Province.

The sixth grader’s holiday plan, all made by herself, has no tutoring classes and piles of homework. Instead, she has plenty of time for her hobbies.

Her holiday schedule includes three hours of study every day, playing go chess, reading and exercising.

“She used to be exhausted after a full day of tutoring classes, but now she is certainly more self-motivated,” said Chang’s mother with a sense of pride.

For over a decade, the same scenes had played out in every Chinese household with a school-age child during vacation — kids overwhelmed with extra classes and parents or grandparents busy shuttling between these training centers, as holidays are believed to be “golden opportunities” to make up for missed classes and improve preparation for the forthcoming semester.

The “double reduction” policy was rolled out at a time when both students and parents were feeling the strain of an excessive academic load and overheated off-campus tutoring. The move, which relieved both sides, has brought the main education court back to campus and liberated children from having to jump the gun, which is detrimental to their overall development.

Education authorities in China reiterated their stance earlier this month ahead of the winter vacation to ensure that the policy is strictly followed.

“The ‘double reduction’ policy relieves children of their strenuous studies and is beneficial to their overall abilities,” said Ma Huiqin with the Taiyuan Education Bureau.

Instead of being stuck with course books, children are now more encouraged to go outdoors, have fun and devote more time to physical and mental wellbeing.

Xu Haoxin, a second grader from Taiyuan, is looking forward to the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. “I will learn about the Winter Olympics in advance and watch the games with my parents. I’ll also pay close attention to the medal tally,” Xu said.

Meanwhile, Li Siqi, a third-grader from the city of Lanzhou, northwest China’s Gansu Province, is spending most of his time during the vacation reading and working out.

“Swimming and soccer are his favorite sports. Since he is interested, we’ll try our best to give him a happy childhood,” said Li’s mother.

Bai Xiaojing, another parent in Lanzhou, said she used to stuff her kid with various training courses in holidays, which did not help much in the academic performance but “had made everyone weary and strained the parent-child relation.”

“The new policy has also made parents like us reflect and reevaluate what kind of education is appropriate and better suits our kids,” she said.

Psychologists believe that the “double reduction” policy is helpful to the mental and physical health of the young generation.

Early attachment relationship is critical in creating bonds between a child and the primary caregiver, developing a healthy personality and good adaptability, said Tian Feng with the Chinese Association for Mental Health.

“If the early attachment relationship is not well established, psychological problems such as impulsiveness, anxiety and depression will easily occur during adolescence. Winter vacation under the new policy provides opportunities for parents to observe, understand and communicate with their children,” Tian added.

After the implementation of the new policy, offline off-campus training institutions that offer curriculum subject programs have been reduced by 83.8 percent, and online training institutions have been reduced by 84.1 percent, with over 91 percent of students now participating in after-school services on campus, the Ministry of Education told a press conference in December last year.

The proportion of students who are able to complete written assignments within the specified time also increased from 46 percent before the new policy was implemented to more than 90 percent now, the ministry added.

Published : January 24, 2022

By : Xinhua

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011437

Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, cleared all areas classified as high and medium-risk for COVID-19 after more than a month’s epidemic prevention and control efforts, local authorities said Monday.

The whole city has been downgraded to low risk, and all residents can travel freely with their health QR code from Monday, according to the municipal epidemic prevention and control headquarters.

The city’s traffic, as well as work and production, has fully resumed while government organs at all levels and enterprises have returned to normal since Monday, the headquarters added.

As of Sunday, the city had reported 2,053 confirmed local cases since the resurgence of the epidemic in December.

“Low risk doesn’t mean free of risk. The city will continue to strictly implement epidemic prevention and control measures,” said Liu Feng, director of the provincial center for disease prevention and control.

Published : January 24, 2022

By : Xinhua

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China’s National Health Commission on Saturday urged targeted COVID-19 response measures for people traveling home, as the country is seeing more cross-regional trips ahead of the Spring Festival.

BEIJING, Jan. 22  — Tailored measures should be applied to people traveling from areas with different risk levels, Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the commission, told a press conference.

Local authorities should not take a simplistic approach to COVID-19 containment by applying a one-size-fits-all policy, nor should they add excessive restrictions, Mi said.

This year’s Spring Festival travel rush began on Jan. 17 and will continue until Feb. 25, with the number of passenger trips expected to reach 1.18 billion, official data shows.

According to data from the commission, the Chinese mainland on Friday recorded 23 new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19. Though there has been a marked drop in the number of domestic infections, Mi said that recent cluster cases indicate the risk of the virus spreading still exists.

Xinhua

Published : January 23, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011399

The northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an is expected to clear all areas classified as high and medium-risk for COVID-19 on Jan. 25, provided no special circumstances arise, a government official said on Saturday.

XI’AN, Jan. 22  — Zhang Fenghu, deputy secretary general of the Xi’an Municipal Government, told a press conference that the prediction was made after careful expert study and evaluation.

Should the prediction become a reality, the ancient city, home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors, will resume regular prevention and control in most areas, Zhang said.

There are currently two medium-risk areas and one high-risk area in Xi’an.

As of 12 p.m. Saturday, the city had reported 2,053 confirmed local cases, with 1,667 recovered. 

Xinhua

Published : January 23, 2022